Patent Description:
The disclosed embodiments relate generally to wireless network communications, and, more particularly, to frequency tunable converter with process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) tracking.

Radio Frequency (RF) converters are integrated component assemblies required for converting microwave signals into lower (or intermediate) or higher frequency ranges for further processing. They generally consist of an input filter, a local oscillator filter, an IF filter, a mixer, and frequently an LO frequency multiplier, plus one or more stages of IF amplification. RF frequency converters may also incorporate a local oscillator, gain compensation (GC) components, and an RF preamplifier. As a system, RF frequency converters function to alter incoming microwave signals into different frequency ranges to allow for a wide range of processing options that could follow. RF frequency converters are available in a number of configurations, defined by the type of frequency they output. Upconverters change microwave signals to a higher frequency range. Generally an upconverter is designed to produce an output signal frequency for a particular frequency band. By contrast, downconverters alter microwave signals in to an intermediate frequency (IF) range, again tuned to a particular frequency band. Some varieties of RF frequency converters are dual upconverters and downconverters, meaning that they can modulate the frequency either up or down, but again, only into a specific range on either side of the spectrum. A final type of converter is the variable converter, which can change the frequency of the input signal to any frequency within the operating range. They are not constrained to produce signals for a particular frequency band, as is the case with upconverters and downconverters.

Wideband tunable frequency converters can operate on wideband, while tuning its operating frequency. RF converters configured using radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) are subject to <NUM>) PVT variation (variations in the wafer process, supply voltage, and temperature) - typically results in several dBs of variations if uncompensated; and <NUM>) random variations due to transistor or passive element size variations - this requirement is usually met by limiting the smallest size of transistor, capacitor, resistor to be used within the RFIC. Solutions are sought to achieve wideband frequency tunability, and with PVT tracking to improve the performance of wideband tunable frequency converters.

<CIT> discloses a communications circuit, comprising: a wideband polyphase filter operable to filter an input signal having an associated first frequency to produce a filtered signal, the wideband polyphase filter having poles corresponding to a first filter frequency and a second filter frequency, the second filter frequency being substantially different than the first filter frequency, wherein the first filter frequency corresponds to a desired signal in the input signal and the second filter frequency corresponds to a spurious component in the input signal; and a mixer operable to mix the filtered signal with a local-oscillator signal at a second frequency to produce an upconverted signal, the second frequency being substantially an integer multiple of the first frequency.

<CIT> discloses a passive mixer, comprising: an output coupled to a next stage circuit, the output coupled to a plurality of baseband inputs via a first plurality of switches; and a capacitor bank coupled via a second plurality of switches to the plurality of baseband inputs, the capacitor bank being coupled to the output via the first plurality of switches and the second plurality of switches.

<CIT> discloses a direct conversion receiver comprising: a poly-phase filter that generates an in-phase differential signal and a quadrature-phase differential signal derived from a received radio frequency (RF) signal; an in-phase mixer which mixes the in-phase differential signal with a first local oscillation signal and a second local oscillation signal; a quadrature-phase mixer which mixes the quadrature-phase differential signal with the first local oscillation signal and a third local oscillation signal; and a mismatch estimation unit that estimates the phase mismatch of the poly-phase filter, or a phase mismatch of the in-phase mixer and the quadrature-phase mixer, from output signals of the in-phase mixer and the quadrature-phase mixer, for adjusting at least one of the phase mismatch of the poly-phase filter and the phase mismatch of the in-phase mixer and the quadrature-phase mixer, in response to an output signal of the mismatch estimation unit.

The present invention provides a wideband frequency tunable converter according to claim <NUM>, and a method for converting a wideband radio frequency (RF) signal with process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) tracking according to claim <NUM>. Further embodiments of the present invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.

<FIG> is a simplified circuit diagram of a wideband tunable frequency single-sideband converter <NUM> in accordance with one novel aspect. Wideband tunable frequency single-sideband converter <NUM> comprises a wideband frequency tunable polyphase filter <NUM>, two configurable signal polarity inverter <NUM>, two wideband frequency tunable amplifier <NUM>, two double sideband mixers <NUM>, and an output summer <NUM>. In the example of <FIG>, the input signal IF has a frequency of fIF having a wideband frequency range of <NUM>-<NUM>, the local oscillator signal LO has a frequency of fLO. The output signal RF has an image frequency that is either (fIF+fLO) or (fIF-fLO) for up conversion, depending on whether the polarity inverter <NUM> is polarity non-inversion (lower sideband mode) or polarity inversion (higher sideband mode).

In accordance with one novel aspect, the wideband frequency tunable converter <NUM> operates within a wideband and tunable frequency range, and has process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) tracking capability. In one embodiment, the wideband frequency tunable polyphase filter <NUM> comprises a plurality of switchable polyphase resistors. The polyphase resistors are controlled by a frequency tuning control signal to achieve wideband frequency tunability, e.g., a resistor switch control signal <NUM> in <FIG>. In a preferred embodiment, a triode mode transistor is used as a polyphase resistor, and a different resistance value of the polyphase filter is realized by turning on one or multiple of the different transistors in triode mode. In addition, a constant Gm(R) bias generator is used to provide the gate biases to the triode mode transistors to maintain a constant and stable resistance value across PVT variation.

The operation principle of the single-sideband double-balanced converter can be explained using a simplified single-sideband single-balanced converter. <FIG> is a simplified circuit diagram of a single-sideband single-balanced converter <NUM> that illustrates the operation of a single-sideband mixer. Single-sideband single-balanced converter <NUM> comprises two frequency tunable amplifiers <NUM>, a single-balanced mixer <NUM>, and a output summer <NUM>. In the example of <FIG>, the input signal IF has a frequency of fIF, the local oscillator signal LO has a frequency of fLO. The output signal RF has two image frequencies that is either (fIF+fLO) and (fLO-fIF) for up conversion, selectable by the signal polarity inversion. For down conversion, the signal enters from opposite direction (marked as RF) in <FIG> and the image IF frequency is (fRF-fLO) or (fLO-fRF), selectable by the signal polarity inversion.

The differential signal input IFI and IFQ are quadrature differential signals differ in phase by <NUM> degree: <MAT> <MAT>.

The configurable signal polarity inverter in frequency tunable amplifiers <NUM> is to invert the signal polarity or leave the signal polarity unchanged of IFI and IFQ: <MAT> <MAT>.

The LO signals come from a local oscillator and contain quadrature differential signals LOI and LOQ that differ in phase by <NUM> degree: <MAT> <MAT>.

To remove one of the image frequency out of the upconverter, both in-phase and quadrature phase components are needed for both input and LO frequencies. The single-balanced mixer <NUM> and output summer <NUM> operation can be represented by equation (<NUM>) when polarity inverter in <NUM> is polarity non-inversion (lower sideband mode), and equation (<NUM>) when polarity inverter in <NUM> is polarity inversion (higher sideband mode): <MAT> <MAT>.

<FIG> illustrates one embodiment of a configurable signal polarity inverter and wideband frequency tunable amplifier <NUM>. The amplifier <NUM> is an exemplary embodiment of the configurable signal polarity inverter <NUM> and the wideband frequency tunable amplifier <NUM> as depicted in <FIG>, which can be used in the wideband tunable frequency single-sideband converter <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>. In the embodiment of <FIG>, the input radio frequency signal RFin is coupled to an input transformer <NUM>, and the output radio frequency signal RFout is coupled to an output transformer <NUM>. Stacked transformers <NUM> and <NUM> are controller by band switches <NUM> and <NUM> (switched C), respectively, to achieve the frequency tunability of amplifier <NUM>. Different values of the switched C and the transform resonates achieving a match condition at input and output at different frequencies. Amplifier <NUM> comprises a main transconductance pair <NUM>, which is formed by two complementary differential transistor pairs. To achieve phase inverter of the amplifier, a phase switch <NUM> is used to select which of the complementary differential pairs is turned on or turned off. As a result, the polarity of the input signal RFin can be inverted or remain the same. Furthermore, self-neutralization of the drain-to-gate capacitance, e.g., Cgd, in transistors provides excellent reverse isolation and stability. Without neutralization of the parasitic capacitance Cgd, the RF signal would leak to the output from the input or leak to the input from the output. With Self-neutralization, it eliminates the drain-to-gate capacitance via negative feedbacks, i.e., controlled amount of cross-connection to the opposite input signal polarity.

<FIG> illustrates a simplified circuit diagram of a wideband frequency tunable polyphase filter <NUM> in accordance with one novel aspect. Polyphase filter <NUM> is an exemplary embodiment of the wideband frequency tunable polyphase filter <NUM> as depicted in <FIG>, which can be used in the wideband tunable frequency single-sideband converter <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>. In the embodiment of <FIG>, polyphase filter <NUM> generates four quadrant (polyphase) signals, e.g., (I, Q, I_bar, Q_bar), or four signals with (<NUM>o, <NUM>o, <NUM>o, <NUM>o) phase and equal magnitude. Note that the I and Q signals are (<NUM>°, <NUM>°), and the other two signals I_bar and Q_bar are (<NUM>°, <NUM>°). The four output signals (<NUM>°, <NUM>°, <NUM>°, <NUM>°) are quadrature signals.

The polyphase filter <NUM> comprises a plurality of R-C networks, consisting of a plurality of polyphase resistors and capacitors that can produce polyphase signals. The R and C time constant determines the operating frequency. To achieve wideband frequency tunability, each polyphase resistor is switchable, as controlled by a frequency tuning control signal. Each polyphase resistor is referred to as a switched-R, as depicted by <NUM> conceptually. The switched-R <NUM> comprises four parallel resistors R1, R2, R3, and R4, each controlled by a switch C1, C2, C3, and C4, respectively. By controlling the different switches, different resistor values of polyphase filter <NUM> can be realized. In one example, a four-bit frequency tuning control signal, each bit controlling one of the four switches, can control up to <NUM><NUM>=<NUM> possibilities of the corresponding resistance value of the polyphase resistor <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a preferred embodiment of a polyphase resistor (switched-R) <NUM> inside a polyphase filter. In the embodiment of <FIG>, switched-R <NUM> comprises four triode mode MOSFET transistors, supplied by a constant Gm(R) bias generator <NUM>. A MOSFET is said to operate in three regions, cutoff, triode and saturation, based on the condition of the inversion layer existed between the source and drain, as depicted in I-V curve <NUM>. The triode region is the operating region where the inversion region exists and current flows, but this region has begun to taper near the source. The potential requirement here is Vds < Vgs -Vth. Here, the drain source current has a parabolic relationship with the drain source potential. The MOSFET can simultaneously operate as a switch, in the "off" mode when it is turned off and in the "on" mode when it is at the triode region. The linear region of a MOSFET can be considered as a special portion of the triode region, where because of the very small value of the applied drain-source potential, there is a roughly linear relationship between Vds and Ids and the MOSFET behaves like a voltage dependent resistor. The potential condition for the linear region or the "deep triode" region is Vds << Vgs-Vth.

As depicted in <FIG>, different resistor value R of the switched-R <NUM> is realized by turning on one or more of the different transistors in triode mode, each transistor with a different Gm value (depending on the corresponding transistor size). That is, R<NUM>= (<NUM>/Gm1), R<NUM>=(<NUM>/Gm2), R<NUM>=(<NUM>/Gm3), and R<NUM>=(<NUM>/Gm4). For example, if C1 and C2 are on, then R = R<NUM>∥R<NUM>, if C2 and C3 are on, then R=R<NUM>∥R<NUM>. In order to maintain each R (or Gm) value across process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) variations, a constant Gm(R) bias voltage generator <NUM> is used to provide the gate biases VGS (C1, C2, C3, C4) to the triode mode transistors.

<FIG> illustrates a preferred embodiment of a switch <NUM> for controlling polyphase resistors inside a polyphase filter. As illustrated earlier in <FIG>, a polyphase resistor (e.g., <NUM>) is a switched-R, which comprises four parallel resistors R1, R2, R3, and R4, each resistor is controlled by a switch C1, C2, C3, and C4, respectively. In the embodiment of <FIG>, switch <NUM> (C4) is controlled by a constant Gm(R) bias generator <NUM>, which generate a constant bias voltage VGS. The MOSFET can simultaneously operate as a switch, it is in the "off" mode when it is turned off and in the "on" mode when it is in triode region.

In a typical semiconductor process, the resistor value varies significantly with process and temperature variations. <FIG> illustrates a preferred embodiment of a constant Gm(R) bias generator <NUM> for providing constant bias voltage VGS to switches that control polyphase resistors inside a polyphase filter. The structure of the constant Gm(R) bias generator circuit <NUM> has three parts: the replica transistor <NUM>, the operation amplifier (OPA) <NUM>, and the bandgap circuit <NUM>. The replica transistor size could be the same or scaled with the transistor size of the switched-R. The current reference IReference of the bandgap circuit <NUM> defines the drain to source current IDS of the replica transistor <NUM>. The negative feedback connected OPA <NUM> forces the drain voltage VDS of the replica transistor <NUM> to be equal to the voltage reference VReference of the bandgap circuit <NUM> by lifting or lowing the gate voltage VGS of the replica transistor <NUM>. The equilibrium biasing of the replica transistor <NUM> will be VDS = Vreference and IDS = IReference. Since the ratio of voltage and the current from the same bandgap circuit <NUM> are all very stable over process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) variation, the channel resistance (VDS/IDS) of the replica transistor <NUM> is a constant. The VGS is then applying to other switched-R transistors in a polyphase filter that would make them also be a constant channel resistance over process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) and other corner variation. To design the value of the channel resistance in a polyphase filter, a transistor size that is n times over the replica transistor size can be chosen. For example, the channel resistance of the chosen transistor is (UDS/IDS) /n. If n=<NUM>, then the channel resistance in polyphase filter is (VDS/IDS)/<NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates the image level over phase or amplitude error in a single-sideband mixer conversion, as depicted by <NUM>. The phase error and amplitude error would cause the system impairment that the image would occur in single-side-band mixer conversion. The image level depends on how good is the phase error and amplitude error is, as shown in <FIG>. The polyphase filter will have perfect phase error and amplitude error at corner frequency Fc. To achieve frequency tunable polyphase filter, the corner frequency Fc, either R or C in the polyphase filter is adjusted. In a preferred embodiment, as illustrated earlier, the R is adjusted via triode transistor. The R is regulated by a constant Gm(R) bias generator.

<FIG> illustrates RC time constant calibration used for polyphase filter. For R-C circuits, the R is regulated by const-Gm(R) bias generate over process, voltage and temperature (PVT) variation. However, despite the capacitor C is insensitive to temperature, the capacitor C still has process variation. The RC time constant calibration is to calibrate the Fc of polyphase filter over the process variation and only have to do it one time after the chip is made. In <FIG>, the precise clock <NUM> generates two period T, amplitude Vpeak, but opposite phase square waves to feed in the switched-capacitor resistor. The equivalent resistance of switched-capacitor resistor <NUM> is T/C. The R banks, switched-capacitor resistor is voltage divider for precise DC reference. R1, R2 is another voltage divider for precise DC reference. The bypass capacitor is to attenuate the clock feedthrough at node X.

The level of precise DC reference should make sure the triode transistor is always valid in the switch-R bank. In other words, Vref - Vx < Vov (overdrive voltage of the transistor). The value R and C can be scaled up or down comparing to the value R and C of the polyphase filter. The period T/<NUM> should be several RC time constant and it depends on how accuracy the calibration is needed. For example if T/<NUM> large than <NUM> RC time constant, then the error can be smaller than <NUM>%.

The calibration algorithm is as follows. The goal is to search the closest RC/T value to R1/R2 value. The R can be searched from smallest to largest on each certain several cycle of the precise clock, or either way. Once the DC comparator <NUM> flip its output sign from low to high, the precise clock will stop and the calibration is completed. The polarity of DC comparator, in other words, VX-VY or VY-VX, depends on the direction of searching R in R banks. For example, if the R is searched from smallest to largest, the polarity of DC comparator will be VX-VY, vice versa. <MAT> Where.

<FIG> illustrates one embodiment of RC time constant calibration procedure on state increment of switch-R bank. In the example of <FIG>, a <NUM>-bit state increment embodiment is shown by <NUM> and <NUM>. The precise clock <NUM> will generate a T2 period clock and will be large than T. The longer the T2 period is, the slower the DC comparator can be used. The slower DC comparator means the more accuracy can be achieved. The <NUM>-bit counter <NUM> will change to the next state when each falling-edge arrive at the counter. If R banks has n-bits triode transistor, then the counter will be n-bits.

<FIG> is a flow chart of a method of converting wideband radio frequency signals with tunable frequency and PVT tracking by a wideband converter in accordance with one novel aspect. In step <NUM>, the converter receives an input signal (IF) having a frequency of fIF by a wideband frequency tunable polyphase filter. The polyphase filter converts the IF signal to IFI and IFQ. In step <NUM>, the wideband converter amplifies IFI and IFQ by a pair of wideband frequency tunable amplifiers with signal polarity inverter and thereby generating amplified input signals with or without a polarity inversion of IFI and IFQ. In step <NUM>, the wideband converter multiplies the amplified input signals with local oscillator (LO) signals by a pair of double sideband mixers, the LO signals having a frequency of fLO. In step <NUM>, the wideband converter outputs an output signal (RF) from an output summer that are coupled to the mixers. The RF signal has an image frequency of (fIF+fLO) or (fIF-fLO) under up conversion, selectable by the polarity inversion.

Claim 1:
A wideband frequency tunable converter (<NUM>), comprising:
a wideband frequency tunable polyphase filter (<NUM>, <NUM>) that receives an input signal (IF) having a frequency of fIF, wherein the polyphase filter (<NUM>, <NUM>) converts the IF signal to IFI and IFQ;
a pair of wideband frequency tunable amplifiers (<NUM>, <NUM>) that receive IFI and IFQ and generates amplified input signals with or without a polarity inversion of IFI and IFQ;
a pair of double sideband mixers (<NUM>) that multiply the amplified input signals with local oscillator (LO) signals having a frequency of fLO; and
an output summer (<NUM>) that is coupled to the mixers (<NUM>) and outputs an output signal (RF), wherein the RF signal has an image frequency of either (fIF+fLO) or (fIF-fLO) under up conversion, selectable by the polarity inversion;
wherein the polyphase filter (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprises a plurality of polyphase resistors (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprising a plurality of triode mode transistors; and
wherein the converter (<NUM>) operates under a tunable frequency and with process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) tracking and compensation.