Millimeter-wave mixed-signal automatic gain control
First Claim
1. A wireless data transceiver, comprising:
- a voltage-controlled oscillator configured to generate a first time-varying signal;
a first amplifier configured to amplify an antenna signal having a millimeter wave frequency received from an antenna to produce an amplified signal;
a frequency mixer coupled to the voltage-controlled oscillator and the first amplifier, the frequency mixer configured to generate a second time-varying signal based on the first time-varying signal and the amplified signal;
a second amplifier configured to amplify the second time-varying signal to produce an amplified second time-varying signal;
a power detector configured to measure a characteristic of the amplified second time-varying signal; and
an automatic gain control circuit coupled to the power detector and the first amplifier and the second amplifier, wherein the automatic gain control circuit is configured to adjust operation of the first amplifier and the second amplifier based on the measured characteristic, a minimum power setting, and a maximum power setting, wherein the automatic gain control circuit comprises an up/down counter with an output of the up/down counter connected directly to the first amplifier and the second amplifier, wherein the up/down counter instructs the first amplifier and the second amplifier to adjust operation by instructing the first amplifier and the second amplifier to increase gain and decrease gain, the automatic gain control further comprising;
a first digital to analog converter (DAC) connected to a first comparator that drives an “
up”
input of the up/down counter; and
a second DAC connected to a second comparator that drives a “
down”
input of the up/down counter, wherein the automatic gain control circuit is further configured to instruct the first amplifier and the second amplifier to increase gain if the measured characteristic is less than the minimum power setting, and wherein the automatic gain control circuit is further configured to instruct the first amplifier and the second amplifier to decrease gain if the measured characteristic is greater than the maximum power setting; and
wherein the first amplifier, the frequency mixer, the second amplifier, the power detector, and the automatic gain control circuit are implemented on-chip in a manner that reduces degradation of the first time-varying signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless data transceiver comprises a voltage controlled oscillator configured to generate a first time-varying signal. The transceiver further comprises an antenna configured to receive a signal wirelessly over a network. The transceiver further comprises an amplifier configured to amplify the signal. The transceiver further comprises a frequency mixer coupled to the voltage controlled oscillator and the amplifier. The frequency mixer is configured to generate a second time-varying signal based on the first time-varying signal and the amplified signal. The transceiver further comprises a power detector configured to measure a characteristic of the second time-varying signal. The transceiver further comprises an automatic gain control circuit coupled to the power detector and the amplifier. The automatic gain control circuit is configured to adjust operation of the amplifier based on the measured characteristic, a minimum power setting, and a maximum power setting.
81 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A wireless data transceiver, comprising:
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a voltage-controlled oscillator configured to generate a first time-varying signal; a first amplifier configured to amplify an antenna signal having a millimeter wave frequency received from an antenna to produce an amplified signal; a frequency mixer coupled to the voltage-controlled oscillator and the first amplifier, the frequency mixer configured to generate a second time-varying signal based on the first time-varying signal and the amplified signal; a second amplifier configured to amplify the second time-varying signal to produce an amplified second time-varying signal; a power detector configured to measure a characteristic of the amplified second time-varying signal; and an automatic gain control circuit coupled to the power detector and the first amplifier and the second amplifier, wherein the automatic gain control circuit is configured to adjust operation of the first amplifier and the second amplifier based on the measured characteristic, a minimum power setting, and a maximum power setting, wherein the automatic gain control circuit comprises an up/down counter with an output of the up/down counter connected directly to the first amplifier and the second amplifier, wherein the up/down counter instructs the first amplifier and the second amplifier to adjust operation by instructing the first amplifier and the second amplifier to increase gain and decrease gain, the automatic gain control further comprising; a first digital to analog converter (DAC) connected to a first comparator that drives an “
up”
input of the up/down counter; anda second DAC connected to a second comparator that drives a “
down”
input of the up/down counter, wherein the automatic gain control circuit is further configured to instruct the first amplifier and the second amplifier to increase gain if the measured characteristic is less than the minimum power setting, and wherein the automatic gain control circuit is further configured to instruct the first amplifier and the second amplifier to decrease gain if the measured characteristic is greater than the maximum power setting; andwherein the first amplifier, the frequency mixer, the second amplifier, the power detector, and the automatic gain control circuit are implemented on-chip in a manner that reduces degradation of the first time-varying signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A wireless data transceiver, comprising:
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a voltage-controlled oscillator configured to generate a first time-varying signal; a first amplifier configured to amplify an antenna signal having a millimeter wave frequency received from an antenna to produce an amplified signal; a frequency mixer coupled to the voltage-controlled oscillator and the first amplifier, the frequency mixer configured to generate a second time-varying signal based on the first time-varying signal and the amplified signal; a second amplifier configured to amplify the second time-varying signal to produce an amplified second time-varying signal; a power detector configured to measure a characteristic of the amplified second time-varying signal; an automatic gain control circuit coupled to the power detector and the first amplifier and the second amplifier, wherein the automatic gain control circuit is configured to adjust operation of the first amplifier and the second amplifier based on the measured characteristic, a minimum power setting, and a maximum power setting, wherein the automatic gain control circuit comprises an up/down counter with an output of the up/down counter connected directly to the first amplifier and the second amplifier, wherein the up/down counter instructs the first amplifier and the second amplifier to increase gain if the measured characteristic is less than the minimum power setting, and wherein the automatic gain control circuit is further configured to instruct the first amplifier and the second amplifier to decrease gain if the measured characteristic is greater than the maximum power setting, wherein the automatic gain control circuit further comprises;
a first digital to analog converter (DAC) connected to a first comparator that drives an “
up”
input of the up/down counter; and
a second DAC connected to a second comparator that drives a “
down”
input of the up/down counter; anda bias circuit coupled between an output of the second amplifier and the power detector, wherein the bias circuit is configured to reduce an amount of noise injected into the amplified second time-varying signal by the power detector. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification