With Plural Separate Mixer Or Converter Circuits Patents (Class 455/189.1)
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Patent number: 7877073Abstract: A multi-channel superheterodyne receiver employs a low intermediate frequency (IF) and both high-side injection and low-side injection of a selected local oscillator (LO) signal into the mixer in order to position image frequencies outside the passband of a single image reject filter. Any channel that falls within a used portion of the image reject filter passband can be downconverted with image rejection if the utilized bandwidth portion is no greater than about 4 times the IF minus the bandwidth of a channel in the filter passband. Low side injection is used for channels falling within the lower half of the passband of the image reject filter, while high-side injection is used for channels falling within the upper half thereof. The image always remains outside the passband and the receiver can accommodate a greatly increased number of channels.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2005Date of Patent: January 25, 2011Assignee: Digi International Inc.Inventors: David C. Steed, Jr., Martin R. Johnson
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Publication number: 20100325669Abstract: A band converter consists of a band-pass filter, a band-stop filter, a first power distributor, a local oscillator, a mixer, a switch circuit, a high-pass filter, a second power distributor, and a low-pass filter. The band-pass filter and the band-stop filter respectively filter a down-converted input signal to generate a first filtered signal and a second filtered signal. The first power distributor is coupled to the band-stop filter. The mixer is coupled to the first power distributor and the local oscillator. The switch circuit is coupled to the first power distributor and the mixer. The high-pass filter is coupled to the switch circuit. The second power distributor is coupled to the band-pass filter and the high-pass filter. The low-pass filter is coupled to the second power distributor.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2009Publication date: December 23, 2010Inventors: Cho-Jui Tsai, Chen-Chia Huang
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Patent number: 7840201Abstract: A communication module is provided in which its characteristic of separation between its first and second tuner units is improved. The module is equipped with a circuit board having a first main surface, and a second main surface opposite to the first main surface; a first amplifier arranged on the first main surface, for amplifying a first signal; a first mixer arranged on the first main surface, for converting a signal supplied from the first amplifier to an intermediate-frequency signal; a second amplifier for amplifying a second signal; and a mixer for converting a signal supplied from the second amplifier to an intermediate-frequency signal, both arranged on the second main surface of the circuit board.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2006Date of Patent: November 23, 2010Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Daisuke Nishimura, Hiroaki Ozeki, Takeshi Fujii
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Patent number: 7796971Abstract: An electronic chip has a data input for receiving an input digital data signal with a data frequency, a plurality of switches, and a logic circuit operatively coupled with both the plurality of switches and the data input. The logic circuit controls the switches to be in one of a DAC mode or a mixer mode. The DAC mode causes the switches to convert the input digital data signal into a DAC analog signal having about the data frequency. The mixer mode, however, causes the switches to convert the input digital data signal into a mixed analog signal having a mixer frequency that is higher than the data frequency.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2007Date of Patent: September 14, 2010Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.Inventors: Yunchu Li, Bernd Schafferer
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Patent number: 7711346Abstract: Frequency translation, such as frequency up conversion of a video baseband or intermediate frequency to a desired frequency division broadcast channel, is provided utilizing a single sideband or image reject mixer and filtering having relaxed selectivity requirements. According to a preferred embodiment, a first single sideband mixer accepts an input signal at an intermediate frequency and up converts this signal to a high intermediate frequency. The image rejection provided by the single sideband mixer in combination with simple filtering provide sufficient signal quality to achieve desired levels of desired signal isolation, such as on the order of 40 dB. Preferably, a second single sideband mixer accepts the high intermediate frequency signal and down converts this signal to a desired transmission or broadcast frequency.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2008Date of Patent: May 4, 2010Assignee: Microtune (Texas), L.P.Inventors: Kirk B. Ashby, Albert H. Taddiken, S. Vincent Birleson
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Patent number: 7702305Abstract: An instrumentation receiver architecture for processing an RF signal has a dual-IF channel architecture, a low-band IF channel and a high-band IF channel, and a tunable oscillator, such as a yttrium-iron-garnet (YIG) tunable oscillator (YTO), a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), a bank of VCOs and the like, providing a different mixing frequency range to each channel, generally a higher frequency range to the high-band IF channel than to the low-band IF channel. At the input to the high-band IF channel is a bank of preselection filters for selecting a frequency band from the RF signal for processing by the high-band IF channel. A switch selects the output from one of the low-band and high-band IF channels for further processing.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2007Date of Patent: April 20, 2010Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.Inventor: Jeffrey D. Earls
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Publication number: 20100056087Abstract: A disclosed method tunes a signal from a channelized spectrum having a predetermined channel spacing. A signal of interest having a predetermined maximum bandwidth is mixed with a local oscillator signal, which has a frequency that is an integer multiple of the channel spacing or one-half of a channel spacing displaced from an integer multiple of the channel spacing. The local oscillator signal is selected to frequency translate the signal of interest to within a near-baseband passband whose lower edge is spaced from DC by at least about the maximum bandwidth of the signal of interest. Problems associated with 1/f noise, DC offsets, and self-mixing products are avoided or substantially diminished. Other methods and systems are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2009Publication date: March 4, 2010Inventor: Edwin A. Suominen
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Publication number: 20100022210Abstract: In an image rejection mixer of a receiving device of the invention, when a signal of a first radio frequency band is input to input terminal, first mixer and second mixer convert the input signal of the first radio frequency band into a signal of a first intermediate frequency band by the use of a first local signal from local signal oscillation unit and a filter circuit attenuates an image disturbing signal existing in the first intermediate frequency band, and when a signal of a second radio frequency band is input to the input terminal, first mixer and second mixer convert the input signal of the second radio frequency band into a signal of a second intermediate frequency band by the use of a second local signal from the local signal oscillation unit and the filter circuit attenuates an image disturbing signal existing in the second intermediate frequency band. The first intermediate frequency band and the second intermediate frequency band are partly overlapped with each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2007Publication date: January 28, 2010Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.Inventors: Eiji Okada, Hiroaki Ozeki, Takashi Umeda
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Patent number: 7643808Abstract: A first and a second signal (base band and local oscillator), respectively modulated to a first and a second frequency, are mixed to deliver an output signal at a frequency obtained by combining the first and second frequencies. The mixing is accomplished through a variable resistance stage controlled by the second signal and connected between a first and a second potential to deliver the mixed output signal. A control stage is configured to drive the resistance variation of the variable resistance stage according to the first signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2006Date of Patent: January 5, 2010Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.Inventor: Vincent Knopik
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Patent number: 7627297Abstract: A multi-tuner system includes a first conversion tuner that converts a first RF signal among a plurality of RF signals received from an antenna into a first IF signal using a first conversion mode, the first RF signal corresponding to a first selected channel; and a second conversion tuner that converts a second RF signal among the RF signals into a second IF signal using a second conversion mode, the second RF signal corresponding to a second selected channel. Any IF interference between the tuners is eliminated, and the tuners can be fabricated into a single module.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2006Date of Patent: December 1, 2009Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.Inventor: Chang Kap Nam
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Patent number: 7606551Abstract: In a mixer circuit with a balanced frequency mixer with varactor diodes, a first input signal that exhibits a first input frequency can be fed to the frequency mixer via a first input. Furthermore, a second input signal that exhibits a second input frequency can be fed to the frequency mixer via a second input. The frequency mixer has at least two amplifier elements fashioned as varactor diodes. These amplifier elements mix the input signals with one another into a mix signal with a first signal component and a second signal component. The first signal component exhibits a first component frequency, the second signal component a second component frequency. The first component frequency is equal to the sum of the first and second input frequencies, the second component frequency is equal to the difference of the first and second input frequencies. An output signal that contains at least one of the signal components can be tapped via the output.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2007Date of Patent: October 20, 2009Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Jan Bollenbeck, Martin Hergt, Markus Vester
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Patent number: 7587224Abstract: The method and apparatus of the present invention provide for a configurable radio front end topology that allows selectable operation in a single balanced mode and in a double balanced mode of operation. Logic associated with a baseband processor determines whether to operate in a single or double balanced mode of operation and produces the mode control signal to control selective coupling of circuit components according to the specified mode. Switching circuitry is used to switch a Balun in and out of connectivity. Further, a pair of LO polarity blocks are operable to determine the polarity of a differential LO received by associated mixers according to whether a single balanced or double balanced mode is in use.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2005Date of Patent: September 8, 2009Assignee: Broadcom CorporationInventor: Alireza Zolfaghari
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Patent number: 7561860Abstract: AM receiver 20 is provided with antenna 1, RF amplifier 2, I/Q mixer 3, VCO 4, impulse noise detector 5, interpolator 6, BPF 7, IF amplifier 8 and AM detector 9. I/Q mixer 3 is composed of I mixer 11a as an in-phase mixer and Q mixer 11b as an orthogonal mixer. Impulse noise detector 5 generates an interpolation signal from in-phase and orthogonal output signals from I/Q mixer 3. Interpolator 6 carries out shaping of waveforms of the output signals from I/Q mixer 3 in response to the interpolation signal and eliminates impulse noises from the output signals from I/Q mixer 3.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2005Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventor: Yutaka Matsumoto
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Patent number: 7548737Abstract: A system for transmitting and receiving data is provided. The system includes a direct-conversion receiver that receives a signal modulated on a carrier frequency signal. The direct-conversion receiver includes one or more subharmonic local oscillator mixers. A local oscillator is connected to the direct conversion receiver, and generates a signal having a frequency equal to a subharmonic of the carrier frequency signal. A transmitter is connected to the local oscillator, which uses the local oscillator signal to transmit outgoing data.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2005Date of Patent: June 16, 2009Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: William J. Domino, Scott A. Griffin, Dmitriy Rozenblit
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Patent number: 7536160Abstract: The invention relates to a wideband phase shift device. A phase shift ? is introduced on the fixed frequency local oscillator. The principle of the invention is to realise a double translation of the input signals. The phase variation introduced at the level of the local oscillator has a positive value on one of the translated signals and a negative value on the other. The signals are recombined at the reception frequency with a phase difference of 2 ? so as to maximise the amplitude of the signal at the output of the summator.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2006Date of Patent: May 19, 2009Assignee: Thomson LicensingInventors: Jean-Yves Le Naour, Jean-Luc Robert, Ali Louzir
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Patent number: 7536163Abstract: An apparatus and method for converting a frequency of a high frequency signal received from an antenna in an ultra wide band communication system transmitting and receiving using at least two reference frequencies. The method includes generating generation frequencies having frequencies set to convert the frequency of the high frequency signal and mixing the frequency of the high frequency signal and the generation frequencies in at least two stages.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2005Date of Patent: May 19, 2009Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Min-suk Kang, Tuan-anh Phan, Eun-chul Park, Chun-deok Suh, Chang-wam Kim, Sang-gug Lee
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Patent number: 7529533Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention provide a configurable homodyne/heterodyne RF receiver including first and second mixers. The configurable homodyne/heterodyne RF receiver functions as a homodyne receiver when the first and second mixers are configured to operate in parallel, and as a heterodyne receiver when the first and second mixers are configured to operate in series. The embodiments of the present invention further provides an RFID reader employing the configurable homodyne/heterodyne RF receiver to facilitate a listen-before-talk function.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2005Date of Patent: May 5, 2009Assignee: TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc.Inventor: John Vincent Bellantoni
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Patent number: 7522875Abstract: In a satellite receiving system, program channels are selected from one or more broadband signals and combined with other selected channels and transmitted from a first unit, for example an outdoor unit, to a second unit, for example a gateway, server, or set-top box, using a single cable. Channels can be selected by digitizing the broadband signal then digitally filtering to isolate the desired channels. The outputs of several LNBs can be selected and combined into one signal. Multiple set-top boxes can receive independent signals over a single cable from the outdoor unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2004Date of Patent: April 21, 2009Assignee: Entropic Communications Inc.Inventors: Itzhak Gurantz, Ladd El Wardani, Michael Landry
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Patent number: 7489916Abstract: Direct down-conversion mixer. A direct down-conversion mixer is provided. The mixer comprises an LO switching pair coupled to receive an RF input signal and produce a down converted output signal. The mixer also comprises an integrator coupled to receive the output signal and produce an integrator output signal. The mixer also comprises a control circuit coupled to receive an input voltage and the integrator output signal to produce a control signal that is coupled to the LO switching pair.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2003Date of Patent: February 10, 2009Assignee: Sequoia CommunicationsInventors: Michael Farias, John Groe, Damian Costa
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Patent number: 7486338Abstract: A TV tuner consisting of a least one low-noise amplifier, one mixer and one variable-gain amplifier plus two band-pass filters, the first of which is placed after low-noise amplifier and before the mixer, and the second of which is placed after mixer and before variable-gain amplifier. The filters are on-chip active devices equipped with on-chip frequency- and Q-tuning systems. The first band-pass filter is a real filter, such that its frequency response is symmetrical for positive and negative frequencies. The second band-pass filter is a complex filter, such that its frequency response has transmission for positive frequencies, but blocks negative frequencies. The low-noise amplifier includes gain control. The mixer is a complex-mixer consisting of two identical mixers driven by two local oscillator signals in quadrature.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2003Date of Patent: February 3, 2009Inventor: Adam S. Wyszynski
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Patent number: 7477918Abstract: A radio-frequency receiver. The radio-frequency receiver includes a first and second low noise amplifier (LNA), a local oscillating module, and a first, second, and third mixer. The first LNA amplifies a first RF signal. The local oscillating module generates a first, second and third local oscillating signals. The first local oscillating signal is generated according to the second local oscillating signal. The first mixer mixes the first RF signal with the first local oscillating signal to generate an intermediate frequency signal. The second LNA amplifies a second RF signal. The second and third mixers can be operated in two modes. The second and third mixers mix the intermediate frequency signal to generate a first and second baseband signal respectively in the first mode, and the second and third mixers mix the second RF signal with the second and third oscillating frequency respectively in a second mode.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2006Date of Patent: January 13, 2009Assignee: Mediatek Inc.Inventor: Chia-Hsin Wu
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Patent number: 7450185Abstract: A television tuner system includes a low noise amplifier (LNA) for receiving and amplifying television signals, a quadrature mixer coupled to receive the amplified television signals and generate first intermediate frequency (IF1) quadrature signals, a complex mixer coupled to receive the IF1 quadrature signals and generate second intermediate frequency (IF2) quadrature signals, a polyphase filter coupled to receive the IF2 quadrature signals and generate IF2 real signals, a channel select filter (CSF) coupled to receive the IF2 real signals and select signals within a desired channel, and an IF variable-gain amplifier (VGA) for amplifying the signals within the desired channel selected by the CSF.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2004Date of Patent: November 11, 2008Assignee: Industrial Technology Research InstituteInventor: Szu-Hsien Wu
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Patent number: 7447493Abstract: A tuner (200) includes a direct digital frequency synthesizer (206) and a mixer (220). The direct digital frequency synthesizer (206) has an output terminal for providing a digital local oscillator signal having a frequency chosen to mix a desired channel to baseband. The mixer (220) has a first input terminal for receiving a tuned radio frequency signal, a second input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the direct digital frequency synthesizer (206), and an output terminal for providing an in-phase baseband signal.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2003Date of Patent: November 4, 2008Assignee: Silicon Laboratories, Inc.Inventor: Richard A. Johnson
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Patent number: 7436308Abstract: Systems, software, devices, and methods are described for an RFID reader system to communicate with RFID tags. RF energy encountered in conjunction with using a selected channel is detected. The RF energy can be a signal from another RFID reader. The detected signal is used to adjust a waveform shaping parameter. RF waves can be transmitted from the reader to the RFID tags and RF waves can be backscattered from the RFID tags. At least some of the RF waves transmitted to or backscattered from the RFID tags have a waveform with a shape according to the adjusted waveform shaping parameter.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2006Date of Patent: October 14, 2008Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Kurt E. Sundstrom, Christopher J. Diorio, Todd E. Humes, Paul Dietrich
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Patent number: 7414676Abstract: An integrated tuner is programmable to optimize its components for either analog signal reception or digital signal reception. Power to the components is increased for analog operation and decreased for digital operation. The tuner also includes a selectable and integrated low noise amplifier that may be selected for single-signal reception and bypassed for multi-signal reception.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2002Date of Patent: August 19, 2008Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.Inventors: Mats Lindstrom, Glenn Eswein, Abdolreza Shafie, Mike A. Ploof, Ryuji Maeda, Manjit S. Gill, Eileen Carlson, Anthony R. Simon, Henry S. Lau
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Patent number: 7403761Abstract: Frequency translation, such as frequency up conversion of a video baseband or intermediate frequency to a desired frequency division broadcast channel, is provided utilizing a single sideband or image reject mixer and filtering having relaxed selectivity requirements. According to a preferred embodiment, a first single sideband mixer accepts an input signal at an intermediate frequency and up converts this signal to a high intermediate frequency. The image rejection provided by the single sideband mixer in combination with simple filtering provide sufficient signal quality to achieve desired levels of desired signal isolation, such as on the order of 40 dB. Preferably, a second single sideband mixer accepts the high intermediate frequency signal and down converts this signal to a desired transmission or broadcast frequency.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2006Date of Patent: July 22, 2008Assignee: Microtune (Texas), L.P.Inventors: Kirk B. Ashby, Albert H. Taddiken, S. Vincent Birleson
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Patent number: 7394874Abstract: A multi-channel RF receiver uses an image rejection mixer (e.g. double quadrature mixer) in the IF down conversion stage for image side band rejection (whereby use of an IF narrow band filter for image rejection may be omitted if desired) and comprises a simplified frequency synthesizer which generates both a “wandering” IF oscillator frequency and an RF oscillator frequency for the up/down conversion stages (being, for down conversion, from RF to IF and from IF to base band. The IF used for a particular RF carrier (channel) is selected so as to be both an integer (N) sub-harmonic of that RF carrier and within the operating frequency band of the image rejection mixer. Advantageously, the synthesizer comprises only one loop and one VCO, wherein the IF oscillator signal is produced from the RF oscillator signal by means of a frequency divider.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2007Date of Patent: July 1, 2008Assignee: Zarbana Digital Fund LLCInventors: Alexander Neil Birkett, James Stuart Wight
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Patent number: 7392026Abstract: A multi-band high gain mixer and quadrature signal generator allows a receiver system to receive signals at multiple frequency bands without requiring significant hardware duplication. A single mixer directly receives any of three communication frequency bands such as Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), Personal Communication Services (PCS), Digital Communication System (DCS), and Japan and US W-CDMA 800 bands without amplification. A Serial-Parallel Interface selectably forwards RF signals within the receiver's frequency channels to the mixer for demodulation into in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) signals at a common IF output from the multi-mode receiver. Significant power and cost advantages are attained by elimination of duplicate mixers and amplifier stages.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2005Date of Patent: June 24, 2008Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: Mohammed S. Alam, Daniel L. Kaczman
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Patent number: 7379727Abstract: An RF front-end receiver comprises a low noise amplifier and a local oscillator driver, which are connected to respective input ports of a mixer which comprises a first and second transistor with gates coupled to one output terminal, a third and fourth transistor with gates coupled to the other output terminal, a fifth and sixth transistor with gates coupled to respective output terminal of the local oscillator driver, the sources of the first and third transistors coupled to the drain of the fifth transistor, the sources of the second and fourth transistor coupled to the drain of the sixth transistor, the sources of the fifth and sixth transistor coupled to ground, the drains of the first and fourth transistor coupled to one output terminal of a mixer output port, and the drains of the second and third transistor coupled to the other output terminal of the mixer output port.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2005Date of Patent: May 27, 2008Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Andrej Litwin, Ganesh Kathiresan
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Patent number: 7376403Abstract: A terahertz radiation mixer comprises a heterodyned field-effect transistor (FET) having a high electron mobility heterostructure that provides a gatable two-dimensional electron gas in the channel region of the FET. The mixer can operate in either a broadband pinch-off mode or a narrowband resonant plasmon mode by changing a grating gate bias of the FET. The mixer can beat an RF signal frequency against a local oscillator frequency to generate an intermediate frequency difference signal in the microwave region. The mixer can have a low local oscillator power requirement and a large intermediate frequency bandwidth. The terahertz radiation mixer is particularly useful for terahertz applications requiring high resolution.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2005Date of Patent: May 20, 2008Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Michael C. Wanke, S. James Allen, Mark Lee
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Patent number: 7369837Abstract: A frequency-mixing method includes a step of generating a first quadrature signal having a predetermined frequency, a second quadrature signal having a phase difference of about 180 degrees with respect to a phase of the first quadrature signal, a third quadrature signal having a phase difference of about 90 degrees with respect to the phase of the first quadrature signal and a fourth quadrature signal having a phase difference of about 90 degrees with respect to a phase of the second quadrature signal; a step of controlling a phase of the third quadrature signal and a phase of the fourth quadrature signal so as to control a linearity of a frequency mixer; and a step of down-converting a radio frequency (RF) signal using the first through the fourth quadrature signals. Accordingly, performance of a direct-conversion receiver (DCR) can be improved by employing a frequency-mixing device capable of enhancing a linearity of a frequency mixer.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2005Date of Patent: May 6, 2008Assignee: Samsung Electronics, Co., Ltd.Inventor: Young-Jin Kim
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Patent number: 7340233Abstract: An integrated circuit may include a receiver and/or a transmitter that performs third order sub-harmonic conversion. The integrated circuit may include a Gilbert cell active mixer with three or more serially-connected transistors in each of the mixer's four branches. Alternatively, the integrated circuit may include a quad-ring passive resistive mixer with three or more serially-connected transistors in each of the mixer's four branches. Alternatively, the integrated circuit may include a logic circuit and a mixer. The logic circuit may apply logic operations to periodic logic signals having a local frequency and to delayed versions thereof to produce reference signals having a dominant spectral component at three times the local frequency. The mixer may mix input signals with the reference signals to produce output signals having a dominant spectral component at three times the local frequency less a center frequency of the input signals.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2004Date of Patent: March 4, 2008Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Yair Shemesh, Shai Gross, Tzvi Maimon
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Patent number: 7327406Abstract: A monolithic integrated circuit includes a tuner and a SAW filter function. The tuner receives a radio frequency (RF) television signal that has a range of fundamental frequencies from 55 mega hertz (Mhz) to 880 Mhz. The tuner down converts the RF television signal to an intermediate frequency (IF) television signal that has a low fundamental frequency. In one embodiment, the SAWF filter performs the SAW filter function on the IF television signal. In another embodiment, the SAWF filter performs the SAW filter function at baseband. An IF processor for processing the IF television signal to generate a video television signal and an audio television signal is disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2002Date of Patent: February 5, 2008Assignee: RFStream CorporationInventors: Kimitake Utsunomiya, Takatsugu Kamata
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Patent number: 7324793Abstract: A wireless transmission device capable of transmitting media from different channels concurrently. The transmitter of the device places the inputted TV signals and an audio/video signal on different segments of a frequency spectrum, combines the signals of all segments into one combined signal, and transmits the combined signal as a radio frequency signal so as to transmit signals from different channels at the same time. Meanwhile, a controller in the receiver of the device selects a needed channel signal from the received radio frequency signal according to a selection signal. Therefore with one A/V transmitter and multiple A/V receivers, multiple-channel media transmission and multiple-channel media reception is achieved.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2005Date of Patent: January 29, 2008Assignee: Wistron NeWeb CorporationInventors: Cheng-Nan Lee, Chen-Chia Huang
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Patent number: 7308230Abstract: Systems and methods for transmitting and receiving diverse signals across regions using a minimum of frequency capacity and maintaining compatibility with the heritage system. A system of the invention comprises at least one broadcast transmitter for transmitting a broadcast signal in a first frequency band to a receiver, at least one gapfiller transmitter for transmitting a gapfiller signal in a second frequency band to the receiver and at least one set of reuse transmitters for transmitting a plurality of spotbeam signals in the first frequency band to define coverage regions and at least one coverage gap where the spotbeam signals are not transmitted. A method of the invention comprises receiving a first signal, receiving a second signal, generating a first intermediate frequency (IF) signal from the first signal, generating a second IF signal from the second signal, filtering the second IF signal to produce a filtered second IF signal and combining the filtered second IF signal and the first IF signal.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2006Date of Patent: December 11, 2007Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.Inventor: John P. Godwin
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Patent number: 7305217Abstract: A double balanced mixer includes a local oscillator balun, a radio frequency balun and four diodes. The local oscillator balun has a transmission line, a half wavelength transmission line and a quarter wavelength transmission line mounted on a printed circuit board. The radio frequency balun has a transmission line, a half wavelength transmission line and a printed circuit line mounted on a printed circuit board. The four diodes are mounted to the printed circuit board and connected between the local oscillator balun and the radio frequency balun.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2004Date of Patent: December 4, 2007Inventor: Rod Kirkhart
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Patent number: 7269424Abstract: Mobile terminal implementing a ranging signal receiver and method. Means are provided to incorporate ranging signal reception capability into a mobile terminal (such as a UMTS terminal) notwithstanding the fact that the ranging signal has a bandwidth that is wider than the bandpass of filtering for native signals within the terminal. A ranging signal receiving subsystem receives broadband signals that comprise synchronization bursts, which are equally spaced in time, such as from digital television stations. A common filter will have a bandpass that it is smaller than the bandwidth of the ranging signals. However, the correlation subsystem of the mobile terminal enables recovery of synchronization bursts by correlating the ranging signal with a known sequence that has been predistorted to account for the bandpass of the common filter.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2002Date of Patent: September 11, 2007Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications ABInventor: William O. Camp, Jr.
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Patent number: 7266352Abstract: Multistage RF transmitter and receiver circuits may use independently variable RF and IF local oscillators, allowing the RF and IF local oscillator frequencies for a given RF channel to be selected to have a large common factor with respect to the reference oscillator used by the local oscillator circuits, thus allowing the use of small divisor numbers in the local oscillator circuits and reducing phase noise. Independent high-side and low-side RF local oscillators may be provided and selectively used depending on the RF channel to be transmitted or received.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2004Date of Patent: September 4, 2007Assignee: Wionics ResearchInventors: Zaw Min Soe, Tony Yang, Jackie Cheng, Sining Zhou, Kuangyu Li, Fei-Ran Yang, Shoufang Chen, Tom Baker
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Patent number: 7262815Abstract: A first local oscillator operating at a first frequency provides a first reference signal and a second reference signal. The second reference signal is the first reference signal phase shifted by 90 degrees. A first harmonic mixer has inputs coupled to a received RF signal, the first reference signal, and the second reference signal. A band-pass filter is coupled to an output of the first harmonic mixer. A second local oscillator operates at a second frequency and provides a third, a fourth, a fifth, and a sixth reference signal, which are phase shifted by 0 degrees, 45 degrees, 90 degrees, and 135 degrees, respectively. A second harmonic mixer has inputs coupled to an output of the band-pass filter, the third reference signal, and the fifth reference signal. A third harmonic mixer has inputs coupled to the output of the band-pass filter, the fourth reference signal, and the sixth reference signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2003Date of Patent: August 28, 2007Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.Inventor: Tung-Ming Su
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Patent number: 7236756Abstract: A front end tuning system includes a tuning signal generator. The tuning signal generator includes a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to receive a pre-conditioned tuning signal at a reference input, to receive a digital value at a digital control input, and to produce a modified tuning signal based on the digital value and the pre-conditioned signal. Preconditioning the tuning-voltage allows a simple current type DAC to be can be used, rather than an 8-bit ladder type DAC used by some other front end tuners. Significant cost savings can be achieved because less memory is required to store the digital values supplied to the DACs, and set up times can be reduced. An adjustable temperature compensation circuit provides additional adaptability.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2002Date of Patent: June 26, 2007Assignee: Freescale Semiconductors, Inc.Inventor: Michael McGinn
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Patent number: 7194044Abstract: A multi-channel RF receiver uses an image rejection mixer (e.g. double quadrature mixer) in the IF down conversion stage for image side band rejection (whereby use of an IF narrow band filter for image rejection may be omitted if desired) and comprises a simplified frequency synthesizer which generates both a “wandering” IF oscillator frequency and an RF oscillator frequency for the up/down conversion stages (being, for down conversion, from RF to IF and from IF to base band. The IF used for a particular RF carrier (channel) is selected so as to be both an integer (N) sub-harmonic of that RF carrier and within the operating frequency band of the image rejection mixer. Advantageously, the synthesizer comprises only one loop and one VCO, wherein the IF oscillator signal is produced from the RF oscillator signal by means of a frequency divider.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2002Date of Patent: March 20, 2007Inventors: Alexander Neil Birkett, James Stuart Wight
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Patent number: 7184724Abstract: Frequency translation, such as frequency up conversion of a video baseband or intermediate frequency to a desired frequency division broadcast channel, is provided utilizing a single sideband or image reject mixer and filtering having relaxed selectivity requirements. According to a preferred embodiment, a first single sideband mixer accepts an input signal at an intermediate frequency and up converts this signal to a high intermediate frequency. The image rejection provided by the single sideband mixer in combination with simple filtering provide sufficient signal quality to achieve desired levels of desired signal isolation, such as on the order of 40 dB. Preferably, a second single sideband mixer accepts the high intermediate frequency signal and down converts this signal to a desired transmission or broadcast frequency.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2000Date of Patent: February 27, 2007Assignee: Microtune (Texas), L.P.Inventors: Kirk B. Ashby, Albert H. Taddiken, S. Vincent Birleson
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Patent number: 7181186Abstract: A frequency conversion apparatus having a mixer eliminates phase miss-matching between two intermediate frequency (IF) signals having the same frequency and a 90 degree difference in phase. The frequency conversion apparatus for compensating for phase mismatching of first and second IF signal in response to an RF input signal transmitted through an RF input terminal includes a quadrature signal generator (QSG) outputting first and second oscillating frequency signals having a 90 degre difference in phase, a first mixer mixing the RF input signal with a first resultant frequency signal having a first resultant phase and generated from the first oscillating frequency signal and an inverted signal of the second oscillating frequency signal, and a second mixer mixing the RF signal with a second resultant frequency signal having a second resultant phase and generated from the second oscillating frequency signal and an inverted signal of the first second oscillating frequency signal.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2003Date of Patent: February 20, 2007Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Seung Min Oh, Hyo Seok Kwon
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Patent number: 7171184Abstract: A gain controlled mixer for an integrated CMOS transceiver. Accuracy of the controlled gain may be relatively invariant over temperature, manufacturing process, and other variations attendant to circuit realizations in a CMOS transceiver, and other realizations. A plurality of substantially matched circuit elements are instantiated and disposed similarly within the gain controlled mixer, enhancing the gain accuracy of selectable gain control states. Matching gain and other functions between circuit elements is further enhanced by appropriately controlling DC operating point conditions.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2004Date of Patent: January 30, 2007Assignee: Atheros Communications, Inc.Inventor: Hirad Samavati
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Patent number: 7164905Abstract: Heretofore, a plurality of packages were used in a high frequency module in which a plurality of waveguide terminals were positioned resulting in problems, such as degradation of characteristics in the connection lines between packages, lower ease of assembly when mounting and connecting the connection lines, increased cost, and so forth. To solve these problems, a plurality of cavities having a part or the entire side metallized is formed in a multi-layer dielectric substrate. The multi-layer dielectric substrate is provided with a plurality of waveguide terminals, microstrip line-waveguide converters, RF lines, bias and control signal wiring, and bias and control signal pads. A high frequency circuit is mounted within the cavity and sealed with a seal and cover. This is intended to reduce the number of package, improve performance, improve fabrication, and lower the cost.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2005Date of Patent: January 16, 2007Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tsutomu Tamaki, Takuya Suzuki, Koichi Matsuo, Hiroshi Kai
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Patent number: 7142808Abstract: A satellite broadcast receiver apparatus includes a plurality of signal conversion units provided corresponding to a plurality of signals transmitted from one or more satellites, each signal conversion unit frequency-converting a corresponding signal for output; a signal terminal that can input/output an electrical signal; a signal select circuit provided between the plurality of signal conversion units and the signal terminal to transmit a desired signal among the signals output from the plurality of signal conversion units to the signal terminal in accordance with a control signal applied to the signal terminal; and a power supply control unit controlling voltage supply to the plurality of signal conversion units. The power supply control unit supplies an operating voltage to at least one of the plurality of signal conversion units selected in accordance with information based on the control signal, and suppresses supply of the operating voltage to the remaining signal conversion units.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2003Date of Patent: November 28, 2006Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiroshi Atarashi
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Patent number: 7142809Abstract: Systems and methods for transmitting and receiving diverse signals across regions using a minimum of frequency capacity and maintaining compatibility with the heritage system. A system of the invention comprises at least one broadcast transmitter for transmitting a broadcast signal in a first frequency band to a receiver, at least one gapfiller transmitter for transmitting a gapfiller signal in a second frequency band to the receiver and at least one set of reuse transmitters for transmitting a plurality of spotbeam signals in the first frequency band to define coverage regions and at least one coverage gap where the spotbeam signals are not transmitted. A method of the invention comprises receiving a first signal, receiving a second signal, generating a first intermediate frequency (IF) signal from the first signal, generating a second IF signal from the second signal, filtering the second IF signal to produce a filtered second IF signal and combining the filtered second IF signal and the first IF signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2004Date of Patent: November 28, 2006Assignee: The DirecTV Group, Inc.Inventor: John P. Godwin
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Patent number: 7139329Abstract: A receiver has a low spurious level and a high frequency precision without increasing power consumption of a local oscillator. The receiver comprises first and second local oscillators; a phase locked loop operating based on an output of the first local oscillator; a first mixer for receiving an RF signal or an IF signal, and converting the received signal to a second IF signal according to an output signal of the phase locked loop; an analog-to-digital converter for converting an output signal of the first mixer to a digital signal; a second mixer for converting the digital signal to a detection process frequency according to an output of the second local oscillator; and a filter for bandpass filtering, interposed between the first mixer and the analog-to-digital converter or between the analog-to-digital converter and the second mixer.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2001Date of Patent: November 21, 2006Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kishi Takahiko
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Patent number: 7095989Abstract: A frequency translating device (FTD) includes at least one mixer diode connected to down-convert a radio frequency (RF) to an intermediate frequency (IF) and to up-convert an IF to an RF and a source of direct current (DC) bias that is connected to the mixer diode. The source of DC bias provides DC bias to the mixer diode that moves the voltage applied to the mixer diode closer to the threshold voltage of the mixer diode. The mixer diode is turned on in response to the DC bias and a local oscillator (LO) drive. Because DC bias is applied to the mixer diode, the peak to peak voltage range of the LO drive can be reduced, thereby reducing the voltage-dependent capacitance of the mixer diode, causing the FTD to exhibit improved reciprocity. The FTD can be used in a three-pair measurement system to determine the conversion response of another FTD.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2001Date of Patent: August 22, 2006Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Richard K. Karlquist
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Patent number: 7092687Abstract: An apparatus for a direct down-conversion of modulated RF signals, the device including: a first power detector connected between an input port for the modulated RF signal and ground, which outputs a first DC signal, a second power detector connected between an input port for a local oscillator signal and ground, which outputs a second DC signal, the local oscillator signal having the same center frequency as the modulated RF signal, and a third power detector connected between the input port for the modulated RF signal and the input port for the local oscillator signal, which outputs a third DC signal.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2003Date of Patent: August 15, 2006Assignee: SONY International (Europe) GmbHInventors: Dragan Krupezevic, Mohamed Ratni, Veselin Brankovic