Patent Abstract:
An integrated circuit including: an RF input/output; an on-chip digital interface including a plurality of IC pin connections wherein an output current from the on-chip digital interface is split into first and second parallel paths among the plurality of IC pin connections; first and second current sources; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to determine a plurality of mutual inductances between the plurality of IC pin connections and the RF input/output; calculate a current ratio n based upon the plurality of mutual inductances between a first current driven on the first parallel path and a second current driven on the second parallel path; drive the first current source to produce the first current and the second current source to produce the second current wherein the first and second current have the determined ratio n; and measure a voltage at the RF input/output.

Full Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    Various embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to cancellation of magnetic coupling for a digital interface. 
         [0002]    Digital interfaces on a tuner integrated circuit (IC) may be both continuously running and high speed. Reception sensitivity at an antenna input may become degraded by cross-talk from the digital interface. A dominant coupling mechanism for cross-talk may be magnetic coupling. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    A brief summary of various embodiments is presented below. Some simplifications and omissions may be made in the following summary, which is intended to highlight and introduce some aspects of the various embodiments, but not to limit the scope of the invention. Detailed descriptions of an embodiment adequate to allow those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the inventive concepts will follow in later sections. 
         [0004]    Various embodiments relate to a non-transitory medium comprising instructions configured to execute a method of cancelling cross-talk on IC pin connections of a chip, the non-transitory medium including: instructions for driving a first current source to produce a first current at a first pair of IC pin connections of the chip and a second current source to produce a second current at a second pair of IC pin connections of the chip, wherein n is the ratio of the first and second currents; instructions for measuring a voltage at an input of the chip when the first and second current sources are driven; instructions for repeating the instructions for driving a first current source to produce a first current and a second current source to produce a second current and instructions for measuring a voltage at an input of the chip when the first and second current sources are driven for various values of n; instructions for determining the value of n that the produces the minimum voltage magnitude at the input/output of the chip. 
         [0005]    Further, various embodiments relate to a non-transitory medium comprising instructions configured to execute a method of cancelling cross-talk on IC pin connections of a chip, the non-transitory medium including: instructions for determining a first mutual inductance between a first IC pin connection and a fifth IC pin connection; instructions for determining a second mutual inductance between a second IC pin connection and a fifth IC pin connection; instructions for determining a third mutual inductance between a third IC pin connection and a fifth IC pin connection; instructions for determining a fourth mutual inductance between and a fourth IC pin connection and a fifth IC pin connection; 
         [0006]    instructions for calculating a current ratio n based upon the first, second, third, and fourth mutual inductances, wherein the current ratio is the ratio between a first current driven on the first and second IC pin connections and a second current driven on the third and fourth IC pin connections; instructions for driving a first current source to produce the first current and a second current source to produce the second current wherein the first and second current have the determined ratio of n; and instructions for measuring a voltage at the fifth IC pin connection. 
         [0007]    Further, various embodiments relate to an integrated circuit including: an on-chip digital interface including a plurality of IC pin connections, wherein an output current from the on-chip digital interface is split into first and second parallel paths among the plurality of IC pin connections; an RF input/output; a first and second current source; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to calibrate the integrated circuit by: driving the first current source to produce a first current on the first parallel path and the second current source to produce a second current on the second parallel path, wherein n is the ratio of the first and second currents; measuring a voltage at an RF input/output of the chip when the first and second current sources are driven; repeating driving a first current source to produce a first current on the first parallel path and a second current source to produce a second current on the second parallel path and measure a voltage at an RF input/output of the chip when the first and second current sources are driven for various values of n; and determining the value of n that the produces the minimum voltage magnitude at the input/output of the chip. 
         [0008]    Further, various embodiments relate to an integrated circuit including: an on-chip digital interface including a plurality of IC pin connections, wherein an output current from the on-chip digital interface is split into first and second parallel paths among the plurality of IC pin connections; an RF input/output; a first and second current source; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to calibrate the integrated circuit by: determining a plurality of mutual inductances between the plurality of IC pin connections and the RF input/output; calculating a current ratio n based upon the plurality of mutual inductances, wherein the current ratio is the ratio between a first current driven on the first parallel path and a second current driven on the second parallel path; driving the first current source to produce the first current and the second current source to produce the second current wherein the first and second current have the determined ratio n; and measuring a voltage at the RF input/output. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    In order to better understand various embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates a system including a high-speed serial interface (HSSI); 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of a tuner IC package in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  illustrates a second embodiment of a tuner IC package in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  illustrates a third embodiment of a tuner IC package in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  illustrates an method of cross-talk cancellation; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  illustrates another method of cross-talk cancellation. 
       
    
    
       [0016]    To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used to designate elements having substantially the same or similar structure and/or substantially the same or similar function. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    The description and drawings illustrate the principles of the invention. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are included within its scope. Furthermore, all examples recited herein are principally intended expressly to be for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor(s) to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. Additionally, the term, “or,” as used herein, refers to a non-exclusive or (i.e., and/or), unless otherwise indicated (e.g., “or else” or “or in the alternative”). Also, the various embodiments described herein are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as some embodiments can be combined with one or more other embodiments to form new embodiments. As used herein, the terms “context” and “context object” will be understood to be synonymous, unless otherwise indicated. 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  illustrates a system  100  including a high-speed serial interface (HSSI). System  100  may include a single-ended input pin  110 , a tuner Integrated Circuit (IC) package  130 , a tuner IC  120 , an output  140 , and a host Integrated Circuit (IC)  150 . The output  140  may be a differential output comprising both a positive output pin and a negative output pin. 
         [0019]    Input  110  may receive an analog input signal. In an embodiment, an antenna may supply the analog input signal. Input  110  may send the analog input signal to a tuner IC package  130 . In one embodiment, input  110  may be a single-ended pin. In another embodiment, input  110  may be either double-ended input pins or differential input pins. In a third embodiment, the tuner IC package  130  may be defined as the physical connection from input  110  towards a tuner IC  120 . 
         [0020]    Tuner IC package  130  may include a tuner IC  120 . Tuner IC  120  may receive an analog input signal and may produce a digital output signal. In an embodiment, output  140  may receive the digital output signal from tuner IC  120 . 
         [0021]    Host IC  150  may be coupled to the output  140  and may receive digital data from tuner IC  120 . In an embodiment, host IC  150  may have a resistance of 100Ω. 
         [0022]    Mutual inductance is a measure for magnetic cross-talk. In an embodiment, mutual inductance M 1 , M 2  may occur between either side of tuner IC  120 . If output  140  is a differential output, mutual inductance M 1  may produce interference between the digital output signal at a positive output and the analog input signal of input  110  and mutual inductance M 2  may produce interference between the digital output signal at a negative output and the analog input signal of input  110 . 
         [0023]    When tuner IC  130  receives a signal from an antenna, the input signal may be relatively low in power. In this embodiment, the signal received from the antenna may be susceptible to interference from digital signals on output  140 . This interference may reflect an imbalance in mutual inductance M 1 , M 2  as measured by a voltage V dig  at input  110 . 
         [0024]    For a frequency f and a current I, V dig =2πf*M 1 *I−2πf*M 2 *I. The current I is the representation of the digital output signal. If output  140  is differential, the amplitude of the current I will be identical at both the positive and negative outputs pin, but the direction of the current I will be opposite at the respective differential outputs. 
         [0025]    Suppose there is an imbalance between M 1  and M 2 , where M 1  is 100 pH while M 2  is 90 pH. In that embodiment, V dig =2πf*10 pH*I. This voltage may be high enough to disrupt low power signals. Further details regarding mutual inductance will be described below in the context of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of tuner IC package  130  in  FIG. 1 . Tuner IC package  130  may include an input IC pin connection  210 , a tuner  220 , a first current source  230 , a second current source  235 , output IC pin connections  240 ,  245 ,  250 , and  255 , and a controller  260 . The input IC pin connection  210  and output IC pin connections  240 ,  245 ,  250 , and  255  may have an inherent inductance as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . If  140  were an input instead of an output, current sinks could be used instead of current sources. 
         [0027]    An input IC pin connection  210  may couple the analog input signal from input  110  to a tuner  220 . The input IC pin connection  210  may be located within tuner IC package  130  but outside of tuner IC  120 . In contrast, tuner  220  may be part of tuner IC  120 . 
         [0028]    The digital output side of tuner IC  120  may include a first current source  230  and a second current source  235 . First current source  230  may be coupled to first output IC pin connection  240  and fourth output IC pin connection  255 . Second current source  235  may be coupled to second output IC pin connection  245  and third output IC pin connection  250 . The output IC pin connections  240 ,  245 ,  250 , and  255  may be located within tuner IC package  130  but outside of tuner IC  120 . 
         [0029]    While this embodiment describes four output IC pin connections  240 ,  245 ,  250 , and  255 , other numbers of IC pin connections larger than two may be used. 
         [0030]    A controller  260  may coordinate operations in tuner IC  120 . In particular, controller  260  may control the operations of tuner  220 , first current source  230 , and second current source  235 . Controller  260  may calculate current values for current source  230  and current source  235 . Controller  260  may also calculate mutual inductance values. 
         [0031]    In various embodiments, controller  260  may be an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). In other embodiments, controller  260  may be a microprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor, etc. . . . . The controller  260  may be part of the tuner IC  120 , which may include a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor, and other devices. 
         [0032]    As described in the context of  FIG. 1 , asymmetry in mutual inductance may produce a voltage in input  110 . However, the asymmetry of mutual inductance between the various IC pin connections  240 ,  245 ,  250 , and  255  may also be used to tune a first current source  230  and a second current source  235  in order to substantially cancel magnetic coupling into input IC pin connection  210 . Such tuning involves adjustment of the current distribution, because the asymmetry of mutual inductance between IC pin connections  240 ,  245 ,  250 , and  255  is fixed by the physical dimensions of the IC package. An equation for the voltage V dig  at the junction between input  110  and input IC pin connection  210  may involve mutual inductance factors related to all of the IC pin connections  210 ,  240 ,  245 ,  250 , and  255 . 
         [0033]    In an embodiment, the mutual inductance Mp 1  between input IC pin connection  210  and first output IC pin connection  240  may be 100 pH. The mutual inductance Mpg between input IC pin connection  210  and second output IC pin connection  245  may be 95 pH. The mutual inductance Mn 2  between input IC pin connection  210  and third output IC pin connection  250  may be 90 pH. The mutual inductance Mn 1  between input IC pin connection  210  and fourth output IC pin connection  255  may be 85 pH. 
         [0034]    The current applied to the output IC pin connections  240 ,  245 ,  250 , and  255  may be split as described below. First, output IC pin connection  240  and fourth output IC pin connection  255  may have a current n*I, while second output IC pin connection  245  and third output IC pin connection  250  may have a current I. The value n, as described below, may be tuned. Based upon these differing currents, one may calculate voltage V dig : 
         [0000]        V   dig =2π f*Mp 1* I*n+ 2π f*Mp 2* I− 2π f*Mn 2* I− 2π f*Mn 1* I*n  
 
         [0035]    The magnetic coupling to the input IC pin connection  210  can be tuned to zero by setting n equal to (Mn 2 −Mp 2 )/(Mp 1 −Mn 1 ). For these mutual inductance values, n would be −⅓. 
         [0036]    Such tuning may have many advantages. A digital interface type or protocol that is likely to create analog interference, such as Ethernet, may be selected and then tuned to coexist with analog tuners. Accordingly, requirements on IC pinning, layout, and package symmetry may be relaxed. 
         [0037]    As an alternative, a dummy load resistance may be added to simplify the tuning process. In an embodiment, a first output driver may be used for data transmission from the tuner IC to the host IC, while a second output driver may be controlled by controller  260 . By separating these functions, a standard digital interface block could be reused for data transmission, while, in parallel, a second circuit may cancel magnetic fields at IC pin connection  210 . 
         [0038]    As described above, current sinks could be used instead of current sources. In the current sink embodiment, variable current sinks may be implemented as variable resistors. Impedance of two variable resistors in parallel may result in a termination resistance of the digital interface, such as 100Ω. 
         [0039]      FIG. 3  illustrates a second embodiment of tuner IC package  130  in  FIG. 1 . Tuner IC package  130  may include an input IC pin connection  310 , a tuner  320 , a first current source  330 , a second current source  335 , output IC pin connections  340 ,  345 , and  350 , and a controller  260 . Unlike  FIG. 2 , the second embodiment of  FIG. 3  has three output IC pin connections  340 ,  345 , and  350 . 
         [0040]    In  FIG. 3  first current source  330  and second current source  335  may be internally connected. Current for the digital output may be divided across output IC pin connections  340 ,  345 , and  350  in order to minimize interference to tuner IC package  130 . While the second embodiment may not be as symmetrical as the first embodiment with four output IC pin connections, it may have a lower pin count. 
         [0041]      FIG. 4  illustrates a third embodiment of tuner IC package  130  in  FIG. 1 . Tuner IC package  130  may include an input IC pin connection  410 , a tuner  420 , a first current source  430 , a second current source  435 , a third current source  440 , output IC pin connections  445 ,  450 ,  455 ,  460 ,  465 , and  470 , and a controller  475 . Unlike  FIG. 2 , the second embodiment of  FIG. 3  has six output IC pin connections  445 ,  450 ,  455 ,  460 ,  465 , and  470 . 
         [0042]    In  FIG. 4 , an additional degree of freedom is available due to the extra pair of output IC pin connections compared to  FIG. 2 . Thus, it may be possible to compensate for cross-talk into a second antenna input. In further embodiments, the number of current sources could be scaled to compensate for more than two Radio Frequency (RF) inputs. In general, the total number of current sources would be one higher than the total number of RF inputs. 
         [0043]      FIG. 5  illustrates a method  500  of cross-talk cancellation. The method  500  may begin with a calibration step  510 . The calibration step may include a number of steps as shown. First, the calibration has an initialization step  520  where an initial value for n is chosen. The driver current Id=I+I*n=I*(n+1) is the total current needed to drive the output that is split across the two output IC pin connections  240  and  245 . Then, the first current source  230  may be commanded to produce a current of I while the second current source  235  may be commanded to produce a current of n*I  530 . Next, the induced voltage at input  110  may be measured  540 . The value of n and the induced voltage may be stored. Then, the method may increment the value of n  550  and return to step  530 . If the incremented value of n reaches a specified maximum value, then the method proceeds to step  560 . At step  560 , the method  500  determines the value of n that produces the minimum voltage magnitude at input  110 . Alternatively, as each voltage measurement is made at input  110 , the method  500  may determine if the current voltage magnitude measurement is less than a previously determined minimum value. If so, the new voltage magnitude and its associated value of n may be stored. 
         [0044]    At this point, the value of n may be further refined, by selecting a range of values for n about the value of n that provides the minimum magnitude voltage. Then, smaller increments for the value of n may be used to repeat the steps of  530 - 550  to produce a more refined value for n. 
         [0045]    Next, the method places the tuner IC  130  in an operational mode  570 , wherein the first current source  230  and the second current source  235  are driven based upon the value of n determined above. The method may then end at  580 . 
         [0046]    It is also noted that during the operation of the tuner IC  130 , recalibration may occur. This may include a complete repeat of the calibration method, or just repeating the calibration for a range of n values around the currently used value of n. Also, intermittently during operation, the first current source  230  and the second current source  235  may be driven based upon n and a measurement of the induced voltage at the input  110 . If the measured voltage exceeds a threshold value, then the tuner IC  130  may be recalibrated using, for example, the method  500 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 6  illustrates a method  600  of cross-talk cancellation. The method  600  may begin with a calibration step  610 . The calibration step  610  may include a number of steps as shown. First, the calibration step  610  may determine the mutual inductance  620  between the various output IC pin connections, for example  240 ,  245 ,  250 , and  255 , and input  110 . This measurement of the mutual inductance may be done using various known methods. Next, a value for n may be calculated in step  630 , as described above, using the measured mutual inductance values. Next, the method places the tuner IC  130  in an operational mode  640 , wherein the first current source  230  and the second current source  235  are driven based upon the calculated value of n. The method may then end at  650 . 
         [0048]    Alternatively, the method  600  may also validate the value of n. This may be done in a manner similar to step  320  above, by selecting a range of values for n about the calculated value of n. Then, increments for the value of n may be used to repeat the steps such as  330 - 350  to produce a more refined or validated value for n. 
         [0049]    Also, as described above for the method  500 , during the operation of the tuner IC  130 , a recalibration may occur. The same steps may be used. 
         [0050]    The embodiments described herein may be expanded and applied to multiple inputs and outputs of the tuner IC  130 . Further, while the embodiments described herein describe a tuner IC, the methods and systems may also be applied to other types of ICs and systems that have sensitive inputs/outputs, for example analog inputs and outputs, along with inputs/outputs that may produce interference due to mutual inductance such as for example digital inputs/outputs. 
         [0051]    It should be noted that various aspects of the above embodiments may be combined resulting in other embodiments. Also, various steps in the methods may be performed in a different order or simultaneously. Also various aspects of the embodiments above may be implemented using processors and computer instructions to result in a specific machine implementing the embodiment. Also, portions of the embodiments above may be implemented using ASICs or other specific hardware elements. 
         [0052]    As used herein, the term “processor” will be understood to encompass a variety of devices such as microprocessors, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and other similar processing and computing devices. 
         [0053]    It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any block diagrams herein represent conceptual views of illustrative circuitry embodying the principles of the invention. 
         [0054]    Although the various embodiments have been described in detail with particular reference to certain aspects thereof, it should be understood that the invention is capable of other embodiments and its details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects. As is readily apparent to those skilled in the art, variations and modifications can be effected while remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing disclosure, description, and figures are for illustrative purposes only and do not in any way limit the invention, which is defined only by the claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7