Patents by Inventor Mark M. Cloutier

Mark M. Cloutier has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9450629
    Abstract: A method for controlling local oscillator (LO) feed-through in a direct transmitter includes detecting a signal level corresponding to LO feed-through in a radio frequency (RF) signal that is output by a direct transmitter. Responsive to detecting the signal level corresponding to LO feed-through, DC offset levels are modified for an in-phase (I) signal and/or a quadrature-phase (Q) signal in the direct transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark M. Cloutier
  • Patent number: 9172381
    Abstract: A fast turn on compensation system for a synthesized signal source includes a synthesized signal source coupled to a power supply and configured to generate a phase stable radio frequency (RF) output signal. A mute amplifier is coupled to the synthesized signal source and the power supply. A dummy amplifier is coupled to the mute amplifier and the power supply. A mute controller is coupled to the mute amplifier and the dummy amplifier, the mute controller is responsive to an enable signal and configured to enable the dummy amplifier and disable the mute amplifier when no RF output signal is being generated and disable the dummy amplifier and enable the mute amplifier when the RF output signal is being generated such that total power supply current delivered to the synthesized signal source and the dummy amplifier or mute amplifier is approximately constant before, during, and after enabling the mute amplifier to reduce phase disturbance of the RF output signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Hittite Microwave Corporation
    Inventors: Mark M. Cloutier, Greg Bachmanek, Tolga Pamir
  • Publication number: 20140320173
    Abstract: A fractional-N frequency synthesizer having an exact output frequency and phase includes a phase locked loop including a phase detector responsive to a reference signal and a fractional divider. The phase locked loop has an output signal whose frequency is a fractional multiple of the input reference signal. The synthesizer also includes a modulator having a modulus for providing an output to the fractional divider, in which the modulus multiplied by the ratio of the frequency of the output signal to the frequency of the reference signal is a non-integer number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Mark M. Cloutier, Gord Allan, Tudor Lipan
  • Publication number: 20140269665
    Abstract: A fast turn on compensation system for a synthesized signal source includes a synthesized signal source coupled to a power supply and configured to generate a phase stable radio frequency (RF) output signal. A mute amplifier is coupled to the synthesized signal source and the power supply. A dummy amplifier is coupled to the mute amplifier and the power supply. A mute controller is coupled to the mute amplifier and the dummy amplifier, the mute controller is responsive to an enable signal and configured to enable the dummy amplifier and disable the mute amplifier when no RF output signal is being generated and disable the dummy amplifier and enable the mute amplifier when the RF output signal is being generated such that total power supply current delivered to the synthesized signal source and the dummy amplifier or mute amplifier is approximately constant before, during, and after enabling the mute amplifier to reduce phase disturbance of the RF output signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Mark M. Cloutier, Greg Bachmanek, Tolga Pamir
  • Patent number: 8531217
    Abstract: A fractional-N frequency synthesizer having reduced fractional switching noise and spurious signals is provided. The synthesizer includes a voltage controlled oscillator for providing an output signal. A fractional-N divider is responsive to the voltage controlled oscillator for providing a divided output signal having fractional switching noise. A band pass filter is responsive to the fractional-N divider for reducing the fractional switching noise and non-linearities that result in spurious signals. A phase detector is responsive to a reference signal and the band pass filter for providing a control signal representative of the phase difference between the reference signal and the signal from the band pass filter. A loop filter is responsive to the phase detector for filtering the control signal to control the voltage controlled oscillator, the output of the loop filter having reduced fractional switching noise and spurious signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Hittite Microwave Corporation
    Inventors: Mark M. Cloutier, Kashif Sheikh
  • Publication number: 20120033758
    Abstract: A method for controlling local oscillator (LO) feed-through in a direct transmitter includes detecting a signal level corresponding to LO feed-through in a radio frequency (RF) signal that is output by a direct transmitter. Responsive to detecting the signal level corresponding to LO feed-through, DC offset levels are modified for an in-phase (I) signal and/or a quadrature-phase (Q) signal in the direct transmitter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark M. Cloutier, Tudor Lipan, Christian Cojocaru
  • Patent number: 8085097
    Abstract: An integrated ramp, sweep fractional frequency synthesizer system on an integrated circuit chip includes an integrated circuit chip having a fractional frequency synthesizer with a fractional divider responsive to a VCO and a ?? modulator for modifying the divisor of the fractional divider; and a ramp generator on the same integrated circuit chip; the ramp generator being responsive to a trigger signal to generate a ramp for sweeping the frequency of said fractional frequency synthesizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Hittite Microwave Corporation
    Inventors: Mark M. Cloutier, Tudor Lipan
  • Patent number: 7941106
    Abstract: A method for controlling local oscillator (LO) feed-through in a direct transmitter includes detecting a signal level corresponding to LO feed-through in a radio frequency (RF) signal that is output by a direct transmitter. Responsive to detecting the signal level corresponding to LO feed-through, DC offset levels are modified for an in-phase (I) signal and/or a quadrature-phase (Q) signal in the direct transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark M. Cloutier, Tudor Lipan, Christian Cojocaru
  • Publication number: 20100264965
    Abstract: A fractional-N frequency synthesizer having reduced fractional switching noise and spurious signals is provided. The synthesizer includes a voltage controlled oscillator for providing an output signal. A fractional-N divider is responsive to the voltage controlled oscillator for providing a divided output signal having fractional switching noise. A band pass filter is responsive to the fractional-N divider for reducing the fractional switching noise and non-linearities that result in spurious signals. A phase detector is responsive to a reference signal and the band pass filter for providing a control signal representative of the phase difference between the reference signal and the signal from the band pass filter. A loop filter is responsive to the phase detector for filtering the control signal to control the voltage controlled oscillator, the output of the loop filter having reduced fractional switching noise and spurious signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Inventors: Mark M. Cloutier, Kashif Sheikh
  • Publication number: 20090278611
    Abstract: An integrated ramp, sweep fractional frequency synthesizer system on an integrated circuit chip includes an integrated circuit chip having a fractional frequency synthesizer with a fractional divider responsive to a VCO and a ?? modulator for modifying the divisor of the fractional divider; and a ramp generator on the same integrated circuit chip; the ramp generator being responsive to a trigger signal to generate a ramp for sweeping the frequency of said fractional frequency synthesizer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventors: Mark M. Cloutier, Tudor Lipan
  • Publication number: 20080280579
    Abstract: A method for controlling local oscillator (LO) feed-through in a direct transmitter includes detecting a signal level corresponding to LO feed-through in a radio frequency (RF) signal that is output by a direct transmitter. Responsive to detecting the signal level corresponding to LO feed-through, DC offset levels are modified for an in-phase (I) signal and/or a quadrature-phase (Q) signal in the direct transmitter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: Mark M. Cloutier, Tudor Lipan, Christian Cojocaru