Amplifier Patents (Class 455/341)
  • Patent number: 11876543
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a mixer circuit, a transmitter, and a communication device. The mixer circuit comprises an I-channel digital-to-analog converter, a Q-channel digital-to-analog converter, a low-pass filter, and a passive quadrature mixer, wherein the low-pass filter comprises an active device, so that an output admittance of the mixer circuit contains conductance dependent of frequency. The consistency between the gains of the mixer circuit at the upper sideband and the lower sideband can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Hangzhou Geo-chip Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sy-Chyuan Hwu
  • Patent number: 11770164
    Abstract: Devices having bypassable radio frequency (RF) filters are provided. A device includes a bypassable RF filter and an adjustable-length RF transmission line that is coupled thereto. Moreover, the device includes a component that is coupled to the adjustable-length RF transmission line and is configured to change an electrical length of the adjustable-length RF transmission line between a first length and a second length. Related methods of bypassing the bypassable RF filter are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Inventors: Giuseppe Resnati, Alessandro Maurizio Delzanno, Peter J. Bisiules, XiaoHua Hou
  • Patent number: 11705868
    Abstract: A system for adapting the voltage of a drain of a power stage includes at least two transmission paths TXa, a transmission path comprising a resistive element (1n), a phase control module (2n), and a power stage (3n) at the output of which a radiating element (En) is arranged, comprising at least: a device (5n) for determining the value of a reflected power Pr, the value of an incident power Pi in a power stage, and the ratio of the powers R, an analogue device (6n) configured so as to pulse width-modulate the difference signal, a switching cell (7n) receiving a low-power PWM signal and designed to generate a power signal PWMa that is transformed, by a low-pass filter (8n), into a bias signal for biasing the power stage in accordance with a predefined bias control law.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: THALES
    Inventors: Wilfried Demenitroux, Nicolas Berthou, Olivier Jardel
  • Patent number: 11546003
    Abstract: A radio frequency module includes: a module substrate including a first principal surface and a second principal surface opposite to each other; a plurality of external-connection terminals (e.g., a plurality of post electrodes) disposed on the second principal surface; a semiconductor component disposed on the second principal surface and including a first low-noise amplifier and/or a second low-noise amplifier; and a metal member set at a ground potential and covering at least part of a surface of the semiconductor component, the surface being opposite to a surface that faces the module substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 11421992
    Abstract: A physical quantity detection circuit includes a first chopping circuit to which a first differential signal based on an output signal of a physical quantity detection element is input, an operational amplifier configured to perform differential amplification on a second differential signal input from the first chopping circuit via a first signal path and a second signal path, a second chopping circuit to which a third differential signal based on an output signal of the operational amplifier is input, an analog/digital conversion circuit configured to convert a fourth differential signal based on an output signal of the second chopping circuit into a digital signal, and a capacitance circuit coupled to the first signal path and the second signal path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Inventor: Noriyuki Murashima
  • Patent number: 11323074
    Abstract: Disclosed in the present invention are a radio frequency power amplifier based on power detection feedback, a chip, and a communication terminal. The radio frequency power amplifier comprises multiple stages of amplifier circuits and at least one power detection feedback circuit; the input end of the power detection feedback circuit is connected to the output end of a current stage of amplifier circuit, and the output end of the power detection feedback circuit is connected to the input ends of the current stage of amplifier circuit and at least one stage of amplifier circuit located prior to the current stage of amplifier circuit. The power detection feedback circuit generates, according to the detected output power of the current stage of amplifier circuit, a control voltage varying inversely with the output power, so that the power detection feedback circuit outputs current varying positively with the control voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: VANCHIP (TIANJIN) TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jinxin Zhao, Yunfang Bai
  • Patent number: 11038467
    Abstract: A power detector has a signal input terminal, N limiting amplifiers, N rectifiers and a signal output terminal. N is an integer greater than 1. The signal input terminal receives an input signal, and the signal output terminal outputs a detection signal. The N limiting amplifiers generate N amplified signals according to N attenuated signals having different attenuation. Each limiting amplifier receives one of the N attenuated signals and outputs one of the N amplified signals. Each rectifier receives a corresponding amplified signal and outputs a rectified signal. The detection signal is associated with the sum of N rectified signals outputted from the N rectifiers, and all transistors of the power detector are bipolar junction transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: RichWave Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Hwey-Ching Chien
  • Patent number: 10721600
    Abstract: A 5th generation (5G) or pre-5G communication system for supporting a higher data transfer rate than a 4th generation (4G) communication system such as long term evolution (LTE) is provided. An electronic device may include a processor and a communication interface operatively coupled to the processor for transmitting and receiving a message. The processor can transmit a first message to a first electronic device using a proximity communication for communication with a second electronic device, and the first message can include information enabling the first electronic device to communicate with the second electronic device on behalf of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Anil Agiwal, Youngbin Chang, Kyungkyu Kim
  • Patent number: 10454422
    Abstract: A differential mixer and a method which can reduce a leak component of a local oscillation differential signal are provided. A differential mixer includes a mixer core unit to which a high frequency signal and a local oscillation differential signal are inputted and which outputs an intermediate frequency differential signal, a common feedback unit which applies a bias voltage to a signal electrically coupled to the high frequency signal and to which a common voltage is fed back from the intermediate frequency differential signal, and a bias unit that applies a reference voltage to the common feedback unit. The common feedback unit generates the bias voltage based on the reference voltage. The bias unit controls the reference voltage so that a leak component of the local oscillation differential signal is a predetermined value or less at an output end of the intermediate frequency differential signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ningyi Wang, Satoru Tomisawa, Noriaki Matsuno
  • Patent number: 9871107
    Abstract: An embodiment of a device includes a semiconductor substrate, a transistor formed at the first substrate surface, a first conductive feature formed over the first substrate surface and electrically coupled to the transistor, and a second conductive feature covering only a portion of the second substrate surface to define a first conductor-less region. A cavity vertically aligned with the first conductive feature within the first conductor-less region extends into the semiconductor substrate. A dielectric medium may be disposed within the cavity and have a dielectric constant less than a dielectric constant of the semiconductor substrate. A method for forming the device may include forming a semiconductor substrate, forming a transistor on the semiconductor substrate, forming the first conductive feature, forming the second conductive feature, forming the conductor-less region, forming the cavity, and filling the cavity with the dielectric medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: NXP USA, INC.
    Inventors: Bruce M. Green, Jenn Hwa Huang, Vikas S. Shilimkar
  • Patent number: 9660690
    Abstract: A cellular radio architecture that includes a receiver module having a receiver delta-sigma modulator that converts analog receive signals to a representative digital signal. The architecture further includes a transmitter module having a transmitter delta-sigma modulator for converting digital data bits to analog transmit signals. Portions of the receiver and transmitter modules are fabricated with silicon germanium (SiGe) technologies and portions of the receiver and transmitter modules are fabricated with CMOS technologies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Timothy J. Talty, Cynthia D. Baringer, Mohiuddin Ahmed, Albert E. Cosand, James Chingwei Li, Peter Petre, Zhiwei A. Xu, Yen-Cheng Kuan
  • Patent number: 9559731
    Abstract: An amplifier module includes a magnitude detector configured to detect a magnitude of a reflection coefficient, and a phase detector configured to detect a phase of the reflection coefficient. The magnitude detector includes an incident signal amplifier configured to amplify an incident signal, an output level controller configured control a level of an output of the incident signal amplifier, a reflected signal amplifier configured to amplify a reflected signal, and a comparator configured to compare an output of the incident signal amplifier with an output of the reflected signal amplifier to output a comparison result indicating whether the magnitude of the reflection coefficient is equal to or greater than a threshold determined based on the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Joo Young Jeon, Donghyeon Ji, Jung Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 9276532
    Abstract: A circuit may include one or more transistors connected directly to an output, and an inductance network. The inductance network may connect to a source node of at least one of the transistors, to compensate capacitance of the output. Thus, the response time of the circuit may decrease, and a non-dominant frequency response pole frequency of the circuit may increase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: ANALOG DEVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty Ali, Huseyin Dinc
  • Patent number: 9111447
    Abstract: An aspect of some embodiments of the present invention relates to a warning system for use in an emergency vehicle. The system comprises a tone generator, configured for generating an output alert signal, and a radio wave generator. The radio wave generator is configured for receiving the output alert signal and encoding the output alert signal into an electrical signal, and for converting the electrical signal into an electromagnetic wave configured for being received by a radio and/or a cellular communication device within a desired distance from the emergency vehicle, thus enabling the receiving radio and/or cellular communication device to convert the electromagnetic wave to an audio signal that can be emitted by the radio and/or cellular communication device to warn a user of a proximity of the emergency vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Inventor: Kim Tamar Holland
  • Patent number: 9048284
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for integrating functional components of front-end modules for wireless radios. Front-end modules disclosed may be dual-band front-end modules for use in 802.11ac-compliant devices. In certain embodiments, integration of front-end module components on a single die is achieved by implementing a high-resistivity layer or substrate directly underneath, adjacent to, and/or supporting SiGe BiCMOS technology elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Joseph McPartlin, Mark M. Doherty
  • Patent number: 9042487
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods disclosed herein perform gain, clipping, and phase compensation in the presence of I/Q mismatch in quadrature RF receivers. Gain and phase mismatch are exacerbated by differences in clipping between I & Q signals in low resolution ADCs. Signals in the stronger channel arm are clipped differentially more than weaker signals in the other channel arm. Embodiments herein perform clipping operations during iterations of gain mismatch calculations in order to balance clipping between the I and Q channel arms. Gain compensation coefficients are iteratively converged, clipping levels are established, and data flowing through the network is gain and clipping compensated. A compensation phase angle and phase compensation coefficients are then determined from gain and clipping compensated sample data. The resulting phase compensation coefficients are applied to the gain and clipping corrected receiver data to yield a gain, clipping, and phase compensated data stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Ganesan Raghu, Bijoy Bhukania, Jaiganesh Balakrishnan
  • Patent number: 9042856
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for using erasure to improve signal decoding when data is impacted by an interference event. Embodiments may include receiving in an RF receiver a desired on-channel signal that includes an information signal modulated on to the desired on-channel signal; generating a sampled received signal with an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter; detecting an interference event using an interference detector as well as generating a mask based on the interference event; processing the sampled received signal using the mask to generate decoding data for use by a soft decoder; and, providing the decoding data to the soft decoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin G Doberstein, Yadunandana N Rao, Charles R Ruelke
  • Patent number: 9020458
    Abstract: A passive mixer with channel impedance equalization is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus includes replica devices configured to generate replica output signals and an error amplifier configured to generate bias signals based on the replica output signals. The bias signals are configured to equalize on-state channel impedances associated with a mixer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Jeremy Mark Goldblatt
  • Publication number: 20150094008
    Abstract: RF communications circuitry, which includes a first group of RF power amplifier circuits and a first weakly coupled RF network, is disclosed. The first group of RF power amplifier circuits includes a first RF power amplifier circuit, which receives and amplifies a first RF amplifier input signal to provide a first RF amplifier output signal, and a second RF power amplifier circuit, which receives and amplifies a second RF amplifier input signal to provide a second RF amplifier output signal. The first weakly coupled RF network includes a first pair of weakly coupled RF resonators coupled to the first RF power amplifier circuit and a second pair of weakly coupled RF resonators coupled to the second RF power amplifier circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: George Maxim, Baker Scott, Dirk Robert Walter Leipold
  • Patent number: 8977216
    Abstract: A wireless device is described. The wireless device includes a tunable front end module. The tunable front end module includes a Tx microelectromechanical system bandpass filter. The tunable front end module also includes a first Rx microelectromechanical system bandpass filter. The wireless device also includes a power amplifier. The wireless device further includes a low noise amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Haim M. Weissman, Avigdor Brillant, David Pezo
  • Patent number: 8971836
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of adjusting the receive frequency of a radio frequency (RF) receiver die (4), the RF receiver die (4) comprising a mixer (8) with an associated local oscillator (10) and a first low-noise amplifier (6) arranged to operate over a first frequency range, the method comprising affixing a second low-noise amplifier (40) arranged to operate over a second frequency range to the RF receiver die (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Telekom Malaysia Berhad
    Inventors: Syahrizal Salleh, Mohamad Faizal Hashim, Zulkalnain Mohd Yussof
  • Patent number: 8942313
    Abstract: An open loop envelope tracking system calibration technique and circuitry are proposed. A radio frequency power amplifier receives a modulated signal. An envelope tracker power converter generates a modulated power amplifier supply voltage for the radio frequency power amplifier based on a control signal derived from the modulated signal. A first output power and a second output power of the radio frequency power amplifier are measured when the control signal is respectively delayed by a first delay period and a second delay period. A sensitivity of the output power of the radio frequency power amplifier is near a maximum near the first delay period and the second delay period. The first delay period and/or the second delay period are adjusted until the first output power substantially equals the second output power. The first delay period and the second delay period are used to obtain a calibrated fine tuning delay offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Nadim Khlat, Karl Francis Horlander
  • Patent number: 8886147
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a concurrent impedance and noise matching transconductance amplifier designed for implementation in a receiver comprises an input device configured to couple to a matching network of the receiver, and a boost capacitor connected to the input device to increase an input capacitance of the transconductance amplifier. The boost capacitor is selected to substantially minimize the receiver noise and to enable the concurrent impedance and noise matching of the receiver and the matching network. In one embodiment, the receiver comprises the transconductance amplifier to provide an amplified receive signal, and a mixer to produce a down-converted signal corresponding to the amplified receive signal, wherein the mixer is coupled to the transconductance amplifier by a blocking capacitor. The blocking capacitor is selected to substantially increase an amplitude ratio of the down-converted signal to the amplified receive signal to substantially increase the front-end gain of the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Mohyee Mikhemar, Hooman Darabi
  • Patent number: 8886151
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a receiving device and method for removing a mismatch in a wireless communication system, and to a low noise amplifier (LNA) therefor. According to the present invention, the receiving method for removing the mismatch comprises the steps of: distinguishing the type of input signal received through a wireless network; controlling such that a common bias is applied to transistors within a low noise amplifier, if said input signal is a wideband signal; and outputting a signal from which said mismatch has been removed, by using a current mirror mode in which current paths within said low noise amplifier are crossed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hee-Hyun Lee, Young-Jin Kim, Young-Min Ki
  • Patent number: 8880011
    Abstract: Aspects of a system for improving efficiency over power control for linear and class AB power amplifiers may include a current source circuit that enables determination of a bias current level for a PA circuit within an IC die based on an amplitude of an input modulation signal. The PA circuit may enable generation of an output signal based on a differential input signal and the input modulation signal to the current source circuit. A generated bias voltage may be applied to a transformer external to the IC die, but internal to an IC package containing the IC die and/or a circuit board containing the IC package. One or more amplifier bias voltage levels may be applied to the PA circuit wherein the amplifier bias voltage levels may be derived from the generated bias voltage level and/or the determined bias current level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ahmadreza Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8880018
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a mixer circuit to receive and generate a mixed signal from a radio frequency (RF) signal and a master clock signal, a switch stage coupled to an output of the mixer circuit to rotatingly switch the mixed signal to multiple gain stages coupled to the switch stage, and a combiner to combine an output of the gain stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc
    Inventors: Aslamali A. Rafi, Alessandro Piovaccari
  • Patent number: 8868022
    Abstract: A transconductance amplifier having an input terminal for receiving an input signal and an output terminal for communicating an output signal based on the input signal, the transconductance amplifier may include a gain transistor and a variable capacitance. The gain transistor may have a gate terminal, a first non-gate terminal, and a second non-gate terminal, the first non-gate terminal coupled to the output terminal of the transconductance amplifier. The variable capacitance may be coupled between the gate terminal of the gain transistor and the second non-gate terminal of the gain transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Intel IP Corporation
    Inventors: Dong-Jun Yang, Mohammed Shah Alam
  • Patent number: 8862086
    Abstract: A mixer is configured to sample a received input signal at a predefined oscillator frequency to generate a sampled input signal, and to switch a polarity of the sampled input signal at a predefined polarity switching frequency to generate a polarity switched sampled input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Intel Mobile Communicatons GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph Schultz, Markus Hammes, Rainer Kreienkamp, Stefan Van Waasen
  • Patent number: 8855590
    Abstract: Disclosed is a radio frequency signal receiving device, which includes a low-noise amplifier (LNA) and a mixer. The LNA includes a first inductor and a second inductor. The mixer has a first differential pair and a second differential pair, common ends of the first differential pair and the second differential pair are respectively coupled to the first differential output end and the second differential output end. The first inductor and the second inductor are serially connected between the first differential output end and the second differential output end of the LNA, so as to reduce power consumption and reach suitable frequency response. The first inductor and the second inductor generate a resonance effect with parasitic capacitance on the mixer, so as to effectively reduce flicker noises, and improve a working benefit of the radio frequency signal receiving device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Montage Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih-Ming Chiu, Keng-Chang Liang
  • Patent number: 8856857
    Abstract: This technique relates to a receiving device, a receiving method, and a program that can demodulate transmitted signals with high accuracy. A receiving device of this disclosure includes: an amplifying unit that amplifies a received signal; an adjusting unit that adjusts gain of the amplifying unit in accordance with power of the signal; a demodulating unit that demodulates the amplified signal; and a detecting unit that detects an interval from the signal, information having the same content continuously appearing in the interval. The adjusting unit restricts the process of adjusting the gain of the amplifying unit in accordance with a result of the detection of the interval. This disclosure can be applied to receiving devices that receive broadcast signals compliant with DVB-C2 via a CATV network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Kobayashi, Naoki Yoshimochi
  • Publication number: 20140256280
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for filtering and amplifying a signal where amplification can be distributed between stages of a filter and gain can be assigned throughout the filter to optimize system performance. Such a system can be implemented in the baseband section of RF receivers. VGAs can be implemented between filter stages, such as biquads, or VGAs can be incorporated in filter stages. Substantially linear VGAs comprising a parallel resistor array can be incorporated in the circuitry of the filter stages to reduce distortion. Gain can be assigned dynamically in the amplification stages to improve noise and/or linearity performance. For example, gain assignments can be implemented so that high power undesired signal components are filtered out before amplification to prevent component saturation, and low power signals are amplified before they are filtered to improve noise performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: SITUNE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Saeid Mehrmanesh, Vahid Mesgarpour Toosi
  • Patent number: 8774740
    Abstract: Aspects of a system for improving efficiency over power control for linear and class AB power amplifiers may include a current source circuit that enables determination of a bias current level for a PA circuit within an IC die based on an amplitude of an input modulation signal. The PA circuit may enable generation of an output signal based on a differential input signal and the input modulation signal to the current source circuit. A generated bias voltage may be applied to a transformer external to the IC die, but internal to an IC package containing the IC die and/or a circuit board containing the IC package. One or more amplifier bias voltage levels may be applied to the PA circuit wherein the amplifier bias voltage levels may be derived from the generated bias voltage level and/or the determined bias current level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ahmadreza Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8761707
    Abstract: A circuit comprising a transconductor amplifier, and a load connected to the transconductor amplifier, wherein the load comprises a load transistor that is passively biased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence Connell, William Roeckner, Terrie McCain, Matthew Miller
  • Publication number: 20140155016
    Abstract: A receiver for receiving RF-signals in a plurality of different communication bands, each communication band including a receive frequency range and a transmit frequency range includes a plurality of receiving ports, a plurality of input circuits, a first inductor and a second inductor. Each receiving port is configured to receive RF-signals in a receive frequency range of a communication band. Each input circuit is connected to an associated receiving port for processing RF-signals applied to the receiving port. The first inductor is connected to a first group of input circuits and the second inductor is connected to a second group of input circuits, wherein the first group of input circuits and the second group of input circuits are disjunct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Inventor: Werner Schelmbauer
  • Patent number: 8744386
    Abstract: A method of tuning a receiver includes: providing a tunable Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) having a plurality of LNAs and a plurality of LC loads coupled to the plurality of LNAs; selecting a desired LNA and a LC load corresponding to the desired LNA; isolating the desired LNA from the selected LC load; generating a local oscillation (LO) signal; routing the LO signal to the output of the tunable LNA to generate a filtered LO signal; determining a first signal power level of the filtered LO signal; changing the capacitance in the selected LC load and determining a second signal power level of the filtered LO signal; comparing the first filtered signal power level to the second filtered signal power level; and according to the comparison result, determining whether or not to adjust the capacitance in the selected LC load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: MediaTek Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Chee-Lee Heng
  • Patent number: 8744378
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) transmitter is provided. The RF transmitter includes first and second drivers that are configured to receive first and second sets of complementary RF signals. Restoration circuits are coupled to the first and second drivers, and a bridge circuit is coupled to the first and second restoration circuits. By having the restoration circuits and the bridge circuit, a common mode impedance and a differential impedance can be provided, where the common mode impedance is lower than the differential impedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Joonhoi Hur, Rahmi Hezar, Lei Ding, Baher S. Haroun
  • Patent number: 8731410
    Abstract: Methods and systems for split voltage domain receiver circuits are disclosed and may include amplifying complementary received signals in a plurality of partial voltage domains. The signals may be combined into a single differential signal in a single voltage domain. Each of the partial voltage domains may be offset by a DC voltage from the other partial voltage domains. The sum of the partial domains may be equal to a supply voltage of the integrated circuit. The complementary signals may be received from a photodiode. The amplified received signals may be amplified via stacked common source amplifiers, common emitter amplifiers, or stacked inverters. The amplified received signals may be DC coupled prior to combining. The complementary received signals may be amplified and combined via cascode amplifiers. The voltage domains may be stacked, and may be controlled via feedback loops. The photodetector may be integrated in the integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Luxtera, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Welch
  • Patent number: 8725103
    Abstract: A receiver includes a low noise amplifier having an input for receiving a radio frequency signal, and an output. The receiver further includes a tracking filter having an input coupled to the output of the low noise amplifier. The tracking filter including a bandpass filter configured to pass the radio frequency signals. The bandpass filter includes a variable capacitor having a first electrode coupled to the input of the tracking filter for receiving the radio frequency signals, and a second electrode coupled to a power supply terminal. The bandpass filter further includes a transformer having a primary winding including a first terminal coupled to the first electrode of the variable capacitor and a second terminal coupled to a second power supply terminal. The transformer further includes a secondary winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Mustafa H. Koroglu, Yu Su
  • Patent number: 8725105
    Abstract: A low noise amplifier is used to amplify a differential input pair to generate a differential output pair. The low noise amplifier includes two main paths, two assistant circuits and two adders to make noise carried on two output signals of the differential output pair be the same; therefore, the noise of the two output signals can be fully cancelled in the following operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Mediatek Inc.
    Inventors: Ming-Da Tsai, Chih-Fan Liao
  • Patent number: 8724579
    Abstract: A method in a wireless communication system for reporting buffer information includes selecting a format for a buffer report based on a number of radio bearer groups, k, for which data is available for transmission by a user equipment. The buffer report indicates a respective buffer fill level for one or more radio bearer groups associated with the user equipment. The method also include encoding a buffer fill level for one or more radio bearer groups in a buffer report in accordance with the selected format and transmitting the buffer report.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Per Johan Torsner, Mats Fredrik S{dot over (a)}gfors, Stefan Henrik Andreas Wager
  • Patent number: 8687981
    Abstract: Methods and systems for split voltage domain transmitter circuits are disclosed and may include amplifying a received signal in a plurality of partial voltage domains. Each of the partial voltage domains may be offset by a DC voltage from the other partial voltage domains. A sum of the plurality of partial domains may be equal to a supply voltage of the integrated circuit. A series of diodes may be driven in differential mode via the amplified signals. An optical signal may be modulated via the diodes, which may be integrated in a Mach-Zehnder or a ring modulator. The amplified signals may be communicated to the diodes, connected in a distributed configuration, via even-mode coupled transmission lines. The partial voltage domains may be generated via stacked source follower or emitter follower circuits. The voltage domain boundary value may be at one half the supply voltage due to symmetric stacked circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Luxtera, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Welch, Daniel Kucharski
  • Patent number: 8676148
    Abstract: A differential amplifier circuit includes a source follower circuit to which is input one of the differential signals and a common source circuit that is connected in series with the source follower circuit and to which is input the other of the differential signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Yosuke Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 8649754
    Abstract: A monolithic integrated circuit (IC), and method of manufacturing same, that includes all RF front end or transceiver elements for a portable communication device, including a power amplifier (PA), a matching, coupling and filtering network, and an antenna switch to couple the conditioned PA signal to an antenna. An output signal sensor senses at least a voltage amplitude of the signal switched by the antenna switch, and signals a PA control circuit to limit PA output power in response to excessive values of sensed output. Stacks of multiple FETs in series to operate as a switching device may be used for implementation of the RF front end, and the method and apparatus of such stacks are claimed as subcombinations. An iClass PA architecture is described that dissipatively terminates unwanted harmonics of the PA output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Mark L. Burgener, James S. Cable
  • Patent number: 8649751
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a receiver, including: an amplifier for amplifying a received signal; a strain compensator for having a function of compensating for a strain generated in an output signal from the amplifier in accordance with a stain compensation amount which is controlled based on a bias signal from the output signal from the amplifier; and a stain compensation amount controlling portion for generating the bias signal and outputting the bias signal to the strain compensator so that the strain compensation is carried out with a compensation amount corresponding to a strength of the received signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Naoto Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 8649738
    Abstract: A high-frequency amplifier includes: an amplification section having a function to convert an input signal from a voltage signal into a current signal and output the current signal; output terminals; and a load circuit which is connected to the output node of the amplification section and outputs the current signal output by the amplification section to the output terminals as a voltage signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuaki Takahashi, Noboru Sasho, Naoto Yoshikawa, Taiwa Okanobu
  • Patent number: 8644773
    Abstract: A multiband low noise amplifier (LNA) with parallel resonant feedback includes an amplifier element configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal at an RF input and provide an amplified version of the RF signal at an RF output, a resistive feedback circuit coupled between the RF input and the RF output, and a plurality of series-coupled resonant circuits coupled in series with the resistive feedback circuit between the RF input and the RF output of the amplifier element, wherein each of the resonant circuits is configured to operate as an effective short circuit at a frequency other than a resonant frequency and configured to operate as an effective open circuit at the resonant frequency to decouple the resistive feedback from the amplifier element at each resonant frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Haki Cebi
  • Patent number: 8639193
    Abstract: A tri-state control mechanism can be implemented for a line driver of a transmitter unit to switch the output impedance of the transmitter unit between a low impedance state in the transmit mode and a high impedance state in the receive mode while minimizing turn-off glitch. It may be determined whether a communication device comprising the transmitter unit is configured in a transmit operating mode or a receive operating mode. If the communication device is configured in the receive operating mode, a first bias voltage can be generated to bias output transistors of the line driver circuit in a sub-threshold state. If the communication device is configured in the transmit operating mode, a second bias voltage can be generated to bias output transistors of the line driver circuit in a saturation state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Sang-Min Lee, Michael Peter Mack
  • Patent number: 8626106
    Abstract: A cascode common source and common gate LNAs operating at 60 GHz are introduced and described. The cascode common source LNA is simulated to arrive at an optimum ratio of upper device width to the lower device width. The voltage output of the cascode common source LNA is translated into a current to feed and apply energy to the mixer stage. These input current signals apply the energy associated with the current directly into the switched capacitors in the mixer to minimize the overall power dissipation of the system. The LNA is capacitively coupled to the mixer switches in the I and Q mixers and are enabled and disabled by the clocks generated by the quadrature oscillator. These signals are then amplified by a differential amplifier to generate the sum and difference frequency spectra.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Tensorcom, Inc.
    Inventor: Zaw Soe
  • Patent number: 8611845
    Abstract: This invention describes a method by which the output power of a circuit or system at any point can be efficiently and cost effectively sampled in a simple and broadband fashion for processing in a closed loop system for applications such as power level control in very broadband circuits. A divider circuit consisting of a selection of passive lumped elements is used to create a very broadband means of sampling the RF power level at any point in a transmission line. Unlike prior art schemes of this nature, this circuit does not rely upon extremely accurate element values and minimization of parasitic reactances. Used in conjunction with a balanced detector-logarithmic or other amplifier combination this invention result in a very broadband low cost simplified realization of the traditional costly bandwidth limited directional coupler-detector combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Inventor: Anand Ganesh Basawapatna
  • Patent number: 8611844
    Abstract: A low noise amplifier (LNA) for use in a receiver circuit includes an adjustable impedance network including an input for receiving a radio frequency signal, a plurality of control inputs, and an output. The LNA further includes a controller coupled to the plurality of control inputs and configured to control an impedance of the adjustable impedance network. The controller controls the adjustable impedance network to provide a relatively low impedance in a terrestrial mode and to provide a relatively high impedance in a cable mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Yu Su, Mustafa H. Koroglu, Abhishek Kammula, Ramin Khoini-Poorfard