Wideband local oscillator architecture
First Claim
1. A conversion integrated circuit (IC) for RF signals, comprising;
- a first interface for transmitting or receiving signals in a broadband spectrum;
sideband selection circuit elements coupled to the first interface for up-conversion or down-conversion of the signals to and from an intermediate frequency (IF);
a second interface coupled to said circuit elements for receiving and transmitting at the intermediate frequency (IF); and
an on-chip voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) coupled to at least one of the circuit elements through one of frequency multiplication or division circuitry for generating a local-oscillator (LO) signal to that circuit element for conversion between the IF frequency and the receive or transmit frequency in the broadband spectrum.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A conversion integrated circuit (IC) for RF signals has a first interface for transmitting or receiving a first number of distinct RF frequency bands in a broadband spectrum, a plurality of circuit elements coupled to the first interface, one for each of the frequency bands, for up-conversion or down-conversion of the frequency bands to and from an intermediate frequency (IF), a second interface coupled to said circuit elements for receiving and transmitting at the intermediate frequency (IF), and a second number of on-chip voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs) coupled to the circuit elements for generating local-oscillator (LO) signals to the circuit elements for conversion between the IF frequency and the receive or transmit frequency for each band. The IC is characterized in that the second number is smaller than the first number.
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A conversion integrated circuit (IC) for RF signals, comprising;
-
a first interface for transmitting or receiving signals in a broadband spectrum;
sideband selection circuit elements coupled to the first interface for up-conversion or down-conversion of the signals to and from an intermediate frequency (IF);
a second interface coupled to said circuit elements for receiving and transmitting at the intermediate frequency (IF); and
an on-chip voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) coupled to at least one of the circuit elements through one of frequency multiplication or division circuitry for generating a local-oscillator (LO) signal to that circuit element for conversion between the IF frequency and the receive or transmit frequency in the broadband spectrum. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A broadband receiving/transmitting system, comprising:
-
an antenna for receiving or transmitting RF signals in a broadband spectrum;
a conversion integrated circuit (IC) coupled to the antenna by a first interface of the IC; and
modulation circuitry coupled to the IC by a second interface of the IC for receiving or transmitting each of the bands at a common intermediate frequency (IF);
characterized in that the conversion IC comprises a first interface for transmitting or receiving signals in a broadband spectrum, sideband selection circuit elements coupled to the first interface for up-conversion or down-conversion of the signals to and from an intermediate frequency (IF), a second interface coupled to the circuit elements for receiving and transmitting at the intermediate frequency (IF), and an on-chip voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) coupled to at least one of the circuit elements through one of frequency multiplication or division circuitry for generating a local-oscillator (LO) signal to that circuit element for conversion between the IF frequency and the receive or transmit frequency in the broadband spectrum. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
15. A method for providing local oscillator (LO) signals to one or more sideband-selection circuit elements in up-conversion or down-conversion circuitry for a broadband spectrum, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) providing an on-chip voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO); and
(b) coupling the VCO to the one or more circuit elements using frequency multiplication or division.
-
Specification