Tunable filter employing feedforward cancellation

• US 9,654,983 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2015
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: North Carolina State University (University of North Carolina System)
• Original Assignee: North Carolina State University (University of North Carolina System)
• Inventors: Floyd, Brian A., Wilson, III, Charley Theodore
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayard, Emmanuel
• Application Number:
  US14/677,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20150288392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 375219-220, 375297-298, 375350
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 19/002 N-path filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 19/008 with variable switch closing time
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2007/013 Notch or bandstop filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2011/0488 Notch or bandstop filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2240/00 Indexing scheme relating to filter banks
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/48 Networks for connecting several sources or loads, working on the same frequency or frequency band, to a common load or source phase shifters providing two or more output signals H03H7/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for a tunable filter employing feedforward cancellation are disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a tunable transmissive filter that includes a splitter for splitting an input signal into a first signal and a second signal, a first modifier circuit for modifying a characteristic of the first signal to produce a modified first signal, a second modifier circuit for using feedforward cancellation to modify a characteristic of the second signal to produce a modified second signal, the second modifier circuit including an N-path filter, N being an integer greater than 0; and a combiner for combining the modified first signal and the modified second signal to produce a filtered output signal having a bandpass response.

Claims

1. A tunable transmissive filter, comprising:

a splitter for splitting an input signal into a first signal and a second signal;

a first modifier circuit for modifying a characteristic of the first signal to produce a modified first signal;

a second modifier circuit for using feedforward cancellation to modify a characteristic of the second signal to produce a modified second signal, the second modifier circuit including an N-path filter, N being an integer greater than 0, the N-path filter having a desired frequency response, wherein the N-path filter includes a first N-phase passive mixer, a baseband filter for implementing a desired filter response, and a second N-phase passive mixer, and wherein the baseband filter comprises a plurality of active baseband networks between the first and second passive mixers to realize the desired filter response; and

a combiner for combining the modified first signal and the modified second signal to produce a filtered output signal having a desired inverted frequency response.

2. The filter of claim 1 wherein the splitter comprises a balun.

3. The filter of claim 1 wherein the splitter provides equal power to the first and second signals.

4. The filter of claim 1 wherein the splitter provides unequal power to the first and second signals.

5. The filter of claim 1 wherein the first modifier circuit comprises a passive path and wherein the second modifier circuit comprises an active path.

6. The filter of claim 5 wherein the active path includes an amplifier and wherein the splitter provides more power to the passive path than to the active path.

7. The filter of claim 1 wherein the first modifier circuit comprises at least one of:

a tunable passive delay line;

a tunable active delay line; and

a phase shifter.

8. The filter of claim 1 wherein each of the active baseband networks comprises a pair of op-amps connected in series.

9. The filter of claim 1 wherein the desired filter response comprises a low-pass response, a high-pass response, a bandpass response, or a bandstop response.

10. The filter of claim 1 wherein the second modifier circuit includes at least one of:

an RF amplifier;

an RF limiter;

a differential quadrant generator; and

a phase shifter.

11. The filter of claim 1 wherein the combiner comprises at least one of:

a balun;

a non-isolating T junction;

a passive summing circuit;

an active summing circuit.

12. A tunable reflective filter, comprising:

a first reflecting load comprising an N path terminated filter having a plurality of switching devices for selectively connecting an input to ground through at least one of a plurality of active termination devices, N being an integer greater than 0;

a second reflecting load; and

a coupler for coupling a filter input signal to the input of the first reflecting load and to the input of the second reflecting load and for coupling the input of the first reflecting load and the input of the second reflecting load to a filter output signal,

wherein the coupler uses feedforward cancellation to combine a signal reflection from a delay line with a signal reflection from the terminated filter to produce a filtered output signal having a bandpass response.

13. The filter of claim 12, wherein the second reflecting load comprises a second N path terminated filter having a plurality of switching devices for selectively connecting an input to ground through at least one of a plurality of active termination devices, N being an integer greater than 0, and wherein the coupler is a 90-degree hybrid coupler.

14. The filter of claim 12, wherein the second reflecting load comprises a tunable delay line having a first end and a second end, the second end being connected to a termination circuit for selectively terminating the second end of the delay line to an open circuit, to a short circuit to ground, or to an impedance to ground.

15. The filter of claim 14 comprising a controller for controlling at least one of:

the plurality of switching devices;

the active termination devices; and

the termination circuit.

16. The tunable filter of claim 15 wherein the controller comprises an N phase pulse generator for controlling the plurality of switching devices via control signals to control terminals of the plurality of switching devices.

17. A method for tunable transmissive filtering, comprising:

splitting an input signal into a first signal and a second signal;

modifying a characteristic of the first signal to produce a modified first signal;

using feedforward cancellation to modify a characteristic of the second signal to produce a modified second signal, including using an N-path filter, N being an integer greater than 0, wherein using the N-path filter includes using a first N-phase passive mixer, a baseband filter, and a second N-phase passive mixer, and wherein using the baseband filter comprises using a plurality of active baseband networks between the first and second passive mixers; and

combining the modified first signal and the modified second signal to produce a filtered output signal having a desired frequency response.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein splitting the input signal comprises splitting the input signal using a balun.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the first and second signals are of equal power.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the first and second signals are of unequal power.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein a characteristic of the first signal is modified using a passive path and wherein a characteristic of the second signal is modified using an active path.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the active path includes an amplifier and wherein the splitter provides more power to the passive path than to the active path.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein a characteristic of the first signal is modified using at least one of:

a tunable passive delay line;

a tunable active delay line; and

a phase shifter.

24. The method of claim 17 wherein each of the active baseband networks comprises a pair of op-amps connected in series.

25. The method of claim 17 wherein a characteristic of the second signal is modified using at least one of:

an RF amplifier;

an RF limiter;

a differential quadrant generator; and

a phase shifter.

26. The method of claim 17 wherein combining the modified first and second signals comprises using at least one of:

a balun;

a non-isolating T junction;

a passive summing circuit;

an active summing circuit.

27. A method for tunable reflective filtering, comprising:

providing, via a coupler, a filter input signal to an input of a first reflecting load and to an input of a second reflecting load and coupling the input of the first reflecting load and the input of the second reflecting load to a filter output signal, the first reflecting load comprising an N path terminated filter having a plurality of switching devices for selectively connecting an input to ground through at least one of a plurality of active termination devices, N being an integer greater than 0;

using feedforward cancellation to combine a signal reflection from a delay line with a signal reflection from the terminated filter to produce a filtered output signal having a bandpass response.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the second reflecting load comprises a second N path terminated filter having a plurality of switching devices for selectively connecting an input to ground through at least one of a plurality of active termination devices, N being an integer greater than 0, and wherein the coupler is a 90-degree hybrid coupler.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the second reflecting load comprises a tunable delay line having a first end and a second end, the second end being connected to a termination circuit for selectively terminating the second end of the delay line to an open circuit, to a short circuit to ground, or to an impedance to ground.

30. The method of claim 29 comprising using a controller to control at least one of:

the plurality of switching devices;

the active termination devices; and

the termination circuit.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the controller uses an N phase pulse generator to controlling the plurality of switching devices via control signals to control terminals of the plurality of switching devices.

32. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the processor of a computer control the computer to perform steps comprising:

splitting an input signal into a first signal and a second signal;

modifying a characteristic of the first signal to produce a modified first signal;

using feedforward cancellation to modify a characteristic of the second signal to produce a modified second signal, including using an N-path filter, N being an integer greater than 0, wherein using the N-path filter includes using a first N-phase passive mixer, a baseband filter, and a second N-phase passive mixer, and wherein using the baseband filter comprises using a plurality of active baseband networks between the first and second passive mixers; and

combining the modified first signal and the modified second signal to produce a filtered output signal having a desired frequency response.

33. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the processor of a computer control the computer to perform steps comprising:

providing, via a coupler, a filter input signal to an input of a first reflecting load and to an input of a second reflecting load and coupling the input of the first reflecting load and the input of the second reflecting load to a filter output signal, the first reflecting load comprising an N path terminated filter having a plurality of switching devices for selectively connecting an input to ground through at least one of a plurality of active termination devices, N being an integer greater than 0;

using feedforward cancellation to combine a signal reflection from a delay line with a signal reflection from the terminated filter to produce a filtered output signal having a bandpass response.