RF-front-end for a radar system

• US 20090189801A1
• Filed: 01/21/2009
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Lachner, Rudolf, Forstner, Hans Peter
• Application Number:
  US12/321,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20090189801A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/175
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/032 Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device antennas per se H01Q
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item

Abstract

An RF sender/receiver front-end is disclosed comprising a terminal for receiving an oscillator signal, at least one distribution unit for distributing the oscillator signal into different signal paths, two or more mixer-arrangements for sending a transmit-signal or for receiving an receive-signal, where each mixer-arrangement comprises a mixer and an amplifier for amplifying the oscillator signal and generating the transmit-signal.

Claims

1. An RF sender/receiver front-end comprising:

a terminal for receiving an oscillator signal,

at least one distribution unit configured to distribute the oscillator signal into different signal paths,

two or more mixer arrangements configured to send a transmit-signal or to receiving an receive-signal, at least one of said mixer arrangements configured to transmit a transmit-signal and receive a receive-signal each mixer arrangement operably coupled to receive the oscillator signal, each mixer arrangement comprising a mixer and an amplifier configured to amplify the oscillator signal and generate the transmit-signal, wherein the amplifier is controllably enabled when and disabled.

2. The RF sender/receiver front-end of claim 1, further comprising an oscillator.

3. The RF sender/receiver front-end of claim 1, further comprising a terminating impedance operably coupled to inhibit reflections of a received signal.

4. The RF sender/receiver front-end of claim 1, wherein the RF sender/receiver front-end is integrated in one semiconductor body.

5. The RF sender/receiver front-end of claim 4, wherein an antenna is arranged together with the semiconductor body in a single chip package.

6. An arrangement for use in an RF transceiver, comprising:

a terminal operably coupled to receive an oscillator signal,

at least one distribution unit configured to distribute the oscillator signal into different signal paths,

two or more mixer arrangements configured to send a transmit signal or receive a receive signal, each mixer arrangement is operably coupled in one of the different signal paths, each mixer arrangement comprising a mixer and an amplifier configured to amplify the oscillator signal.

7. The arrangement of claim 6, further comprising an oscillator coupled to the terminal.

8. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein the amplifier can be controllably enabled and disabled.

9. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein:

a first mixer arrangement is coupled in a first of the different signal paths and is configured to transmit or receive RF signals in a first frequency band; and

a second mixer arrangement is coupled in a second of the different signal paths and is configured to transmit or receive RF signals in a second frequency band that is different than the first frequency band.

10. The arrangement of claim 9, wherein the first frequency band is employed for near area radar location, and the second frequency band is employed for far area radar location.

11. The arrangement of claim 9, wherein the amplifier can be controllably enabled and disabled.