Low noise amplifier for wireless communications

• US 7,266,360 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2004
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NeoReach, Inc. (Gobility, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NeoReach, Inc. (Gobility, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wright, Jay, Kang, Dong Kyun, Gordon, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): JACKSON, BLANE J
• Application Number:
  US10/819,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20050227652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: 455/302, 455/285, 455/290, 455/307, 455/333, 455/341, 455/343.1, 455/296, 330/302, 330/98, 330/133, 330/29, 330/310, 330/311, 330129-131, 330/306, 330/307
• US Class Current: 455/302
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/223 with MOSFET's
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 of transmitter output stages
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/28 the receiver comprising at least one semiconductor device having three or more electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/0408 with power amplifiers

Abstract

A low noise amplifier is provided for the receiver of a wireless communications system. The amplifier incorporates an image rejection function by incorporating a notch filter formed by an inductor and capacitor connected at a node between two active elements of the amplifier. The amplifier also incorporates a gain control function by adding a further active element connected to, on one hand, a node between the inductor and capacitor and, on the other hand, a voltage supply. A gain control signal is connected to the control input of the further active element has an input connected to a feedback lead of the receiver to provide the gain control.

Claims

1. A low noise amplifier for a wireless communication system, comprising:

an arrangement of active elements forming an amplifier having a signal input and a bias input and a signal output;

an interconnection node between two of said active elements;

an inductive element connected at one end to said interconnection node;

a capacitance element connecting another end of said inductive element to ground, said inductive element and said capacitance element being selected to provide a notch filter for substantially reducing an amplitude of a predetermined frequency from a signal at said signal output; and

a further active element connected to an interconnection node between said inductive element and said capacitance element, said further active element connected between said active elements and a supply voltage and having a connection to a control signal at an control input.

2. A low noise amplifier as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a control element connected to said control input of said further active element.

3. A low noise amplifier as claimed in claim 2, wherein said control element is a controllable voltage source.

4. A low noise amplifier as claimed in claim 1, wherein said active elements are first and second field effect transistors connected to one another with a source and drain path of said first field effect transistor connected to a source and drain path of said second field effect transistor.

5. A low noise amplifier as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:

inductor elements connected in series with said source and drain paths of said first and second transistors, said inductor elements and said first and second transistors being connected between a voltage supply and ground.

6. A low noise amplifier as claimed in claim 1, wherein said low noise amplifier is configured to operate at approximately 915 MHz.

7. A low noise amplifier as claimed in claim 1, wherein said predetermined frequency is an image frequency.

8. A low noise amplifier as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inductive element is a spiral inductor and said capacitive element is a metal-insulator-metal capacitor.

9. A low noise amplifier as claimed in claim 8, wherein said active elements are integrated on a semiconductor chip and said spiral inductor and said metal-insulator-metal capacitor are integrated on said same chip.

10. A low noise amplifier as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

a further active element connected to an interconnection node between said inductive element and said capacitance element, said further active element connected between said active elements and a supply voltage and having a connection to a control signal at an control input, said further active element being integrated on said same semiconductor chip with said active elements.

11. A low noise amplifier as claimed in claim 1, wherein said active elements are integrated on a semiconductor chip and said inductive element and said capacitance element are integrated on said same chip.

12. A low noise amplifier as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

further inductive elements connected to said active elements, said further inductive elements being enclosed within a housing of said semiconductor chip.

13. A low noise amplifier as claimed in claim 1, wherein said low noise amplifier is configured to operate at radio frequencies according to at least one of the standards selected from Zigbee, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

14. A low noise amplifier as claimed in claim 1, wherein said active elements include a common source transistor and common gate transistor, said common source transistor having a parasitic capacitance, said inductive element being of an inductance value to substantially cancel said parasitic capacitance.

15. A low noise amplifier as claimed in claim 1, wherein said active elements include a first transistor having a control lead connected to receive said input signal, said active elements include a second transistor having a control lead connected to receive said bias input.

16. A low noise amplifier for use in a-wireless communications system, comprising:

a first transistor having a control input connected to receive an input signal and having second and third leads;

a second transistor having a control input connected to receive a bias voltage and having second and third leads, said third lead of second transistor being connected to said second lead of said first transistor at an interconnection node;

a first inductor connected between said control input of said fast transistor and a signal input for said low noise amplifier;

a second inductor connected between said third lead of said first transistor and ground;

a third inductor connected between said second lead of said second transistor and a supply voltage;

a first capacitive element connected between said second lead of said second transistor and an output of said low noise amplifier;

a fourth inductor connected to said interconnection node between said first and second transistors, said fourth inductor having an opposite end at a second interconnection node;

a second capacitive element connected between said second interconnection node and ground; and

a third active element having a second lead connected between said second lead of said second transistor and having a third lead connected to said second interconnection node, said third active element having a control input.

17. A low noise amplifier as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

a control voltage connected between to said control input of said third active element.

18. A low noise amplifier as claimed in claim 16, wherein said first and second and third active elements and said fourth inductor and said second capacitive element are integrated on a semiconductor chip.

19. A low noise amplifier as claimed in claim 18, wherein said semiconductor chip is constructed in CMOS technology.

20. A low noise amplifier as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

a third capacitive element connected between said control input of said first active element and said third lead of said first active element.

21. A low noise amplifier as claimed in claim 16, wherein said low noise amplifier is configured to operate in a frequency range of 400 Mhz to 5900 MHz.

22. A low noise amplifier as claimed in claim 21, wherein said low noise amplifier is configured to operate at a frequency of about 915 MHz.

23. A low noise amplifier for use in a wireless communications system receiver, comprising:

a first transistor having a control input connected to receive an input signal and having second and third leads;

a second transistor having a control input connected to receive a bias voltage and having second and third leads, said third lead of second transistor being connected to said second lead of said first transistor at an interconnection node;

a first inductor connected between said control input of said first transistor and a signal input for said low noise amplifier;

a second inductor connected between said third lead of said first transistor and ground;

a third inductor connected between said second lead of said second transistor and a supply voltage;

a first capacitive element connected between said second lead of said second transistor and an output of said low noise amplifier;

a fourth inductor connected to said interconnection node between said first and second transistors, said fourth inductor having an opposite end at a second interconnection node;

a second capacitive element connected between said second interconnection node and ground; and

a third active element having a second lead connected between said second lead of said second transistor and having a third lead connected to said second interconnection node, said third active element having a control input.

24. A low noise amplifier for use in a wireless communications system receiver as claimed in claim 23, further comprising:

a control voltage connected between to said control input of said third active element.

25. A low noise amplifier for use in a wireless communications system receiver as claimed in claim 23, wherein said first and second and third active elements and said fourth inductor and said second capacitive element are integrated on a semiconductor chip.

26. A low noise amplifier for use in a wireless communications system receiver as claimed in claim 25, wherein said semiconductor chip is constructed in CMOS technology.

27. A low noise amplifier for use in a wireless communications system receiver as claimed in claim 23, further comprising:

a third capacitive element connected between said control input of said first active element and said third lead of said first active element.

28. A low noise amplifier for use in a wireless communications system receiver as claimed in claim 23, wherein said low noise amplifier is configured to operate in a frequency range of 400 MHz to 5900 MHz.

29. A low noise amplifier for use in a wireless communications system receiver as claimed in claim 28, wherein said low noise amplifier is configured to operate at a frequency of about 915 MHz.

30. A low noise amplifier for a wireless communication system, comprising:

an arrangement of active elements forming an amplifier having a signal input and a bias input and a signal output;

an interconnection node between two of said active elements;

an inductive element connected at one end to said interconnection node;

a capacitance element connecting another end of said inductive element to ground, said inductive element and said capacitance element being selected to provide a notch filter for substantially reducing an amplitude of a predetermined frequency from a signal at said signal output;

said inductive element being a spiral inductor and said capacitive element being a metal-insulator-metal capacitor, wherein said active elements are integrated on a semiconductor chip and said spiral inductor and said metal-insulator-metal capacitor are integrated on said same chip; and

a further active element connected to an interconnection node between said inductive element and said capacitance element, said further active element connected between said active elements and a supply voltage and having a connection to a control signal at an control input, said further active element being integrated on said same semiconductor chip with said active elements.