POLYPHASE HARMONIC REJECTION MIXER

• US 20110298521A1
• Filed: 02/03/2010
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Klumperink, Eric A. M., Nauta, Bram, Brekelmans, Johannes H. A., Ru, Zhiyu
• Granted Patent: US 8,606,210 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 327/356
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 2200/0086 Reduction or prevention of harmonic frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 7/14 Balanced arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 7/1458 Double balanced arrangements, i.e. where both input signals are differential
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 7/165 at least two frequency changers being located in different paths, e.g. in two paths with carriers in quadrature combined with amplitude demodulation H03D1/2245, combined with angle demodulation H03D3/007; N-path filters H03H19/002

Abstract

A polyphase harmonic rejection mixer, comprising a plurality of stages following each other; wherein a first stage is arranged to perform at least frequency conversion; and a second stage is arranged to perform at least selective weighting and combining; wherein at least two of the plurality of stages are arranged to perform at least combining. In an embodiment, the first stage (28) comprises three single-ended gain blocks (10, 12, 14), arranged to perform selective weighting, frequency conversion and combining; and a second stage (30) following the first stage (28) and arranged to perform selective weighting and combining. The second stage (30) may reduce the number of phases output by the first stage (28) and may output (32) a complex differential down converted signal. The mixer may be directly interfaced to an antenna of an LNA-less receiver without weighting in the first stage. The mixer may be included in a software-defined radio.

Claims

1. A polyphase harmonic rejection mixer, comprising:

a plurality of stages following each other;

wherein

a first stage is arranged to perform at least frequency conversion; and

a second stage is arranged to perform at least selective weighting and combining;

wherein at least two of the stages are arranged to perform at least combining.

2. A polyphase harmonic rejection mixer according to claim 1, further comprising at least one further stage, each said further stage being arranged to perform selective weighting and combining.

3. A polyphase harmonic rejection mixer according to claim 1, wherein the first stage is further arranged to perform combining in addition to frequency conversion.

4. A polyphase harmonic rejection mixer according to claim 3, wherein the first stage is further arranged to perform selective weighting in addition to frequency conversion and combining.

5. A polyphase harmonic rejection mixer claim 1, wherein a following stage is arranged to reduce a number of phases output by its preceding stage.

6. A polyphase harmonic rejection mixer according to claim 1, wherein a final stage is arranged to output a complex differential down converted signal.

7. A polyphase harmonic rejection mixer according to claim 1, wherein the selective weighting in at least one of the stages is implemented by one of resistance, transconductance and digital blocks.

8. A polyphase harmonic rejection mixer according to claim 7, wherein the selective weighting in at least one stage is implemented by plural gain blocks.

9. A polyphase harmonic rejection mixer according to claim 8, wherein the gain blocks are single-ended.

10. A polyphase harmonic rejection mixer according to claim 8, wherein each said gain block drives a respective set of plural mixers or samplers.

11. An LNA-less receiver comprising an antenna directly interfaced to a polyphase harmonic rejection mixer according to claim 1.

12. A software-defined radio comprising a polyphase harmonic rejection mixer according to claim 1.

13. A method of polyphase harmonic rejection mixing, the method comprising:

a first stage performing at least frequency conversion; and

a second stage performing at least selective weighting and combining;

wherein at least two stages perform at least combining.

14. A method of polyphase harmonic rejection mixing according to claim 13, further comprising at least one further stage each performing selective weighting and combining.

15. A method of polyphase harmonic rejection mixing according to claim 13, wherein a following stage reduces a number of phases output by its preceding stage.