Abstract: A duty cycle detector includes a current steering network configured to steer a first current into a second current to charge a first capacitor when a clock is in a first state, and to steer the first current into a third current to charge a second capacitor when the clock is in a second state; a first charge sharing switch configured to enable charge sharing between the first capacitor and a third capacitor when the clock is in the second state; a second charge sharing switch configured to enable charge sharing between the second capacitor and a fourth capacitor when the clock is in the first state; a first discharging network configured to discharge the first capacitor when the clock is in a first state; and a second discharging network configured to discharge the second capacitor when the clock is in a second state.

Abstract: A duty cycle detector includes a current steering network configured to steer a first current into a second current to charge a first capacitor when a clock is in a first state, and to steer the first current into a third current to charge a second capacitor when the clock is in a second state; a first charge sharing switch configured to enable charge sharing between the first capacitor and a third capacitor when the clock is in the second state; a second charge sharing switch configured to enable charge sharing between the second capacitor and a fourth capacitor when the clock is in the first state; a first discharging network configured to discharge the first capacitor when the clock is in a first state; and a second discharging network configured to discharge the second capacitor when the clock is in a second state.

Abstract: A charge pump includes a DAC (digital-to-analog converter) configured to draw a first current and a second current from a first node and a second node, respectively, in accordance with a first logical signal, a second logical, and a B-bit control word; a common-gate amplifier configured to provide a path for charge transfer between the second node and a third node in accordance with a third logical signal; an integrating capacitor connected to the second node and configured to be either discharged by the DAC or charged by the common-gate amplifier in accordance with a fourth logical signal; and a low-impedance active load connected to the first node.

Abstract: A voltage delivery network includes a first unity gain amplifier and a second unity gain amplifier configured in a back-to-back connection topology to receive a first voltage and a second voltage at a first node and a second node, respectively, and jointly output a third voltage at a third node. The network delivery network further includes a first resistor inserted between the third node and the second node; and a first capacitor inserted between the second node and a DC (direct current) node.

Abstract: A self-loopback radio transmitter having a transmitter with a modulator configured to up-convert a first baseband signal into a first RF (radio frequency) signal in accordance with a first LO (local oscillator) signal, and a power amplifier configured to receive the first RF signal and output a second RF signal to be emitted by an antenna and a third RF signal to be looped back, wherein the third RF signal is magnetically coupled from the second RF signal; and a loopback network having a shielded serial inductor configured to receive the third RF signal and output a fourth RF signal, and a demodulator configured to down-convert the fourth RF signal into a second baseband signal in accordance with a second LO signal, wherein the shielded serial inductor has a serial inductor of spiral topology and a coil laid out on a lower metal layer.

Abstract: An method of integrating an oscillator includes incorporating a main inductor and a main capacitor for establishing an oscillation; incorporating two cross-coupling NMOST and two cross-coupling PMOST for sustaining the oscillation; incorporating a first auxiliary inductor and a first auxiliary capacitor for suppressing a noise of the two cross-coupling NMOST; incorporating a second auxiliary inductor and a second auxiliary capacitor for suppressing a noise of the two cross-coupling PMOST; laying out the main inductor symmetrically with respect to a plane of symmetry; laying out the first auxiliary inductor as a parallel connection of two halves that are inside the main inductor and symmetrical with respect to the plane of symmetry; and laying out the second auxiliary inductor as a parallel connection of two halves that are inside the main inductor in a close proximity to the first auxiliary inductor and symmetrical with respect to the plane of symmetry.

Abstract: A two-stage 4-phase clock buffer having a cascade of a first stage and a second stage, wherein: the first stage includes four p-channel oxide semiconductor transistors (PMOSTs) configured in a common-source ring topology to dispatch a first 4-phase clock, and four n-channel oxide semiconductor transistors (NMOSTs) configured in a common-source topology to control the first 4-phase clock in response to a second 4-phase clock; and, the second stage includes four NMOS transistors configured in a common-source ring topology to dispatch a third 4-phase clock, and four PMOS transistors configured in a common-source topology to control the third 4-phase clock in response to the first 4-phase clock.

Abstract: A clock transmission circuit includes a voltage-to-current converter configured to convert a first clock into a first current; a transmission line configured to convey the first current into a second current; a transformer comprising a primary inductor and a secondary inductor and configured to convert the second current received via the primary inductor into a second clock output via the secondary inductor; a tuning capacitor configured to form a resonance with the secondary inductor; and a regenerative network connected to the secondary inductor and configured to provide a negative resistance to reinforce the resonance.

Abstract: A two-stage 4-phase clock buffer having a cascade of a first stage and a second stage, wherein: the first stage includes four p-channel oxide semiconductor transistors (PMOSTs) configured in a common-source ring topology to dispatch a first 4-phase clock, and four n-channel oxide semiconductor transistors (NMOSTs) configured in a common-source topology to control the first 4-phase clock in response to a second 4-phase clock; and, the second stage includes four NMOS transistors configured in a common-source ring topology to dispatch a third 4-phase clock, and four PMOS transistors configured in a common-source topology to control the third 4-phase clock in response to the first 4-phase clock.

Abstract: An method of integrating an oscillator includes incorporating a main inductor and a main capacitor for establishing an oscillation; incorporating two cross-coupling NMOST and two cross-coupling PMOST for sustaining the oscillation; incorporating a first auxiliary inductor and a first auxiliary capacitor for suppressing a noise of the two cross-coupling NMOST; incorporating a second auxiliary inductor and a second auxiliary capacitor for suppressing a noise of the two cross-coupling PMOST; laying out the main inductor symmetrically with respect to a plane of symmetry; laying out the first auxiliary inductor as a parallel connection of two halves that are inside the main inductor and symmetrical with respect to the plane of symmetry; and laying out the second auxiliary inductor as a parallel connection of two halves that are inside the main inductor in a close proximity to the first auxiliary inductor and symmetrical with respect to the plane of symmetry.

Abstract: A LNA (low-noise amplifier) includes a matching network configured to provide a three-way coupling between an input node, a matched node, and a source node; a gate capacitor configured to provide AC (alternate current) coupling between the matched node and a gate node; a cascode amplifier configured to receive a gate voltage at the gate node and output an output voltage at an output node in accordance with a source degeneration at the source node; and a load network connected to the output node, wherein the matching network having a shunt inductor and a series inductor that are overlapped in layout to have a strong mutual coupling and a source degenerating inductor that is laid out in a close proximity to the shunt inductor to have a strong mutual coupling.

Abstract: A programmable gain amplifier includes a programmable resistor ladder deployed across Nmax junction nodes and controlled by Nmax?1 resistor control signals, where Nmax is an integer greater than one; a common-gate cascode amplifier multiplexer comprising Nmax common-gate cascode amplifiers configured to receive Nmax internal voltages at the Nmax junction nodes and output Nmax output currents in accordance with Nmax amplifier control signals, respectively, to an output node that is loaded with a load; and an AC (alternate current) coupling capacitor configured to couple an input node to the first junction node.

Abstract: An artificial neural network and method are provided. The method includes receiving a set of input voltages; converting a respective input voltage in said set of input voltages into a respective set of local currents using a voltage-to-current conversion; multiplying said respective set of local currents by a respective set of binary signals to establish a respective set of conditionally inverted currents; summing said respective set of conditionally inverted currents into a respective local current; summing all respective local currents into a global current; and converting the global current into an output voltage using a load circuit.

Abstract: A cascode amplifier includes a first common-source amplifier (CSA) having a first MOST (metal oxide semiconductor transistor) of a first type configured to receive a first input signal and output a first current to a first node; a first common-gate amplifier (CGA) having a second MOST of the first type and configured to receive the first current from the first node and output a second current to a second node in accordance with a first bias voltage; a first source-follower (SF) having a third MOST of a second type configured to receive a second input signal and output a first voltage at the first node; and a load configured to establish a third voltage at a third node in response to the second current through a DC (direct current) path between the second node and the third node.

Abstract: A method of phase detection includes receiving a reference clock and an input clock having a first input signal and a second input; sampling the first input signal and the second input signal into a first sample and a second sample; converting the first sample and the second sample into a first current and a second current; using a regulated current mirror to convert the first current into the third current; using a first current steering network to steer the second current into either a fourth current or a fifth current in accordance with a pulse signal; using a second current steering network to steer the third current into either a sixth current or a seventh current; connecting a lowpass filter to the output node to establish an output voltage and a lowpass-filtered voltage; and forcing the standby voltage to be equal to the lowpass-filtered voltage using a unity-gain buffer.

Abstract: A SSB (single sideband) mixer is configured to mix a first signal with a second signal, both the first signal and the second signal being a four-phase signal, and comprises eight gated inverters, each receiving a respective phase of the first signal and conditionally outputting a respective current in accordance with a control of a respective phase of the second signal, wherein currents output from the eight gated inverters are summed to establish a third signal that is a two-phase signal.

Abstract: A method of envelope detection operates by receiving a RF (radio frequency) signal having a first voltage at a first node and a second voltage at a second node; using a common-mode source-follower (CMSF) having a first source follower and a second source follower connected in parallel and configured to receive the first voltage and the second voltage, respectively, and jointly output a first current to a third node in accordance with a sum of a second current and a third current received via a fourth node; establishing a first negative feedback control loop by converting the first current into the third current using a current-controlled current source (CCCS); and establishing a second negative feedback control loop by converting a drain voltage at the third node into the second current using a voltage-controlled current source (VCCS).

Abstract: A method operates by receiving an input signal; transforming the input signal into a first transformed signal of a common-mode voltage equal to a first bias voltage; transforming the input signal into a second transformed signal of a common-mode voltage equal to a second bias voltage; detecting a peak of the first transformed signal and making the first bias voltage equal to a sum of a first DC (direct current) voltage and a first dynamic voltage; detecting a valley of the second transformed signal and making the second bias voltage equal to a sum of a second DC voltage and a second dynamic voltage; amplifying the first transformed signal into a first output signal across a first load using a N-type cascode amplifier; and amplifying the second transformed signal into a second output signal across a second load using a P-type cascode amplifier.

Abstract: A radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) includes a transmitter, a receiver, a first pin electrically shorted to a first node wherein the transmitter and the receiver are connected, and a second pin electrically shorted to a second node within the receiver. The RFIC is soldered on a printed circuit board (PCB). In a transmitter-receiver co-share configuration, the first pin is terminated with a high-impedance component on the PCB. In a transmitter-receiver split configuration, the first pin and the second pin are coupled through an external capacitor on the PCB.

Abstract: A transconductance amplifier includes a first MOS transistor configured to receive a first voltage at a first node and output a first current to a fifth node in accordance with a third voltage at a third node; a second MOS transistor configured to receive a second voltage at a second node and output a second current to a sixth node in accordance with a fourth voltage at a fourth node; a third MOS transistor configured to output a third current to the third node in accordance with a fifth voltage at the fifth node; a fourth MOS transistor configured to output a fourth current to the fourth node in accordance with a sixth voltage at the sixth node; and a source degeneration network placed across the third node and the fourth node.