Patent ID: 8624658

Claim:
A frequency mixer comprising: a first mixer core coupled to a radio frequency (RF) port and an intermediate frequency (IF) port; a second mixer core coupled to the RF port and the IF port; a first local oscillator (LO) balun coupled to the first mixer core, the first LO balun configured to furnish a first LO signal to the first mixer core during a first time interval; a second LO balun coupled to the second mixer core, the second LO balun configured to furnish a second LO signal to the second mixer core during a second time interval, the first time interval different than the second time interval; a first biasing voltage source electrically connected to the first LO balun, the first biasing voltage source configured to furnish a negative direct current (DC) voltage to the first mixer core when the first mixer core is at least substantially non-operational; a second biasing voltage source electrically connected to the second LO balun, the second biasing voltage source configured to furnish the negative DC voltage to the second mixer core when the second mixer core is at least substantially non-operational; a first driver coupled to the first LO balun, the first driver configured to amplify the first LO signal during the first time interval; a second driver coupled to the second LO balun, the second driver configured to amplify the second LO signal during the second time interval; and control circuitry operatively coupled to the first driver, the second driver, the first biasing voltage source the second biasing voltage source, the control circuitry configured to selectively power the first driver during the first time interval and to selectively power the second driver during the second time interval, the control circuitry configured to cause the first biasing voltage source to furnish a negative direct current (DC) voltage to the first mixer core when the first mixer core is at least substantially non-operational and to cause the second biasing voltage source to furnish the negative DC voltage to the second mixer core when the second mixer core is at least substantially non-operational.