Absorbing sum signal energy in a mixer

• US 7,197,293 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2003
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies Wireless IP Singapore Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies Wireless IP Singapore Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vice, Michael W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tony T.
• Application Number:
  US10/639,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20050037726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,324 Days
• Field of Search: 455/326, 455/333, 455/334, 455/339, 455/341, 455/296, 455/293, 455/130, 455/137, 455/140, 455/276.1, 455/278.1, 455/295, 455/306, 455/304
• US Class Current: 455/326
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 7/1408 with diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 7/1433 using bipolar transistors H03D7/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 7/1441 using field-effect transistors H03D7/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 7/1466 Passive mixer arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 7/1483 comprising components for selecting a particular frequency component of the output

Abstract

A frequency mixer that generates out of phase sum signals and uses the out of phase relationship to absorb sum signal energy in an energy absorbing component. A frequency mixer according to the present teachings includes a set of mixing devices that generate a first sum signal and a second sum signal in response to an input signal and a drive signal such that the first sum signal is out of phase in relation to the second sum signal. A frequency mixer according to the present teachings includes an energy absorbing component that absorbs the out of phase sum terms from the mixing devices.

Claims

1. A frequency mixer, comprising:

a set of mixing devices that generate a first sum signal and a second sum signal in response to an input signal and a drive signal, the mixing devices generating the first sum signal 180 degrees out of phase in relation to the second sum signal;

circuit for applying the out of phase sum signals to an energy absorbing component.

2. The frequency mixer of claim 1, wherein the circuit for applying comprises a circuit for applying the out of phase sum signals to opposite terminals of the energy absorbing component.

3. The frequency mixer of claim 1, farther comprising a set of filters that prevent the sum signals from reaching a pair of intermediate frequency nodes of the frequency mixer.

4. The frequency mixer of claim 1, further comprising a set of components that are selected to prevent the sum signals from reaching an input node of the frequency mixer.

5. The frequency mixer of claim 1, further comprising a set of components that are selected to pass the input signal to the mixing devices.

6. The frequency mixer of claim 5, wherein a value for each component is selected in response to a desired frequency of the input signal.

7. A frequency mixer, comprising:

drive signal generator that generates a first drive signal and a second drive signal that is out of phase in relation to the first drive signal;

first mixing device that generates a first sum signal in response to an input signal and the first drive signal;

second mixing device that generates a second sum signal in response to the input signal and the second drive signal;

circuit for absorbing the sum signals from the first and second mixing devices;

wherein the first sum signal and the second sum signal are 180 degrees out of phase.

8. The frequency mixer of claim 7, wherein the circuit for absorbing includes an energy absorbing component coupled between the sum signals, a relative phase difference between the sum signals causing the energy absorbing component to absorb the energy of the sum signals.

9. The frequency mixer of claim 8, wherein the circuit for absorbing includes a set of components for applying the sum signals to the energy absorbing component.

10. The frequency mixer of claim 7, wherein the circuit for absorbing includes a set of components that are selected to prevent the sum signals from reaching an input node to the frequency mixer.

11. The frequency mixer of claim 7, wherein the circuit for absorbing includes a set of components that are selected to pass the input signal to the mixing devices.

12. The frequency mixer of claim 7, further comprising a set of filters that prevent the sum signals from reaching a pair of intermediate frequency nodes of the frequency mixer.

13. A method for dissipating a sum signal energy in a frequency mixer, comprising:

generating a first sum signal and a second sum signal in response to an input signal and a drive signal, the first sum signal 180 degrees out of phase in relation to the second sum signal;

dissipating the sum signal energy by applying the out of phase sum signals to an energy absorbing component.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein applying comprises applying the out of phase sum signals to opposite terminals of the energy absorbing component.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising preventing the sum signals from reaching a pair of intermediate frequency nodes of the frequency mixer.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising preventing the sum signals from reaching an input node of the frequency mixer.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising selecting a set of components for obtaining the input signal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein selecting includes selecting a value for each component in response to a desired frequency of the input signal.

19. A frequency mixer, comprising:

a first mixing device responsive to a first drive signal to generate a first sum signal, the first drive signal being 180 degrees out of phase with a second drive signal;

a second mixing device responsive to the second drive signal to generate a second sum signal, the first sum signal being 180 degrees out of phase with the second sum signal;

an energy absorbing component having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal operably connected to receive the first sum signal and the second terminal operably connected to receive the second sum signal;

a first band pass filter operably connected to pass an input signal from an RF input to a first output node and block the first sum signal from the RF input; and

a second band pass filter operably connected to pass the input signal from the RF input to a second output node and block the second sum signal from the RF input.

20. The frequency mixer of claim 19, further comprising a drive signal generator generating the first drive signal and the second drive signal.

21. The frequency mixer of claim 19, wherein the energy absorbing component is a resistor.

22. The frequency mixer of claim 19, further comprising a first low pass filter operably connected between the first mixing device and the first output node, and a second low pass filter operably connected between the second mixing device and the second output node.