METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PROCESSING THE DC OFFSET OF A RADIOFREQUENCY RECEPTION SUBSYSTEM

• US 20100022214A1
• Filed: 07/20/2009
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microelectronic Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics NV, STMicroelectronics SA (STMicroelectronics NV), STMicroelectronics SAS (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Sibille, Florent, Della-Monica, Gabriel, HUE, Antoine
• Granted Patent: US 8,285,236 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/253.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/063 Setting decision thresholds using feedback techniques only

Abstract

A method may compensate for direct current (DC) offset in a radio frequency reception device. The method may include partitioning an analog portion of the reception device into a plurality of zones, for each zone, calibrating initial DC offset compensation to be applied within an operating range of a respective zone, the operating range of the other zones being limited to a threshold operating range, and determining DC offset compensation to be applied to the reception device throughout the operating range based on the basic DC offset compensations.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A method of compensating for direct current (DC) offset in a radio frequency reception device, the method comprising:

partitioning an analog portion of the reception device into a plurality of zones;

for each zone, calibrating an initial DC offset compensation to be applied within an operating range of a respective zone, the operating range of the other zones being limited to a threshold operating range; and

determining an actual DC offset compensation to be applied to the plurality of zones based on the initial DC offset compensations.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the analog portion comprises an analog-to-digital converter;

and wherein the threshold operating range for each zone is based upon saturation of the analog-to-digital converter.

20. The method according to claim 18 wherein the calibrating of the initial DC offset compensation for the respective zone comprises stopping operation of the respective zone.

21. The method according to claim 18 wherein the calibrating of the initial DC offset compensation for the respective zone comprises operating the respective zone with at least one of a first threshold gain and a gain in the range defined by the first threshold gain and a second threshold gain.

22. The method according to claim 20 wherein the zones upstream of the respective zone to be calibrated are stopped;

and wherein the zones downstream of the respective zone to be calibrated operate with at least one of a first threshold gain and a gain delimited by the first threshold gain and a second threshold gain.

23. The method according to claim 18 wherein the calibrating of the initial DC offset compensation of the respective zone comprises determining a set of initial compensation values to be applied in the reception device;

and wherein the determining of the actual DC offset compensation comprises weighting the set of initial compensation values, and aggregating the weighted set of initial compensation values.

24. The method according to claim 23 wherein the calibrating of the initial DC offset compensation of the respective zone comprises varying gain of the respective zone, and for each gain value, determining a initial compensation value to be applied in the reception device.

25. The method according to claim 19 wherein the reception device comprises a direct conversion reception device.

26. The method according to claim 25 wherein the direct conversion reception device comprises:

an antenna;

a first amplifier coupled to the antenna;

a frequency transposition stage coupled to the first amplifier; and

a second amplifier coupled between the frequency transposition stage and the analog-to-digital converter.

27. The method according to claim 26 wherein the reception device is partitioned into a first zone comprising the first amplifier and the frequency transposition stage and into a second zone comprising the second amplifier and the analog-to-digital converter.

28. A device for compensating for direct current (DC) offset in radio frequency reception, the device comprising:

a reception module including an analog portion being partitioned into a plurality of zones;

a calibration module performing a calibration of an initial DC offset compensation applied to a respective zone in an operating range;

a controller limiting the operating range of the respective zone to a threshold operating range;

a monitoring module activating said calibration module and said controller for the other zones; and

a determination module determining an actual DC offset compensation applied to the plurality of zones based on the initial DC offset compensations,

29. The device according to claim 28 wherein said analog portion comprises an analog-to-digital converter;

and wherein the threshold operating range of each zone is based upon saturation of said analog-to-digital converter.

30. The device according to claim 28 wherein said controller stops operation of the respective zone.

31. The device according to claim 28 wherein said controller sets gain of the respective zone to at least one of a first threshold gain and a gain in a range defined by the first threshold gain and a second threshold gain.

32. The device according to claim 28 wherein said controller stops operation of zones upstream of the respective zone being calibrated;

and wherein said controller sets zones downstream of the respective zone being calibrated to a gain of at least one of a first threshold gain and a gain in a range defined by the first threshold gain and a second threshold gain.

33. The device according to claim 28 wherein said calibration module is for determining, for each zone, a set of initial compensation values to be applied to the device;

and wherein said determination module comprises an aggregation module for aggregating weighted initial compensation values.

34. The device according to claim 28 wherein said calibration module comprises:

a first gain module for varying gain of the respective zone; and

a second gain module for determining, for each gain value, a initial compensation value to be applied to the device.

35. The device according to claim 29 wherein said reception module comprises a direct conversion reception module.

36. The device according to claim 35 wherein said direct conversion reception module comprises:

an antenna;

a first amplifier coupled to said antenna;

a frequency transposition stage coupled to said first amplifier; and

a second amplifier coupled between said frequency transposition stage and said analog-to-digital converter.

37. A wireless communications device comprising:

an antenna receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal; and

a device cooperating with said antenna for compensating for direct current (DC) offset in the received RF signal and comprising

a reception module including an analog portion being partitioned into a plurality of zones, and

a controller configured to

perform a calibration of an initial DC offset compensation in an operating range of a respective zone,

limit the operating range of the respective zone to a threshold operating range, and

determine an actual DC offset compensation for the plurality of zones based upon the initial DC offset compensations.

38. The wireless communications device according to claim 37 wherein said analog portion comprises an analog-to-digital converter;

and wherein the threshold operating range of each zone is based upon saturation of said analog-to-digital converter.

39. The wireless communications device according to claim 37 wherein said controller is further configured to stop operation of the respective zone.

40. The wireless communications device according to claim 37 wherein said controller is further configured to set gain of the respective zone to at least one of a first threshold gain and a gain in a range defined by the first threshold gain and a second threshold gain.