Wideband local oscillator architecture
First Claim
1. A conversion integrated circuit (IC) for RF signals, comprising;
- 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;
characterized in that the second number is smaller than the first number.
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 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;
characterized in that the second number is smaller than the first number. - 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 including a first number of signal bands;
a conversion integrated circuit (IC) coupled to the first number of signal bands 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 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), 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 second number less than the first number. - 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 a first number of sideband-selection circuit elements in up-conversion or down-conversion circuitry, for a broadband spectrum including the first number of frequency bands, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) providing a second number of on-chip voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs), the second number fewer than the first number; and
(b) serving all of the circuit elements with appropriate LO frequencies by one or both of alternative sideband selection and frequency doubling techniques.
-
Specification