Patent ID: 8311495
Filing Date: 2012-11-13
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for detecting a phase angle between an incident signal and a reflected signal, wherein the apparatus comprises: a plurality of phase shifters capable of applying first phase shifts to a representation of the incident signal to produce a plurality of first phase shifted signals, and applying second phase shifts to a representation of the reflected signal to produce a plurality of second phase shifted signals; first circuitry, operatively coupled to the plurality of phase shifters, and capable of producing, based on the first and second phase shifted signals, a first indication of a location of a relative phase difference between the incident signal and the reflected signal within a first region of a first reference circle, and a second indication of the location of the relative phase difference within a second region of a second reference circle, wherein the second reference circle is rotated with respect to the first reference circle so that the first region and the second region are not aligned with each other; and second circuitry, operatively coupled to the first circuitry, and capable of determining, based on the first indication and the second indication, a third region of a third reference circle within which the relative phase difference is located, wherein the third region is smaller than the first region and the second region.