Including Amplitude Modulator Patents (Class 332/145)
  • Patent number: 8106720
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polar modulation apparatus and method, in which a polar-modulated signal is generated based on separately processed phase modulation (PM) and amplitude modulation (AM) components of an input signal. An amplified polar modulated output signal is generated in accordance with the phase modulation and amplitude modulation components by using a differential power amplifier circuitry and supplying an amplified phase modulation component to a differential input of the differential power amplifier circuitry. A bias input of the differential power amplifier circuitry is controlled based on the amplitude modulation component, so as to modulate a common-mode current of the differential power amplifier circuitry. Thereby, a new concept of a polar modulator with static DC-DC converter and power and/or efficiency and/or linearity controlled output power amplifier can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Mihai A. T. Sanduleanu, Ram P. Aditham, Eduard F. Stikvoort
  • Publication number: 20120020390
    Abstract: Disclosed are an angle modulator, a transmission apparatus, and a radio communication apparatus that can compensate phase discontinuity when an operational mode of a voltage controlled oscillator is switched. Angle modulator (100) includes phase difference detection section (150) that detects a difference of phases between an input signal of subtractor (141) and an angle modulated signal, using the result of subtraction by subtractor (141) of frequency locked loop circuit (140); correction control section (160) that generates a control signal for compensating that difference of phases based on that difference of phases; correction section (120) that corrects the phase of the angle modulated signal by adding the control signal to an input signal of angle modulator (100), an input signal of loop filter (142), or an input signal of VCO (143) during a predetermined period after VCO (143) switches the operational mode (from time t3 to time t4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Matsuura, Kenji Miyanaga
  • Patent number: 8095087
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for enhancement of performance in polar modulators are described. In one implementation, an FM signal component is divided into a coarse FM signal and a residue FM signal to be applied to a VCO for generation of a modulation signal. The coarse FM signal may be proportional to a threshold value when the FM signal exceeds the threshold, while the residue FM signal may be proportional to the difference between the FM signal and coarse FM signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Quintic Holdings
    Inventor: John B. Groe
  • Patent number: 8085108
    Abstract: A radiofrequency transmitting device delivers output signals having a chosen radiofrequency from input data split up into complementary phase data and amplitude data. This device includes a radiofrequency reference oscillator for outputting a reference signal having a fixed radiofrequency reference, and a digital phase modulator for synthesizing the chosen radiofrequency from the fixed radiofrequency reference and for phase modulating the reference signal with the phase data, in order to produce an output signal having the chosen radiofrequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: ST-Ericsson SA
    Inventor: Pascal Philippe
  • Publication number: 20110305171
    Abstract: A transmission circuit that performs modulation based on a phase difference signal and an amplitude signal includes an asymmetrical phase rotation device. The asymmetrical phase rotation device performs an operation of subtracting 2? from a value of the phase difference signal when the value of the phase difference signal is greater than a predetermined positive threshold value, or an operation of adding 2? to the value of the phase difference signal when the value of the phase difference signal is less than a predetermined negative threshold value. Accordingly, the transmission circuit has distortion reduction characteristics improved uniformly over a range of frequencies higher or lower than a carrier wave band.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Inventors: Toru Matsuura, Kenichi Mori, Wayne S. Lee, Akihiko Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 8050352
    Abstract: A pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) signal generator that injects a copy of a pulse into the PAM baseband signal prior to frequency upconversion and power amplification. The pulse comprises a function of, or an extra copy of, a pulse in the PAM baseband signal. The pulse injector analyzes the PAM baseband signal for times when a predetermined threshold is exceeded and forms a pulse that is constructed and arranged to reduce the amplitude of the PAM baseband signal to a desired peak amplitude when the pulse is added to the PAM baseband signal. In other embodiments the peak-to-RMS amplitude ratio reducing methods and apparatus used to process PAM signal are adapted for reducing peak-to-RMS amplitude ratios of amplitude modulation signals in polar modulation transmitters. Peak-to-RMS amplitude ratio reduction is performed in the quadrature domain, the polar domain, or both the quadrature and polar domains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Stephan V. Schell, Richard W. D. Booth
  • Patent number: 8045937
    Abstract: A feedback loop is used to determine phase distortion created in a signal by directly extracting the phase distortion information from a feedback signal using original frequency modulation information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Mayer, Nick Shute
  • Patent number: 8031028
    Abstract: A circuit for providing AM/PM modulation is described. The circuit provides two drive signals which are later combined in a constructive/destructive fashion. The circuit provides AM modulation with a drive signal having a consistent power level modulated to have varying pulse widths in order to provide variable power within each cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: SiGe Semiconductor (Europe) Ltd.
    Inventor: Jeffrey Wojtiuk
  • Patent number: 8004368
    Abstract: A digital amplitude modulator. The digital amplitude modulator is configured to modulate the amplitude of an input carrier signal based on input digital data and generate a corresponding output signal. The digital amplitude modulator includes a first variable gain amplifier for receiving the input carrier signal and generating a corresponding first amplified carrier signal, a second variable gain amplifier for receiving the input digital data and generating corresponding digital amplitude control data and a plurality of selectively activatable amplifier stages. Each amplifier stage receives a replica of the first amplified carrier signal and generates a corresponding second amplified carrier signal when activated. The output signal corresponds to a combination of the second amplified carrier signals generated by the activated amplifier stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Calogero Davide Presti, Francesco Carrara, Antonino Scuderi, Guiseppe Palmisano
  • Publication number: 20110187473
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for polar modulating QAM signals with discontinuous phase may include amplifying a signal via a plurality of amplifiers such that a combined gain of the plurality of amplifiers comprises a coarse amplitude gain and an amplitude offset gain. A gain of one or more of the plurality of amplifiers may be adjusted to set the coarse amplitude gain, and a gain of one or more remaining ones of the plurality of amplifiers may be adjusted to set the amplitude offset gain. The setting of the coarse amplitude gain and/or said amplitude offset gain may be adjusted dynamically and/or adaptively. The signal may be generated by phase-modulation of a radio-frequency carrier. The combined gain of the plurality of amplifiers may be controlled based on a desired amplitude modulation. The plurality of amplifiers may be integrated within an integrated circuit (IC) or chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Inventor: Ahmadreza Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 7991366
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reconstructing discrete-time amplitude modulation signals in polar modulation transmitters. An exemplary polar modulation transmitter includes a symbol generator, a rectangular-to-polar converter, a peak phase detector, and an amplitude modulation reconstruction circuit. The symbol generator generates rectangular-coordinate modulation symbols from which the rectangular-to-polar converter generates an amplitude modulation signal containing discrete-time amplitude samples and an angle modulation signal containing discrete-time angle samples. The peak phase detector circuit detects phase reversals or near phase reversals represented in samples of the angle modulation signal. The amplitude modulation reconstruction circuit responds by reconstructing samples in the amplitude modulation signal that correspond to detected phase reversals or a near phase reversals represented in samples of the angle modulation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Wayne S. Lee
  • Publication number: 20110163822
    Abstract: A power amplifier that amplifies an RF modulation signal containing an amplitude modulation component and a phase modulation component, including a polar modulator that outputs an amplitude component signal that is the amplitude modulation component of the RF modulation signal, a direct current power supply that outputs a direct current voltage, a pulse modulator that pulse-modulates the amplitude component signal, a pulse amplification circuit that amplifies a pulse modulation signal, a combining circuit that adds a direct current voltage that is outputted from the direct current power supply to an output signal of the pulse amplification circuit, a low pass filter that smoothens an output signal of the combining circuit, and an RF amplifier that not only amplifies the RF modulation signal, but also amplitude-modulates the amplified signal with an output signal of the low pass filter and outputs the resultant signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Inventors: Shingo Yamanouchi, Kazuaki Kunihiro, Kazumi Shiikuma
  • Patent number: 7936229
    Abstract: A novel and useful apparatus for and method of local oscillator generation employing an exception handling mechanism that permits an oscillator having a limited modulation range to handle the large modulation ranges demanded by modern wideband wireless standards such as 3G WCDMA, etc. A controllable oscillator generates an RF signal having four quadrature phases in accordance with an input command signal. An exception handler compares the frequency command information against a threshold. If it exceeds the threshold a phase jump and a residue frequency command are generated. The residue frequency command is input to an oscillator which is operative to generate an RF signal having four quadrature phases. The phase jump is input to a quadrature switch which functions to select one of the four quadrature phase signals as the output RF signal which is then fed to a digital power amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Siraj Akhtar, Mehmet Ipek, Robert B. Staszewski
  • Patent number: 7872545
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to circuits and methods for improving the performance of a polar modulator by maintaining the input to a phase modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Michael Wilhelm
  • Patent number: 7864883
    Abstract: Disclose is a modulation method that transmits n bits per modulation symbol, comprising the steps of: (a) generating a constellation of which 2n constellation points are arranged to be angular point of equilateral triangle; (b) generating a modulation symbol by mapping the constellation point with digital signal. According to the present invention, average power consumed by constellation points can be reduced by using equilateral triangular constellation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Gangneung-Wonju National University Industry Academy Cooperation Group
    Inventor: Sung-Joon Park
  • Publication number: 20100321126
    Abstract: A receiver for recovering timing and data information from a signal, comprising an envelope detector for demodulating the signal; to produce a demodulated signal; a filter for filtering the demodulated signal to remove or attenuate amplitude variations due to the timing information so as to produce a data signal; and a timing recovery circuit for forming a difference between time aligned versions of the demodulated signal and the data signal so as to recover the timing information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventor: Robert John Castle
  • Patent number: 7839230
    Abstract: Provided is a PLL oscillation circuit that can reduce the variability of modulation sensitivity of a VCO 101 and obtain a desired output amplitude quickly with high precision. An amplitude detector 103 detects an output amplitude of the VCO 101. An amplitude controller 105 controls a current value of a variable current source 109 so as to have an output amplitude of the VCO 101 detected by the amplitude detector 103 to be a desired amplitude. A LPF 108 is connected between the amplitude controller 105 and the variable current source 109. A switch 107 connects or disconnects the LPF 108 between the amplitude controller 105 and the variable current source 109. The amplitude controller 105 is connected to the variable current source 109 through either the LPF 108 or the switching switch 107.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masakatsu Maeda, Takayuki Tsukizawa, Hiroyuki Yoshikawa, Shunsuke Hirano
  • Patent number: 7839231
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for improving the performance of a modulator, typically in an I/Q modulation system, are described. Input I and Q current modulation signals may be processed to generate a sign signal and a magnitude signal, with the magnitude signal selectively applied to the inputs of a mixer based on the sign signal so as to generate respective I and Q modulation signal components. These may then be combined to generate a composite modulation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Quintic Holdings
    Inventors: John B. Groe, Michael Naone Farias, Reza Kaznavi
  • Patent number: 7830220
    Abstract: A modulator arrangement includes a power amplifier which receives a carrier signal and has a current control input and a voltage supply input. The modulator arrangement further includes a supply voltage modulator having an output coupled to the voltage supply input and an input coupled to the data input and a bias current modulator with an output coupled to the current control input and an input coupled to the data input. A control unit is provided which has a power control output coupled to the supply voltage modulator and to the bias current modulator to control the supply voltage modulator and the bias current modulator depending on a power control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Nazim Ceylan, Jan-Erik Müller
  • Patent number: 7812684
    Abstract: A communication apparatus has a local oscillator which performs phase modulation based on a phase component of a baseband signal and outputs a phase modulated signal, a controlling circuit which is supplied with an integer portion included in an amplitude component of the baseband signal and generates and outputs a controlling signal based on a size of the integer portion, a subtractor which is supplied with the integer portion and the controlling signal, subtracts a value of the controlling signal from the integer portion, and outputs a result, a MASH (Multi-stAge-noise-Shaping) circuit which is a second-order delta-sigma modulation means supplied with a fractional portion of the amplitude component, an order of the MASH circuit being switchable between a first order and a second order based on the controlling signal, and an amplifier which sets a voltage value based on an output of the MASH circuit and an output of the subtractor, multiplies the voltage value and the phase modulated signal, and outputs a re
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7782153
    Abstract: A timing adjusting method detects a phase error between a main signal path from which a transmitting signal is obtained and a control signal path from which a voltage control signal is obtained, based on a to-be-amplified signal that is to be amplified and represents an amplitude or a power of the transmitting signal prior to amplification and a feedback signal that represents an amplitude or a power of the transmitting signal after the amplification, adjusts an amount of delay of at least one of the main signal path and the control signal path so as to mutually cancel the phase error, and amplifies the transmitting signal from the main signal path depending on the voltage control signal from the control signal path. The detecting the phase error may include detecting polarity transition points of a slope of a waveform of the to-be-amplified signal or the feedback signal, and measuring the phase error using the detected polarity transition points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazuo Nagatani, Hiroyoshi Ishikawa, Nobukazu Fudaba, Hajime Hamada, Tokuro Kubo
  • Patent number: 7764139
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for adjusting spectral characteristics of a polar modulation signal in a polar modulator are described. A detection circuit is configured to determine when an FM signal component of the modulation signal exceeds a threshold value. The output of the detection circuit is coupled with FM and AM mapping circuits to selectively map the FM signal component and an AM signal component of the modulation signal to mapped signals, thereby reducing FM deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Quintic Holdings
    Inventor: John B. Groe
  • Patent number: 7760043
    Abstract: Provided is a polar modulation apparatus capable of performing power limit with a simple configuration even when controlling a transmission power and increasing the transmission signal output power control range. A polar modulation device (1) includes an amplitude limit unit (6) for limiting an amplitude component of an amplitude signal, a D/A converter (7) for converting an inputted digital signal into an analog signal, a power control unit (8) for performing power control so that the inputted signal is an output signal based on the power control signal, a voltage control circuit (9) for supplying voltage to an amplitude modulator (11) according to the output signal from the power control unit (8), an angle modulator (10) for performing angle modulation according to a phase signal, and an amplitude modulator (11) for performing amplitude modulation on the signal subjected to angle modulation, according to the voltage supplied from the voltage control circuit (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Maki Nakamura, Kaoru Ishida
  • Patent number: 7755443
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing an angle modulated signal includes a tunable oscillator circuit, a variable time delay circuit, and an optional scaling and delay control apparatus. The tunable oscillator circuit generates an oscillatory signal having a predetermined frequency. The variable time delay circuit operates to delay the oscillatory signal in accordance with time varying changes in an angle control signal, thereby producing the desired angle modulated signal. The scaling and delay control apparatus is configured to scale the angle control signal to account for frequency dependent phase delays of the oscillatory signal through the variable time delay circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Saleh Osman, Earl W. McCune, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7755444
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polar modulation apparatus and method, in which an in-phase and a quadrature-phase signal are processed in the analog domain to generate an analog signal corresponding to a derivative of a phase component of said polar-modulated signal. The analog signal is then input to a control input of a controlled oscillator (40). As an example, the processing may be based on a differentiate-and-multiply algorithm in the analog domain. Thereby, phase and envelope signals are generated in the analog domain and bandwidth enlargement due to the processing of the polar signals and corresponding aliasing can be prevented to obtain a highly accurate polar-modulated output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: ST-Ericsson SA
    Inventors: Paul Mattheijssen, Dominicus Martinus Wilhelmus Leenaerts
  • Patent number: 7750750
    Abstract: Enhanced polar modulator for transmitter. Within a phase locked loop (PLL), a two point modulation topology is employed in which phase information passes through a limiter (e.g., a +90° or +re/2) in which the phase information dynamic range is divide by a factor (e.g., by 2) and a maximum frequency deviation is also divided by a factor (e.g., by 2). Then, a double balanced up-converter mixer/modulator is implemented to perform gain adjustment (e.g., magnitude and/or amplitude adjustment) and phase changes of 0° and +180° or 0 and +re (e.g., negative gains values may be employed). Phase adjustment in such an architecture is split and provided to both the PLL and to the mixer/modulator of such a polar modulator within a transmitter module such as may be implemented within a communication device (e.g., which may be a wireless communication device). This architecture that includes a PLL with a double balanced up-converter mixer/modulator suppresses even harmonics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Sofoklis Plevridis, Theodoros Georgantas, Konstantinos D. Vavelidis
  • Patent number: 7746187
    Abstract: A self-calibrating modulator apparatus includes a modulator having a controlled oscillator and an oscillator gain calibration circuit. The oscillator gain calibration circuit includes an oscillator gain coefficient calculator configured to calculate a plurality of frequency dependent oscillator gain coefficients from results of measurements taken at the output of the controlled oscillator in response to a test pattern signal representing a plurality of different reference frequencies. The plurality of frequency dependent gain coefficients determined from the calibration process are stored in a look up table (LUT), where they are made available after the calibration process ends to scale a modulation signal applied to the modulator. By scaling the modulation signal prior to it being applied to the control input of the controlled oscillator, the nonlinear response of the controlled oscillator is countered and the modulation accuracy of the modulator is thereby improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Wayne S. Lee, Akira Kato, Toru Matsuura
  • Patent number: 7715808
    Abstract: This invention intends to provide a polar modulating circuit, a polar modulating method, an integrated circuit and a radio transmission device capable of compensating for a delay difference between paths of a phase signal and an amplitude signal while suppressing an increase in the circuit scale in a polar modulating system. In a delay quantity determining unit 102, delay quantity information relative to the amplitude value of the amplitude signal or transmission level information S1, based on the step response characteristic of a power amplifying unit 105 are previously stored as table data. Thus, by executing delay adjustment using, as a reference signal, the amplitude signal or transmission level information S1, the delay difference between paths of a phase signal and an amplitude signal can be compensated for while suppressing an increase in the circuit scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshito Shimizu, Noriaki Saito
  • Patent number: 7688156
    Abstract: A transmission circuit for outputting transmission signals with a low distortion and a high efficiency over a wide range of output power is provided. A signal generation section (11) generates an amplitude signal and a phase signal. An angle modulation section (12) performs angle modulation on the phase signal and outputs an angle-modulated signal. A regulator (14) receives the amplitude signal via a variable gain amplification section (18) and supplies a voltage controlled based on the magnitude of the amplitude signal to the amplitude modulation section (15). The amplitude modulation section (15) performs amplitude modulation on the angle-modulated signal and outputs a modulated signal to the variable attenuation section (16). When the value of power information is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the control section (19) increases the gain of the variable gain amplification section (18) and the attenuation of the variable attenuation section (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Matsuura, Hisashi Adachi
  • Patent number: 7688157
    Abstract: A modulation system includes an amplitude modulation path and a phase modulation path coupled to the amplitude modulation path. One of the amplitude modulation path and the phase modulation path receive a reduced current such that the reduced current reduces power consumption by the system. Preferably, the amplitude modulation path receives the reduced current. The amplitude modulation path has a first set of components and a second set of components. The first set of components consumes less power by using slower operation. The second set of components consumes less power by effectively not operating, or being turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas E. Biedka, Paul Cheng-Po Liang, Gary L. Do
  • Patent number: 7619487
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to systems and methods for polar modulation without analog filters. Digitals filters, a second order hold interpolator and a reconfigurable third order noise shaper can be used instead of the analog filters used in conventional polar modulators. The polar modulator receives either receives the input in polar coordinates or converts the signal into polar phase and amplitude components. The phase and amplitude components are processed separately using digital signal processing components including digital filters, PLL, interpolator and noise shaper. The processed phase and amplitude components are then mixed to generate the modulated signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Andreas Schmid
  • Publication number: 20090251231
    Abstract: Polar feedback architecture. A polar modulator, as may be implemented within a transmitter module, of a communication device includes feedback. This feedback involves monitoring of phase information and magnitude/amplitude information of an output signal generated by the polar modulator. The output signal can be a radio frequency (RF) signal such as may be transmitted via a communication channel within a communication system. A baseband processing module processes the monitored phase information and magnitude/amplitude information to perform adjustment of a phase modulator and/or other components within the polar modulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventor: SOFOKLIS PLEVRIDIS
  • Patent number: 7587179
    Abstract: A direct synthesis transmitter. A very efficient and highly linear direct synthesis transmitter is provided that can be used to directly synthesize and transmit any type of modulated signal. The direct synthesis transmitter includes a phase-locked loop (PLL) with controls phase modulation plus an accompanying variable gain amplifier for amplitude modulation. Also included is a system to align the phase and amplitude modulation signals. A transmitter constructed in accordance with the present invention is very efficient and suitable for use in portable radio equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sequoia Communications
    Inventors: John B. Groe, Joseph Austin, Naone Farias, Carrie Lo
  • Patent number: 7576623
    Abstract: A circuit includes a first semiconductor device and a second semiconductor device. The first semiconductor device has a first source region, a first gate region, and a first drain region. The first gate region and the first drain region are separated by a first distance. The second semiconductor device has a second source region, a second gate region, and a second drain region. The second gate region and the second drain region separated by a second distance. The first distance is greater than the second distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Saleh Osman, Darwin De La Cruz
  • Patent number: 7564922
    Abstract: An RF transmitter includes a modulating circuit adapted to modulating an RF signal, an output amplifier adapted to amplify the modulated RF signal; an auto tuner generating a tuning voltage that varies in accordance with operating temperature fluctuations and/or manufacturing process variances, and a reference current generating circuit adapted to generate a reference current in response to the tuning voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-Wan Kim, Jong-Dae Bae
  • Patent number: 7558542
    Abstract: A transmitter circuit is disclosed for use in a multi-frequency wireless communication system. The transmitter circuit includes an input modulation unit, a phase modulation system, and an amplitude modulation system. The input modulation unit receives at least one signal that is representative of information to be modulated. The phase modulation system is coupled to the input modulation unit and provides a phase modulation on an output signal. The phase modulation system includes a phase detection system and an adjustable power amplifier. The amplitude modulation system is coupled to the input modulation unit and provides amplitude modulation on the output signal. The amplitude modulation system includes an amplitude detection system for providing an output signal to the adjustable power amplifier, and a variable gain amplifier coupled to the adjustable power amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Mediatek Inc.
    Inventors: Sanjay Nandipaku, Roxann Blanchard, Robert Broughton, Robert G. Gels, Cecile Masse
  • Patent number: 7545232
    Abstract: A polar modulator arrangement has a first and a second node to receive a digital signal with a first and a second component corresponding to a digital amplitude component and a digital phase component. A digital interpolation filter generates an interpolated first component by interpolating and filtering the first component. A polar modulated radio frequency signal is generated by a combination element as a function of the interpolated first component and the second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Zdravko Boos, Benjamin Lindner, Thomas Mayer
  • Publication number: 20090141817
    Abstract: A method that uses time-domain processing on a spectrally efficient digital modulation scheme to reduce the bandwidth expansion in envelope elimination and restoration (EER) amplifiers is disclosed. The method identifies and localizes sections of the signal responsible for the out of band emissions, or spectral regrowth, using a filter. The detected sections are flagged and extended to allow for introduction of a lower frequency transition in place of the extended section, thus reducing spectral regrowth from the output of an EER amplifier. The method is particularly useful for improving the quality of digital AM radio transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventor: Brian W. Walker
  • Patent number: 7518461
    Abstract: A polar-based modulator includes an amplitude signal generator operating at a set gain and a command module that selects an appropriate one parameter lookup table based on an identification of the current network communication system. The command module receives a digital representation of the desired amplitude and using the received digital amplitude and selected parameter lookup table determines control commands used by a scalar to appropriately modulate an amplitude modulated signal output from the amplitude signal generator. Use of the parameter lookup table and command module in the digital realm eliminates the complexities of comparable functionality in the analog realm. Further, operating the amplitude signal generator at a set gain and scaling the output eliminates the complexities associated with generating an appropriately amplified signal within the amplitude signal generator and improves the overall efficiency for generating such an amplitude modulated signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Earl W. McCune, Wayne S. Lee
  • Publication number: 20090079511
    Abstract: A transmission circuit for outputting transmission signals with a low distortion and a high efficiency over a wide range of output power is provided. A signal generation section (11) generates an amplitude signal and a phase signal. An angle modulation section (12) performs angle modulation on the phase signal and outputs an angle-modulated signal. A regulator (14) receives the amplitude signal via a variable gain amplification section (18) and supplies a voltage controlled based on the magnitude of the amplitude signal to the amplitude modulation section (15). The amplitude modulation section (15) performs amplitude modulation on the angle-modulated signal and outputs a modulated signal to the variable attenuation section (16). When the value of power information is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the control section (19) increases the gain of the variable gain amplification section (18) and the attenuation of the variable attenuation section (16).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toru Matsuura, Hisashi Adachi
  • Publication number: 20090072921
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to systems and methods for polar modulation without analog filters. Digitals filters, a second order hold interpolator and a reconfigurable third order noise shaper can be used instead of the analog filters used in conventional polar modulators. The polar modulator receives either receives the input in polar coordinates or converts the signal into polar phase and amplitude components. The phase and amplitude components are processed separately using digital signal processing components including digital filters, PLL, interpolator and noise shaper. The processed phase and amplitude components are then mixed to generate the modulated signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Andreas Schmid
  • Publication number: 20090039974
    Abstract: Provided is a polar modulation apparatus capable of performing power limit with a simple configuration even when controlling a transmission power and increasing the transmission signal output power control range. A polar modulation device (1) includes an amplitude limit unit (6) for limiting an amplitude component of an amplitude signal, a D/A converter (7) for converting an inputted digital signal into an analog signal, a power control unit (8) for performing power control so that the inputted signal is an output signal based on the power control signal, a voltage control circuit (9) for supplying voltage to an amplitude modulator (11) according to the output signal from the power control unit (8), an angle modulator (10) for performing angle modulation according to a phase signal, and an amplitude modulator (11) for performing amplitude modulation on the signal subjected to angle modulation, according to the voltage supplied from the voltage control circuit (9).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Maki Nakamura, Kaoru Ishida
  • Publication number: 20080246550
    Abstract: A modulation system includes an amplitude modulation path and a phase modulation path coupled to the amplitude modulation path. One of the amplitude modulation path and the phase modulation path receive a reduced current such that the reduced current reduces power consumption by the system. Preferably, the amplitude modulation path receives the reduced current. The amplitude modulation path has a first set of components and a second set of components. The first set of components consumes less power by using slower operation. The second set of components consumes less power by effectively not operating, or being turned off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventors: Thomas E. Biedka, Paul Cheng-Po Liang, Gary L. Do
  • Patent number: 7427903
    Abstract: A polar modulator has a low AM-AM and AM-PM distortion comprises a phase locked loop. The phase locked loop is designed for outputting a high-frequency signal with a frequency derived from a phase modulation signal at an actuating input of the phase locked loop. A filter device, for suppressing a DC signal component, is coupled to an output of the phase locked loop. Furthermore, provision is made of a controllable voltage source with a control input suitable for feeding in an amplitude modulation signal. A push-pull amplifier is connected by an input to the filter device. It comprises two feedback amplifier transistors connected in series, which are connected to a voltage output of the controllable voltage source for supply purposes. Control terminals of the amplifier transistors are connected to the input and, via a load, to an output of the push-pull amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Giuseppe Li Puma
  • Patent number: 7412213
    Abstract: Envelope limiting for a polar modulator. A system is provided that intelligently compresses the amplitude modulation in a polar modulator so that it can be implemented with a single-stage variable gain amplifier. Limiting the amplitude modulation range on the low side prevents collapse of the transmit signal's time-varying envelope and eases circuit implementation. Limiting the amplitude modulation range on the high side reduces the peak-to-average ratio of the waveform and thereby improves the efficiency of the radio transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Sequoia Communications
    Inventors: John B. Groe, Carl Thomas Hardin, Mahbuba Sheba
  • Patent number: 7378918
    Abstract: There provides a two-point modulation phase modulation apparatus capable of obtaining an RF phase modulation signal of superior modulation precision with low power consumption and a simple configuration even in the event of inputting a wide band baseband modulation signal. A differentiator (21) of the opposite characteristics to the attenuation characteristics of anti-alias filter (22) is provided at the front stage of a D/A converter (6). As a result, it is possible to sufficiently suppress an alias signal without raising the sampling frequency of the D/A converter (6) (i.e. low power consumption) using an anti-alias filter (22) of a simple configuration (i.e. low cost) with a low order for a narrower bandwidth than a PLL modulation frequency bandwidth, and it is possible to obtain an RF phase modulation signal where the entire frequency band of input digital baseband modulation signal (S1) is reflected in a superior manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunsuke Hirano, Hisashi Adachi
  • Patent number: 7358829
    Abstract: Transmission apparatus capable of reducing distortion of the vector modulation wave that is the transmission output to a sufficiently small level is provided. An amplifying section (105) generates a vector modulation wave based on an amplitude component modulation signal and a phase modulation wave. A synchronous demodulating section (107) detects the vector modulation wave, generates a synchronous demodulation signal, and sends this to a band filtering section (108). The band filtering section (108) extracts a signal of the frequency component of the distortion from a synchronous demodulation signal outputted by the synchronous demodulating section (107).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuto Oka
  • Patent number: 7313175
    Abstract: A method for avoiding spurious emissions in an AM transmitter for digital transmission includes converting a digital modulation for controlling the AM transmitter into an amplitude signal and a phase-modulated RF signal. Non-linear distortions in an amplitude response and a delay-time characteristic of an amplitude branch are compensated for using a pre-equalization with inverse shapes by: measuring and storing the amplitude response and the delay-time characteristic of an amplitude branch; determining an inverse transfer function using respective shapes of the measured amplitude response and delay-time characteristic by an inverse Fourier transform; dimensioning an equalizing network for the determined inverse transfer function; and connecting the equalizing network in series upstream of the amplitude branch. An equalizing network is dimensioned for the determined inverse transfer function. The equalizing network is connected in series upstream of the RF branch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
    Inventor: Dietmar Rudolph
  • Patent number: 7289005
    Abstract: A polar modulator contains a phase locked loop which is designed to emit a radio-frequency signal at one frequency to one output, with the frequency being derived from the reference signal and from a phase modulation signal at a control input of the phase locked loop. The modulator additionally has a second signal input for supplying an amplitude modulation signal. The second signal input is connected to a control input of a pulse width modulator, one of whose signal inputs is coupled to the output of the phase locked loop. The pulse width modulator is designed to vary the duty ratio of a signal which is applied to the signal input, with this variation being adjustable via a regulation signal at the control input. A filter can be connected downstream from the output of the pulse width modulator and suppresses higher harmonic components in a signal which can be tapped off at the output of the pulse width modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Giuseppe Li Puma
  • Patent number: 7280003
    Abstract: A signal modulation device comprises a delta-sigma modulator disposed for transforming an amplitude-modulation signal in baseband into a pulse signal. It also comprises a phase modulator receiving, at its input, analogue phase-modulation signals in baseband. The pulse signal is mixed with carrier signals upstream of the phase modulator. The modulation device is designed to form an input stage of a transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics SA
    Inventors: Didier Belot, Vincent Le Goascoz, Denis Pache, Corinne Berland, Jean-François Bercher, Isabelle Hibon, Martine Villegas