Plural Local Oscillators Or Mixers Patents (Class 455/209)
  • Patent number: 6696976
    Abstract: A vehicular warning system for use by school buses and/or other emergency vehicles in rural, hilly, areas and extremely low population areas, which provides a short range radio transmission signal broadcast sequentially over all 40 channels of a citizens band radio acting as an audible signal to be picked up by any nearby CB radio turned on. The warning system comprises a transmitter means to be installed on school buses and/or other emergency vehicles that can warn truck drivers of an upcoming situation which would require the truck to slow down or stop. The present system finds special utility in hilly regions where a truck driver cannot see over the next hill, and consequently does not know if he needs to stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Inventor: Jay A. Hansen
  • Publication number: 20030224748
    Abstract: A double-conversion tuner receives an RF signal having a number of channels and down-converts a selected channel from the plurality of channels. The double-conversion tuner includes a first mixer configured to up-convert the RF signal to a first IF signal using a first local oscillator signal. A first local oscillator includes a delta-sigma fractional-N phase lock loop to produce the first local oscillator signal. The delta-sigma fractional-N phase lock loop is configured to perform fine-tuning of the first local oscillator signal and to have a wide tuning range sufficient to cover the number of channels. A bandpass filter is configured to select a subset of channels from said first IF signal. A second mixer is configured to down-convert the subset of channels to a second IF signal using a second local oscillator signal. A second local oscillator generates the second local oscillator signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ramon A. Gomez, Myles H. Wakayama
  • Patent number: 6658115
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for high fidelity duplexing, local transmission and reception of audio-signals transmitted from sources such as stereos, televisions, or musical instruments is taught. According to these teachings, high fidelity wireless stereophonic transmission system having a plurality of audio channels are realized. An oscillator is electrically connected to the first audio channel to provide a first carrier frequency upon which the data of the first audio channel is imposed. The first carrier frequency is then combined with a second audio channel's data forming a composite signal. The composite signal is then imposed on signal generated by a second oscillator. This second oscillator provides a carrier frequency for a frequency modulated (FM) transmitter. The signal from the FM transmitter is received by a receiver and the respective signal's of the two audio channels are demodulated and used to drive speakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: RadioShack, Corp.
    Inventor: Vincent Lam
  • Patent number: 6608869
    Abstract: A method for receiving a modulated carrier wave with asymmetrical upper and lower sidebands, which carrier wave may be suppressed, is described. A first down-converter in the receiver heterodynes the asymmetrical upper and lower sidebands of the modulated carrier wave being received with a first heterodyning signal, to generate a first down-conversion result superposed on the image thereof in a first final-intermediate-frequency signal offset from zero frequency. To do this, the first heterodyning signal essentially consists of two component frequencies, one below the lower sideband and the other above the upper sideband of the modulated carrier wave. A second down-converter in the receiver heterodynes the asymmetrical upper and lower sidebands of the modulated carrier wave being received with a second heterodyning signal that is the Hilbert transform of the first heterodyning signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Allen Leroy Limberg
  • Publication number: 20030143966
    Abstract: A mixer circuit with improving characteristic of image rejection by compensating mismatch in a spurious rejection mixer circuit (SRM) used in a transmitter is provided. The mixer circuit according to the present invention comprises an up conversion unit for modulating a base-band input signal to a RF signal, a down conversion unit for converting an output signal from the up conversion unit to a base-band output signal, mismatch estimating means for determining a mismatch compensation value by which spurious component in an output signal from the down conversion unit is minimized, wherein the spurious component results from mismatch in the up conversion unit, and mismatch compensating means for compensating the mismatch in the up conversion unit by using the mismatch compensation value determined by the mismatch estimating means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventors: Youngjin Kim, Kwyro Lee
  • Patent number: 6564045
    Abstract: An LO generation circuit generates an LO signal by doubling and quadrupling the frequency of a VCO signal. The frequency doubling and quadrupling provides high VCO-RF isolation as well as suppression of spurious noise signals in the LO output. The frequency doubler takes a quadrature signal input and utilizes mixer cores having double balanced transistor pairs to provide an output signal having doubled frequency but maintaining the phase balance of the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Bert Fransis
  • Publication number: 20030078020
    Abstract: Various mixer topologies, configured to cancel various low order spurs. The mixer topologies each include a pair of mixers and a plurality of couplers. The couplers are configured to cancel specific spurs. As such, the mixer topology eliminates the need for band splitting thus allowing larger input frequency ranges and allows for simpler and less expensive filtering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Inventor: Mark Kintis
  • Patent number: 6549153
    Abstract: A digital-to-analog circuit arrangement that can be used, for example, in radio transmitters, includes a Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) whose output is connected directly to a mixer. A periodic signal is also provided to the mixer. The frequency of the periodic signal provided to the mixer, is an integer multiple of half the update rate frequency of the DAC. In an embodiment of the invention, the frequency of the periodic signal provided to the mixer, is half the update rate frequency of the DAC. An intermediate frequency (IF) filter can be provided. downstream of the mixer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Patrik Eriksson, Peter Petersson
  • Publication number: 20030054786
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method compare the output signal of a mixer in a detector with one of two input signals of the mixer, in order to compensate for the offset of a mixer or modulator. The detector determines the sign of the offset of the mixer. A compensation value is formed in an actuator unit by successive approximation. The value is transmitted to the mixer. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, a simple phase detector (PD) is used to determine the offset sign (VZ). The above-described indirect measuring method functions with very high accuracy, even at only a very small offset. Offsets in the circuits preceding the mixer (MI1) are compensated for simultaneously. A manual or individual calibration of direct voltage offsets is therefore unnecessary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Inventor: Michael Asam
  • Publication number: 20020127982
    Abstract: In accordance with a method for single-carrier and multi-carrier reception, the following steps are executed: downconverting a received RF signal to in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) channel signals each containing a plurality of sub-carriers at a low intermediate frequency (low-IF) and, if required, one sub-carrier or a single carrier centered around 0 Hz; filtering interfering signals outside of a frequency band of interest with analog lowpass filters in the I and Q channels; converting the I and Q channel signals to digital representations thereof; in the multi-carrier reception case, separating sub-carriers that are images of one another by quadrature downmixing the digital representations of the I and Q channel signals to baseband in the digital domain; and digitally adding or subtracting resulting I and Q signals to obtain one or both of an upper sideband and a lower sideband containing desired ones of the multi-carriers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2001
    Publication date: September 12, 2002
    Applicant: NOKIA MOBILE PHONES LTD
    Inventors: Sami Haapoja, Miikka Hamalainen
  • Patent number: 6393299
    Abstract: In radiocommunication apparatus, two downconverters (41, 42) for use in reception system each heterodyne their respective received RF signal to an intermediate frequency. One of the downconverters employs a local signal generated by a synthesizer (19), and the other employs a signal obtained by dividing the frequency of the local signal by a factor of N. Two upconverters (161, 162) for use in transmission system each convert their respective input transmit signal to a transmit RF signal. One of the upconverters employs a local signal generated by the synthesizer (19) and the other employs a signal obtained by dividing the frequency of the local signal by a factor of N.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toru Mizumoto, Hiroaki Shimizu, Tatsuya Tokunaga, Kenichi Torii
  • Publication number: 20020039893
    Abstract: A method for converting the frequency of an electrical signal, where an input signal is received, a first local signal and a second local signal of a different phase than the first local signal, are generated. A first product signal is obtained by mixing said input signal with the first local signal and a second product signal is obtained by mixing said input signal with the second local signal. The first and second product signals are combined together. The mixing of the input signal with the first local signal and the mixing of the input signal with the second local signal occurs in alternating time periods. The same mixing element is used for processing two or more branches in order to avoid imbalance in the mixed signals due to usage of separate, mismatching, mixing elements. The invention also relates to radio devices implementing the method described above.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Publication date: April 4, 2002
    Inventors: Tommi Ylamurto, Leonid Bogod
  • Patent number: 6356746
    Abstract: Signal levels of received signals are detected within a plurality of different frequency bands by a first electric field strength detecting means 15 and a second electric field strength detecting means 16, then it is detected by an adjacent wave detecting means 17 based on this output signal whether or not adjacent waves are contained, then a filter controlling signal 19 is output to a first I low-pass filter 9a and a first Q low-pass filter 10a from a baseband filter controlling means 18 according to whether or not the adjacent waves are contained, whereby low-frequency cut-off frequencies of the first I low-pass filter 9a and a first Q low-pass filter 10a are switched and controlled. Accordingly, a receiving sensitivity can be improved by reducing an influence of an adjacent wave and a tolerance for frequency offset of an oscillation frequency of a local oscillator relative to a carrier frequency of a received signal can be enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Katayama
  • Patent number: 6347219
    Abstract: A method for generating a local oscillation signal comprising two separate frequency converters, of which one frequency converter includes an output unit for generating an internal output signal to be used for its frequency conversion, and the other frequency converter employs the same internal output signal from the output unit as the local oscillation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Takinami, Hisashi Adachi, Hiroaki Kosugi, Ikuo Ohta, Jyunichi Yoshizumi, Toshiaki Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20020012407
    Abstract: An FM modulation signal is mixed with a pair of first local oscillation signals to be converted to a pair of base band signals. The base band signals are respectively mixed a pair of second local oscillation signals. The resultant signals are added together, thereby yielding an IF signal which is in turn detected. The local oscillator generates a reference oscillation signal whose frequency corresponds to a carrier component of the IF signal and frequency-divides the reference oscillation signal, thus generating the second local oscillation signals. The frequency of the first local oscillation signal converges to the one that has a given ratio to the frequency of the reference oscillation signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Applicant: Icom Incorporated
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20010027091
    Abstract: A single balanced mixer has a high degree of isolation between an IF signal and an RF signal and a high conversion efficiency. The single balanced mixer includes means for producing two local signals of same amplitude and opposite phase, a pair of mixing elements each receiving a corresponding one of the two local signals, a pair of strip lines for transmitting the input RF signal to the mixing elements. One end of each of the strip lines is connected to one another at a point where the RF signal is supplied and other end of each of the strip lines is connected to the corresponding mixing element. A length of each of the strip lines is one fourth of a wave length of the IF signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2001
    Publication date: October 4, 2001
    Inventor: Masayuki Kimishima
  • Patent number: 6212369
    Abstract: The present invention teaches parallel coupling what are herein termed a “switching stage” and a “steering stage,” thereby arranging the mixer and variable gain amplifier circuitry as a single merged circuit. The merged variable gain mixers of the present invention provide mixing and gain functionality utilizing only that power needed for a basic mixer function and only the transconductance of the basic mixer function (thereby eliminating non-linearities introduced by additional transconductance stages of prior art circuitry). Further, in the merged variable gain mixers described herein, no additional headroom is needed other than what is required by the basic mixer function. The present invention contemplates a variety of merged variable gain mixers including AC and DC coupled merged variable gain mixer of both single and double balanced configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Madhu Avasarala
  • Patent number: 6175726
    Abstract: Carrier signals received by a receiver architecture for an amplitude spectrum of the carrier signal prescribed by the employment of the receiver architecture even given small modulation indices, a low-noise amplifier (VS) preceding a synthesizer (SYN) of the receiver is either turned off dependent on the field strength received with the carrier signal or is fashioned such that the maximum output power of the amplifier (VS) at the possible amplitude spectrum of the carrier signal never lies above the compression point of the mixer/mixers in the synthesizer (SYN).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Uwe Sydon
  • Patent number: 6157810
    Abstract: A system and method for transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal in a RF bandwidth over a low bandwidth medium, e.g., in-building cabling, which has a transmission bandwidth below the RF bandwidth. The system has a unit for intercepting the RF signal and a global reference oscillator for distributing a global reference tone of high stability to the entire system. Local oscillators are controlled by adjustment signals derived from this global reference tone to deliver RF reference tones of high stability required for mixing the RF signal to obtain an intermediate frequency (IF) signal which is fed through the low bandwidth medium. The global reference tone is preferably delivered through the same low bandwidth medium to desired locations, such as remote coverage sites in a network for cellular communications, cordless telephony, local RF communications, interactive multi-media video, high bit-rate local communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: LGC Wireless, Inc
    Inventors: John B. Georges, David M. Cutrer
  • Patent number: 6137406
    Abstract: A double superheterodyne type microwave detector is constructed from a reception antenna; a first local oscillator; a second local oscillator; reception means for detecting microwaves having prescribed frequencies based on signals obtained by carrying out a first mixing in which the output of the first local oscillator is mixed with the microwaves picked up by the antenna, and a second mixing in which the signals obtained from the first mixing are mixed with the output of the second local oscillator; judgement means for judging whether or not an actual microwave signal which forms a detection target has been detected by the reception means; alarm means for outputting an alarm when the judgement means judges an actual microwave signal to have been received by the reception means; and first control means for suspending the first mixing when the reception means detects a microwave signal having a prescribed frequency; wherein the judgement of whether or not the prescribed frequency microwave signal detected by t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Yupiteru Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hisao Ono
  • Patent number: 6094571
    Abstract: A mixer circuit, and an associated method, mixes together differential input signals with differential mixing signals to form differential output signals. The differential output signals are substantially linearly related to the input signals over an entire range of input signal values. The mixer circuit forms, in exemplary implementations, portions of a radio receiver device or a radio transmitter device, such as the radio receiver and transmitter portions of a cellular radio telephone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd.
    Inventor: John B. Groe
  • Patent number: 6075980
    Abstract: An I/Q direct conversion receiver has an input (5,6) for receiving an RF signal comprising a wanted signal having in-phase and quadrature phase channels modulated onto in-phase and quadrature carrier signals. A signal splitter (7) divides the receiver RF signal into three in-phase signal components. Three substantially identical mixers (8) are provided and receive respective RF signal components for mixing with local oscillator signals. The first mixer (8a) receives the local oscillator signal shifted by 45.degree., the second mixer (8b) receives the local oscillator signal shifted by -45.degree., whilst the third mixer (8c) receives the local oscillator signal shifted by 180.degree.. A correction signal is generated by summing at a summing amplifier (11) the first and second baseband signals together with the third baseband signal after appropriate scaling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Inventor: Hans-Otto Scheck
  • Patent number: 6061575
    Abstract: In general, the present invention provides a low cost mechanism for reducing the settling time and/or improving the phase noise performance of a frequency synthesizer in a mobile station. In one embodiment, the present invention eliminates the need for using two transmit offset synthesizers in a mobile station which must be able to operate on two different frequency bands characterized by different transmit-receive (TX-RX) channel separation. According to the present invention, one or both of the transmit offset synthesizers may be eliminated by deriving an appropriate transmit offset signal from an auxiliary synthesizer in the mobile station through a relatively simple and inexpensive frequency scaling circuit (e.g., frequency divider or multiplier), and by using a fast settling main channel synthesizer to hop between two different frequencies when the mobile station is switching between transmitting and receiving, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Ericsson Inc.
    Inventor: Frank Thomas Lombardi
  • Patent number: 6016170
    Abstract: A double conversion television tuner capable of receiving analog and digital telecasts and having a reduced number of frequency conversion stages with fewer oscillators to minimize beat disturbances between local oscillation signals, the tuner being made up of fewer circuit components costing less than conventional tuners to manufacture. The inventive tuner comprises a first frequency conversion stage for converting in frequency a channel-select received signal to a first intermediate frequency signal to be output, a second frequency conversion stage for converting in frequency the first intermediate frequency signal to a second intermediate frequency signal to be output, and an analog and a digital demodulator for demodulating the second intermediate frequency signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2000
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Takayama, Michihiro Komatsu
  • Patent number: 6014571
    Abstract: A multiband mobile unit communication apparatus comprises: antennas for receiving plural radio wave SIGs respectively transmitted from plural mobile unit communication systems, the plurality of radio wave SIGs having different carrier frequencies respectively; independent CKTs for generating IF SIGs from the radio wave SIGs from the antennas respectively; and a common CKT including a switch according to a mode SIG, a quadrature demodulation CKT for directly converting the IF SIG from the switch into I and Q baseband SIGs, and a decoding CKT for outputting a decoding result from said I and Q baseband SIGs. In accordance with the mode SIG, power is selectively supplied to the independent CKTs, a switchable FRQ-divider may be provided to FRQ-dividing a LO SIG for the quadrature demodulation CKT, a switchable tuning CKT may be provided to the variable gain amplifying CKT to provide a switchable tuning FRQ, switchable low-pass filters may be provided to switchably low-pass-filter the I and Q baseband SIGs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Enoki
  • Patent number: 6014546
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for distributing a radio frequency (RF) signal within a building structure or other structure not readily transparent to radio frequencies. The RF signal originates at a wireless local loop (WLL) base station and is intercepted by a main antenna on the building structure. The intercepted RF signal, which is contained in a RF bandwidth, is distributed throughout the building structure over a low bandwidth medium, e.g., in-building cabling, which has a transmission bandwidth below the RF bandwidth. In order to accomplish this, the system has a global reference oscillator for distributing a global reference tone of high stability to the entire system. Local oscillators controlled by this global reference tone deliver RF reference tones of high stability required for mixing the RF signal to obtain an intermediate frequency (IF) signal which is fed through the low bandwidth medium to remote sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: LGC Wireless, Inc.
    Inventors: John B. Georges, David M. Cutrer, Kam Y. Lau
  • Patent number: 6008693
    Abstract: For a possible simple structure, dispensing with ceramic filters, an FM demodulator for demodulating sound-FM signals comprises a controllable amplifier (1) which receives the sound signals converted to intermediate frequencies, said amplifier having a gain which is adjusted by means of an amplitude control circuit (4) and whose output signal is applied to the amplitude control circuit and to the phase-locked loop which supplies a demodulated sound signal in the locked-in state from its output, said phase-locked loop including a loop filter (7) which comprises a filter (8, 9, 10) of at least the second order with a pole at the frequency f=0, and a limit-detection circuit (13) which feeds back the operating frequency of the phase-locked loop to a predetermined frequency range when said phase-locked loop leaves this frequency range around a predeterminable nominal demodulation frequency, the amplitude control circuit (4) controlling the controllable amplifier (1) in dependence upon its output signal and a signa
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Burkhard Heinke
  • Patent number: 5983078
    Abstract: Distortion or noise in detected signals, due to intermodular distortion in transmitting sets which transmit multiple channels simultaneously via the same element or component, is reduced by selecting carrier frequencies such that they are not all spaced by the same given frequency. In one embodiment, a first group of channels have one spacing, and an adjacent group have the same spacing but with carrier frequencies offset from a multiple of the spacing used in the first group. In another embodiment, the carrier frequencies of adjacent channels are unequally spaced. Two adjacent blocks of channels may use the same, or different, patterns of unequal spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Cellularvision Technology & Telecommunications, LP
    Inventor: Bernard Bossard
  • Patent number: 5983070
    Abstract: A system and method for transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal in a RF bandwidth over a low bandwidth medium, e.g., in-building unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cabling, which has a transmission bandwidth below the RF bandwidth. The system has a unit for receiving the RF signal and a global reference oscillator for distributing a global reference tone of high stability to the entire system. Local oscillators controlled by this global reference tone deliver RF reference tones of high stability required for mixing the RF signal to obtain an intermediate frequency (IF) signal which is fed through the low bandwidth medium to remote sites. A 10 base T cable network, often pre-existing in many building structures, provides a suitable, cost effective low bandwidth medium for such RF communication. Two of the four twisted pair cables of a UTP cable are sufficient to support bi-directional communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: LGC Wireless, Inc.
    Inventors: John B. Georges, David M. Cutrer, Kam Y. Lau
  • Patent number: 5949830
    Abstract: In a direct conversion receiver with an AFC function comprising a local oscillation circuit constituted by a synthesizer, the local oscillation frequency is prevented from radiating as an interfere wave against the receiver per se so as not to reduce the reception characteristic, and it is made possible to reduce the value of the multiplication factor N of a multiplier in the synthesizer without making the frequency of a VCO per se high. Specifically, a first local oscillation signal 12 obtained by multiplying an output frequency F.sub.X of a reference crystal oscillation circuit portion 8 of a synthesizer circuit section 7 by M by a multiplier 11 is mixed with an FSK modulation signal 1 in a first mixer 4. In a second mixer 5, the thus mixed signal is further mixed with a second local oscillation signal 13 obtained by multiplying an output frequency F.sub.V of a synthesizer 9 by N by a multiplier 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideo Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 5949472
    Abstract: A method of tuning channels for television and community antenna television (CATV) devices includes the step of receiving a radio frequency input (RFI) signal having at least one carrier signal at frequency f.sub.s associated with a selected broadcast channel. The RFI signal is up-converted by m to a first intermediate frequency wherein the carrier signal is located at f.sub.s +m. The first intermediate frequency is filtered. The filtered first intermediate frequency is down-converted by n to a second intermediate frequency wherein the second intermediate frequency includes the carrier signal at f.sub.s +m-n. Additional methods for improving the reception of the selected channel include the step of varying m and n in order to avoid frequency-dependent anomalies within the pass band of the filter. For digital communications, m and n are varied in accordance with an error rate of the digital communications in order to reduce the error rate of the digital communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Nam V. Dang, Lewis E. Adams, III
  • Patent number: 5930682
    Abstract: Individual channels are centrally and tunably selected for emission in a distributed wireless communications system. A high-frequency signal received at a central antenna is down-converted such that a selected channel corresponds to a predetermined frequency range. Non-selected channels are filtered out. The selected channel is transmitted to remote locations over commonly available transmission lines, up-converted, and re-emitted. The transmitted channel is chosen by tuning the frequency of the local oscillator used for down-conversion. A high-stability global tuning signal is used to tune and stabilize the local oscillators used for up-conversion. The global tuning signal is generated by frequency-dividing the down-conversion local oscillator signal by a fixed number, while the up-conversion local oscillator signals are generated by frequency-multiplying the global tuning signal by the same fixed number. Phase-locked loops are used for frequency multiplication and stabilization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: LGC Wireless, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam L. Schwartz, Simon P. Yeung, John B. Georges, David M. Cutrer
  • Patent number: 5924021
    Abstract: A frequency upconversion circuit in a millimeter wave radio transmitter uses a low frequency synthesizer and a parallel frequency mixing and multiplication network for converting a low frequency signal to a millimeter wave radio frequency (RF) signal. A frequency downconversion circuit in a millimeter wave radio receiver uses a low frequency synthesizer and a parallel frequency mixing and multiplication network for converting a millimeter wave RF signal to a low frequency signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Paul, Chaim Warzman, Raymond Santos, Jr., Richard T. Hennegan, Steve Blacketer
  • Patent number: 5893030
    Abstract: A circuit for connecting multiple signal paths within a multi-mode communication device includes a double balanced mixer circuit selectively functioning as a modulation switch during an unbalanced state. As applied to a transmit section of a CDMA/FM cellular telephone, a dual-function double balanced mixer circuit connects a CDMA IF signal path with an FM audio signal path. The double balanced mixer circuit includes a double balanced mixer connected through oscillator input to an external LC (inductor-capacitor) tank connected to both a PLL (phase lock loop) and an FM audio signal. One signal input of the double balanced mixer receives a CDMA low IF signal, while the other double balanced mixer signal input is connected to a microprocessor-controlled switch for selectively unbalancing the balanced mixer while in the FM mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Oki Telecom
    Inventors: John P. De Loe, Jr., He Feng Wang
  • Patent number: 5883553
    Abstract: In a filter unit having a first and a second bandpass filter (21 and 22) and an input terminal (101) supplied with a unit input signal, the first bandpass filter has a first filtering bandwidth with a first center frequency while a second bandpass filter having a second filtering bandwidth with a second center frequency. Only when the unit input signal has a bandwidth similar to the first filtering bandwidth, a first impedance-adjusting arrangement (11 and 31) matches a first impedance of a combination of the first bandpass filter and the first impedance-adjusting arrangement with an output impedance of an input side component. Only when the unit input signal has a bandwidth similar to the second filtering bandwidth, a second impedance-adjusting arrangement (12 and 32) matches a second impedance of a combination of the second bandpass filter and the second impedance-adjusting arrangement with the output impedance of the input side component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Soichi Tsumura
  • Patent number: 5875389
    Abstract: An SSB radio receiver having an inexpensive wide-band IF filter which passes through not only a reception objective SSB station IF signal but also an interference SSB station IF signal simultaneously. These signals are SSB-detected to reproduce the original modulating audio signals with a BFO frequency, the BFO frequency itself located out of the pass-band of the wide-band IF filter. The frequency of the reception objective SSB station IF signal is selected to be nearest to the BFO frequency, preferably at an end of the pass-band width of the IF filter. Frequency spectrums of the SSB-detected audio signals are separated by a frequency difference comprising the difference between the BFO signal and the IF signals. The SSB-detected audio signals are applied to a selected low-pass filter, such as an inexpensive active filter, having a pass-band which covers or passes only the SSB-detected audio signal of the reception objective SSB station IF signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Assignee: General Research of Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Nobuaki Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 5857004
    Abstract: A digital data receiver comprising a first frequency converter for converting a high frequency digital orthogonal modulation signal into a first intermediate frequency signal based on a first local oscillation signal, a second frequency converter for converting the first intermediate frequency signal into a second intermediate frequency signal based on a second local oscillation signal, and a demodulator for performing a orthogonal demodulation to the second intermediate frequency signal based on a third local oscillation signal, wherein the first local oscillation signal is generated by a variable oscillator for a PLL frequency synthesizer, the second local oscillation signal is generated by a high frequency oscillator in which its oscillation frequency is controlled based on the frequency control signal generated by the modulator to perform the orthogonal demodulation processing, and the third local oscillation signal is generated by a fixed oscillator in which its oscillation frequency is fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Shuji Abe
  • Patent number: 5852784
    Abstract: A multiband mobile unit communication apparatus is disclosed which comprises: an antenna for receiving 1st and 2nd bands of radio wave SIGs including quadrature modulation SIGs; a 1st LO CKT for generating a 1st LO SIG; 1st and 2nd receiving CKTs for generating 1st and 2nd IF SIGs from the 1st and 2nd bands of radio wave SIGs using the 1st LO SIG respectively; a switching CKT responsive to a switching control SIG indicative of 1st and 2nd modes for outputting the 1st IF SIG in the 1st mode and outputting the 2nd IF SIG in the 2nd mode; a 2nd LO CKT for generating 2nd and 3rd LO SIGs in the 1st and 2nd modes respectively; and a quadrature demodulation CKT for demodulating and outputting quadrature SIGs from an output from the switching CKT using the 2nd and third LO SIGs in the 1st and 2nd modes respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumio Ito, Seiichi Yamaguchi, Fujio Sasaki, Hiroaki Kosugi
  • Patent number: 5841814
    Abstract: A radio frequency (rf) receiver adapted to receive a number of different digitally modulated rf input signals such as quadrature amplitude modulated (QAM) and vestigial side band (VSB) rf input signals includes circuitry for down converting the rf input signals to an intermediate frequency (IF) range having a center frequency fc2 and a bandwidth of Bhz and converter circuitry for sampling the IF signals and then producing corresponding baseband signals. In a preferred embodiment, the intermediate frequency signals are applied to a sample and hold circuit which is sampled at a frequency fs and whose output is coupled via a low pass filter to an analog-to-digital converter whose output is then applied to a Hilbert filter for demodulating the sampled signals and producing baseband signals. In-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) signals are produced whose phase and amplitude are not a function of different components and their tolerance of different conduction paths, as in the prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Paradyne Corporation
    Inventor: Robert L. Cupo
  • Patent number: 5838719
    Abstract: A spread spectrum noise shaper uses a modulation technique to achieve a greater signal-to-noise or signal-to-interference ratio (SNR or SIR). The technique doubles the system SIR, in principle. This doubling yields a doubling in system capacity. SNR is increased by receiving the spread spectrum signal in the presence of less noise near the edge of the spread spectrum bandwidth. The technique requires only small additions to a conventional spread spectrum system, in the form of an extra modulator at the transmitter, and an extra demodulator and filter at the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: InterDigital Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy F. Moore, III
  • Patent number: 5832369
    Abstract: A receiver configured to measure phase change (.DELTA..phi.) in a signal transmitted from a microwave signal source, such as a cell site for cellular telephones, the transmitted signal including a carrier signal (F.sub.1) added to a modulation signal (F.sub.MOD), the receiver providing the phase change measurement (.DELTA..phi.) without further reference to the modulation signal (F.sub.MOD). Utilizing (.DELTA..phi.), distance from the transmitter can be calculated. The receiver includes one or more mixers for receiving the transmitted signal from the cell site and downconverting relative to an intermediate frequency signal (F.sub.IF) to produce an IF mixed signal including a sum IF mixed signal (F.sub.IF +F.sub.MOD) and a difference IF mixed signal (F.sub.IF -F.sub.MOD). The receiver then further includes components to demodulate the IF mixed signal to provide the modulated signal (F.sub.MOD) and the phase change measurement (.DELTA..phi.) with tracking of the intermediate frequency signal (F.sub.IF).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Wiltron Company
    Inventors: Donald A. Bradley, Peter Kapetanic
  • Patent number: 5812942
    Abstract: A balanced differential radio receiver (100) has an antenna (64) operative for receiving a modulated signal. A first pair of mixers (110, 112) each having an input that receives an output (106, 108) of the antenna (64) and each of the first pair of mixers (110, 112) having an output (118, 120). A second pair of mixers (114, 116) each having an input that receives an inverse output (108, 106) of the antenna (64). A resistive adding circuit (122, 124) having a pair of inputs (118, 120). The inputs (118, 120) coupled to the output of the first pair of mixers (110, 112).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Pater Allen, William Chunhung Yip
  • Patent number: 5774194
    Abstract: A tuner is used in common for both terrestrial and satellite television reception. A second mixing stage is switched as a mixer for signal conversion into a second intermediate frequency during terrestrial television reception and is switched as a component of a FM-PLL demodulator during satellite television reception. The tuner is particularly suitable for television receivers and video recorders which receive signals from both a terrestrial antenna/signal source and from a satellite antenna/signal source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Deutsche Thomson-Brandt GmbH
    Inventor: Veit Armbruster
  • Patent number: 5765099
    Abstract: A system and method for transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal in a RF bandwidth over a low bandwidth medium, e.g., in-building cabling, which has a transmission bandwidth below the RF bandwidth. The system has a unit for receiving the RF signal and a global reference oscillator for distributing a global reference tone of high stability to the entire system. Local oscillators are controlled by adjustment signals derived from this global reference tone to deliver RF reference tones of high stability required for mixing the RF signal to obtain an intermediate frequency (IF) signal which is fed through the low bandwidth medium. The global reference tone is preferably delivered through the same low bandwidth medium to desired locations, such as remote coverage sites in a network for cellular communications, cordless telephony, local RF communications, interactive multi-media video, high bit-rate local communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Inventors: John B. Georges, David M. Cutrer, Kam Y. Lau
  • Patent number: 5758276
    Abstract: A double super-heterodyne receiver has a high-frequency input circuit that includes a high-frequency amplifying device, a low-pass filter and a high-pass filter used for obtaining bandpass characteristics for the receiving band. A switching device for changing the cut-off frequency of, at least, the low-pass filter is further provided for the high-frequency input circuit. The switching device is controlled to be on or off in response to the receiving frequency, thereby changing the passband of the high-frequency input circuit. Image disturbance characteristics can thus be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shirakawa, Takashi Tomida
  • Patent number: 5745846
    Abstract: Disclosed is a channelized multi-carrier signal processor capable of equalizing power levels of individual carriers of a multi-carrier signal to within a predetermined dynamic range. In one embodiment, the signal processor includes a power splitter for splitting a multi-carrier input signal into a plurality of electrical paths. In each electrical path there resides a signal modifier that is operable to isolate signal energy associated with a given carrier of the multi-carrier signal. Each signal modifier includes an automatic gain control (AGC) circuit to control the power level of the carrier isolated therein to within a predetermined power level window so that the isolated carriers of each signal modifier are equalized in power. A power combiner then combines the equalized carriers to produce a multi-carrier output signal, which can be applied to a limited dynamic range device such as an A/D converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Evan Myer, Jack Chi-Chieh Wen
  • Patent number: 5724653
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a radio receiver adapted for use in a time division multiple access (TDMA) system. The radio receiver includes DC compensator circuits configured to decrease the time required to cancel DC offset before received data bursts by DC coupling a radio frequency (RF) demodulator to a baseband channel. The radio receiver may also employ AC capacitive coupling having time modification so as to increase the AC coupled setting time and provide a low pole in a RF-to-Baseband interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Wesley Baker, Paul Cooper Davis, Douglas D. Lopata, Owe George Petersen, Trudy Dawn Stetzler
  • Patent number: 5715281
    Abstract: A zero intermediate frequency radio receiver that comprises mixing stages, an A to D converter, a digital demodulator, a carrier tracking system and a carrier nulling system is disclosed. The mixing stages receive FM or PM signals and produce analogue in-phase and quadrature baseband signal which are in turn converted to digital baseband signals by the A to D convertor. DC offsets in the baseband signals are removed by high pass filtering prior to demodulation. Tracking enables the baseband signals to be maintained at a centre frequency of substantially zero hertz, while signal strength at this frequency is minimized or mulled before the DC offset filtering. Information which might otherwise be removed by the filtering is thereby retained in the baseband signals, which are relatively less distorted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: Tait Electronics Limited
    Inventors: Stephen Bly, deceased, Mark Vernon Lane, William Mark Siddall
  • Patent number: 5691666
    Abstract: A FM (Frequency Modulated) DCFB (Deviation Compression Feedback) signal demodulator can be achieved by utilizing FM deviation compression feedback techniques. An FM signal is coupled to a mixer (10) wherein a signal from a local oscillator is mixed with the input signal. The output of the mixer is then coupled to a variable selective IF amplifier. The IF amplifier couples the signal to a limiter amplifier, the output of the limiter amplifier is FM demodulated and fed to an output. The output signal is simultaneously fed back through a variable Frequency Compensation Network (FCN) (Loop Filter). The output signal of the FCN is then fed back to a local oscillator (17). The output of the local oscillator (17) is in turn fed back into the original mixer (10). The improved demodulated signal is sampled at an output (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Inventor: Joseph C. Owen
  • Patent number: 5678213
    Abstract: A radio receiver front end is disclosed that processes a multi-carrier signal with a large dynamic range. An illustrative embodiment of the present invention incorporates both feedforward and feedback mechanisms to suppress the amplitude of spurious carrier signals so as to prevent those signals from flooding the dynamic range of the mixer that mixes down the multi-carrier signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1997
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Evan Myer