Frequency converter capable of reducing noise components in local oscillation signals

• US 5,634,207 A
• Filed: 02/12/1996
• Issued: 05/27/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Arai, Satoshi, Yamaji, Takafumi, Tanimoto, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MATTHEW VAN
• Application Number:
  US08/600,115
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 363/159, 363/163, 363/164, 363/165, 363/173, 455/314, 455/315, 455/323, 455/325, 455/333
• US Class Current: 455/323
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 1/04 Reducing undesired oscillations, e.g. harmonics
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 2202/07 Reduction of undesired oscillations through a cancelling of the undesired oscillation
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 2200/0043 Bias and operating point
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 7/1433 using bipolar transistors H03D7/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 7/1458 Double balanced arrangements, i.e. where both input signals are differential

Abstract

A frequency converter includes a high-frequency signal input circuit for forming a high-frequency signal with bias voltage or current to output a bias-added high-frequency signal; a local oscillation signal input circuit having a first element for forming a local oscillation signal with bias voltage or current and an element for suppressing a noise component having a frequency near a frequency of multiple of even number of a local oscillation frequency to output a bias-added and noise suppressed local oscillation signal; and a multiplication circuit for multiplying the bias-added high-frequency signal and the bias-added and noise suppressed local oscillation signal. By the constitution, it is possible to convert the high-frequency signal into a desired frequency signal having low influence of noises having frequency near the frequency of multiple of even number especially zero or two of the local oscillation signal to thereby reasonably suppress gain and noise in the high-frequency amplifier and local oscillator and reducing a current consumption of a radio receiver.

Claims

1. A frequency converter capable of reducing a noise component in a local oscillation signal:

comprising

a high frequency signal input circuit for inputting a high-frequency signal, for producing the high-frequency signal with bias voltage or current, and for outputting a bias-added high-frequency signal;

a local oscillation signal input circuit for inputting a local oscillation signal, and including at least bias adding means for outputting a bias-added local oscillation signal after adding the local oscillation signal with bias voltage or current, and even harmonic suppression means for suppressing a noise component having a frequency in the vicinity of a frequency which is multiple of even number of a local oscillation frequency of the local oscillation signal so as to output a bias-added and even-noise suppressed local oscillation signal in which noises having frequency of multiple of even number are reduced; and

a multiplication circuit for inputting the bias-added high-frequency signal supplied from the high-frequency signal input circuit and the bias-added and even-noise suppressed local oscillation signal supplied from the local oscillation signal input circuit, and multiplying both the signals to output a product of the bias-added high-frequency signal and the bias-added and even-noise suppressed local oscillation signal.

2. The frequency converter according to claim 1,

wherein the local oscillation signal input circuit comprises an amplifier circuit for only amplifying the local oscillation signal and for suppressing a low-frequency noise component included in the local oscillation signal.

3. The frequency converter according to claim 1,

wherein the even harmonic suppression means comprises a pair of transmission lines and for suppressing the noise component having a frequency near the frequency of multiple of even number of the local oscillation frequency of the local oscillation signal.

4. The frequency converter according to claim 1, wherein the local oscillation signal input circuit has a single ended input of the local oscillation signal.

5. The frequency converter according to claim 1,

wherein the local oscillation signal input circuit has a differential input of the local oscillation signal.

6. The frequency converter according to claim 1,

wherein the local oscillation signal input circuit comprises the even harmonic suppression means for specifically suppressing noise components having a frequency near a frequency multiple of the frequency of the local oscillation signal.

7. The frequency converter according to claim 1,

wherein the local oscillation signal input circuit comprises the even harmonic suppression means for suppressing noise components having a frequency near a frequency multiple of zero of the frequency of the local oscillation signal.

8. The frequency converter according to claim 1,

wherein the multiplication circuit is comprised of a single balance multiplication circuit which comprises a load circuit, a differential pair comprised of a pair of transistors having bases respectively receiving a plus component and a minus component of the bias-added and even-noise suppressed local oscillation signal supplied from the local oscillation signal input circuit, and an amplifier circuit for amplifying the bias-added high-frequency signal supplied from the high-frequency input circuit.

9. The frequency converter according to claim 1,

wherein the multiplication circuit is comprised of a double balance multiplication circuit which comprises a load circuit, a differential pair having two pairs of transistors each pair having bases respectively receiving a plus component and a minus component of the bias-added and even noise suppressed local oscillation signal supplied from the local oscillation signal input circuit, and a pair of amplifier circuits respectively amplifying a plus component and a minus component of the bias-added high-frequency signal supplied from the high-frequency signal input circuit.

10. A radio receiver system capable of reducing a noise component included in a reproduced signal, comprising

a reception section for receiving a radio frequency signal including a high-frequency signal through an antenna:

a frequency converter section including a high-frequency signal input circuit for producing a high-frequency signal inputted from the reception section with bias voltage or current, a local oscillation signal input circuit for adding, to bias voltage or current, a local oscillation signal having a local oscillation frequency substantially equal to a frequency of the high-frequency signal received by the reception section to output a bias-added local oscillation signal and for suppressing a noise component having a frequency near a frequency multiple of even number of the bias-added local oscillation signal to output a noise suppressed signal, and a multiplication circuit for multiplying the bias-added high-frequency signal and the noise suppressed local oscillation signal; and

a signal processing section for inputting a converted signal supplied from the frequency converter section and outputting a desired frequency signal which is generated by eliminating a signal component of an unnecessary frequency band from a converted signal end including only a signal component proper for a reproduction.

11. The radio receiver system according to claim 10,

wherein the frequency converter section comprises I-channel and Q-channel frequency converters for converting respective frequencies divided into two systems of an I-channel and a Q-channel from the high-frequency signal received by the reception section;

the signal processing section comprises I-channel and Q-channel base band signal processors for respectively processing base band signals included in respective systems of the I-channel and Q-channel frequency converters; and

the receiver system outputs reception data demodulated from the base band signal included in the radio frequency signal received by a direct conversion receiver system comprising the I-channel and Q-channel systems.

12. The radio receiver system according to claim 10,

wherein the receiver system is comprised of a super heterodyne receiver system comprising the reception section including an antenna and a first high-frequency signal processing section;

a first frequency converter for converting and outputting a first intermediate frequency signal from the high-frequency signal by multiplying bias-added high-frequency signal and a bias-added and even-noise suppressed signal respectively supplied from the high-frequency signal processor and a first local oscillator to output a first intermediate frequency signal;

a first intermediate frequency signal processing section for amplifying a first processed intermediate frequency signal after removing an unnecessary component included in the first intermediate frequency signal;

a second frequency converter for inputting the first processed intermediate frequency signal from the first intermediate frequency processing section and an output of a second local oscillator and for multiplying the bias-added intermediate frequency signal and a bias-added and even-noise suppressed local oscillation signal to convert the first intermediate frequency signal into a second intermediate frequency signal;

a second intermediate frequency signal processing section for amplifying and outputting a second processed intermediate frequency signal after an unnecessary component is removed from the second intermediate frequency signal; and

an output section for outputting data signals after the second processed intermediate frequency signal is converted into a digital signal.