Techniques for biasing a radio frequency digital to analog converter

• US 7,317,412 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Issued: 01/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: North South Holdings Incorporated (Spherix Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: M/A Com, M/A-Com Eurotec BV (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Bourke, Donal, Steckler, Steven, Carey, Eoin, Li, Chin
• Primary Examiner(s): YOUNG, BRIAN K
• Application Number:
  US11/434,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20070262893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 341/144, 341/156, 341/141, 341/118, 341/136, 341/153, 345/98
• US Class Current: 341/144
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/504 the supply voltage or current being continuously controlled by a controlling signal, e.g. the controlling signal of a transistor implemented as variable resistor in a supply path for, an IC-block showed amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/1061 using digitally programmable trimming circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/745 with weighted currents

Abstract

Various techniques for biasing a radio frequency digital-to-analog converter are described. In one embodiment, a baseband processor may comprise a plurality of output drivers to generate a plurality of base currents for biasing a radio frequency digital-to-analog converter. The baseband processor may comprise a serial control interface to generate a programming signal for controlling a relationship among the plurality of base currents. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A baseband processor comprising:

a plurality of output drivers to generate a plurality of base currents for biasing a radio frequency digital-to-analog converter;

a serial control interface to generate a programming signal for controlling a relationship among said plurality of base currents; and

a plurality of tuning voltage generators to generate a plurality of tuning voltages for biasing said plurality of output drivers, each of said plurality of tuning voltage generators comprising a current multiplier to be programmed by said serial control interface.

2. The baseband processor of claim 1, said relationship comprising a fixed ratio among said plurality of base currents.

5. The baseband processor of claim 1, said plurality of output drivers to receive a single power level signal to adjust said plurality of base currents.

6. The baseband processor of claim 5, said power level signal comprising a single power control voltage.

12. The baseband processor of claim 1, said radio frequency digital-to-analog converter comprising a plurality of gain stages to be biased by said plurality of base currents.

3. A baseband processor comprising:

a plurality of output drivers to generate a plurality of base currents for biasing a radio frequency digital-to-analog converter;

a serial control interface to generate a programming signal for controlling a relationship among said plurality of base currents; and

a plurality of tuning voltage generators to generate a plurality of tuning voltages for biasing said plurality of output drivers said serial control interface to control a ratio among said plurality of tuning voltages.

13. The baseband processor of claim 3, said plurality of output drivers to receive a single power level signal to adjust said plurality of base currents.

14. The baseband processor of claim 13, said power level signal comprising a single power control voltage.

15. The baseband processor of claim 3, said radio frequency digital-to-analog converter comprising a plurality of gain stages to be biased by said plurality of base currents.

4. A baseband processor comprising:

a plurality of output drivers to generate a plurality of base currents for biasing a radio frequency digital-to-analog converter;

a serial control interface to generate a programming signal for controlling a relationship among said plurality of base currents; and

a plurality of tuning voltage generators to generate a plurality of tuning voltages for biasing said plurality of output drivers, said plurality of tuning voltage generators to adjust transconductance values of said plurality of output drivers.

16. The baseband processor of claim 4, said plurality of output drivers to receive a single power level signal to adjust said plurality of base currents.

17. The baseband processor of claim 16, said power level signal comprising a single power control voltage.

18. The baseband processor of claim 4, said radio frequency digital-to-analog converter comprising a plurality of gain stages to be biased by said plurality of base currents.

7. A baseband processor comprising:

a plurality of output drivers to generate a plurality of base currents for biasing a radio frequency digital-to-analog converter, said plurality of output drivers to receive a single power level signal to adjust said plurality of base currents;

a serial control interface to generate a programming signal for controlling a relationship among said plurality of base currents; and

one or more analog multiplexers to receive said single power level signal.

8. The baseband processor of claim 7, said one or more analog multiplexers to receive an amplitude signal and to scale said amplitude signal according to said single power level signal.

19. The baseband processor of claim 7, said power level signal comprising a single power control voltage.

20. The baseband processor of claim 7, said radio frequency digital-to-analog converter comprising a plurality of gain stages to be biased by said plurality of base currents.

9. A baseband processor comprising:

a plurality of output drivers to generate a plurality of base currents for biasing a radio frequency digital-to-analog converter said plurality of output drivers to receive a single power level signal to adjust said plurality of base currents;

a serial control interface to generate a programming signal for controlling a relationship among said plurality of base currents; and

one or more filters to provide said single power level signal to said plurality of output drivers.

21. The baseband processor of claim 9, said power level signal comprising a single power control voltage.

22. The baseband processor of claim 9, said radio frequency digital-to-analog converter comprising a plurality of gain stages to be biased by said plurality of base currents.

10. A baseband processor comprising:

a plurality of output drivers to generate a plurality of base currents for biasing a radio frequency digital-to-analog converter; and

a serial control interface to generate a programming signal for controlling a relationship among said plurality of base currents,

said baseband processor to detect a current gain (β

) of said radio frequency digital-to-analog converter and to generate a compensation signal proportional to 1/β

.

11. The baseband processor of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of voltage tuning generators to generate a plurality of tuning voltages based on said compensation signal.