Patents by Inventor Pierre Favrat

Pierre Favrat 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: 7369835
    Abstract: An image rejection mixer includes a first mixer, a second mixer, a first output adjust circuit, and a second output adjust circuit. The first mixer is coupled to receive an input RF signal and a local oscillator signal and includes a first mixer stage and a first output load stage. The second mixer is coupled to receive the input RF signal and a phase-converted local oscillator signal and includes a second mixer stage and a second output load stage. The first output adjust circuit is coupled to the first output load stage for modifying the signal waveform of a first output signal of the first mixer. The second output adjust circuit is coupled to the second output load stage for modifying the signal waveform of a second output signal of the second mixer. In this manner, the near-perfect image rejection result in the final IF signal can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Xceive Corporation
    Inventors: Didier Margairaz, Pierre Favrat, Alain-Serge Porret, Dominique Python
  • Patent number: 7265792
    Abstract: A television receiver includes a frequency conversion circuit, an analog-to-digital converter, a signal processor, and a signal output circuit. The frequency conversion circuit receives an input RF signal in one of several television signal formats and converts the input RF signal to an intermediate frequency signal. The analog-to-digital converter samples the intermediate frequency signal and generates a digital representation thereof. The signal processor processes the digital representation of the intermediate frequency signal in accordance with the television signal format of the input RF signal and generates digital output signals indicative of information encoded in the input RF signal. Finally, the signal output circuit receives the digital output signals from the signal processor and provides one or more output signals corresponding to the digital output signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Xceive Corporation
    Inventors: Pierre Favrat, Alain-Serge Porret, Dominique Python, Friederich Mombers, Richard P. Perring, Philippe Duc, Benito Carnero, Didier Margairaz
  • Patent number: 7251466
    Abstract: A tuner circuit includes a band selection filter coupled to receive an input RF signal and provide a band selected output signal where the band selection filter includes a bank of band pass filters. Each band pass filter includes an inductor and a variable capacitor forming an LC resonator where the inductor is an integrated planar spiral inductor. The tuner circuit further includes a frequency conversion circuit coupled to receive an input signal corresponding to the band selected output signal and provide a frequency converted output signal having a predetermined frequency. The integrated planar spiral inductor can be formed using a single metal spiral or multiple metal spirals. In a multi-spiral structure, a first metal spiral having an inward spiral pattern and a second metal spiral having an outward spiral pattern to form an inductor with large inductance, low series resistance and high Q values, even at low frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Xceive Corporation
    Inventors: Alain-Serge Porret, Pierre Favrat, Dominique Python, Didier Margairaz
  • Publication number: 20060205377
    Abstract: An image rejection mixer includes a first mixer, a second mixer, a first output adjust circuit, and a second output adjust circuit. The first mixer is coupled to receive an input RF signal and a local oscillator signal and includes a first mixer stage and a first output load stage. The second mixer is coupled to receive the input RF signal and a phase-converted local oscillator signal and includes a second mixer stage and a second output load stage. The first output adjust circuit is coupled to the first output load stage for modifying the signal waveform of a first output signal of the first mixer. The second output adjust circuit is coupled to the second output load stage for modifying the signal waveform of a second output signal of the second mixer. In this manner, the near-perfect image rejection result in the final IF signal can be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Inventors: Didier Margairaz, Pierre Favrat, Alain-Serge Porret, Dominique Python
  • Patent number: 7075585
    Abstract: A television (TV) receiver includes a multi-standard channel filter with a programmable intermediate frequency adapted to receive television signals in a variety of television standards and formats. In one embodiment, a receiver includes a tuner and a channel filter. The tuner receives input RF signals encoding information in one of a number of formats and converts the input RF signals to intermediate signals having an intermediate frequency (IF). The intermediate signals are coupled to the channel filter. The channel filter includes an anti-aliasing filter for filtering the intermediate signals, an analog-to-digital converter for sampling the filtered intermediate signals and generating a digital representation thereof, and a signal processor for processing the digital representation of the intermediate signals in accordance with the format of the input RF signal. The signal processor generates digital output signals indicative of information encoded in the input RF signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Xceive Corporation
    Inventors: Pierre Favrat, Didier Margairaz, Alain-Serge Porret, Dominique Python
  • Publication number: 20060040628
    Abstract: A tuner circuit includes a band selection filter coupled to receive an input RF signal and provide a band selected output signal where the band selection filter includes a bank of band pass filters. Each band pass filter includes an inductor and a variable capacitor forming an LC resonator where the inductor is an integrated planar spiral inductor. The tuner circuit further includes a frequency conversion circuit coupled to receive an input signal corresponding to the band selected output signal and provide a frequency converted output signal having a predetermined frequency. The integrated planar spiral inductor can be formed using a single metal spiral or multiple metal spirals. In a multi-spiral structure, a first metal spiral having an inward spiral pattern and a second metal spiral having an outward spiral pattern to form an inductor with large inductance, low series resistance and high Q values, even at low frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Publication date: February 23, 2006
    Inventors: Alain-Serge Porret, Pierre Favrat, Dominique Python, Didier Margairaz
  • Patent number: 6985710
    Abstract: An image rejection mixer includes an input terminal for receiving an input radio frequency (RF) signal, a mode selector coupled to the input terminal generating an output signal for either high side mixing or low side mixing, a first mixer coupled to receive the input RF signal and a signal from a local oscillator providing a signal having a local oscillator frequency, a phase converter coupled to convert the phase of the signal from the local oscillator, a second mixer coupled to receive the output signal from the mode selector and the phase-converted local oscillator signal, and a tunable polyphase filter coupled to receive output signals from the first mixer and the second mixer, the tunable polyphase filter providing an output signal having a variable intermediate frequency. In one embodiment, the variable intermediate frequency the tunable polyphase filter is implemented as a switchable intermediate frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Xceive Corporation
    Inventors: Didier Margairaz, Alain-Serge Porret, Dominique Python, Pierre Favrat
  • Publication number: 20060001779
    Abstract: A television receiver includes a frequency conversion circuit, an analog-to-digital converter, a signal processor, and a signal output circuit. The frequency conversion circuit receives an input RF signal in one of several television signal formats and converts the input RF signal to an intermediate frequency signal. The analog-to-digital converter samples the intermediate frequency signal and generates a digital representation thereof. The signal processor processes the digital representation of the intermediate frequency signal in accordance with the television signal format of the input RF signal and generates digital output signals indicative of information encoded in the input RF signal. Finally, the signal output circuit receives the digital output signals from the signal processor and provides one or more output signals corresponding to the digital output signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Inventors: Pierre Favrat, Alain-Serge Porret, Dominique Python, Friederich Mombers, Richard Perring, Philippe Duc, Benito Carnero, Didier Margairaz
  • Publication number: 20050253659
    Abstract: An oscillator includes a series of N number of gm/C stages where each gm/C stage has a pair of input terminals and a pair of output terminals. The pair of output terminals of each gm/C stage is coupled to the pair of input terminals of the next gm/C stage except the pair of output terminals of the last gm/C stage is cross-coupled to the pair of input terminals of the first gm/C stage whereby the oscillator oscillates in quadrature. Each gm/C stage includes a differential pair of transistors, a tunable current source, a capacitor, an amplitude limiter circuit and an active load and common mode bias circuit. The capacitor and the amplitude limiter circuit are coupled between the pair of output terminals of the gm/C stage. The amplitude limiter circuit operates to limit the voltage magnitude of the output signal at the pair of output terminals of the gm/C stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Publication date: November 17, 2005
    Inventors: Pierre Favrat, Didier Margairaz, Alain-Serge Porret, Dominique Python
  • Patent number: 6915121
    Abstract: A tunable filter circuit includes a first differential pair biased by a first current, a second differential pair biased by a second current, a first capacitor and a second capacitor. The tunable filter circuit of the present invention can be configured as a bandpass filter or a bandstop filter by connecting the input voltage signal to different input nodes of the tunable filter circuit. The tunable filter circuit can be tuned by adjusting the values of the first current and the second current. In an alternate embodiment, frequency tuning is achieved either by switching capacitive loads or changing resistive impedances introduced at the emitter of the differential pairs, which also extends the input voltage range of the filter. This emitter resistance is implemented using MOS switches whose on-resistance can be controlled for a precise tuning within a large frequency range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Xceive Corporation
    Inventors: Dominique Python, Pierre Favrat, Didier Margairaz, Alain-Serge Porret
  • Publication number: 20040063415
    Abstract: A tunable filter circuit includes a first differential pair biased by a first current, a second differential pair biased by a second current, a first capacitor and a second capacitor. The tunable filter circuit of the present invention can be configured as a bandpass filter or a bandstop filter by connecting the input voltage signal to different input nodes of the tunable filter circuit. The tunable filter circuit can be tuned by adjusting the values of the first current and the second current. In an alternate embodiment, frequency tuning is achieved either by switching capacitive loads or changing resistive impedances introduced at the emitter of the differential pairs, which also extends the input voltage range of the filter. This emitter resistance is implemented using MOS switches whose on-resistance can be controlled for a precise tuning within a large frequency range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Dominique Python, Pierre Favrat, Didier Margairaz, Alain-Serge Porret
  • Publication number: 20040061804
    Abstract: A television (TV) receiver includes a multi-standard channel filter with a programmable intermediate frequency adapted to receive television signals in a variety of television standards and formats. In one embodiment, a receiver includes a tuner and a channel filter. The tuner receives input RF signals encoding information in one of a number of formats and converts the input RF signals to intermediate signals having an intermediate frequency (IF). The intermediate signals are coupled to the channel filter. The channel filter includes an anti-aliasing filter for filtering the intermediate signals, an analog-to-digital converter for sampling the filtered intermediate signals and generating a digital representation thereof, and a signal processor for processing the digital representation of the intermediate signals in accordance with the format of the input RF signal. The signal processor generates digital output signals indicative of information encoded in the input RF signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Pierre Favrat, Didier Margairaz, Alain-Serge Porret, Dominique Python