With Nonlinear Impedance (e.g., Diode) Patents (Class 455/330)
  • Patent number: 11901624
    Abstract: An omnidirectional biconical antenna, which includes a first funnel-shaped plate having a wide end and a narrow end; a second funnel-shaped plate having a wide end and a narrow end; and an annular metal lens delimited by the second funnel-shaped plate and the first funnel-shaped plate. The second funnel-shaped plate is inversely positioned relative to the first funnel-shaped plate, such that the narrow ends of the second funnel-shaped plate and the first funnel-shaped plate point to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: City University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Kwok Wa Leung, Zhiyi Zhang, Kai Lu
  • Patent number: 11600423
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a transformer including at least one magnetic core each having at least one window; one primary side winding passing through the at least one window, a wire forming the primary side winding being sequentially covered with a first solid insulating layer, a grounded shielding layer and a second solid insulating layer from inside to outside along a radial direction of the wire, the grounded shielding layer being connected to a reference ground; and at least one secondary side winding, each passing through the at least one window, the primary side winding having a first voltage with respect to the reference ground, the secondary side winding having a second voltage with respect to the reference ground, and the second voltage being greater than 50 times of the first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Peng Ma, Yicong Xie, Lin Lan, Weiqiang Zhang
  • Patent number: 11527995
    Abstract: The invention discloses a passive wideband mixer, including a local oscillator balun, a radio frequency balun, a first diode D1, a second diode D2, a third diode D3, a fourth diode D4, an inductive compensation unit, and a lossy inductive grounding network. The invention can realize a mixer with a bandwidth ratio of not less than 1:7, and can effectively suppress points with isolation deterioration without affecting the conversion loss over the entire frequency band. In the entire frequency band of this design, the isolation indicator between the local oscillator and radio frequency ports is optimized, which can well satisfy the application of the wideband mixer in a communication system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Inventors: Mei Jiang, Ying Zhang, Mengjiao Si
  • Patent number: 11139019
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for correcting a code used for delay adjustment are disclosed. An example method includes providing a bit of a thermometer code responsive, at least, to a shift direction signal; and adjusting an amount of a delay responsive to the thermometer code. Providing the bit comprises correcting the bit using one or more adjacent bits on one side of the bit in the thermometer code and one or more adjacent bits on another side of the bit in the thermometer code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Yasuo Satoh
  • Patent number: 9794057
    Abstract: A system for synthetically sampling an input signal to provide a sampled signal includes a sample clock and a mixer. The sample clock is configured to generate a sampling signal having a sampling frequency. The mixer is configured to receive the sampling signal and the input signal, and to output an intermediate frequency (IF) signal by mixing the sampling signal and the input signal. An offset voltage is introduced into the mixer with the sampling signal to provide a baseband image, the offset voltage being adjusted so that the baseband image of the IF signal has the same magnitude as a first harmonic image of the IF signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth Rush
  • Patent number: 8989692
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a unit phase mixer in combination with an input buffer. The unit phase mixer has a pull-up path for pulling an output terminal up to a first voltage. The pull-up path has a first transistor responsive to a first enable signal and a series connected second transistor responsive to a first clock signal. The unit phase mixer has a pull-down path for pulling the output terminal down to a second voltage. The pull-down path has a third transistor responsive to a second clock signal and a series connected fourth transistor responsive to a second enable signal. The input buffer skews the first and second clock signals by different amounts to enable a break-before-make method of operation so that the first voltage is not connected to the second voltage. The unit phase mixer can be used as a building block in more complex mixers which may include the ability to weight the input clocks as well as providing feed-forward paths for certain of the signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Chang-ki Kwon, Eric Booth
  • Patent number: 8666354
    Abstract: A distributed, diode mixer circuit includes a plurality of passive diode mixer cores including at least first and second passive diode mixer cores including doubly-balanced diodes in symmetrical balanced configuration forms, each mixer core having a pair of differential reference nodes driven by the reference signal and a pair of differential nodes driven by the data signal and a reactive impedance network including one or multiple reactive elements or transmission lines connected between the like nodes of each the first and second mixer cores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Hittite Microwave Corporation
    Inventor: Xin Jiang
  • Patent number: 8639203
    Abstract: An antenna system for reception of channel signals form the UHF band by a receiver, including an electrically small antenna and, connected between the port connected to the antenna and that of the receiver, an active impedance matching device controlled by command signals depending on the quality of the signal received by the receiver to compensate for the impedance variations due to the environment associated with the antenna and to reject the frequencies of interfering channels adjacent to the reception channel without interfering with the active impedance matching of the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Robert, Philippe Minard, Brice Praho
  • Patent number: 8629698
    Abstract: There is provided a mixing circuit in which a rise of the consumption current can be suppressed while decreasing a non-linear component. The mixing circuit includes: an input unit 803 including a grounded-gate MOS transistor M1 with a source into which an input signal is input, and a grounded-source MOS transistor M2 with a gate into which the input signal is input; a frequency converter 802 for converting frequencies of a first current signal output from the grounded-gate MOS transistor M1 and a second current signal output from the grounded-source MOS transistor M2, and for generating a third current signal and a fourth current signal; a load MOS transistor M7, with a gate and a drain connected, for receiving a third current signal; and a load MOS transistor M8, with a gate and a drain connected, for receiving a fourth current signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation
    Inventor: Yosuke Ueda
  • Patent number: 8494474
    Abstract: In one preferred embodiment, the data receiver includes an input matching circuit for receiving an input RF data and forming an impedance matched signal and an amplifier circuit responsive to the impedance matched signal for forming an impedance transformed signal. The data receiver further includes a dual band RF tank/IF tank circuit forming respective RF and IF components and a diode mixer for mixing the impedance transformed signal with the dual band RF/IF components to form a mixed signal so that the RF tank filters the RF component from the mixed signal to form an IF tone signal as an output. The amplifier circuit preferably includes a source impedance control circuit for controlling high RF and IF impedances and a low noise amplifier (LNA) for forming, in conjunction with the source impedance control circuit, the impedance transformed signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Jerry Wayne Brewer, Sandra Nicole Kjono, Chris Michael Thomas
  • Patent number: 8456252
    Abstract: A dual in-situ mixing approach for extended tuning range of resonators. In one embodiment, a dual in-situ mixing device tunes an input radio-frequency (RF) signal using a first mixer, a resonator body, and a second mixer. In one embodiment, the first mixer is coupled to receive the input RF signal and a local oscillator signal. The resonator body receives the output of the first mixer, and the second mixer is coupled to receive the output of the resonator body and the local oscillator signal to provide a tuned output RF signal as a function of the frequency of local oscillator signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Emmanuel P. Quevy
  • Patent number: 8437726
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a unit phase mixer in combination with an input buffer. The unit phase mixer has a pull-up path for pulling an output terminal up to a first voltage. The pull-up path has a first transistor responsive to a first enable signal and a series connected second transistor responsive to a first clock signal. The unit phase mixer has a pull-down path for pulling the output terminal down to a second voltage. The pull-down path has a third transistor responsive to a second clock signal and a series connected fourth transistor responsive to a second enable signal. The input buffer skews the first and second clock signals by different amounts to enable a break-before-make method of operation so that the first voltage is not connected to the second voltage. The unit phase mixer can be used as a building block in more complex mixers which may include the ability to weight the input clocks as well as providing feed-forward paths for certain of the signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Chang-Ki Kwon, Eric Booth
  • Patent number: 8390492
    Abstract: A signal processing apparatus includes: a digital processing unit to which a digital input signal is supplied, which performs a digital process on the digital input signal to produce a digital signal, and which produces a control signal designating a specific time period when an amplitude of an analog output signal is to be lowered; a DA-conversion unit which converts the digital signal to produce an analog signal; and a variable gain unit which adjusts an amplitude of the analog signal to produce the analog output signal, and which lowers the amplitude of the analog output signal during the specific time period designated by the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Daishoji
  • Patent number: 8249543
    Abstract: Integrated low-IF (low intermediate frequency) data receivers and associated methods are disclosed that provide advantageous and cost-efficient solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: G. Tyson Tuttle, Dan B. Kasha
  • Patent number: 8249541
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a sub-harmonically pumped conversion mixer arrangement that includes a transistor arrangement and transistor terminals for application of a local oscillator, LO-, signal and application of a radio frequency, RF-, signal and for extraction of a mixed intermediate frequency, IF-, signal. The transistor arrangement includes at least one NMOS transistor and at least one PMOS transistor. The drain of the at least one NMOS transistor is interconnected with the drain of the at least one PMOS transistor, and in that the gate of the at least one PMOS transistor is interconnected with the gate of the at least one NMOS transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ)
    Inventors: Mingquan Bao, Harald Jacobsson
  • Patent number: 8228949
    Abstract: For quasi-orthogonal multiplexing in an OFDMA system, multiple (M) sets of traffic channels are defined for each base station. The traffic channels in each set are orthogonal to one another and may be pseudo-random with respect to the traffic channels in each of the other sets. The minimum number of sets of traffic channels (L) is used to support a given number of (U) terminals selected for data transmission, where M?L?1 and U?1. Each terminal transmits data and pilot symbols on its traffic channel. A base station receives data transmissions from all terminals and may perform receiver spatial processing on received symbols with spatial filter matrices to obtain detected data symbols. The spatial filter matrix for each subband may be derived based on channel response estimates for all terminals transmitting on that subband.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Arak Sutivong, Avneesh Agrawal
  • Patent number: 8170522
    Abstract: A circuit features a balun having an unbalanced input and a balanced output, and a differential coupler having a symmetrical structure about a center axis. The differential coupler has a differential input and a differential output, the differential input being coupled to the balanced output of the balun. An impedance element is coupled to a circuit node of the differential coupler at a point along the center axis. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: SiBeam, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiang Guan, Chinh Huy Doan, Sohrab Emami-Neyestanak
  • Patent number: 8058940
    Abstract: A dual in-situ mixing approach for extended tuning range of resonators. In one embodiment, a dual in-situ mixing device tunes an input radio-frequency (RF) signal using a first mixer, a resonator body, and a second mixer. In one embodiment, the first mixer is coupled to receive the input RF signal and a local oscillator signal. The resonator body receives the output of the first mixer, and the second mixer is coupled to receive the output of the resonator body and the local oscillator signal to provide a tuned output RF signal as a function of the frequency of local oscillator signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Emmanuel P. Quevy
  • Patent number: 8010084
    Abstract: An RF power delivery diagnostic system is provided herein. The system comprises an RF power source (303), an impedance matching network (305), a plasma reactor (307) in electrical contact with the RF power source by way of the impedance matching network, a first RF sensor (309) adapted to measure at least one attribute of the RF power input to the impedance matching network, and a second RF sensor (311) adapted to measure at least one attribute of the RF power output by the impedance matching network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Turner Enterprises & Associates
    Inventor: Terry R. Turner
  • Patent number: 7986924
    Abstract: An impedance control apparatus and method for portable mobile communication terminal is disclosed capable of accurately adjusting impedances relative to environment when the portable mobile communication terminal is being used, wherein an impedance of a first variable impedance matching part is varied to receive a reception impedance correction signal transmitted by a base station and to detect a reception strength, an impedance of the first variable impedance matching part is set by a impedance value of the largest reception strength out of the reception strengths, the portable mobile communication terminal varies the impedance of a second variable impedance matching part to transmit a transmission impedance correction signal to a base station and to allow the base station to detect the reception strength, and the impedance setting of the second variable impedance matching part is performed using the reception strength detected by the base station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hong Teuk Kim, Kwy Ro Lee
  • Patent number: 7917120
    Abstract: An RF mixer provides extended dynamic range with reduced noise by utilizing degeneration inductors in the RF input section of a doubly balanced mixer. Degeneration inductors are also utilized in a mixer having a class AB input section. A current mirror in the class AB input section is also inductively degenerated for further noise reduction. The input section is biased by an all-NPN bandgap reference cell which is tightly integrated into the input section so as to reduce the power supply voltage required for the reference cell. The mixer can be optimized for wide input voltage ranges or low distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Barrie Gilbert
  • Publication number: 20110059716
    Abstract: A hybrid upconverter has a low noise amplifier and a two port parametric amplifier. The parametric amplifier has a first port to receive an input signal to be amplified and upconverted and a second port to receive a local oscillator signal and to output the amplified, upconverted signal at upper and lower sideband frequencies. The parametric amplifier further has an antenna coupled to the second port to receive the local oscillator signal and transmit the amplified, upconverted signal at upper and lower sideband frequencies. The low noise amplifier drives the first port of the parametric amplifier. The two port parametric amplifier has a pair of varactor diodes connected between the first port and the second port. The diodes are connected in parallel from the first port and in series from the second port. The low noise amplifier is connected directly to the pair of varactor diodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventor: Peter Cork
  • Patent number: 7903762
    Abstract: A direct conversion multi-band TV tuner includes: a plurality of RF (radio frequency) paths for processing the RF signal and for generating a plurality of processed RF signals, respectively; and a TSC (tri-state chopper) based quadrature frequency converter for receiving one of said processed RF signals and converting the received processed RF signal into a in-phase baseband signal and a quadrature baseband signals; wherein the TSC based quadrature frequency converter operates in accordance with a first set of periodic three-state control signals and a second set of periodic three-state control signals that are approximately 90 degrees offset from the first set of periodic three-state control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventor: Chia-Liang Lin
  • Patent number: 7881692
    Abstract: An integrated low-IF (low intermediate frequency) terrestrial broadcast receiver and associated method are disclosed that provide an advantageous and cost-efficient solution. The integrated receiver includes a mixer, local oscillator generation circuitry, low-IF conversion circuitry, and DSP circuitry. And the integrated receiver is particularly suited for small, portable devices and the reception of terrestrial audio broadcasts, such as FM and AM terrestrial audio broadcast, in such portable devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: G. Tyson Tuttle, Dan B. Kasha
  • Patent number: 7856222
    Abstract: Integrated balun and coupler is described. In one example, a radio frequency (RF) device includes a balun and coupler. The balun includes a first winding and a second winding arranged on a magnetic core. Respective inputs of the first winding and the second winding are configured to receive a balanced RF input and respective outputs of the first winding and the second winding are configured to provide a first unbalanced RF output. The coupler includes a third winding arranged on the magnetic core. The third winding is configured to provide a second unbalanced RF output, where the second unbalanced RF output is a fraction of the first unbalanced RF output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Amarildo C. Vieira, Rudolph J. Menna
  • Patent number: 7724777
    Abstract: For quasi-orthogonal multiplexing in an OFDMA system, multiple (M) sets of traffic channels are defined for each base station. The traffic channels in each set are orthogonal to one another and may be pseudo-random with respect to the traffic channels in each of the other sets. The minimum number of sets of traffic channels (L) is used to support a given number of (U) terminals selected for data transmission, where M?L?1 and U?1. Each terminal transmits data and pilot symbols on its traffic channel. A base station receives data transmissions from all terminals and may perform receiver spatial processing on received symbols with spatial filter matrices to obtain detected data symbols. The spatial filter matrix for each subband may be derived based on channel response estimates for all terminals transmitting on that subband.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Arak Sutivong, Avneesh Agrawal
  • Patent number: 7657247
    Abstract: A Gilbert cell mixer for a wireless transceiver includes a first stage that performs voltage to current conversions and that includes first and second transistors that are operated in a saturation region and third and fourth transistors that are operated in a triode region. A second stage communicates with the first stage and that performs frequency conversion. A biasing circuit communicates with the first stage to maintain a substantially constant input linear range over temperature and process variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: King Chun Tsai, Lawrence Tse
  • Patent number: 7650114
    Abstract: A system having a UHF RFID transceiver is adapted to communicate exclusively with a single electro-magnetically coupled transponder located in a predetermined confined transponder operating region. The system includes a near field coupling device comprising a plurality of lines connected in parallel with an unmatched load. The near field coupling device may be formed, for example on a printed circuit board with a plurality of electrically interconnected traces and a ground plane. The system establishes, at predetermined transceiver power levels, a mutual electro-magnetic coupling which is selective exclusively for a single transponder located in a defined transponder operating region. Also included are methods for selective communication with the transponder in an apparatus such as a printer-encoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: ZIH Corp.
    Inventors: Boris Y. Tsirline, Clive P. Hohberger, Robert Gawelczyk, Daniel F. Donato
  • Patent number: 7619462
    Abstract: A novel RF switch for switching radio frequency (RF) signals is disclosed. The RF switch may comprise both enhancement and depletion mode field-effect transistors (E-FETs and D-FETs) implemented as a monolithic integrated circuit (IC) on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. The disclosed RF switch, with a novel bleeder circuit, may be used in RF applications wherein a selected switch state and performance are required when the switch and bleeder circuits are not provided with operating power (i.e., when the switch and bleeder circuits are “unpowered”).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Dylan J. Kelly, Clint L. Kemerling
  • Patent number: 7515879
    Abstract: An RF circuit module, in which a power amplifier and a transceiver are united, with reduced interference between its electronic circuit blocks, downsized and still having high performance, and with a stable performance not dependent on the ground land structure on the motherboard, is provided. The ground plane 110 for at least a last-stage amplifier 11 of the power amplifier 10 where the greatest power is generated in the whole RF circuit block, that is, the source of generating the greatest noise and heat for the RF circuit block, is isolated from the ground plane for at least one circuit portion of the transceiver 9 including an LNA 51, receiver 52, transmitter 30, and VCO 70. These ground planes are connected to a common ground plane 480 through different connection conductors, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Okabe, Hidetoshi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7403764
    Abstract: An RF power delivery diagnostic system is provided herein. The system comprises an RF power source (303), an impedance matching network (305), a plasma reactor (307) in electrical contact with the RF power source by way of the impedance matching network, a first RF sensor (309) adapted to measure at least one attribute of the RF power input to the impedance matching network, and a second RF sensor (311) adapted to measure at least one attribute of the RF power output by the impedance matching network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Inventor: Terry R. Turner
  • Patent number: 7398054
    Abstract: A system having a UHF RFID transceiver is adapted to communicate exclusively with a single electro-magnetically coupled transponder located in a predetermined confined transponder operating region. The system includes a near field coupling device comprising a plurality of lines connected in parallel with an unmatched load. The near field coupling device may be formed, for example on a printed circuit board with a plurality of electrically interconnected traces and a ground plane. The system establishes, at predetermined transceiver power levels, a mutual electro-magnetic coupling which is selective exclusively for a single transponder located in a defined transponder operating region. Also included are methods for selective communication with the transponder in an apparatus such as a printer-encoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: ZIH Corp.
    Inventors: Boris Y Tsirline, Clive P Hohberger, Robert Gawelczyk, Daniel Donato
  • Patent number: 7395028
    Abstract: A satellite antenna switching apparatus has LNB ports to which LNBs are connected, receiver ports to which receivers that exchange signals with the LNBs are connected, cascade ports to which another switching apparatus is cascade-connected, and impedance circuits that function as means for detecting the signals exchanged between the LNBs and receivers. The impedance circuits provide impedances according to the connection states of the cascade ports, and are electrically disconnected from the signal paths when another switching apparatus is cascade-connected to the cascade ports. With this configuration, the satellite antenna switching apparatus suffers from less attenuation of the exchanged signals even in a cascade connection of a plurality of stages of switching apparatuses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushi Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuhide Okahashi
  • Patent number: 7363020
    Abstract: A diode mixer comprises a mixer diode section which has a first circuit including an inductor and a capacitor connected in series and a diode connected in parallel with the first circuit and which includes a first connecting portion to which one end of the first circuit and the anode of the diode are connected, and a second connecting portion to which the other end of the first inductor circuit and the cathode of the diode are connected; an LO signal port connected to the first connecting portion via a first branching circuit and receiving an LO signal; an IF signal port connected to the mixer diode section via a second branching circuit; and an RF signal port connected to the mixer diode section through a third branching circuit. The inductor and the capacitive component of the diode constitute a resonant circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koh Kanaya
  • Patent number: 7324796
    Abstract: A sub harmonic mixer has improved electrical performance in a small package size. The mixer has a low temperature co-fired ceramic substrate. Coupled lines are located within the substrate and connected to an LO port, an RF port and an intermediate frequency port. Three capacitors are formed within the substrate. Vias extend through the substrate. A diode package is mounted on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Scientific Components
    Inventor: Daxiong Ji
  • Patent number: 7302249
    Abstract: A wide dynamic range mixer which has a high linearity passive balun fabricated on a Si substrate for receiving an input RF signal and an active balun for receiving a local oscillator signal. The active balun includes high frequency, low voltage SiGe transistors to achieve low power amplification of the local oscillator signal. The output signals of the baluns are provided to a non-linear diode quad mixer device which provides a desired IF signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: Howard N. Fudem, William E. Hall
  • Patent number: 7292837
    Abstract: A mixer, which is a single balanced mixer, includes an LO port for inputting an LO signal, an RF port for inputting an RF signal, an IF port for outputting an IF signal, a balun for converting an unbalanced signal into a balanced signal, and a pair of mixer diodes connected in series. The mixer further includes a high-pass filter for blocking LO and IF signals and passing an RF signal and a low-pass filter for blocking LO and RF signals and passing an IF signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryo Tatsumi, Mitsuhiro Matsumoto, Tomoya Bando
  • Patent number: 7190939
    Abstract: A direct conversion receiver includes a local oscillator for generating a sinusoid, a mixer for receiving an incoming signal and for mixing the incoming signal with the sinusoid, an analog-to-digital converter for converting the mixed analog signal into a digital signal, and a digital signal processor for outputting the digital signal so that an I-channel signal and a Q-channel signal are output separately and for transmitting to the local oscillator a phase control signal that determines the phase of a sinusoid to be generated by the local oscillator. The direct conversion receiver may further include a low noise amplifier for amplifying the incoming while preventing noise included in the input signal from being amplified, a baseband amplifier for amplifying the mixed analog signal in a baseband, and a baseband low pass filter for removing low frequency noise from a signal amplified by the baseband amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mi-hyun Son, Popov Oleg
  • Patent number: 7177620
    Abstract: A Gilbert cell mixer for a wireless transceiver includes a first stage that performs voltage to current conversions and that includes first and second transistors that are operated in a saturation region and third and fourth transistors that are operated in a triode region. A second stage communicates with the first stage and that performs frequency conversion. A biasing circuit communicates with the first stage to maintain a substantially constant input linear range over temperature and process variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: King Chun Tsai, Lawrence Tse
  • Patent number: 7164902
    Abstract: Configuration of a connection between an even-harmonic mixer and a filter is simplified, thereby enabling size reduction. An even-harmonic mixer and a high-frequency bandpass filter are connected to each other via a transmission line, thereby forming a filter-integrated even-harmonic mixer. The length of the transmission line is set so that impedance on the transmission line side as viewed from a connection point between the even-harmonic mixer and the transmission line is approximately 0 for a frequency fLO of a local oscillation signal. This allows elimination of an open stub which is used in a conventional even-harmonic mixer and of which the line length to provide equivalent grounding for the frequency fLO is about 1 mm. Thus, the connection portion between the even-harmonic mixer and the high-frequency bandpass filter is simplified and a compact circuit layout for the filter-integrated even-harmonic mixer is obtainable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Yamada, Yoshihisa Amano, Yoshinori Motouchi
  • Patent number: 7095989
    Abstract: A frequency translating device (FTD) includes at least one mixer diode connected to down-convert a radio frequency (RF) to an intermediate frequency (IF) and to up-convert an IF to an RF and a source of direct current (DC) bias that is connected to the mixer diode. The source of DC bias provides DC bias to the mixer diode that moves the voltage applied to the mixer diode closer to the threshold voltage of the mixer diode. The mixer diode is turned on in response to the DC bias and a local oscillator (LO) drive. Because DC bias is applied to the mixer diode, the peak to peak voltage range of the LO drive can be reduced, thereby reducing the voltage-dependent capacitance of the mixer diode, causing the FTD to exhibit improved reciprocity. The FTD can be used in a three-pair measurement system to determine the conversion response of another FTD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard K. Karlquist
  • Patent number: 7095998
    Abstract: A mixer, which is a single balanced mixer, includes an LO port for inputting an LO signal, an RF port for inputting an RF signal, an IF port for outputting an IF signal, a balun for converting an unbalanced signal into a balanced signal, and a pair of mixer diodes connected in series. The mixer further includes a high-pass filter for blocking LO and IF signals and passing an RF signal and a low-pass filter for blocking LO and RF signals and passing an IF signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryo Tatsumi, Mitsuhiro Matsumoto, Tomoya Bando
  • Patent number: 7020452
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising an amplifier circuit, a tuning circuit and a mixer circuit. The amplifier circuit may be configured to generate an output signal at a first node in response to an input signal received through a second node. A tuning circuit may be (i) coupled between said second node of the amplifier circuit and third node and (ii) configured to adjust an impedance presented to the third node in response to a tuning voltage. A mixer circuit may have a center tap coupled to the third node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Sirenza Microdevices, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin W. Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7020450
    Abstract: An active inductor includes bipolar transistors T1, T2, T3 and TD (TD being arranged in diode), where T1's emitter is connected to an output port and to T2's collector. T2's base is connected to a first voltage line and between two connected capacitors. T2's emitter is connected to T3's collecter. An end of one capacitor is connected to T1's base and to a second voltage line. An end of the other capacitor is connected to T3's emitter and to a third voltage line. T1's collector is connected to a fourth voltage line and to TM's collecter, which is connected to TM's base. TM's emitter is electrically connected to T3's base. Preferably, the transistors T1–T3 and TD are Silicon based, and the active inductor is fabricated on a single substrate comprising Silicon. The active inductor is incorporated into adaptive oscillators and amplifiers and an improved transceiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Laurent Desclos
  • Patent number: 7013122
    Abstract: A double balanced mixer for mixing an RF input signal with a local oscillator signal to provide at an output an intermediate frequency signal with high isolation over a wide frequency range. The mixer includes a local oscillator balun that is operable to receive a local oscillator signal. A RF balun that is operable to receive a RF signal. A first mixer has a first input port that is coupled to the local oscillator balun and a second input port that is coupled to the RF balun. The first mixer has an output port to provide an intermediate frequency signal. A second mixer is coupled in parallel with the first mixer. The second mixer has a first input port that is coupled to the local oscillator balun and a second input port that is coupled to the RF balun. The second mixer has an output port that provides an intermediate frequency signal. An intermediate frequency balun is coupled to the output ports of the first and second mixers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Scientific Components Corporation
    Inventor: Doron Gamliel
  • Patent number: 6993312
    Abstract: A double balanced mixer consisting of an RF balun, a local oscillator balun and a diode “quad” bridge circuit connected between the two baluns and where the IF output is taken at the center tap of the RF balun secondary transformer. A second harmonic termination consisting of an RLC resonant circuit is coupled across the diode bridge at the RF side. Each arm of the diode bridge, moreover, includes three series connected diodes. The mixer is in the form of a microminiature integrated circuit (MMIC) using HBT emitter-based junction diodes fabricated on a gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventor: Mike L. Salib
  • Patent number: 6947720
    Abstract: A mixer circuit of the present invention includes a gain stage configured to receive a first signal and a modulated bias current, and in accordance therewith, produce an output signal, the gain stage generating a first current and receiving the modulated bias current from a bias circuit on a common node. The bias circuit includes an input configured to receive a second signal, and in accordance therewith, generate the modulated bias current. The mixer circuit also includes a current shunt circuit for generating a second current. The first current, the second current, and the modulated bias current are coupled to the common node. In one embodiment, the first signal is approximately a square wave, and the frequency of the first signal is one-third the frequency of the second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Behzad Razavi, Pengfei Zhang
  • Patent number: 6947717
    Abstract: A mixer with improved isolation between the RF and local oscillator frequency signals. The mixer has a substrate. A pair of cores are mounted to the substrate. Windings are wound on the cores to from a pair of baluns. A diode ring is connected between the baluns. The windings are formed from a first and second twisted pair of wires on one core and a third and fourth twisted pair of wires on another core. Some of the wires are wound on the cores but not twisted together. This winding configuration achieves superior balance between the baluns and good isolation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Inventor: Ji Daxion
  • Patent number: 6931246
    Abstract: A line coupling structure for coupling a dielectric waveguide to a suspended line has the dielectric waveguide including dielectric strips and two conductor plates that are approximately parallel to each other, the dielectric strips and a circuit board being sandwiched between the conductor plates. The line coupling structure also has the suspended line including the conductor plates and a conductor pattern on the circuit board. The conductor pattern is arranged in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the dielectric strips. A protruding conductor pattern that extends in the extending direction of the dielectric strips is provided at a crossing position of the conductor pattern and the dielectric strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Iwatani, Sadao Yamashita
  • Patent number: 6879192
    Abstract: A surface mount, even harmonic mixer is preferably used in point-to-multipoint millimeter wave transceivers. The mixer includes an anti-parallel series arrangement of diodes in one or more ring quads to increase the input 1 dB compression point and third-order input intercept point (IP3), while maintaining the benefits inherent with even harmonic mixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: L-3 Communications Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph L. Merenda