Abstract: A circuit comprising: a common terminal, first terminal and second terminal, wherein the common terminal is coupled to a first and second circuit branch at a branch node; wherein the first/second circuit branches include a respective first/second quarter wavelength transmission line having a first end coupled to the branch node and a second end respectively coupled to the first/second terminal; wherein the first and second terminals are coupled together via a branch-interconnection arrangement; wherein the circuit comprises: a first switched arrangement comprising a first switch having a first and second switch-terminal, wherein the first switch-terminal is coupled to the common terminal, and wherein a first resistor and a first capacitor are arranged in parallel and coupled between the second switch-terminal and a reference terminal; and a second switched arrangement coupled to the first terminal, wherein the first quarter wavelength transmission line is coupled between the first and second switched arrangem

Abstract: A circuit comprising: a digital attenuator part comprising: a first and second attenuator terminal; a first inductor having a first terminal coupled to the first attenuator terminal and a second terminal coupled to the second attenuator terminal; a first switched arrangement comprising a first switch having a first switch-terminal and a second switch-terminal, wherein the first switch-terminal is coupled to the first terminal of the first inductor, and a first resistor and a first capacitor are arranged in parallel, coupled between the second switch-terminal and a reference voltage; and a second switched arrangement comprising a second switch having a first switch-terminal and a second switch-terminal, wherein the first switch-terminal is coupled to the second terminal of the first inductor, and wherein a second resistor and a second capacitor are arranged in parallel and coupled between the second switch-terminal and the reference voltage.

Abstract: A transmission line includes a signal conductor and one or more return conductors, one or more of which having a stepped multi-layer structure. The return conductors may be disposed at opposite sides of the signal conductor. The return conductors may be multi-layer structures. At least some layers of each return conductor may have a stepped arrangement that defines a curve, such as an exponential curve. Additionally or alternatively, the signal conductor may be a stepped multi-layer structure, where at least some layers of the signal conductor may define a curve, such as an exponential curve. The signal conductor may be disposed at one or more upper layers of the transmission line or may be embedded at one or more layers near the center of the transmission line.

Abstract: An antenna system for a mobile communications base station and a method of operating a communications network including a base station is described. The antenna system includes an antenna array for beamforming and is configured either as a radar sensor, a communications antenna or a combined radar sensor. A radar image may be used to determine a map of objects in the vicinity of the antenna system and to adapt the beam-steering or beamforming of the antenna system.

Abstract: A transmission line includes a signal conductor and one or more return conductors, one or more of which having a stepped multi-layer structure. The return conductors may be disposed at opposite sides of the signal conductor. The return conductors may be multi-layer structures. At least some layers of each return conductor may have a stepped arrangement that defines a curve, such as an exponential curve. Additionally or alternatively, the signal conductor may be a stepped multi-layer structure, where at least some layers of the signal conductor may define a curve, such as an exponential curve. The signal conductor may be disposed at one or more upper layers of the transmission line or may be embedded at one or more layers near the center of the transmission line.

Abstract: An antenna system for a mobile communications base station and a method of operating a communications network including a base station is described. The antenna system includes an antenna array for beamforming and is configured either as a radar sensor, a communications antenna or a combined radar sensor. A radar image may be used to determine a map of objects in the vicinity of the antenna system and to adapt the beam-steering or beamforming of the antenna system.

Abstract: An antenna system for a mobile communications base station and a method of operating a communications network including a base station is described. The antenna system includes an antenna array for beamforming and is configured either as a radar sensor, a communications antenna or a combined radar sensor. A radar image may be used to determine a map of objects in the vicinity of the antenna system and to adapt the beamsteering or beamforming of the antenna system.

Abstract: An attenuation circuit comprising: a connection-node for connecting to an RF connection; an isolation-capacitor connected in series between the connection-node and an internal-node; a first-bias-resistor connected in series between a first-control-node and the internal-node; a second-bias-resistor connected in series between the internal-node and a second-control-node; a first-attenuation-diode connected in series between the first-control-node and the internal-node, wherein the anode of the first-attenuation-diode is closest to the first-control-node; a second-attenuation-diode connected in series between the internal-node and the second-control-node, wherein the anode of the second-attenuation-diode is closest to the internal-node; a first-decoupling-capacitor connected in series between the first-control-node and the reference-node; and a second-decoupling-capacitor connected in series between the second-control-node and the reference-node.

Abstract: A transmission line. The transmission line includes a reference electrode. The transmission line also includes a stripline. The stripline meanders within a plane. The stripline has a non-planar profile when viewed along a direction parallel to the plane.

Abstract: An RF transceiver front end includes a receiver limb including a length of transmission line, an impedance matching network, a downstream shunt switch and a downstream further receiver component and a transmitter limb. The impedance matching network is configured to transform the input impedance of the further receiver component to match the input impedance of the receiver limb when the shunt switch is open and the RF transceiver front end is operable in receiver mode. The impedance matching network is further configured to transform the input impedance of the shunt switch to present an open circuit as the input impedance of the receiver limb when the shunt switch is closed and the RF transceiver front end is operable in transmitter mode. The length of transmission line can be from zero to less than ?/4 at the operating frequency of the RF transceiver.

Abstract: An integrated circuit comprising a package, phased antenna array and die. The die comprises a plurality of unit cells, wherein each unit cell is divided into quadrants. Each quadrant comprises a receiver terminal located on a first axis, and a transmitter terminal located on a second axis, wherein the first axis is orthogonal to the second axis, and there is mirror symmetry between the nearest neighbour quadrants in the unit cell. The package comprises a plurality of pairs of feed lines, each pair of feed lines comprising a receiver feed line and a transmitter feed line. The receiver feed line is connected to one of the receiver terminals and the transmitter feed line is connected to the transmitter terminal in the same die quadrant. The receiver feed line is orthogonal to the transmitter feed line. Each antenna element is coupled to a respective pair of feed lines.

Abstract: An antenna system for a mobile communications base station and a method of operating a communications network including a base station is described. The antenna system includes an antenna array for beamforming and is configured either as a radar sensor, a communications antenna or a combined radar sensor. A radar image may be used to determine a map of objects in the vicinity of the antenna system and to adapt the beam-steering or beamforming of the antenna system.

Abstract: An antenna system for a mobile communications base station and a method of operating a communications network including a base station is described. The antenna system includes an antenna array for beamforming and is configured either as a radar sensor, a communications antenna or a combined radar sensor. A radar image may be used to determine a map of objects in the vicinity of the antenna system and to adapt the beam-steering or beamforming of the antenna system.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is described including a substrate and a plurality of layers. The semiconductor device includes a cascode arrangement of a first bipolar transistor and a second bipolar transistor. A first-bipolar-transistor-collector of the first bipolar transistor and a second-bipolar-transistor-emitter of the second bipolar transistor are at least partially located in a common region in the same layer of the semiconductor device.

Abstract: An RF transceiver front end includes a receiver limb including a length of transmission line, an impedance matching network, a downstream shunt switch and a downstream further receiver component and a transmitter limb. The impedance matching network is configured to transform the input impedance of the further receiver component to match the input impedance of the receiver limb when the shunt switch is open and the RF transceiver front end is operable in receiver mode. The impedance matching network is further configured to transform the input impedance of the shunt switch to present an open circuit as the input impedance of the receiver limb when the shunt switch is closed and the RF transceiver front end is operable in transmitter mode. The length of transmission line can be from zero to less than ?/4 at the operating frequency of the RF transceiver.

Abstract: A low power frequency synthesizer circuit for a radio transceiver, the synthesizer circuit comprising: a digital controlled oscillator configured to generate an output signal (Fo) having a frequency controlled by an input digital control word (DCW); a feedback loop connected between an output and an input of the digital controlled oscillator, the feedback loop configured to provide the digital control word to the input of the digital controlled oscillator from an error derived from an input frequency control word (FCW) and the output signal; and a duty cycle module connected to the digital controlled oscillator and the feedback loop, the duty cycle module configured to generate a plurality of control signals to periodically enable and disable the digital controlled oscillator for a set fraction of clock cycles of an input reference clock signal (RefClock).

Abstract: A phased array transmitter is disclosed comprising a vector modulator, a true time delay block coupled to the vector modulator, a local oscillator phase shifter and RF-converter block coupled to the true time delay block, and an antenna. The vector modulator applies vector modulation to a baseband signal and provides an intermediate frequency signal to the true time delay block. The true time delay block applies a true time delay to the intermediate frequency signal and provides a delayed intermediate frequency signal to the local oscillator phase shifter and RF-converter block. The local oscillator phase shifter and RF-converter block multiplies the delayed intermediate frequency signal by a local oscillator signal and applies a phase shift to the delayed intermediate frequency signal to provide a radio frequency signal to the antenna for onwards transmission.

Abstract: A phased array transmitter is disclosed comprising a vector modulator, a true time delay block coupled to the vector modulator, a local oscillator phase shifter and RF-converter block coupled to the true time delay block, and an antenna. The vector modulator applies vector modulation to a baseband signal and provides an intermediate frequency signal to the true time delay block. The true time delay block applies a true time delay to the intermediate frequency signal and provides a delayed intermediate frequency signal to the local oscillator phase shifter and RF-converter block. The local oscillator phase shifter and RF-converter block multiplies the delayed intermediate frequency signal by a local oscillator signal and applies a phase shift to the delayed intermediate frequency signal to provide a radio frequency signal to the antenna for onwards transmission.

Abstract: A down-converter for receiving a multiband radio frequency signal (RF) and a local oscillator signal comprises a frequency divider and a heterodyne receive chain. The frequency divider is configured to divide the local oscillator signal and provide different divided local oscillator signals. The heterodyne receive chain comprises a first stage mixer and second stage mixers. The first stage mixer is configured to mix the multiband radio frequency signal and either the local oscillator signal or a divided local oscillator signal to generate a first intermediate frequency signal. Each second stage mixer is configured to mix the first intermediate signal and a divided local oscillator signal to generate second intermediate frequency signals that each represent a band from the multiband radio frequency signal. The frequency divider is configured to provide a different divided local oscillator signal to each of the second stage mixers.

Abstract: A down-converter for receiving a multiband radio frequency signal (RF) and a local oscillator signal comprises a frequency divider and a heterodyne receive chain. The frequency divider is configured to divide the local oscillator signal and provide different divided local oscillator signals. The heterodyne receive chain comprises a first stage mixer and second stage mixers. The first stage mixer is configured to mix the multiband radio frequency signal and either the local oscillator signal or a divided local oscillator signal to generate a first intermediate frequency signal. Each second stage mixer is configured to mix the first intermediate signal and a divided local oscillator signal to generate second intermediate frequency signals that each represent a band from the multiband radio frequency signal. The frequency divider is configured to provide a different divided local oscillator signal to each of the second stage mixers.