Abstract:
An IQ dual mixer for use in radio transmitters and receivers, comprising an in-phase (I) local oscillator transistor pair, a quadrature-phase (Q) local oscillator transistor pair, and a first radio frequency (RF) transistor. The I local oscillator transistor pair is operably coupled to receive an I local oscillator signal and connected in series with a first load pair to output an I product signal. The Q local oscillator transistor pair is operably coupled to receive a Q local oscillator signal and connected in series with a second load pair to output a Q product signal. The first RF transistor has an input terminal coupled to receive a first RF signal. The first RF transistor is coupled in anti-series with each transistor of the I and Q local oscillator transistor pairs.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention generally relates to radio frequency (RF) technologies and in particular to IQ dual mixers used with RF technologies. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Wireless communication systems enable one wireless device to transmit data to at least another wireless device through a wireless transmission medium. A wireless communication system may be constructed, and hence operate, in accordance with one or more standards including IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, Bluetooth, global system for mobile communication (GSM), code division multiple access (CDMA), wireless application protocol (WAP), and variations thereon. 
         [0005]    As is well known, wireless communication systems use radio frequencies for transmission, requiring an RF transmitter and an RF receiver. Generally speaking, a conventional RF transmitter has at least a modulator, a local oscillator, mixers, a power amplifier and an antenna. The inter-operation of these components modulates data signals into RF signals. An RF receiver generally has an antenna, a low noise amplifier, mixers, a local oscillator, a filter and a demodulator to recapture the data signals from the RF signals. 
         [0006]    Mixers within RF transmitters and RF receivers determine quality of the communication system. The factors in mixer performance include conversion gain, local oscillator (LO) power, linearity, noise figure, port-to-port isolation, voltage supply, and current (or power) consumption. 
         [0007]    A fundamental choice in mixer design is whether to use an active or passive mixer. Passive mixers (operating transistors in the linear region) provide increased dynamic range, moderate conversion loss and excellent intermodulation performance at the expense of LO power. Unfortunately, large LO drives are difficult to implement in a low-voltage environment, resulting in increased power consumption, and dictate increased LO-RF/LO-IF isolation, such that low-voltage/low-power integrated circuit (IC) design favors active mixers for which reduced LO drives are acceptable. 
         [0008]    A high quality active mixer illustrated in  FIG. 1  is known as a Gilbert mixer. When used for down-conversion, the Gilbert mixer multiplies a differential RF signal (consisting of RF+ and RF− antiphase signals) by a LO signal (consisting of LO+ and LO− antiphase signals) and generates a corresponding intermediate frequency (IF) signal (consisting of IF+ and IF− antiphase signals). The output may be a baseband signal if a zero-IF topology is utilized. The Gilbert mixer in  FIG. 1  has six transistors Q 1 -Q 6  together with load resistors RLN and RLP and a current source Is, which implies at least another transistor. Transistors Q 1 -Q 4  connected to LO+ and LO− input terminals belong to a LO core, receiving a LO signal. Transistors Q 5 -Q 6  connected to RF+ and RF− input terminals belong to an RF core, receiving a differential RF signal. The Gilbert mixer is a compact, efficient approach to combining a differential amplifier with a phase reversing switch mixer. The RF signal modulates the currents in transistors Q 5 -Q 6 , causing them to act as a differential amplifier. Normally, transistors Q 1 -Q 4  are effectively switched, where a high input causes them to switch on and a low input causes them to switch off. Transistors Q 1 -Q 4  can reverse the phase or polarity of the current from transistors Q 5 -Q 6 , depending on whether they are on or off. Two load resistors RLN and RLP translate the switched, modulated currents therethrough into an IF signal output as IF+ and IF− signals from IF+ and IF− output terminals respectively. 
         [0009]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the Gilbert mixer has a stack of three transistors and a load resistor between the voltage rails. Each of the three transistors requires a specific voltage bias to sustain operation. For low supply voltage applications, most of the supply voltage may be preempted by the stacked transistors, such that the conversion gain and headroom capacity, both substantially decided by the residual voltage across the load resistor, may be insufficient. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    An embodiment of the invention provides an IQ dual mixer for use in radio transmitters and receivers, comprising an in-phase (I) local oscillator transistor pair, a quadrature-phase (Q) local oscillator transistor pair, and a first radio frequency (RF) transistor. The I local oscillator transistor pair is operably coupled to receive an I local oscillator signal and connected in series with a first load pair to output an I product signal. The Q local oscillator transistor pair is operably coupled to receive a Q local oscillator signal and connected in series with a second load pair to output a Q product signal. The first RF transistor has an input terminal coupled to receive a first RF signal. The first RF transistor is coupled in anti-series with each transistor of the I and Q local oscillator transistor pairs. 
         [0011]    An embodiment of the invention also provides an IQ dual mixer, comprising a LO core, a RF core and a load core. The LO core has LO transistors receiving I and Q LO signals. The RF core has at least one RF transistor receiving an RF signal. The load core is connected with the LO core to output I and Q product signals according to the I and Q LO signals and the RF signal. The RF transistor is coupled in anti-series with each of the LO transistors. 
         [0012]    An embodiment of the invention also provides a method for signal up-conversion or down-conversion. A first radio frequency signal is received using a first radio frequency (RF) transistor. An I local oscillator signal is processed to continuously alternate switching. One step enables one transistor of an I local oscillator transistor pair while the other transistor of the I local oscillator transistor pair is disabled. The other step enables the other transistor of the I local oscillator transistor pair while the one transistor of the I local oscillator transistor pair is disabled. The first RF transistor is coupled in anti-series with each transistor of the I oscillator transistor pair. A Q local oscillator signal is processed to continuously alternate switching between two other steps. One enables one transistor of a Q local oscillator transistor pair while the other transistor of the Q local oscillator transistor pair is disabled. The other step enables the other transistor of the Q local oscillator transistor pair while the one transistor of the Q local oscillator transistor pair is disabled. The first RF transistor is coupled in anti-series with each transistor of the Q oscillator transistor pair. An I product signal across two output terminals of the I local oscillator transistor pair is output while a Q product signal across two output terminals of the Q local oscillator transistor pair is output. 
         [0013]    A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    The invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  shows a conventional Gilbert mixer; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 2 and 3  show two low voltage, balanced IQ dual mixers according to embodiments of the invention; 
           [0017]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show two low voltage, unbalanced IQ dual mixers according to embodiments of the invention; and 
           [0018]      FIGS. 6 and 7  teaches two possible configurations with a frequency-related impedance between a LO pair and an RF transistor. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    The following description is of the best-contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims. 
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a low voltage, balanced IQ dual mixer  100  according to embodiments of the invention. IQ dual mixer  100  multiplies an RF signal, a differential signal represented by RF+ and RF− antiphase signals, by a LO in-phase (I) signal, represented by LOI+ and LOI− antiphase singals, to generate an IFI signal. IQ dual mixer  100  also multiplies the RF signal by a LO quadrature-phase (Q) signal, represented by LOQ+ and LOQ− antiphase singals, to generate an IFQ signal. In other words, IQ dual mixer  100  alone extracts and processes I and Q portions of the RF signal to generate corresponding IFI and IFQ signals. 
         [0021]    IQ dual mixer  100  has  4  basic portions: a LO core, a RF core, a load core, and bias circuit. The LO core has 2 I LO transistor pairs  110  and  114 , and 2 Q LO transistor pairs  112  and  116 . Transistor Q 21 , belonging to I LO transistor pair  110  and receiving LOI+ signal, is connected in series with resistor RLIN. Transistor Q 22 , receiving LOI− signal, is the other transistor in I LO transistor pair  110  and is connected in series with resistor RLIP. Transistors Q 21  and Q 22  form an emitter-coupled transistor pair. Similar to I LO transistor pair  110 , transistors Q 23  and Q 24  form Q LO transistor pair  112 , receive LOQ+ and LOQ− signals, and are connected in series with resistors RLQN and RLQP respectively. Each transistor in I LO transistor pair  110  and Q LO transistor pair  112  is coupled in anti-series with transistor Q 25  through resistor RP. The phrase, “coupled in anti-series”, means that the connection between two devices is through two terminals with the same characteristic. For example, in  FIG. 2 , transistors Q 25  and Q 21  are coupled in anti-series because the emitter of one BJT is coupled to the emitter of the other. Alternative anti-series connections for BJTs include base-to-base and collector-to-collector connections. For diodes, cathode-to-cathode connection or anode-to-anode connection are two possible candidates for anti-series connection. 
         [0022]    I LO transistor pair  114 , Q LO transistor pair  116  and transistor Q 30  are coupled similar to I LO transistor pair  110 , Q LO transistor pair  112  and transistor Q 25 , but with different signal polarity. Transistor Q 30  and Q 25  both belong to the RF core, receiving RF− and RF+ signals respectively. Even though transistors Q 26  and Q 21  receive the same LOI+ signal, transistor Q 26  is connected in series with RLIP while transistor Q 21  is connected in series with RLIN. The connection difference between transistors Q 26  and Q 21  can also be applied to transistors Q 27  and Q 22 , transistors Q 28  and Q 23 , and transistors Q 29  and Q 24 . In other words, I LO transistor pairs  110  and  114  are coupled to create a balanced mixing action and Q LO transistor pairs  112  and  116  are coupled to create another. 
         [0023]    The load core has two load pairs: resistors RLIN and RLIP, and resistors RLQN and RLQP. Resistors RLIN and RLIP are the loading for I LO transistor pairs  110  and  114 , and provide IF terminals for outputting IFI− and IFI+ signals. Resistors RLQN and RLQP are the loading for Q LO transistor pairs  112  and  116 , and provide IF terminals for outputting IFQ− and IFQ+ signals. 
         [0024]    A bias circuit in  FIG. 2  has four current sources (ISP 1 , ISP 2 , ISN 1  and ISN 2 ) and resistors (RP and RN). The bias circuit provides proper operating bias conditions to the transistors in IQ dual mixer  100  and may be implemented in any number of ways. Furthermore, resistors RP and RN can affect the conversion gain of IQ dual mixer  100 . 
         [0025]    With the introduction of LOI+, LOI−, LOQ+ and LOQ− signals, the transistors in the LO core alternatively switch on and off, where, as known in the art, LOI+ signal differs from LOQ+ signal by 90 degree phase. Either transistors Q 21  and Q 26  are on and transistors Q 22  and Q 27  off, or vice versa. Either transistors Q 23  and Q 28  are on and transistors Q 24  and Q 29  off, or vice versa. 
         [0026]    The RF+ signal modulates the current through transistor Q 25  while RF− signal modulates the current through transistor Q 30 . With the left portion of  FIG. 2  as an example, modulated current IRF+, as blocked and redirected by constant current source ISP 1 , passes resistor RP, and splits into two parts. One part passes either resistor RLIN or RLIP, based on which transistor in I LO transistor pair  110  is on at that moment, to vary the voltage on the IF output terminals. Similarly, the other part of modulated current IRF+ passes either resistor RLQN or RLQP based upon which transistor in Q LO transistor pair  112  is on at that moment. As shown in  FIG. 2 , modulated current IRF− through transistor Q 30  responds similarly to modulated current IRF+, and explanation thereof is omitted herefrom. At any moment, one part of modulated current IRF+ passes one of resistors RLIN or RLIP while one part of modulated current IRF− passes the other. Similarly, one part of modulated current IRF+ passes one of resistors RLQN or RLQP while one part of modulated current IRF− passes the other. Transistors Q 25  and Q 30 , and resistors RP, RN, RLIN and RLIP together act as a differential amplifier for the RF signal and the currents through resistors RLIN and RLIP are alternatively exchanged based on LOI signal to produce the same sum-and-difference output signal as a conventional Gilbert mixer. Transistors Q 25  and Q 30 , and resistors RP, RN, RLQN and RLQP together act as another differential amplifier for the RF signal and the currents through resistors RLQN and RLQP are alternatively exchanged based upon LOQ signal. The two differential amplifiers share a common RF core and a common bias circuit. Compared to two fully-separated I and Q mixers, the configuration in  FIG. 2  reduces required silicon area and current consumption. 
         [0027]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the IQ dual mixer, comprising two stacked transistors with a load resistor between the voltage rails, where the LO core contributes one transistor and the bias circuit the other, compared with the Gilbert mixer of  FIG. 1 , having three stacked transistors to be biased, is more suitable for low voltage applications. 
         [0028]      FIG. 3  is another schematic diagram of a low voltage, balanced IQ dual mixer, differing from that of  FIG. 2  in the bias circuit. The bias circuit in  FIG. 3  has six current sources ISP 1 , ISPI, ISPQ, ISN 1 , ISNI and ISNQ, and four resistors RPI, RPQ, RNI and RNQ. Current sources ISPI, ISPQ, ISNI and ISNQ provide operation points for I LO transistor pair  110 , Q LO transistor pair  112 , I LO transistor pair  114  and Q LO transistor pair  116 , respectively. Resistors RPI and RPQ provide the RF+ signal two signal paths all the way to I LO transistor pair  110  and Q LO transistor pair  112 , such that modulated current from transistor Q 25  is separated. Similarly, resistors RNI and RNQ provide the RF− signal two signal paths to I LO transistor pair  114  and Q LO transistor pair  116 , respectively. 
         [0029]    Alternative embodiments of the invention may utilize unbalanced IQ dual mixers, rather than the balanced IQ dual mixers shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 .  FIGS. 4 and 5  exemplify two unbalanced IQ dual mixers according to embodiments of the invention.  FIG. 4  lacks the right portion of  FIG. 2 , which balances the left portion of  FIG. 2  by introducing signals with polarities opposite to those from the left portion. While having only one RF input terminal, the mixer in  FIG. 4  still generates IFI and IFQ signals and, thus, is an unbalanced IQ dual mixer.  FIG. 5  shows another unbalanced IQ dual mixer having only the left portion of  FIG. 3 . 
         [0030]    As mentioned, the resistor connecting a LO transistor pair and one RF transistor in a RF core provides a signal path, impedance of which affects the overall conversion gain of a mixer. The impedance of this signal path can be modified by introducing inductors or capacitors therein to obtain a desired frequency response. For example,  FIG. 6  introduces inductor LT 1  connected in series with resistor RT between transistor QRF and LO pair  500 , such that the combination of inductor LT 1  and resistor RT has a frequency-related impedance. Inductor LT 1  interacts with parasitic capacitors C 1  and C 2  to form a low pass filter which substantially allows the RF signal to pass while depressing other signals with higher frequencies. Using a similar concept,  FIG. 7  introduces inductor LT 2  connected between resistor RT and LO pair  500  to have a better frequency response for RF signal. The frequency-related impedance in  FIG. 6  or  7  can be applied to a corresponding part(s) in any one of the IQ dual mixers disclosed in  FIGS. 2-5 . 
         [0031]    Each of the disclosed IQ dual mixers can be fabricated in a chip by BICMOS process. While the transistors in the figures are drawn as bipolar junction transistors, they are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Other transistors, such as MOSFET transistors, can be used alone or in combination with other transistors to embody the invention under the scope of the invention. 
         [0032]    While the invention has been described by way of examples and in terms of preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.