Abstract: Multi-domain clock generation with skew compensation is based on free-running counters in each of the multiple clock domains. Multi-domain clock generation circuitry provides at least first and second domain clocks generated with randomization, each based on an input clock with an input clock frequency, the domain clocks having a relative clock skew that is varied over time in magnitude and direction. A first circuit in a first clock domain, configured for operation with the first domain clock, includes a first free-running counter with a pre-defined first selected roll-over count, to generate a first free-running count (N1(k)) based on the first domain clock. A second circuit in a second clock domain is configured for operation with the second domain clock, and includes a second free-running counter with a pre-defined second selected roll-over count, to generate a second free-running count (N2(k)) based on the second domain clock.

Abstract: Multi-domain clock generation with skew compensation is based on free-running counters in each of the multiple clock domains. Multi-domain clock generation circuitry provides at least first and second domain clocks generated with randomization, each based on an input clock with an input clock frequency, the domain clocks having a relative clock skew that is varied over time in magnitude and direction. A first circuit in a first clock domain, configured for operation with the first domain clock, includes a first free-running counter with a pre-defined first selected roll-over count, to generate a first free-running count (N1(k)) based on the first domain clock. A second circuit in a second clock domain is configured for operation with the second domain clock, and includes a second free-running counter with a pre-defined second selected roll-over count, to generate a second free-running count (N2(k)) based on the second domain clock.

Abstract: Triggered remote function calls can be used in master-slave systems to trigger slave-side software functions pre-loaded by a master into slave MCU memory, with associated parameters pre-loaded into a slave function interface memory. A master issues trigger-function signals (such as rising/falling edges or signal levels) over a trigger-function signal line. The slave includes a trigger conditioning block that in response issues a trigger-function request to the slave MCU, which calls/executes the associated software function, including accessing the associated trigger-function parameters from function interface memory. A slave can include a hardware function block with functionality configurable by a pre-loaded software configuration function (with associated parameters). A master can include a hardware function block configured to issue trigger-function signals.

Abstract: Systems and methods for phase alignment among multiple transmitters are described. In some embodiments, a method may include creating a loop between an RF transmitter and an RF receiver; measuring a first DC signal on the I and Q paths of the RF receiver without inserting a DC signal in the I and Q paths of the RF transmitter; measuring a second DC signal on the I and Q paths of the RF receiver while inserting a non-zero DC signal in the I and Q paths of the RF transmitter; and calculating a relative phase difference between the RF transmitter and the RF receiver using the first and second DC signals.

Abstract: A system for reducing a local oscillator leakage component. The system includes a transmitter channel to transmit data modulated using a transmitter local oscillator frequency. A transmitted signal includes a transmitter local oscillator leakage component. The system also includes a receiver channel to receive the transmitted signal using a receiver local oscillator signal having a frequency offset from the transmitter local oscillator frequency. The received signal includes the transmitter local oscillator leakage component isolated from one or more receiver impairments. The system further includes a feedback loop from the receiver channel to the transmitter channel to identify a power of the isolated transmitter local oscillator leakage component and to generate a local oscillator leakage cancellation signal based on the identified power.

Abstract: Systems and methods for phase alignment among multiple transmitters are described. In some embodiments, a method may include creating a loop between an RF transmitter and an RF receiver; measuring a first DC signal on the I and Q paths of the RF receiver without inserting a DC signal in the I and Q paths of the RF transmitter; measuring a second DC signal on the I and Q paths of the RF receiver while inserting a non-zero DC signal in the I and Q paths of the RF transmitter; and calculating a relative phase difference between the RF transmitter and the RF receiver using the first and second DC signals.

Abstract: A phase rotator corrects the IQ imbalance in a wireless transceiver. The phase rotator is a part of a compensation system that detects and separates reception impairment images from transmission impairment images. The disclosed phase rotator introduces a phase shift between the transmission channel and the reception channel without perturbing the phase mismatch and the gain mismatch in the reception path. The phase rotator includes a first local oscillation (LO) circuit that generates a first LO signal at a first carrier frequency and a second LO circuit that generates a second LO signal at a second carrier frequency that deviates from the first carrier frequency for a phase rotation period. The phase rotation period is sufficiently long such that the frequency deviation can introduce a prescribed phase shift between the first LO signal and the second LO signal.

Abstract: A phase rotator corrects the IQ imbalance in a wireless transceiver. The phase rotator is a part of a compensation system that detects and separates reception impairment images from transmission impairment images. The disclosed phase rotator introduces a phase shift between the transmission channel and the reception channel without perturbing the phase mismatch and the gain mismatch in the reception path. The phase rotator includes a first local oscillation (LO) circuit that generates a first LO signal at a first carrier frequency and a second LO circuit that generates a second LO signal at a second carrier frequency that deviates from the first carrier frequency for a phase rotation period. The phase rotation period is sufficiently long such that the frequency deviation can introduce a prescribed phase shift between the first LO signal and the second LO signal.

Abstract: A direct conversion wireless transceiver is configured for TX/FBRX sequential QMC calibration (coefficient generation) using separate/shared PLLs. A TX LO drives upconversion, and an RX LO drives downconversion. TX/RX digital QMC compensators compensate for IQ mismatch (with optional DPD compensation), and QMC calibration is used to calibrate the TX/RX QMC filter coefficients based on a QMC calibration procedure. The TX LO signal source is a TX PLL, and the RX LO signal source is selectively the TX PLL or a separate FBRX PLL. A QMC controller performs QMC calibration to generate calibrated TX/FBRX QMC filter coefficients, including: disconnecting the TX PLL from, and connecting the FBRX PLL to, the RX LO; generating calibrated TX QMC filter coefficients; generating calibrated FBRX QMC filter coefficients; disconnecting the FBRX PLL from, and connecting the TX PLL to, the RX LO; generating re-calibrated FBRX QMC filter coefficients.

Abstract: A phase rotator corrects the IQ imbalance in a wireless transceiver. The phase rotator is a part of a compensation system that detects and separates reception impairment images from transmission impairment images. The disclosed phase rotator introduces a phase shift between the transmission channel and the reception channel without perturbing the phase mismatch and the gain mismatch in the reception path. The phase rotator includes a first local oscillation (LO) circuit that generates a first LO signal at a first carrier frequency and a second LO circuit that generates a second LO signal at a second carrier frequency that deviates from the first carrier frequency for a phase rotation period. The phase rotation period is sufficiently long such that the frequency deviation can introduce a prescribed phase shift between the first LO signal and the second LO signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for phase alignment among multiple transmitters are described. In some embodiments, a method may include creating a loop between an RF transmitter and an RF receiver; measuring a first DC signal on the I and Q paths of the RF receiver without inserting a DC signal in the I and Q paths of the RF transmitter; measuring a second DC signal on the I and Q paths of the RF receiver while inserting a non-zero DC signal in the I and Q paths of the RF transmitter; and calculating a relative phase difference between the RF transmitter and the RF receiver using the first and second DC signals.

Abstract: A direct conversion wireless transceiver is configured for TX/FBRX sequential QMC calibration (coefficient generation) using separate/shared PLLs. A TX LO drives upconversion, and an RX LO drives downconversion. TX/RX digital QMC compensators compensate for IQ mismatch (with optional DPD compensation), and QMC calibration is used to calibrate the TX/RX QMC filter coefficients based on a QMC calibration procedure. The TX LO signal source is a TX PLL, and the RX LO signal source is selectively the TX PLL or a separate FBRX PLL. A QMC controller performs QMC calibration to generate calibrated TX/FBRX QMC filter coefficients, including: disconnecting the TX PLL from, and connecting the FBRX PLL to, the RX LO; generating calibrated TX QMC filter coefficients; generating calibrated FBRX QMC filter coefficients; disconnecting the FBRX PLL from, and connecting the TX PLL to, the RX LO; generating re-calibrated FBRX QMC filter coefficients.

Abstract: A signal profiler generates and monitors a signal profile corresponding to signal power (absolute or relative) per frequency band. The signal profiler includes a signal profile generator and a signal profile monitor. The signal profile generator processes a received signal in pre-defined frequency bands, and captures frequency-band signal power information into frequency bins, this frequency-binned signal power information constituting a signal profile. The signal profile monitor monitors the signal profile, including variations in the signal profile based on pre-defined criteria, and output corresponding profile-variation information (such as flags or interrupt requests). The signal profile generator is an FFT engine. The signal profile monitor is an FSM (finite state machine). An example application is use in a direct conversion wireless receiver to monitor relative image channel power as a signal profile variation that can be used to invoke QMC compensation/configuration.

Abstract: A direct conversion wireless transceiver is configured for TX/FBRX sequential QMC calibration (coefficient generation) using separate/shared PLLs. A TX path includes a TX LO driving upconversion, and an FBRX path includes an RX LO driving downconversion. TX/RX digital compensators include TX/RX QMC compensators that perform QMC compensation to compensate for IQ mismatch based on TX/RX QMC filter coefficients, and QMC calibration to calibrate the TX/RX QMC filter coefficients based on a QMC calibration procedure. The TX LO signal source is a TX PLL, and the RX LO signal source is selectively the TX PLL or a separate RX PLL.

Abstract: Triggered remote function calls can be used in master-slave systems to trigger slave-side software functions pre-loaded by a master into slave MCU memory, with associated parameters pre-loaded into a slave function interface memory. A master issues trigger-function signals (such as rising/falling edges or signal levels) over a trigger-function signal line. The slave includes a trigger conditioning block that in response issues a trigger-function request to the slave MCU, which calls/executes the associated software function, including accessing the associated trigger-function parameters from function interface memory. A slave can include a hardware function block with functionality configurable by a pre-loaded software configuration function (with associated parameters). A master can include a hardware function block configured to issue trigger-function signals.

Abstract: A phase rotator corrects the IQ imbalance in a wireless transceiver. The phase rotator is a part of a compensation system that detects and separates reception impairment images from transmission impairment images. The disclosed phase rotator introduces a phase shift between the transmission channel and the reception channel without perturbing the phase mismatch and the gain mismatch in the reception path. The phase rotator includes a first local oscillation (LO) circuit that generates a first LO signal at a first carrier frequency and a second LO circuit that generates a second LO signal at a second carrier frequency that deviates from the first carrier frequency for a phase rotation period. The phase rotation period is sufficiently long such that the frequency deviation can introduce a prescribed phase shift between the first LO signal and the second LO signal.

Abstract: A system for reducing a local oscillator leakage component. The system includes a transmitter channel to transmit data modulated using a transmitter local oscillator frequency. A transmitted signal includes a transmitter local oscillator leakage component. The system also includes a receiver channel to receive the transmitted signal using a receiver local oscillator signal having a frequency offset from the transmitter local oscillator frequency. The received signal includes the transmitter local oscillator leakage component isolated from one or more receiver impairments. The system further includes a feedback loop from the receiver channel to the transmitter channel to identify a power of the isolated transmitter local oscillator leakage component and to generate a local oscillator leakage cancellation signal based on the identified power.

Abstract: A method of increasing linearity of an RF signal receive path includes measuring a signal amplified by the receive path. The receive path has a local oscillator operating at an LO frequency and a ground. An error signal is determined from the amplified signal, the error signal being representative of the nonlinearity. An anti-spur tone is injected into the ground. The anti-spur tone has a frequency about equal to the LO frequency and an amplitude and phase that are determined to increase the linearity of the receive path.

Abstract: A method of increasing linearity of an RF signal receive path includes measuring a signal amplified by the receive path. The receive path has a local oscillator operating at an LO frequency and a ground. An error signal is determined from the amplified signal, the error signal being representative of the nonlinearity. An anti-spur tone is injected into the ground. The anti-spur tone has a frequency about equal to the LO frequency and an amplitude and phase that are determined to increase the linearity of the receive path.