Active polyphase filter with transconductor cross-coupling of filter sections

• US 6,441,682 B1
• Filed: 11/22/2000
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Micro Linear Corporation (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vinn, Charles, Laber, Carlos, Luff, Gwilym
• Primary Examiner(s): Callahan, Timothy P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hai L.
• Application Number:
  US09/721,370
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 327/551, 327/552, 327/553, 327/558, 327/363, 327/379, 330/106, 330/107, 330/305
• US Class Current: 327/552
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/0422 using transconductance amplifiers, e.g. gmC filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/22 providing two or more phase shifted output signals, e.g. n-phase output
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2011/0494 Complex filters

Abstract

The invention is an improved implementation of an active-RC polyphase band-pass filter with transconductor cross-coupling between filter sections. The polyphase filter has first to fourth inputs, first to fourth outputs, two filter sections, and a block of transconductor pairs. The four input signals to the polyphase filter succeed one another in phase by 90 degrees. The two filter sections have reactances comprised of active balanced operational amplifiers with matched capacitors in their feedback loops. The block of transconductor pairs is coupled between corresponding reactances of each filter. The transconductance of each transconductor pair is set as the product of a desired radian center frequency and the capacitance of the corresponding matched capacitors. In the preferred embodiment, the transconductors are Gm cells and the transconductance of at least one Gm cell is field adjustable. The filter sections of the preferred embodiment can be a pair of low-pass third-order active-RC gaussian filters or a pair of low-pass sixth-order active-RC gaussian filters.

Claims

1. An active polyphase filter with transconductor cross-coupling of filter sections, comprising:

a. first to fourth inputs for applying a 4-phase input signal comprising first to fourth signal vectors, respectively, which succeed one another inphase by 90 degrees;

b. first to fourth outputs;

c. a first filter section comprising;

i) X-reactances wherein;

(1) each of the X-reactances are active balanced integrating circuits having one reactance input pair and one reactance output pair; and

(2) each of the X-reactances are coupled to the first input, the third input, the first output, and the third output; and

ii) M-terminals selectively coupled to reactance input pairs of the first filter section and reactance output pairs of the first filter section;

d. a second filter section comprising;

i) Y-reactances wherein;

(1) each of the Y-reactances are active balanced integrating circuits having one reactance input pair and one reactance output pair; and

(2) each of the Y-reactances are coupled to the second input, the fourth input, the second output, and the fourth output; and

ii) N-terminals selectively coupled to reactance input pairs of the second filter section and reactance output pairs of the second filter section; and

e. Z-transconductor pairs cross-coupling the reactances of the first filter section through the M-terminals and the reactances of the second filter section through the N-terminals.

2. The active polyphase filter with transconductor cross-coupling of filter sections according to claim 1, wherein:

a. of the M-terminals;

i) one half of the M-terminals are coupled to reactance input pairs of the first filter section; and

ii) the other half of the M-terminals are coupled to reactance output pairs of the first filter section;

b. of the N-terminals;

i) one half of the N-terminals are coupled to reactance input pairs of the second filter section; and

ii) the other half of the N-terminals are coupled to reactance output pairs of the second filter section; and

c. of the Z-transconductor pairs;

i) each of the transconductors have one transconductor input pair and one transconductor output pair; and

ii) in each Z-transconductor pair;

(1) one transconductor is coupled by its;

(a) transconductor input pair to a reactance output pair of a corresponding X-reactance through a selected pair of M-terminals; and

(b) transconductor output pair to a reactance input pair of a corresponding Y-reactance through a selected pair of N-terminals; and

(2) the other transconductor is coupled by its;

(a) transconductor input pair to a reactance output pair of a corresponding Y-reactance through a selected pair of N-terminals; and

(b) transconductor output pair to a reactance input pair of a corresponding X-reactance through a selected pair of M-terminals.

3. The active polyphase filter with transconductor cross-coupling of filter sections according to claim 1, wherein the transconductors are active balanced Gm cells.

4. The active polyphase filter with transconductor cross-coupling of filter sections according to claim 1, wherein the transconductance of at least one transconductor is filed adjustable.

5. The active polyphase filter with transconductor cross-coupling of filter sections according to claim 1, wherein:

a. the first filter section and the second filter section are both third-order low-pass two-phase gaussian filters; and

b. the value of;

i) X and Y are equal;

ii) M and N are equal; and

iii) M is equal to four times the value of X.

6. The active polyphase filter with transconductor cross-coupling of filter sections according to claim 1, wherein:

a. the first filter section and the second filter section are both sixth-order low-pass two-phase gaussian filters; and

b. the value of;

i) X, Y and Z are equal;

ii) M and N are equal; and

iii) M is equal to four times the value of X.

7. The active polyphase filter with transconductor cross-coupling of filter sections according to claim 1, wherein:

a. the active balanced integrating circuits are comprised of;

i) a balanced differential amplifier coupled between the reactance input pair and the reactance output pair; and

ii) a matched capacitor pair, wherein;

(1) one matched capacitor is shunted between;

(a) the first input of the reactance input pair; and

(b) the first output of the reactance output pair; and

(2) the other matched capacitor is shunted between;

(a) the second input of the reactance input pair; and

(b) the second output of the reactance output pair;

b. the matched capacitors of the first to Xth reactance and the corresponding matched capacitors of the first to Yth reactance are of equal capacitance; and

c. the transconductance of each transconductor pair is set as the product of;

i) a desired radian center frequency; and

ii) the capacitance of the nearest matched capacitors coupled to the transconductor pair.

8. An active filter comprising:

a. a first filter section having a first plurality of reactances;

b. a second filter section having a second plurality of reactances wherein the first and second plurality of reactances include equal numbers;

c. a plurality of pairs of transconductors, each pair corresponding to one of the first plurality of reactances and to one of the second plurality of reactances, a first transconductor of each pair having a pair of inputs coupled to the corresponding one of the first plurality of reactances and a pair of outputs coupled to the corresponding one of the second plurality of reactances and a second transconductor of each pair having a pair of inputs coupled to the corresponding one of the second plurality of reactances and a pair of outputs coupled to the corresponding one of the first plurality of reactances.

9. The active filter according to claim 8 wherein each transconductor is a balanced Gm cell.

10. The active filter according to claim 8 wherein each reactance of the first and second plurality of reactances includes a differential amplifier having capacitive feedback.

11. The active filter according to claim 8 wherein each reactance of the first and second plurality of reactances includes a balanced integrator.

12. The active filter according to claim 8 wherein the active filter is a quadrature polyphase filter.

13. The active filter according to claim 8 wherein the active filter is a third order filter.

14. The active filter according to claim 8 wherein the active filter is a sixth order filter.