Transmit digital to analog converter (DAC) spur attenuation

• US 9,379,727 B1
• Filed: 02/23/2015
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: You, Yang, Ji, Honghao, Saripalli, Ganesh, Seo, Dongwon, Song, Tongyu, Mehdizad Taleie, Shahin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lauture, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US14/628,996
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 341/118, 341/144, 323/303, 323/280, 323/282, 323/270, 323/311
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/56 using semiconductor devices in series with the load as final control devices G05F1/461 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/575 characterised by the feedback circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 3/18 using Zener diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 of transmitter output stages
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/245 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/45183 Long tailed pairs H03F3/4521, H03F3/45237 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/00 Analogue/digital conversion; Digital/analogue conversion conversion of analogue values to or from differential modulation H03M3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/0604 at one point, i.e. by adjusting a single reference value, e.g. bias or gain error gain setting for range control H03M1/18
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/0845 of power supply variations, e.g. ripple
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/70 Automatic control for modifying converter range
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/747 with equal currents which are switched by unary decoded digital signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0475 with means for limiting noise, interference or distortion H04B1/0483 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/0408 with power amplifiers

Abstract

A method and apparatus for attenuating transmit digital to analog converter (DAC) spurs is provided. The method begins when a reference voltage is injected into an amplifier. Next, an output of the ground low drop-out regulator is measured and is them compared with the reference voltage. The output of the amplifier is then adjusted based on the results of the comparison. If the reference voltage is higher then the output of the ground low drop-out regulator the output of the amplifier is adjusted to ground. If the reference voltage is lower than the output of the ground low drop-out regulator then the output of the amplifier is adjusted to match the reference voltage.

Claims

1. A method of attenuating spurs in a digital to analog converter (DAC), comprising:

injecting a reference voltage into an amplifier;

measuring an output of a ground low drop-out regulator;

comparing an output of the ground low drop-out regulator with the reference voltage; and

adjusting an output of the amplifier based on the comparison.

2. A method of attenuating spurs in a digital to analog converter (DAC), comprising:

injecting a reference voltage into an amplifier;

measuring an output of a ground low drop-out regulator;

comparing an output of the ground low drop-out regulator with the reference voltage; and

adjusting an output of the amplifier based on the comparison wherein if the output comparison indicates the reference voltage is higher than the output of the ground low drop-out regulator, adjusting the output of the amplifier to ground.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein adjusting the output of the amplifier comprises:

biasing a pass transistor to a specified conducting condition;

routing a noisy ground signal to the biased pass transistor; and

changing the conductivity of the biased pass transistor to a portion of the noisy signal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the portion of the noisy ground signal whose conductivity is changed is an alternating current (AC) portion of the noisy ground signal.

5. A method of attenuating spurs in a digital to analog converter (DAC), comprising:

injecting a reference voltage into an amplifier;

measuring an output of a ground low drop-out regulator;

comparing an output of the ground low drop-out regulator with the reference voltage; and

adjusting an output of the amplifier based on the comparison wherein if the output comparison indicates the reference voltage is lower than the output of the ground low drop-out regulator, adjusting the output of the amplifier to match the reference voltage.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein adjusting the output of the amplifier comprises:

biasing a pass transistor to a specified conducting condition;

routing a noisy ground signal to the biased pass transistor; and

changing the conductivity of the biased pass transistor to a portion of the noisy signal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the portion of the noisy ground signal whose conductivity is changed is an alternating current (AC) portion of the noisy signal.

8. An apparatus for transmit digital to analog converter (DAC) spur attenuation, comprising:

an amplifier;

a first transistor in communication with the amplifier;

a second transistor in communication with the first transistor;

a third transistor in communication with the second transistor;

a fourth transistor in communication with the first and second transistors; and

a ground low drop-out regulator (GND LDO).

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth transistors are metal-oxide-silicon field effect transistors (MOSFETs).

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the amplifier is an inverting amplifier.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the GND LDO is connected to the fourth transistor.

12. An apparatus for transmit digital to analog converter (DAC) spur attenuation, comprising:

an amplifier;

a first transistor in communication with the amplifier;

a second transistor in communication with the first transistor;

a third transistor in communication with the second transistor;

a fourth transistor in communication with the first and second transistors; and

a ground low drop-out regulator (GND LDO), wherein the GND LDO is connected to the fourth transistor, and further wherein the fourth transistor is also connected to a noisy ground.

13. An apparatus for attenuating spurs in a transmit digital to analog converter (DAC), comprising:

means for injecting a reference voltage into an amplifier;

means for measuring an output of a ground low drop-out regulator;

means for comparing an output of the ground low drop-out regulator with the reference voltage; and

means for adjusting an output of the amplifier based on the comparison.

14. An apparatus for attenuating spurs in a transmit digital to analog converter (DAC), comprising:

means for injecting a reference voltage into an amplifier;

means for measuring an output of a ground low drop-out regulator;

means for comparing an output of the ground low drop-out regulator with the reference voltage; and

means for adjusting an output of the amplifier based on the comparison; and

further comprising;

means for adjusting the output of the amplifier to ground if the output comparison indicates the reference voltage is higher than the output of the ground low drop-out regulator.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

means for biasing a pass transistor to a specified conducting condition;

means for routing a noisy ground signal to the biased pass transistor; and

means for changing the conductivity of the biased pass transistor to a portion of the noisy ground signal.

16. An apparatus for attenuating spurs in a transmit digital to analog converter (DAC), comprising:

means for injecting a reference voltage into an amplifier;

means for measuring an output of a ground low drop-out regulator;

means for comparing an output of the ground low drop-out regulator with the reference voltage;

means for adjusting an output of the amplifier based on the comparison; and

further comprising;

means for adjusting the output of the amplifier to match the reference voltage if the comparison indicates that the output of the ground low drop-out regulator is lower than the reference voltage.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

means for biasing a pass transistor to a specified conducting condition;

means for routing a noisy ground signal to the biased pass transistor; and

means for changing the conductivity of the biased pass transistor to a portion of the noisy ground signal.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions, which when executed cause a processor to perform the steps of:

injecting a reference voltage into an amplifier;

injecting a reference voltage into an amplifier;

measuring an output of a ground low drop-out regulator;

comparing an output of the ground low drop-out regulator with the reference voltage; and

adjusting an output of the amplifier based on the comparison.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions, which when executed cause a processor to perform the steps of:

injecting a reference voltage into an amplifier;

injecting a reference voltage into an amplifier;

measuring an output of a ground low drop-out regulator;

comparing an output of the ground low drop-out regulator with the reference voltage; and

adjusting an output of the amplifier based on the comparison; and

further comprising instructions for adjusting the output of the ground low drop-out regulator to ground if the reference voltage is higher than the output of the ground low drop-out regulator.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions for adjusting the output of the ground low drop-out regulator to match the reference voltage if the comparison indicates that the reference voltage is lower than the output of the ground low drop-out regulator.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, further comprising instructions for adjusting the output of the amplifier;

biasing a pass transistor to a specified conducting condition;

routing a noisy ground signal to the biased pass transistor; and

changing the conductivity of the biased pass transistor to a portion of the noisy ground signal.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions for adjusting the output of the amplifier:

biasing a pass transistor to a specified conducting condition;

routing a noisy ground signal to the biased pass transistor; and

changing the conductivity of the biased pass transistor to a portion of the noisy ground signal.