Abstract: A circuit includes a radio frequency (RF) channel including an input node and an output node and being configured to receive an RF oscillator signal at the input node and to provide an RF output signal at the output node; a mixer configured to mix an RF reference signal and an RF test signal representative of the RF output signal to generate a mixer output signal; an analog-to-digital converter configured to sample the mixer output signal in order to provide a sequence of sampled values; and a control circuit configured to provide a sequence of phase offsets by phase-shifting at least one of the RF test signal and the RF reference signal using one or more phase shifters, calculate a spectral value from the sequence of sampled values; and calculate estimated phase information indicating a phase of the RF output signal based on the spectral value.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip including an electrical contact arranged on a main surface of the semiconductor chip, an external connection element configured to provide a first electrical connection between the semiconductor device and a printed circuit board, and an electrical redistribution layer extending in a direction parallel to the main surface of the semiconductor chip and configured to provide a second electrical connection between the electrical contact of the semiconductor chip and the external connection element. The electrical redistribution layer includes a ground line connected to a ground potential and a signal line configured to carry an electrical signal having a wavelength.

Abstract: A radar method is described. According to one exemplary embodiment, the method includes generating a first RF oscillator signal in a first chip and supplying the first RF oscillator signal to a transmission (TX) channel of the first chip and transmitting the first RF oscillator signal from the TX channel of the first chip to the second chip via a transmission line.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip including an electrical contact arranged on a main surface of the semiconductor chip, an external connection element configured to provide a first electrical connection between the semiconductor device and a printed circuit board, and an electrical redistribution layer extending in a direction parallel to the main surface of the semiconductor chip and configured to provide a second electrical connection between the electrical contact of the semiconductor chip and the external connection element. The electrical redistribution layer includes a ground line connected to a ground potential and a signal line configured to carry an electrical signal having a wavelength.

Abstract: A radar transmitter is described. The radar transmitter may include the following: a transmit channel which is designed to receive a local oscillator signal and to generate a high-frequency (HF) radar signal based on the local oscillator signal; a phase shifter contained in the transmit channel which is designed to set a phase of the HF radar signal depending on an input phase value; and a coupler contained in the transmit channel which is designed to receive the HF radar signal and output the HF radar signal at an output contact. A phase controller circuit is assigned to the transmit channel, where the circuit is coupled with the coupler and is designed to receive the local oscillator signal and the HF radar signal, and to adjust the input phase value for the phase shifter based on a phase difference between the local oscillator signal and the HF radar signal.

Abstract: A circuit includes a radio frequency (RF) channel including an input node and an output node and being configured to receive an RF oscillator signal at the input node and to provide an RF output signal at the output node; a mixer configured to mix an RF reference signal and an RF test signal representative of the RF output signal to generate a mixer output signal; an analog-to-digital converter configured to sample the mixer output signal in order to provide a sequence of sampled values; and a control circuit configured to provide a sequence of phase offsets by phase-shifting at least one of the RF test signal and the RF reference signal using one or more phase shifters, calculate a spectral value from the sequence of sampled values; and calculate estimated phase information indicating a phase of the RF output signal based on the spectral value.

Abstract: A radar method is described. According to one exemplary embodiment, the method includes generating a first RF oscillator signal in a first chip and supplying the first RF oscillator signal to a transmission (TX) channel of the first chip and transmitting the first RF oscillator signal from the TX channel of the first chip to the second chip via a transmission line.

Abstract: A circuit is described herein. In accordance with one embodiment the circuit includes two or more RF channels, wherein each channel includes an input node, a phase shifter and an output node. Each channel is configured to receive an RF oscillator signal at the input node and to provide an RF output signal at the output node. The circuit further includes an RF combiner circuit that is coupled with the outputs of the RF channels and configured to generate a combined signal representing a combination of the RF output signals, and a monitor circuit that includes a mixer and is configured to receive and down-convert the combined signal using an RF reference signal. Thus a mixer output signal is generated that depends on the phases of the RF output signals.

Abstract: A radar system includes a first chip having a first radio frequency (RF) contact; a second chip having a second RF contact; a first RF oscillator integrated in the first chip and has an output coupled to the first RF contact; a second RF oscillator integrated in the second chip; a transmission line connecting the first RF contact to the second RF contact; a demodulator that is arranged in the second chip and has a first RF input; wherein the first RF oscillator is configured to generate a first RF oscillator signal that is transmitted to the first RF input of the demodulator via the first RF contact, the transmission line, and the second RF contact, and wherein a controller is configured to determine a first propagation delay of the first RF oscillator signal arriving at the second chip on a basis of information obtained from the demodulator.

Abstract: A method is disclosed use with a circuit device that includes a circuit having a predetermined voltage-current characteristic and a detector configured to detect a voltage-current relation of the circuit. The method includes using the detector to detect the voltage-current relation of the circuit, and indicating if the detected voltage-current relation differs from the predetermined voltage-current characteristic. A circuit device includes a circuit having a predetermined voltage-current characteristic, and a detector configured to detect a voltage-current relation of the circuit. The circuit device is configured to indicate if the detected voltage-current relation differs from the predetermined voltage-current characteristic.

Abstract: A radar method is described. According to one exemplary embodiment, the method includes generating a first RF oscillator signal in a first chip and supplying the first RF oscillator signal to a transmission (TX) channel of the first chip and transmitting the first RF oscillator signal from the TX channel of the first chip to the second chip via a transmission line.

Abstract: A radar device comprises a test signal generator including a digital harmonic oscillator that generates a digital oscillator signal with a first spectral component; a first digital-to-analog-converter that generates an analog oscillator signal based on the digital oscillator signal. Furthermore, the radar device comprises at least one radar channel receiving the analog oscillator signal during one or more self-tests.

Abstract: A radar method is described. According to one exemplary embodiment, the method includes generating a first RF oscillator signal in a first chip and supplying the first RF oscillator signal to a transmission (TX) channel of the first chip and transmitting the first RF oscillator signal from the TX channel of the first chip to the second chip via a transmission line.

Abstract: The description is of a circuit which, according to one example embodiment, comprises the following: an input circuit node for receiving an RF oscillator signal; a test signal generator circuit, which comprises at least one modulator and which is embodied to generate an RF test signal by modulating the RF oscillator signal. Further, the circuit comprises at least one receive channel with a receiver circuit and a coupler, which is embodied to feed the RF test signal into the receiver circuit.

Abstract: An RF front-end circuit of an RF transceiver is described herein. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment, the fronted circuit includes a local oscillator (LO) configured to generate an RF transmit signal, an RF output port coupled to the local oscillator, wherein the RF transmit signal is output at the RF output port, and a monitoring circuit receiving an input signal and configured to determine the phase of the input signal or the power of the input signal or both. A directional coupler is coupled to the RF output port and configured to direct a reflected signal incoming at the RF output port as input signal to the monitoring circuit, and a controller is configured to detect, based on the determined phase or power or both, a defect in a signal path operably connected to the RF output port.

Abstract: A radar transmitter is described. The radar transmitter may include the following: a transmit channel which is designed to receive a local oscillator signal and to generate a high-frequency (HF) radar signal based on the local oscillator signal; a phase shifter contained in the transmit channel which is designed to set a phase of the HF radar signal depending on an input phase value; and a coupler contained in the transmit channel which is designed to receive the HF radar signal and output the HF radar signal at an output contact. A phase controller circuit is assigned to the transmit channel, where the circuit is coupled with the coupler and is designed to receive the local oscillator signal and the HF radar signal, and to adjust the input phase value for the phase shifter based on a phase difference between the local oscillator signal and the HF radar signal.

Abstract: A radar method is described. According to one exemplary embodiment, the method includes generating a first RF oscillator signal in a first chip and supplying the first RF oscillator signal to a transmission (TX) channel of the first chip and transmitting the first RF oscillator signal from the TX channel of the first chip to the second chip via a transmission line.

Abstract: A circuit is described herein. In accordance with one embodiment the circuit includes two or more RF channels, wherein each channel includes an input node, a phase shifter and an output node. Each channel is configured to receive an RF oscillator signal at the input node and to provide an RF output signal at the output node. The circuit further includes an RF combiner circuit that is coupled with the outputs of the RF channels and configured to generate a combined signal representing a combination of the RF output signals, and a monitor circuit that includes a mixer and is configured to receive and down-convert the combined signal using an RF reference signal. Thus a mixer output signal is generated that depends on the phases of the RF output signals.

Abstract: The description is of a circuit which, according to one example embodiment, comprises the following: an input circuit node for receiving an RF oscillator signal; a test signal generator circuit, which comprises at least one modulator and which is embodied to generate an RF test signal by modulating the RF oscillator signal. Further, the circuit comprises at least one receive channel with a receiver circuit and a coupler, which is embodied to feed the RF test signal into the receiver circuit.

Abstract: An RF front-end circuit of an RF transceiver is described herein. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment, the fronted circuit includes a local oscillator (LO) configured to generate an RF transmit signal, an RF output port coupled to the local oscillator, wherein the RF transmit signal is output at the RF output port, and a monitoring circuit receiving an input signal and configured to determine the phase of the input signal or the power of the input signal or both. A directional coupler is coupled to the RF output port and configured to direct a reflected signal incoming at the RF output port as input signal to the monitoring circuit, and a controller is configured to detect, based on the determined phase or power or both, a defect in a signal path operably connected to the RF output port.