Abstract: Aspects of this disclosure relate to systems and methods for calibration of antenna arrays. The calibration may be based on determining a reference value for the beamformer derived from measurements of phase and/or amplitude for each channel within the beamformer. The measurements of phase and/or amplitude can be stored in non-volatile memory. Using a difference between the reference value and the measured values for each channel, a portion of a global configuration table may be copied to each channel's memory. Each channel can be separately calibrated based on the portion of the global configuration table copied to the local memory of each channel.

Abstract: Bias arrangements for amplifiers are disclosed. An example arrangement includes a bias circuit, configured to produce a bias signal for the amplifier, and a linearization circuit, configured to improve linearity of the amplifier by modifying the bias signal based on an RF signal indicative of an RF input signal to be amplified by the amplifier. The linearization circuit includes a bias signal input for receiving the bias signal, an RF signal input for receiving the RF signal, and an output for providing a modified bias signal. The linearization circuit further includes at least a first linearization transistor, having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal, where each of the bias signal input and the RF signal input of the linearization circuit is coupled to the first terminal of the first linearization transistor, and the output of the linearization circuit is coupled to the third terminal of the first linearization transistor.

Abstract: Bias arrangements for amplifiers are disclosed. An example arrangement includes a bias circuit, configured to produce a bias signal for the amplifier, and a linearization circuit, configured to improve linearity of the amplifier by modifying the bias signal based on an RF signal indicative of an RF input signal to be amplified by the amplifier. The linearization circuit includes a bias signal input for receiving the bias signal, an RF signal input for receiving the RF signal, and an output for providing a modified bias signal. The linearization circuit further includes at least a first linearization transistor, having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal, where each of the bias signal input and the RF signal input of the linearization circuit is coupled to the first terminal of the first linearization transistor, and the output of the linearization circuit is coupled to the third terminal of the first linearization transistor.

Abstract: Bias arrangements for amplifiers are disclosed. An example bias arrangement for an amplifier includes a bias circuit, configured to produce a bias signal for the amplifier; a linearization circuit, configured to improve linearity of the amplifier by modifying the bias signal produced by the bias circuit to produce a modified bias signal to be provided to the amplifier; and a coupling circuit, configured to couple the bias circuit and the linearization circuit. Providing separate bias and linearization circuits coupled to one another by a coupling circuit allows separating a linearization operation from a biasing loop to overcome some drawbacks of prior art bias arrangements that utilize a single biasing loop.

Abstract: Aspects of this disclosure relate to an antenna array system and method of calibration using one or more probes disposed equidistant between antenna elements. In certain embodiments, calibration is performed between a probe and antenna elements, between a plurality of antenna elements, and/or between antenna elements on different antenna arrays.

Abstract: Bias arrangements for amplifiers are disclosed. An example bias arrangement for an amplifier includes a bias circuit, configured to produce a bias signal for the amplifier; a linearization circuit, configured to improve linearity of the amplifier by modifying the bias signal produced by the bias circuit to produce a modified bias signal to be provided to the amplifier; and a coupling circuit, configured to couple the bias circuit and the linearization circuit. Providing separate bias and linearization circuits coupled to one another by a coupling circuit allows separating a linearization operation from a biasing loop to overcome some drawbacks of prior art bias arrangements that utilize a single biasing loop.

Abstract: Aspects of this disclosure relate to systems and methods for calibration of antenna arrays. The calibration may be based on determining a reference value for the beamformer derived from measurements of phase and/or amplitude for each channel within the beamformer. The measurements of phase and/or amplitude can be stored in non-volatile memory. Using a difference between the reference value and the measured values for each channel, a portion of a global configuration table may be copied to each channel's memory. Each channel can be separately calibrated based on the portion of the global configuration table copied to the local memory of each channel.

Abstract: Aspects of this disclosure relate to an antenna array system and method of calibration using one or more probes disposed equidistant between antenna elements. In certain embodiments, calibration is performed between a probe and antenna elements, between a plurality of antenna elements, and/or between antenna elements on different antenna arrays.

Abstract: A transformer-based balun circuit is disclosed herein. The balun can be implemented using a spiral transformer, where primary and secondary transformer windings can be inductively coupled and can be implemented on the same metal layer (or different metal layers, e.g. vertically adjacent metal layers). The balun can further include a compensation capacitor and a digital frequency tuning circuit. The compensation capacitor can be introduced at one of the differential terminals to reduce or suppress the amplitude and phase imbalance. The digital frequency tuning circuit can be a switchable bank of capacitors, which allows for tuning the frequency of operation of the transformer-based balun.

Abstract: A transformer-based balun circuit s disclosed herein. The balun can be implemented using a spiral transformer, where primary and secondary transformer windings can be inductively coupled and can be implemented on the same metal layer (or different metal layers, e.g. vertically adjacent metal layers). The balun can further include a compensation capacitor and a digital frequency tuning circuit. The compensation capacitor can be introduced at one of the differential terminals to reduce or suppress the amplitude and phase imbalance. The digital frequency tuning circuit can be a switchable bank of capacitors, which allows for tuning the frequency of operation of the transformer-based balun.

Abstract: Mixers with improved linearity are disclosed. A diode or FET ring mixer is implemented with at least one parallel shunt element coupled with the ring mixer, the shunt element providing shunt to a diode or FET, for example, to reduce the effect of nonlinear or off resistance and/or capacitance. Linearity, isolation, symmetry, even order harmonics of the ring mixer, or any combination thereof can be improved as a result. The linearity of the ring mixer with parallel shunt resistors can be further improved by adding series resistors in the ring according to certain embodiments.

Abstract: Mixers with improved linearity are disclosed. A diode or FET ring mixer is implemented with at least one parallel shunt element coupled with the ring mixer, the shunt element providing shunt to a diode or FET, for example, to reduce the effect of nonlinear or off resistance and/or capacitance. Linearity, isolation, symmetry, even order harmonics of the ring mixer, or any combination thereof can be improved as a result. The linearity of the ring mixer with parallel shunt resistors can be further improved by adding series resistors in the ring according to certain embodiments.