Integrated receiver and integrated circuit having integrated inductors and method therefor

• US 9,219,512 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2015
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Khoini-Poorfard, Ramin, Piovaccari, Alessandro, Rafi, Aslamali A., Koroglu, Mustafa H., Trager, David S., Coban, Abdulkerim L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hernandez, William
• Application Number:
  US14/612,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20150147992A1
• Time in Patent Office: 322 Days
• Field of Search: 348/725, 348/731, 455/255, 455/256, 455/266, 455/337, 455/339, 455/340
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/04 Frequency selective two-port networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/28 the receiver comprising at least one semiconductor device having three or more electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/30 for homodyne or synchrodyne receivers demodulator circuits H03D1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/148 using filters, including PLL-type filters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/455 Demodulation-circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control

Abstract

In one form, an integrated receiver includes a tracking bandpass filter, a tunable lowpass filter, and a mixer formed on a single integrated circuit chip. The tracking bandpass filter has an input for receiving a radio frequency (RF) input signal, and an output, and comprises a variable capacitor having a capacitance that varies in response to a bandpass frequency control signal, in parallel with an integrated inductor. The integrated inductor comprises a plurality of windings formed in a plurality of metal layers. The tunable lowpass filter has an input coupled to the output of the tracking bandpass filter, and an output and having a tuning input for receiving a cutoff frequency signal. The mixer has a signal input coupled to the output of the tunable lowpass filter, a local oscillator input for receiving a local oscillator signal, and a signal output for providing a converted RF signal.

Claims

1. An integrated receiver comprising:

a tracking bandpass filter having an input for receiving a radio frequency (RF) input signal, and an output, and comprising a variable capacitor having a capacitance that varies in response to a bandpass frequency control signal, in parallel with an integrated inductor;

said integrated inductor comprising a plurality of windings formed in a plurality of metal layers;

a tunable lowpass filter having an input coupled to said output of said tracking bandpass filter, and an output and having a tuning input for receiving a cutoff frequency signal; and

a mixer having a signal input coupled to said output of said tunable lowpass filter, a local oscillator input for receiving a local oscillator signal, and a signal output for providing a converted RF signal,

wherein said tracking bandpass filter, said integrated inductor, said tunable lowpass filter, and said mixer are formed on a single integrated circuit.

2. The integrated receiver of claim 1 further comprising:

a local oscillator having a tuning input, and an output for providing said local oscillator signal.

3. The integrated receiver of claim 2 further comprising:

a controller coupled to said tuning input of said tunable lowpass filter, for setting said cutoff frequency signal to cause said tunable lowpass filter to substantially attenuate frequencies around and higher than a third harmonic of a frequency of said local oscillator signal.

4. The integrated receiver of claim 1 further comprising:

an attenuator coupled between said output of said tracking bandpass filter and said signal input of said mixer.

5. The integrated receiver of claim 1 wherein:

said plurality of windings include a first set of concentric windings in a first metal layer adjacent to a second set of concentric windings in said first metal layer.

6. An integrated receiver comprising:

a plurality of signal processing paths, wherein each of said plurality of signal processing paths comprises;

a tracking bandpass filter having an input for receiving a radio frequency (RF) input signal, and an output, and comprising a variable capacitor having a capacitance that varies in response to a bandpass frequency control signal, in parallel with an integrated inductor;

said integrated inductor comprising a plurality of windings formed in a plurality of metal layers; and

a mixer having a signal input coupled to said output of said tracking bandpass filter, a local oscillator input for receiving a local oscillator signal, and a signal output for providing a converted RF signal,

wherein said plurality of signal processing paths are formed on a single integrated circuit.

7. The integrated receiver of claim 6 wherein:

said plurality of windings include a first set of concentric windings in a first metal layer adjacent to a second set of concentric windings in said first metal layer.

8. The integrated receiver of claim 7 wherein:

said integrated inductor includes a center tap electrically connected to said first set of concentric windings in said first metal layer and said second set of concentric windings in said first metal layer and a terminal between said first and second set of concentric windings.

9. The integrated receiver of claim 6 wherein:

said integrated inductor of a first one of said plurality of signal processing paths has a higher inductance than said integrated inductor of a second one of said plurality of signal processing paths, and said integrated inductor of said second one of said plurality of signal processing paths has a higher quality factor than said integrated inductor of said first one of said plurality of signal processing paths.

10. The integrated receiver of claim 6 wherein:

said integrated inductor of each of said plurality of signal processing paths has substantially the same predetermined planar footprint.

11. The integrated receiver of claim 6 further comprising:

a first additional signal processing path comprising;

a tracking bandpass filter having an input for receiving said RF input signal, and an output, and comprising a variable capacitor having a capacitance that varies in response to a bandpass frequency control signal, in parallel with an integrated inductor;

said integrated inductor comprising a plurality of windings formed in a single metal layer; and

a mixer having a signal input coupled to said output of said tracking bandpass filter, a local oscillator input for receiving a local oscillator signal, and a signal output for providing a converted RF signal.

12. The integrated receiver of claim 11 further comprising:

a second additional signal processing path comprising;

a tracking bandpass filter having an input for receiving said RF input signal, and an output, and comprising a variable capacitor having a capacitance that varies in response to a bandpass frequency control signal, in parallel with an integrated inductor;

said integrated inductor comprising a plurality of windings formed in said single metal layer; and

a mixer having a signal input coupled to said output of said tracking bandpass filter, a local oscillator input for receiving a local oscillator signal, and a signal output for providing a converted RF signal.

13. The integrated receiver of claim 12 wherein:

said integrated circuit comprises a second plurality of metal layers including a topmost metal layer; and

said single metal layer comprises said topmost metal layer.

14. The integrated receiver of claim 6 wherein:

said integrated circuit comprises a second plurality of metal layers including a topmost metal layer; and

said plurality of metal layers of each of said integrated inductor of each of said plurality of signal processing paths comprises said topmost metal layer and at least one layer below said topmost metal layer.

15. A method comprising:

forming a first integrated inductor on an integrated circuit in a first plurality of metal layers;

forming a second integrated inductor on said integrated circuit in a second plurality of metal layers, wherein said second plurality of metal layers is fewer in number than said first plurality of metal layers;

selecting one of said first integrated inductor and a second integrated inductor;

receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal;

filtering said RF signal around a desired frequency using a selected one of said first integrated inductor and said second integrated inductor to provide a tuned RF signal; and

mixing said tuned RF signal to an intermediate frequency.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein:

the method further comprises selecting one of said first integrated inductor, said second integrated inductor, and a third integrated inductor; and

said filtering said RF signal comprises filtering said RF signal around said desired frequency using a selected one of said first integrated inductor, said second integrated inductor, and said third integrated inductor to provide said tuned RF signal.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

forming said second integrated inductor on said integrated circuit in a second plurality of metal layers, wherein said second plurality of metal layers is fewer in number than said first plurality of metal layers; and

forming said third integrated inductor on said integrated circuit in a third plurality of metal layers, wherein said third plurality of metal layers is fewer in number than said second plurality of metal layers.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

forming said first integrated inductor, said second integrated inductor, and said third integrated inductor to have substantially the same predetermined planar footprint.