Electromagnetic wave transmitter, receiver and transceiver systems, methods and articles of manufacture

• US 7,221,915 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2003
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pine Valley Investments, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: M/A Com, Inc. (MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tripp, Jeffrey William, Ahmed, Walid Khairy Mohamed
• Primary Examiner(s): Vuong, Quochien B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hannon, Christian A.
• Application Number:
  US10/606,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20040266359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,427 Days
• Field of Search: 4551271-1272, 455/114.3, 455/108, 455/127.4, 455/127.5, 455/296, 455/297, 455/127.3, 375/296, 375/297
• US Class Current: 455/127.3
• CPC Class Codes: H03C 3/40 using two signal paths the outputs of which have a predetermined phase difference and at least one output being amplitude-modulated
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0483 Transmitters with multiple parallel paths

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for electromagnetic processing of an input wave involving receiving a modified signal derived from two or more signals that represent the input wave when combined; and regulating the modified signal using at least one analog signal containing a characteristic of the two or more signals. Embodiments of the invention may utilize in-phase and quadrature phase signals, where the magnitude portion of the signals may be used for regulating the modified signal. The modified signal may be created by modulating a characteristic of the I, Q signals, such as their sign, with an RF or other frequency carrier wave.

Claims

1. A method for electromagnetic processing of an input wave comprising the steps of:

generating two or more signals that represent an input wave when combined;

receiving a modified signal derived from the two or more signals that represent said input wave when combined;

processing one or more of the two or more signals, wherein said processing comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of performing correction of an amplitude characteristic of a carrier wave used in said derivation of said modified signal, correction of a phase characteristic of a carrier wave used in said derivation of said modified signal, and filtering of one or more of said two or more signals that represent said input wave when combined; and

regulating said modified signal using at least one analog signal containing a characteristic of said two or more signals, said regulation being performed by at least one of a device and a device segment for receiving at least one analog control signal.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said two or more signals are in quadrature with each other.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein said characteristic used to regulate said modified signal is magnitude.

4. A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of generating an output signal from said regulation of said modified signal.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein said step of regulating said modified signal is performed using a plurality of segments.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein one or more of said segments is independently controlled as a power amplifier by a portion of said two or more signals that represent said input wave to contribute power to an output signal.

7. A method as in claim 6, further comprising the step of generating an output signal by combining power outputted from one or more of said segments.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein said step of generating an output signal by combining power is accomplished using one or more selected from the group consisting of power transformers, quarter-wave transmission lines, discrete LC components, and a Pi-networks.

9. A method as in claim 5, wherein one or more of said segments is independently controlled as a current source by a portion of said two or more signals that represent said input wave to contribute current to an output signal.

10. A method as in claim 1, wherein said received modified signal contains only one of said two or more signals used to derive said modified signal.

11. A method as in claim 1, wherein said received modified signal is derived from a sign characteristic of at least one of said two or more signals that represent said input wave when combined.

12. A method as in claim 1, wherein said modified signal is a carrier wave modulated by a characteristic of at least one of said two or more signals that represent said input wave when combined.

13. A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of generating said modified signal.

14. A method as in claim 13, wherein said step of generating said modified signal comprises phase shifting a carrier wave to generate a phase shifted carrier wave, mixing a characteristic of one of said two or more signals that represent said input wave when combined with said carrier wave, and mixing a characteristic of another of said two or more signals that represent said input wave when combined with said phase shifted carrier wave.

15. A method as in claim 14, wherein said carrier wave and said phase shifted carrier wave have a relative phase difference of 90°

.

16. A method as in claim 1, wherein said electromagnetic processing of said input wave comprises RF modulation.

17. A method as in claim 1, wherein said step of regulating said modified signal comprises:

regulating said modified signal using an analog control signal from one of said two or more signals that represent said input wave when combined to generate at least one output signal component;

regulating said modified signal using an analog control signal from another of said two or more signals that represent said input wave when combined to generate at least one other output signal component; and

combining said at least one output signal component with said at least one other output signal component to generate an output signal.

18. An apparatus for electromagnetic processing of an input wave comprising:

a source of a carrier wave;

a phase shifter for phase shifting said carrier wave to generate a phase shifted carrier wave;

an amplifier having at least one amplifying segment for receiving a modified signal derived from two or more signals that represent said input wave when combined;

a mixer for mixing a characteristic of one of said two or more signals that represent said input wave with said carrier wave;

another mixer for mixing a characteristic of another of said two or more signals that represent said input wave with said phase shifted carrier wave; and

a control circuit operable to receive at least one analog control signal, said control circuit for regulating at least one said modified signal across said amplifying segment using an analog signal containing a characteristic of said two or more signals.

19. An apparatus as in claim 18, wherein said two or more signals are in quadrature with each other.

20. An apparatus as in claim 18, wherein said characteristic used to regulate said modified signal is magnitude.

21. An apparatus as in claim 18, further comprising an output circuit for generating an output signal from said regulation of said modified signal.

22. An apparatus as in claim 18, wherein said amplifier comprises a plurality of segments.

23. An apparatus as in claim 22, wherein one or more of said segments comprises a power amplifier.

24. An apparatus as in claim 23, further comprising a combining circuit for combining an output from one or more of said segments, wherein said combining circuit comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of power transformers, quarter-wave transmission lines, discrete LC components, and a Pi-networks.

25. An apparatus as in claim 22, wherein one or more of said segments is a current source that contributes current to an output signal.

26. An apparatus as in claim 18, wherein said received modified signal contains only one of said two or more signals used to derive said modified signal.

27. An apparatus as in claim 18, wherein said carrier wave is an RF signal.

28. An apparatus as in claim 18, wherein said carrier wave and said phase shifted carrier wave have a relative phase difference of 90°

.

29. An apparatus as in claim 18, further comprising a signal generator for generating said two or more signals that represent said input wave when combined.

30. An apparatus as in claim 29, further comprising a signal processor for processing one or more of said two or more signals that represent said input wave when combined.

31. An apparatus as in claim 30, wherein said signal processor is programmed to do one or more selected from the group consisting of performing correction of an amplitude characteristic of a carrier wave used in said derivation of said modified signal, correction of a phase characteristic of a carrier wave used in said derivation of said modified signal, and filtering of one or more of said two or more signals that represent said input wave when combined.

32. A method for transmitting an input wave comprising the steps of:

generating two or more signals that represent said input wave when combined;

modulating a carrier wave with at least one characteristic of at least one of said two or more signals to generate a modulated signal;

modulating a phase shifted carrier wave with a characteristic of another of said two or more signals to generate a phase shifted modulated signal;

inputting said modulated signal and said phase shifted modulated signal into an amplifier having at least one amplifying segment, said at least one amplifying segment being operable as a current source;

controlling said at least one amplifying segment with an analog control signal containing a characteristic of one of said two or more signals that represent said input wave when combined and a characteristic of another of said two or more signals that represent said input wave when combined to generate at least one segment output; and

transmitting an output signal based upon said at least one segment output.

33. An apparatus for transmitting an input wave comprising:

a signal generator for generating two or more signals that represent said input wave when combined;

a signal modulator for modulating a carrier wave with a characteristic of at least one of said two or more signals to generate a modulated signal and for modulating a phase shifted carrier wave with a characteristic of another of said two or more signals to generate a phase shifted modulated signal;

an amplifier having at least one amplifying segment for receiving said modulated signal and at least one other amplifying segment for receiving said phase shifted modulated signal, said amplifying segments being operable as power amplifiers;

a controller for controlling said at least one amplifying segment with an analog signal containing a characteristic of one of said two or more signals and for controlling said at least one other amplifying segment with an analog signal containing a characteristic of another of said two or more signals to generate at least one segment output; and

an output circuit for transmitting an output signal based upon said at least one output segment.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said two or more signals comprise an in-phase and a quadrature signal.

35. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said characteristic used to generate said control signal is magnitude.

36. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said characteristic used to modulate said carrier wave is sign.

37. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said carrier wave is an RF signal.

38. An apparatus for transmitting an input wave comprising:

a signal generator for generating two or more signals that represent said input wave when combined;

a signal modulator for modulating a carrier wave with a characteristic of at least one of said two or more signals to generate a modulated signal and for modulating a phase shifted carrier wave with a characteristic of another of said two or more signals to generate a phase shifted modulated signal;

an amplifier having at least one amplifying segment for receiving said modulated signal and at least one other amplifying segment for receiving said phase shifted modulated signal, said amplifying segments being operable as current sources;

a controller for controlling said at least one amplifying segment with an analog signal containing a characteristic of one of said two or more signals and for controlling said at least one other amplifying segment with an analog signal containing a characteristic of another of said two or more signals to generate at least one segment output; and

an output circuit for transmitting an output signal based upon said at least one output segment.

39. An apparatus for electromagnetic processing of an input wave comprising:

an amplifier having at least one amplifying segment for receiving a modified signal derived from two or more signals that represent an input wave when combined;

a baseband processor for generating the two or more signals that represent said input wave when combined;

a signal processor for processing one or more of the signals that represent said input wave when combined, said signal processor being configured to perform at least one of a correction of an amplitude characteristic of a carrier wave used in deriving said modified signal, a correction of a phase characteristic of a carrier wave used in deriving said modified signal, and a filtering operation of one or more of said two or more signals that represent said input wave when combined; and

a control circuit operable to receive at least one analog control signal, said control circuit for regulating at least one said modified signal across said amplifying segment using an analog signal containing a characteristic of said two or more signals.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the signal processor further comprises a filter for filtering out unwanted frequency components of the two or more signals that represent said input wave when combined.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the filter is of a finite impulse response (FIR) filter and an infinite impulse response (IIR) filter.