Saw-less receiver with offset RF frequency translated BPF

• US 8,483,642 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2011
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mirzaei, Ahmad, Darabi, Hooman
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Tuan
• Application Number:
  US13/070,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20110299459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 455/39, 455/73, 455/130, 455/190.1, 455/191.1, 455/207, 455/209, 455/213, 455/280, 455/292, 455/293, 455/302, 455/306, 455/307, 455/323, 455/341, 375/343, 375/350
• US Class Current: 455/302
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/56 Modifications of input or output impedances, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/294 the amplifier being a low noise amplifier [LNA]
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/537 A transformer being used as coupling element between two amplifying stages
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/195 in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 19/002 N-path filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0458 Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages matching circuits in general H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/10 Means associated with receiver for limiting or suppressing noise or interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/18 Input circuits, e.g. for coupling to an antenna or a transmission line coupling networks between antennas or lines and receivers independent of the nature of the receiver H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/525 with means for reducing leakage of transmitter signal into the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/581 using a transformer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1461 Suppression of signals in the return path, i.e. bidirectional control circuits

Abstract

A SAW-less receiver includes a front end module (FEM) interface module, an RF to IF section, and an IF to baseband section. The RF to IF section includes a frequency translated bandpass filter (FTBPF), an LNA, and a mixing section. The FTBPF includes a switching network and a complex baseband filter having an offset baseband filter response. The switching network is operable to frequency translate the offset baseband filter response to an RF frequency response such that the FTBPF filters the inbound RF signal by passing, substantially unattenuated, a desired RF signal component and by attenuating an image signal component and/or an undesired signal component. The LNA amplifies the filtered inbound RF signal and the mixing section mixes the amplified inbound RF signal with a local oscillation to produce an inbound IF signal. The IF to baseband section converts the inbound IF signal into an inbound symbol stream(s).

Claims

1. A surface acoustic wave (SAW)-less receiver comprises:

a front end module (FEM) interface module operable to receive an inbound radio frequency (RF) signal;

an RF to intermediate frequency (IF) receiver section that includes;

a frequency translated bandpass filter (FTBPF) includes;

a switching network; and

a complex baseband filter having an offset baseband filter response, wherein the switching network is operable to frequency translate the offset baseband filter response to an RF frequency response such that the FTBPF filters the inbound RF signal by passing, substantially unattenuated, a desired RF signal component and by attenuating at least one of;

an image signal component and an undesired signal component to produce a filtered inbound RF signal;

a low noise amplifier module (LNA) operable to amplify the filtered inbound RF signal to produce an amplified inbound RF signal; and

a mixing section operable to mix the amplified inbound RF signal with a local oscillation to produce an inbound IF signal; and

a receiver IF to baseband section operable to convert the inbound IF signal into one or more inbound symbol streams.

2. The SAW-less receiver of claim 1, wherein the FEM interface module comprises:

a transformer; and

a tunable capacitor network C1 operably coupled to a secondary of the transformer and to filter a received inbound RF signal to produce the inbound RF signal.

3. The SAW-less receiver of claim 1 further comprises:

a front end module operable to isolate the inbound RF signal from an undesired RF signal.

4. The SAW-less receiver of claim 1, wherein the receiver IF to BB section comprises:

a mixing section operable to mix the inbound IF signal with a second local oscillation to produce I and Q mixed signals; and

a combining &

filtering section operable to;

combine the I and Q mixed signals to produce a combined signal; and

filter the combined signal to produce the one or more inbound symbol streams.

5. The SAW-less receiver of claim 1 further comprises:

a clock generator operable to generate a plurality of phase-offset clock signals, wherein the switching network periodically couples the complex baseband filter to the FEM interface module and the LNA based on the plurality of phase-offset clock signals, and wherein a rate of the plurality of phase-offset clock signals corresponds to a difference between a frequency of the inbound RF signal and a frequency of the inbound IF signal.

6. The SAW-less receiver of claim 1, wherein the mixing section comprises:

a mixing module operable to;

convert the amplified inbound RF signal into an in-phase (I) signal component and a quadrature (Q) signal component;

mix the I signal component with an I signal component of a local oscillation to produce an I mixed signal;

mix the Q signal component with a Q signal component of the local oscillation to produce a Q mixed signal; and

a filter module operable to filter the I and Q mixed signals to produce the inbound IF signal.

7. The SAW-less receiver of claim 1, wherein the complex baseband filter comprises:

a plurality of baseband impedances;

a positive gain stage coupled to at least some of the plurality of baseband impedances; and

a negative gain stage coupled to at least some of the plurality of baseband impedances to produce a low-Q baseband filter having the baseband filter response, wherein the offset baseband filter response is offset from zero frequency based on a ratio between the positive and negative gain stages.

8. The SAW-less receiver of claim 1, wherein the complex baseband filter comprises:

a plurality of capacitors;

a positive gain stage coupled to at least some of the plurality of capacitors; and

a negative gain stage coupled to at least some of the plurality of capacitors to produce a low-Q baseband filter having the baseband filter response, wherein the offset baseband filter response is offset from zero frequency based on a ration between the positive and negative gain stages.

9. The SAW-less receiver of claim 1, wherein the complex baseband filter comprises:

a plurality of adjustable baseband impedances;

a positive gain stage coupled to at least some of the plurality of adjustable baseband impedances; and

a negative gain stage coupled to at least some of the plurality of adjustable baseband impedances to produce a low-Q baseband filter having the baseband filter response, wherein the offset baseband filter response is offset from zero frequency based on a ration between the positive and negative gain stages and is adjustable based on a control signal, wherein an adjustable baseband impedance of the plurality of adjustable baseband impedances includes at least one of;

a selectable capacitor network, a programmable switched capacitor network, and a programmable switched capacitor filter.

10. A surface acoustic wave (SAW)-less receiver comprises:

a front end module (FEM) interface module operable to receive an inbound radio frequency (RF) signal;

an RF to intermediate frequency (IF) receiver section operable to;

frequency translate an offset baseband filter response to an RF frequency response;

filter the inbound RF signal in accordance with the RF frequency response to produce a filtered inbound RF signal having a desired RF signal component of the inbound RF signal and at least one of;

an attenuated image signal component of the inbound RF signal and an attenuated undesired signal component of the inbound RF signal;

amplify the filtered inbound RF signal to produce an amplified inbound RF signal; and

mix the amplified inbound RF signal with a local oscillation to produce an inbound IF signal; and

a receiver IF to baseband section operable to mix the inbound IF signal with a second local oscillation to produce one or more inbound symbol streams.

11. The SAW-less receiver of claim 10, wherein the FEM interface module comprises:

a transformer; and

a tunable capacitor network C1 operably coupled to a secondary of the transformer and to filter a received inbound RF signal to produce the inbound RF signal.

12. The SAW-less receiver of claim 10 further comprises:

a front end module operable to isolate the inbound RF signal from an undesired RF signal.

13. The SAW-less receiver of claim 10, wherein the receiver IF to BB section comprises:

a mixing section operable to mix the inbound IF signal with the second local oscillation to produce I and Q mixed signals; and

a combining &

filtering section operable to;

combine the I and Q mixed signals to produce a combined signal; and

filter the combined signal to produce the one or more inbound symbol streams.

14. The SAW-less receiver of claim 10, wherein the RF to IF receiver section is further operable to:

generate a plurality of phase-offset clock signals that clock a filter having the baseband filter response to produce the RF filter response, wherein a rate of the plurality of phase-offset clock signals corresponds to a difference between a frequency of the inbound RF signal and a frequency of the inbound IF signal.

15. The SAW-less receiver of claim 10, wherein the RF to IF receiver section is further operable to mix the amplified inbound RF signal with the local oscillation by:

converting the amplified inbound RF signal into an in-phase (I) signal component and a quadrature (Q) signal component;

mixing the I signal component with an I signal component of the local oscillation to produce an I mixed signal;

mixing the Q signal component with a Q signal component of the local oscillation to produce a Q mixed signal; and

filtering the I and Q mixed signals to produce the inbound IF signal.

16. The SAW-less receiver of claim 10, wherein the RF to IF receiver section is further operable to frequency translate the offset baseband filter response to the RF frequency response by:

coupling a first baseband filter module and a third baseband filter module in a first coupling pattern to filter the inbound RF signal during a first clock interval of an RF clock;

coupling a second baseband filter module and a fourth baseband filter module in a second coupling pattern to filter the inbound RF signal during a second clock interval of the RF clock;

coupling the first baseband filter module and the third baseband filter module in an inverse first coupling pattern to filter the inbound RF signal during a third clock interval of the RF clock; and

coupling the second baseband filter module and the fourth baseband filter module in an inverse second coupling pattern to filter the inbound RF signal during a fourth clock interval of the RF clock.

17. The SAW-less receiver of claim 16 further comprises:

each of the first and second baseband filter modules including first and second baseband impedances and a first gain stage;

each of the third and fourth baseband filter modules including third and fourth baseband impedances and a second gain stage.

18. The SAW-less receiver of claim 17, wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth baseband impedances comprises at least one of:

a capacitor;

a selectable capacitor network;

a programmable switched capacitor network; and

a programmable switched capacitor filter.

19. A radio frequency (RF) to intermediate frequency (IF) receiver section comprises:

a frequency translated bandpass filter (FTBPF) includes;

a switching network; and

a complex baseband filter having an offset baseband filter response, wherein the switching network is operable to frequency translate the offset baseband filter response to an RF frequency response such that the FTBPF filters an inbound RF signal by passing, substantially unattenuated, a desired RF signal component and by attenuating at least one of;

an image signal component and an undesired signal component to produce a filtered inbound RF signal;

a low noise amplifier module (LNA) operable to amplify the filtered inbound RF signal to produce an amplified inbound RF signal; and

a mixing section operable to mix the amplified inbound RF signal with a local oscillation to produce an inbound IF signal.

20. The RF to IF receiver section of claim 19, wherein the mixing section comprises:

a mixing module operable to;

convert the amplified inbound RF signal into an in-phase (I) signal component and a quadrature (Q) signal component;

mix the I signal component with an I signal component of a local oscillation to produce an I mixed signal;

mix the Q signal component with a Q signal component of the local oscillation to produce a Q mixed signal; and

a filter module operable to filter the I and Q mixed signals to produce the inbound IF signal.

21. The RF to IF receiver section of claim 19, wherein the complex baseband filter comprises:

a plurality of baseband impedances;

a positive gain stage coupled to at least some of the plurality of baseband impedances; and

a negative gain stage coupled to at least some of the plurality of baseband impedances to produce a low-Q baseband filter having the baseband filter response, wherein the offset baseband filter response is offset from zero frequency based on a ratio between the positive and negative gain stages.

22. The RF to IF receiver section of claim 19, wherein the complex baseband filter comprises:

a plurality of capacitors;

a positive gain stage coupled to at least some of the plurality of capacitors; and

a negative gain stage coupled to at least some of the plurality of capacitors to produce a low-Q baseband filter having the baseband filter response, wherein the offset baseband filter response is offset from zero frequency based on a ration between the positive and negative gain stages.

23. The RF to IF receiver section of claim 19, wherein the complex baseband filter comprises:

a plurality of adjustable baseband impedances;

a positive gain stage coupled to at least some of the plurality of adjustable baseband impedances; and

a negative gain stage coupled to at least some of the plurality of adjustable baseband impedances to produce a low-Q baseband filter having the baseband filter response, wherein the offset baseband filter response is offset from zero frequency based on a ration between the positive and negative gain stages and is adjustable based on a control signal, wherein an adjustable baseband impedance of the plurality of adjustable baseband impedances includes at least one of;

a selectable capacitor network, a programmable switched capacitor network, and a programmable switched capacitor filter.