Patents by Inventor Piet Wambacq

Piet Wambacq 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: 11342995
    Abstract: A communication system includes a base station, at least one remote radio head, and at least one channel. The base station has at least two digital modulators adapted for modulating a first and a second incoming radio signal to obtain a first and a second quantized signal, a multiplexer for interleaving the quantized signals, and a transmitter adapted for transmitting the resulting quantized signal over the channel to the remote radio head. The remote radio head includes a receiver adapted for capturing the quantized signal, a clock extraction module adapted for converting the signal from the receiver into a clock signal, a demultiplexer for splitting the quantized signal using the clock signal to obtain at least two quantized signals, and a filter adapted for removing quantization noise from the quantized signal from the receiver or the demultiplexer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignees: UNIVERSITEIT GENT, IMEC VZW
    Inventors: Guy Torfs, Piet Wambacq
  • Publication number: 20210384976
    Abstract: A communication system includes a base station, at least one remote radio head, and at least one channel. The base station has at least two digital modulators adapted for modulating a first and a second incoming radio signal to obtain a first and a second quantized signal, a multiplexer for interleaving the quantized signals, and a transmitter adapted for transmitting the resulting quantized signal over the channel to the remote radio head. The remote radio head includes a receiver adapted for capturing the quantized signal, a clock extraction module adapted for converting the signal from the receiver into a clock signal, a demultiplexer for splitting the quantized signal using the clock signal to obtain at least two quantized signals, and a filter adapted for removing quantization noise from the quantized signal from the receiver or the demultiplexer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Guy TORFS, Piet WAMBACQ
  • Patent number: 9184499
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates a method for performing hybrid beamforming in a wireless communication device or any device that uses signal phase shifting for transmission and/or reception. The method comprises performing phase shifting in at least two different domains (or paths), each characterized by an operational frequency, in the communication device. More in particular, the disclosure relates in a first aspect to a method for performing at a receiver beamforming on a beam of incoming signals received via plurality of antenna paths. In another aspect, the present disclosure relates a method for performing hybrid beamforming at a transmitter device, wherein also phase shifting in at least two different domains is performed. More in particular, the disclosure also relates to a method for performing at a transmitter device beamforming on a beam of outgoing signals via a plurality of antenna paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Jakub Raczkowski, Piet Wambacq
  • Patent number: 9020457
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a circuit for providing a signal gain, comprising: a first stage comprising a first set of variable gain transconductors arranged for receiving an input signal and for performing phase-shifting of the input signal, thereby producing an intermediate signal, and a second stage, comprising a second set of transconductors and a plurality of capacitors arranged for receiving the intermediate signal and for providing an output signal to a combiner, wherein the first stage and second stage together form a filter, and wherein the first set of variable gain transconductors and at least one of the transconductors of the second set define the signal gain of the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignees: IMEC, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
    Inventors: Viki Szortyka, Piet Wambacq
  • Patent number: 8971831
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a front-end system for a radio device, the front-end system comprising a low-noise amplifier (LNA), arranged for receiving a radio frequency input signal (RFIN) and arranged for outputting an amplified radio frequency signal (RFOUT), wherein the low-noise amplifier comprises a first differential amplifier, and a mixer (MIX), arranged for down-converting the amplified radio signal (RFOUT) provided by the low-noise amplifier (LNA) to a baseband signal (BB), by multiplying the amplified radio signal (RFOUT) with a local oscillator (LO) frequency tone, said low-noise amplifier (LNA) and said mixer (MIX) being inductively coupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Vojkan Vidojkovic, Kristof Vaesen, Piet Wambacq
  • Publication number: 20140235187
    Abstract: Front-end systems for a transmitter included in a radio device are disclosed. An example front-end system may comprise a voltage-to-power mixer. The voltage-to-power mixer may be configured to up-convert a baseband signal to a high-frequency signal by multiplying the baseband signal with a local oscillator signal. Additionally, the voltage-to-power mixer may include a voltage feedback circuit. The example front-end system may further comprise a two-stage power amplifier. The two-stage power amplifier may be configured to amplify the high-frequency signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicants: Vrije Universiteit Brussel, IMEC VZW
    Inventors: Vojkan Vidojkovic, Khaled Khalaf, Viki Szortyka, Kristof Vaesen, Piet Wambacq
  • Publication number: 20130337757
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a circuit for providing a signal gain, comprising: a first stage comprising a first set of variable gain transconductors arranged for receiving an input signal and for performing phase-shifting of the input signal, thereby producing an intermediate signal, and a second stage, comprising a second set of transconductors and a plurality of capacitors arranged for receiving the intermediate signal and for providing an output signal to a combiner, wherein the first stage and second stage together form a filter, and wherein the first set of variable gain transconductors and at least one of the transconductors of the second set define the signal gain of the circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventors: Viki Szortyka, Piet Wambacq
  • Patent number: 8532226
    Abstract: The invention relates to a EHF wireless communication receiver comprising a phased array radio arranged for receiving a beam of signals in a predetermined frequency band. The phased array radio comprises a plurality of antenna paths, each arranged for handling one of the incoming signals and forming a differential I/Q output signal, each antenna path comprises a downconversion part and a phase shifting part for applying a controllable phase shift; a signal combination circuitry is connected to the antenna paths and is arranged for combining the differential I/Q output signals; and a control circuitry is connected to the phase shifting parts of the antenna paths and is arranged for controlling the controllable phase shift. In each antenna path, the phase shifting part is a baseband part downstream from the downconversion part and the phase shifting part comprises a set of variable gain amplifiers arranged for applying controllable gains to the respective downconverted incoming signals in the I/Q branches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventor: Piet Wambacq
  • Publication number: 20130093624
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates a method for performing hybrid beamforming in a wireless communication device or any device that uses signal phase shifting for transmission and/or reception. The method comprises performing phase shifting in at least two different domains (or paths), each characterized by an operational frequency, in the communication device. More in particular, the disclosure relates in a first aspect to a method for performing at a receiver beamforming on a beam of incoming signals received via plurality of antenna paths. In another aspect, the present disclosure relates a method for performing hybrid beamforming at a transmitter device, wherein also phase shifting in at least two different domains is performed. More in particular, the disclosure also relates to a method for performing at a transmitter device beamforming on a beam of outgoing signals via a plurality of antenna paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventors: Jakub Raczkowski, Piet Wambacq
  • Publication number: 20120121043
    Abstract: The invention relates to a EHF wireless communication receiver comprising a phased array radio arranged for receiving a beam of signals in a predetermined frequency band. The phased array radio comprises a plurality of antenna paths, each arranged for handling one of the incoming signals and forming a differential I/Q output signal, each antenna path comprises a downconversion part and a phase shifting part for applying a controllable phase shift; a signal combination circuitry is connected to the antenna paths and is arranged for combining the differential I/Q output signals; and a control circuitry is connected to the phase shifting parts of the antenna paths and is arranged for controlling the controllable phase shift. In each antenna path, the phase shifting part is a baseband part downstream from the downconversion part and the phase shifting part comprises a set of variable gain amplifiers arranged for applying controllable gains to the respective downconverted incoming signals in the I/Q branches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventor: Piet Wambacq