Quadrature sub-harmonic frequency up-converter
First Claim
1. A method for frequency up-converting a first data signal centered at a first frequency to a second data signal containing the same data as said first data signal and centered at a second frequency higher than said first frequency, said method comprising the steps of:
- (1) generating first and second oscillator signals having a third frequency that is about ⅓
of said second frequency, said first oscillator signal being 90°
out of phase with said second oscillator signal;
(2) receiving said first data signal;
(3) mixing said first data signal with said first oscillator signal to produce a first component of a third data signal centered at a fourth frequency between said first and second frequencies;
(4) mixing said first data signal with said second oscillator signal to produce a second component of said third data signal centered at said fourth frequency and 90°
out of phase with said first component of said third data signal;
(5) combining said first and second components of said third data signal to produce a combined third data signal; and
(6) mixing said combined third data signal with at least one of said first and second oscillator signals in a sub-harmonic mixer to produce said second data signal having said second frequency, said second frequency being a harmonic frequency of said third and fourth frequencies.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for frequency up-converting a baseband signal to radio frequency (RF) in two steps using the two quadrature components of a single local oscillator signal. In a first stage, the baseband signal is split into two parts in quadrature with each other and supplied to a quadrature mixer that mixes the one component of the baseband signal with the I component of a local oscillator signal at frequency FLO and separately mixes the other baseband component with the Q component of the same local oscillator to produce an intermediate frequency signal centered at the local oscillator frequency and comprising two components, namely, an I component and a Q component. In the second stage, the intermediate frequency signal is mixed with both components of the same local oscillator signal in a sub-harmonic mixer-to produce a radio frequency output signal having a frequency component at three times the local oscillator frequency minus the baseband frequency.
17 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for frequency up-converting a first data signal centered at a first frequency to a second data signal containing the same data as said first data signal and centered at a second frequency higher than said first frequency, said method comprising the steps of:
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(1) generating first and second oscillator signals having a third frequency that is about ⅓
of said second frequency, said first oscillator signal being 90°
out of phase with said second oscillator signal;(2) receiving said first data signal; (3) mixing said first data signal with said first oscillator signal to produce a first component of a third data signal centered at a fourth frequency between said first and second frequencies; (4) mixing said first data signal with said second oscillator signal to produce a second component of said third data signal centered at said fourth frequency and 90°
out of phase with said first component of said third data signal;(5) combining said first and second components of said third data signal to produce a combined third data signal; and (6) mixing said combined third data signal with at least one of said first and second oscillator signals in a sub-harmonic mixer to produce said second data signal having said second frequency, said second frequency being a harmonic frequency of said third and fourth frequencies. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A frequency up-converter for converting a first data signal centered at a first frequency to a second data signal containing the same data as said first data signal and centered at a second frequency higher than said first frequency comprising:
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an oscillator generating a quadrature signal at a third frequency that about ⅓
of said second frequency, said quadrature signal having a first component having a first phase and a second component having a second phase 90°
out of phase with said first component;a quadrature mixer comprising first and second mixer components, said first mixer component coupled to mix said first data signal with said first component of said oscillator signal to produce a first component of a third data signal centered at a fourth frequency and said second mixer component coupled to mix said first data signal with said second component of said oscillator signal to produce a second component of said third data signal centered at said fourth frequency; a combining circuit coupled to combine said first and second components of said third data signal to produce a combined third data signal; a sub-harmonic mixer coupled to receive said combined third data signal at a first input terminal thereof and coupled to receive at least one of said first and second components of said oscillator signal at at least a second input terminal thereof, said sub-harmonic mixer generating said second data signal having said second frequency being a harmonic frequency of said third and fourth frequencies. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification