Apparatus and method for a wideband RF mixer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus comprising:
- an input configured to receive an input signal;
a local oscillator (LO) input configured to receive an LO signal;
a passive radio-frequency (RF) mixer configured to generate an output signal based at least partly on the input signal and the LO signal;
an output configured to provide the output signal;
an input path variable impedance tuner operatively coupled to and disposed in a first signal path between the input and the passive RF mixer; and
an output path variable impedance tuner operatively coupled to and disposed in a second signal path between the RF mixer and the output, wherein an impedance of the input impedance tuner at one or more input frequencies of operation and an impedance of the output impedance tuner at one or more output frequencies of operation are controllable by one or more control signals, wherein there is no biasing circuit configured to bias the passive RF mixer,wherein the input path variable impedance tuner comprises a balun transformer, and the input path variable impedance tuner comprises a first sub-tuner and a second sub-tuner, and wherein the balun transformer is operatively coupled to and disposed in the first signal path between the first sub-tuner and the second sub-tuner.
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods of manufacture for a wideband RF mixer are provided. The RF mixer includes an input, an LO input, and an output. A variable impedance tuner is disposed in an input signal path between the input port and the RF mixer, and a variable impedance tuner is disposed in an output signal path between the output and the RF mixer. The impedances of the variable impedance tuners are controllable for a particular frequency of operation with one or more digital or analog control signals.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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an input configured to receive an input signal; a local oscillator (LO) input configured to receive an LO signal; a passive radio-frequency (RF) mixer configured to generate an output signal based at least partly on the input signal and the LO signal; an output configured to provide the output signal; an input path variable impedance tuner operatively coupled to and disposed in a first signal path between the input and the passive RF mixer; and an output path variable impedance tuner operatively coupled to and disposed in a second signal path between the RF mixer and the output, wherein an impedance of the input impedance tuner at one or more input frequencies of operation and an impedance of the output impedance tuner at one or more output frequencies of operation are controllable by one or more control signals, wherein there is no biasing circuit configured to bias the passive RF mixer, wherein the input path variable impedance tuner comprises a balun transformer, and the input path variable impedance tuner comprises a first sub-tuner and a second sub-tuner, and wherein the balun transformer is operatively coupled to and disposed in the first signal path between the first sub-tuner and the second sub-tuner. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of adjusting impedances for a change in frequency of operation comprising:
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during operation, tuning an impedance of an input path variable impedance tuner operatively coupled to and disposed in a first signal path between an input and a passive radio-frequency (RF) mixer, wherein the input is configured to receive an input signal and the RF mixer configured to generate an output signal at an output based at least partly on the input signal and a local oscillator (LO) signal input received at an LO input using one or more control signals, wherein there is no biasing circuit configured to bias the passive RF mixer; and during operation, tuning an impedance of an output path variable impedance tuner operatively coupled to and disposed in a second signal path between the RF mixer and the output using the one or more control signals, wherein the input path variable impedance tuner comprises a balun transformer, and the input path variable impedance tuner comprises a first sub-tuner and a second sub-tuner, and wherein the balun transformer is operatively coupled to and disposed in the first signal path between the first sub-tuner and the second sub-tuner. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus comprising:
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an input configured to receive an input signal; a local oscillator (LO) input configured to receive an LO signal; a passive radio-frequency (RF) mixer configured to generate an output signal based at least partly on the input signal and the LO signal, wherein there is no biasing circuit configured to bias the passive RF mixer; an IF output configured to provide the IF signal as an output; input path tuning means for providing a controllable variable impedance using one or more control signals, the input path tuning means operatively coupled to and disposed in a first signal path between the RF port and the passive RF mixer; and output path tuning means for providing a controllable variable impedance using the one or more control signals, the output path tuning means operatively coupled to and disposed in a second signal path between the passive RF mixer and the IF port, wherein the input path tuning means comprises a balun transformer, and the input path tuning means comprises a first sub-tuner and a second sub-tuner, and wherein the balun transformer is operatively coupled to and disposed in the first signal path between the first sub-tuner and the second sub-tuner.
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17. An apparatus comprising:
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an input configured to receive an input signal; a local oscillator (LO) input configured to receive an LO signal; a passive radio-frequency (RF) mixer configured to generate an output signal based at least partly on the input signal and the LO signal, wherein there is no biasing circuit configured to bias the passive RF mixer; an IF output configured to provide the IF signal as an output; input path tuning means for providing a controllable variable impedance at both the input frequency and a different variable impedance at an unwanted frequency using one or more control signals, the input path tuning means operatively coupled to and disposed in a first signal path between the RF port and the passive RF mixer; and output path tuning means for providing a controllable variable impedance using the one or more control signals, the output path tuning means operatively coupled to and disposed in a second signal path between the passive RF mixer and the IF port such that the output path tuning means simultaneously passes the desired input signal and rejects an unwanted input signal, wherein the input path tuning means comprises a balun transformer, and the input path tuning means comprises a first sub-tuner and a second sub-tuner, and wherein the balun transformer is operatively coupled to and disposed in the first signal path between the first sub-tuner and the second sub-tuner.
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Specification