Self-calibrating wideband phase continuous synthesizer and associated methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for generating a wideband swept frequency signal comprising:
- a first generator for generating a first swept frequency signal;
a second generator successively switching between different frequency signals and creating undesired phase discontinuities during switching;
a mixer connected to said first and second generators for mixing the first swept frequency signal and the successively switched different frequency signals to produce the wideband swept frequency signal; and
a calibrator for calibrating said second generator to reduce the undesired phase discontinuities during switching based upon the wideband swept frequency signal.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The synthesizer and method provide a relatively wideband swept frequency signal and include generating a first swept frequency signal with a first generator, and successively switching between different frequency signals with a second generator. Such switching creates undesired phase discontinuities in the output swept frequency signal. The first swept frequency signal is combined with the successively switched different frequency signals to produce the relatively wideband swept frequency signal, and the second generator is calibrated to reduce the undesired phase discontinuities during switching based upon the output swept frequency signal.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for generating a wideband swept frequency signal comprising:
-
a first generator for generating a first swept frequency signal; a second generator successively switching between different frequency signals and creating undesired phase discontinuities during switching; a mixer connected to said first and second generators for mixing the first swept frequency signal and the successively switched different frequency signals to produce the wideband swept frequency signal; and a calibrator for calibrating said second generator to reduce the undesired phase discontinuities during switching based upon the wideband swept frequency signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. An apparatus for generating a wideband swept frequency signal comprising:
-
a first digital synthesizer for generating a first swept frequency signal; a second generator successively switching between different frequency signals and creating undesired phase discontinuities during switching; a mixer connected to said first and second digital synthesizers for mixing the first swept frequency signal and the successively switched different frequency signals to produce the wideband swept frequency signal; and a self-calibration feedback loop to reduce the undesired phase discontinuities during switching based upon the wideband swept frequency signal, the self-calibration feedback loop comprising a phase locked loop (PLL) receiving a reference frequency signal, a mixer receiving the wideband swept frequency signal and a phase reference signal from the PLL, an analog-to-digital (a/d) converter receiving an output signal of the mixer, and a controller connected to the a/d converter and providing a calibration signal to the second generator. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
-
-
9. A method for generating a wideband swept frequency signal comprising:
-
generating a first swept frequency signal with a first generator; successively switching between different frequency signals with a second generator while creating undesired phase discontinuities during switching; combining the first swept frequency signal and the successively switched different frequency signals to produce the wideband swept frequency signal; and calibrating the second generator to reduce the undesired phase discontinuities during switching based upon the wideband swept frequency signal. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method for generating a wideband swept frequency signal comprising:
-
generating a first swept frequency signal with a first generator; successively switching between different frequency signals with a second generator and creating undesired phase discontinuities during switching; combining the first swept frequency signal and the successively switched different frequency signals to produce the wideband swept frequency signal; and calibrating the second generator by comparing the phase of the wideband swept frequency signal before and after successively switching between different frequency signals to determine the undesired phase discontinuities created during switching, and adjusting the second generator to reduce the undesired phase discontinuities. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification