Abstract: An integrated circuit radio transceiver and method therefor includes a linear regulator an output transistor for producing a current into an output node of the regulator wherein an amplification block is operable to produce a bias signal to a gate terminal of the output transistor to operably bias the output transistor to produce the current into the output node of the regulator. A current steering amplification block is operably disposed to steer current in/out of the gate of the output transistor (depending on device type) based upon the current being conducted through the output node of the regulator exceeding a specified threshold. The current steering amplification block further includes a current sinking element operably disposed to sink a specified amount of current to define the specified threshold.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, two crystal oscillator circuits are coupled in parallel to provide differing performance according to mode. Generally, a first circuit provides low phase noise and high accuracy while a second circuit provides greater phase noise within an acceptable tolerance while consuming significantly less power in a low power mode of operation. The second circuit includes an entirely separate amplifier for the low power operation that tolerates a relatively smaller input signal swing but that consumes even less power. The first circuit, which comprises selectable amplification elements, and the second circuit are coupled in parallel with selectable resistive elements and capacitive elements to provide varying amounts of amplification and filtering according to whether an operational mode is in a startup mode, a normal mode, or a low power mode of operation.

Abstract: An integrated circuit radio transceiver and method therefor includes a linear regulator an output transistor for producing a current into an output node of the regulator wherein an amplification block is operable to produce a bias signal to a gate terminal of the output transistor to operably bias the output transistor to produce the current into the output node of the regulator. A current steering amplification block is operably disposed to steer current in/out of the gate of the output transistor (depending on device type) based upon the current being conducted through the output node of the regulator exceeding a specified threshold. The current steering amplification block further includes a current sinking element operably disposed to sink a specified amount of current to define the specified threshold.

Abstract: An integrated circuit radio transceiver and method therefor comprises circuitry that is operable to up-convert an outgoing continuous waveform signal to RF and that is further operable to down-convert and ingoing RF signal to one of a baseband or intermediate frequency in a manner that provides a linearized output current having an amplified current magnitude for mixing with a local oscillation in a mixer block. Specifically, a circuit portion is operable to produce a linearized current based upon an input signal. The linearized current is then produced to a current mirror block that produces a scaled and amplified output current. The scaled and amplified output current is then produced to a mixer block for mixing with a local oscillation to create the outgoing RF signal or the ingoing baseband or intermediate frequency signal.

Abstract: A multi-stage amplifier includes first and second amplification stages and a loading stage, all of which generate flicker noise. A degeneration block is operably disposed between circuit common and the loading stage wherein the degeneration block is operable to reduce flicker noise generated by at least one of the loading stage, the first amplification stage and the second amplification stage. The degeneration block further includes at least one active MOSFET operably biased in a linear region to provide a specified resistive value and coupled to receive and conduct the common mode portion of the intermediate stage output signal based upon a gate terminal bias signal. A degeneration block amplifier is operable to generate a replica device bias signal wherein the replica device is operable to set the gate terminal bias signal for the at least one active MOSFET based upon the replica device bias signal.

Abstract: A radio transceiver includes circuitry that enables received RF signals to be down-converted to baseband frequencies and baseband signals to be up-converted to RF signals prior to transmission without requiring conversion to an intermediate frequency. The circuitry includes a temperature sensing module that produces accurate voltage level readings that may be mapped into corresponding temperature values. A processor, among other actions, adjusts gain level settings based upon detected temperature values. One aspect of the present invention further includes repetitively inverting voltage signals across a pair of semiconductor devices being used as temperature sensors to remove a common mode signal to produce an actual temperature-voltage curve. In one embodiment of the invention, the circuitry further includes a pair of amplifiers to facilitate setting a slope of the voltage-temperature curve.

Abstract: A radio transceiver includes circuitry that enables received RF signals to be down-converted to baseband frequencies and baseband signals to be up-converted to RF signals prior to transmission without requiring conversion to an intermediate frequency. The circuitry includes a temperature sensing module that produce accurate voltage level readings may be mapped into corresponding temperature values. A processor, among other actions, adjusts gain level settings based upon detected temperature values. One aspect of the present invention further includes repetitively inverting voltage signals across a pair of semiconductor devices beings used as temperature sensors to remove a common mode signal to produce an actual temperature-voltage curve. In one embodiment of the invention, the circuitry further includes a pair of amplifiers to facilitate setting a slope of the voltage-temperature curve.