Electronic phase shifter

• US 5,939,918 A
• Filed: 12/23/1997
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northern Telecom Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Beggs, Bruce C., Jamal, Rivaz, McGarry, Steven Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Callahan, Timothy P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIM, JUNG H
• Application Number:
  US08/997,391
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 327/258, 327/237, 327/246, 327/247, 327/248, 327/249, 327/252, 327/253, 332/144, 332/146, 332/103, 332/105
• US Class Current: 327/247
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/20 Two-port phase shifters providing an adjustable phase shift

Abstract

An electronic phase shifter splits an input signal into two signals whose amplitudes are set by a weighting circuit controlled by a phase shift control signal. Each of the two outputs of the weighting circuit is loaded with an RLC resonator, one tuned to a frequency lower than that of the input signal and one tuned to a frequency higher than that of the input signal. The loaded outputs are recombined in a vector summing network to synthesize the required phase shifted output signal. This technique permits implementation on a monolithic integrated circuit (MIC) with high gain at high frequencies (e.g. 10 GHz). It also allows a large dynamic range of operation and a large (i.e., greater than 90 degrees) controllable phase shift. This is accomplished without the use of variable reactance elements or any other components external to the MIC.

Claims

1. A phase shifter for an input signal, comprising:

a first resonator tuned to a frequency less than that of said input signal;

a second resonator tuned to a frequency higher than that of said input signal;

a weighting circuit for, responsive to a control signal, applying a magnitude adjusted form of said input signal to each of said first resonator and said second resonator;

a summing circuit for summing an output of said first resonator and an output of said second resonator to obtain a phase shifted output signal.

2. The phase shifter of claim 1 wherein said weighting circuit comprises a first amplifier for applying a selectable first gain to said input signal to obtain a first gain signal which is applied to said first resonator and a second amplifier for applying a selectable second gain to said input signal to obtain a second gain signal which is applied to said second resonator.

3. The phase shifter of claim 2 wherein said weighting circuit comprises a current steering amplifier input with said input signal and one of an inverted form of said input signal and a reference signal.

4. The phase shifter of claim 1 wherein said first resonator comprises a resistor-inductor-capacitor (RLC) circuit and wherein said second resonator comprises an RLC circuit.

5. The phase shifter of claim 4 wherein each amplifier of said current steering amplifier comprises one of a bipolar transistor and a FET.

6. The phase shifter of claim 5 wherein said first resonator, said second resonator, said current steering amplifier, and said summing circuit are each fabricated on a monolithic integrated circuit.

7. The phase shifter of claim 1 including:

a third resonator tuned to said frequency less than that of said input signal;

a fourth resonator tuned to said frequency higher than that of said input signal;

and wherein said weighting circuit comprises a circuit having

a first differential pair, one amplifier of said first differential pair input with said input signal and outputting to said first resonator, another amplifier of said first differential pair input with one of an inverted form of said input signal and a reference signal and outputting to said third resonator;

a second differential pair, one amplifier of said second differential pair input with said input signal and outputting to said second resonator, another amplifier of said second differential pair input with one of an inverted form of said input signal and a reference signal and outputting to said fourth resonator; and

a third differential pair input with said control signal and with a source of current, one amplifier of said third differential pair outputting to said first differential pair and another amplifier of said third differential pair outputting to said second differential pair.

8. The phase shifter of claim 7 wherein each of said first resonator, said second resonator, said third resonator, and said fourth resonator comprises a resistor-inductor-capacitor (RLC) circuit.

9. The phase shifter of claim 8 wherein said summing circuit comprises two differential pairs, one pair differentially input with an output of said first resonator and an output of said second resonator and another pair differentially input with an output of said third resonator and an output of said fourth resonator, said summing circuit having a summing output and an inverted summing output.

10. The phase shifter of claim 9 wherein said summing circuit comprises a resonator loading each of said two differential pairs, each said resonator resonating proximate a center frequency of said input signal.

11. A phase shifter for an input signal, comprising:

a first resonator tuned to a frequency less than that of said input signal;

a second resonator tuned to a frequency higher than that of said input signal;

a weighting circuit for, responsive to a control signal, weighting said input signal with a first weighting and applying said input signal weighted by said first weighting to a first output loaded with said first resonator and weighting said input signal with a second weighting and applying said input signal weighted by said second weighting to a second output loaded by said second resonator;

a summing circuit for summing said first output and said second output to obtain a phase shifted output signal.

12. A phase shifter for a high frequency input signal, comprising:

a steering amplifier circuit for inputting with said high frequency input signal and with a phase shifting control signal;

a first resonating circuit for resonating at a frequency less than that of said high frequency signal, said first resonating circuit loading a first output of said steering amplifier;

a second resonating circuit for resonating at a frequency greater than that of said high frequency signal, said second resonating circuit loading a second output of said steering amplifier;

a combining circuit coupled to said first steering amplifier output and said second steering amplifier output.