Method and apparatus for detecting RF field strength

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10516380-B2
Application number	US-201715818097-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2017
Priority date	Nov 18, 2006
Publication date	Dec 24, 2019
Grant date	Dec 24, 2019

Abstract

A power detector for use in an RF receiver. The detector includes a power reference generator and a power quantizer. The power reference generator develops a power reference current, voltage, or signal as a function of a power transferred via a received RF signal. The power quantizer is responsive to the power reference current, voltage, or signal to develop a digital field power value indicative of the power reference current, voltage, or signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power detector for use in a radio frequency (RF) receiver, the power detector comprises:
a power reference generator adapted to develop a power reference current as a function of a power transferred via a received RF signal, wherein the power reference generator includes:
a regulator circuit adapted to develop a first current proportional to the power transferred via said received RF signal; and
a reference circuit coupled to said regulator circuit and adapted to develop said power reference current as a function of said first current; and

a power quantizer, responsive to the power reference current, adapted to develop a digital field power value indicative of the power reference current.

2. The power detector of claim 1 , wherein the reference circuit comprises:
a current-to-voltage converter coupled to said regulator circuit and adapted to develop a first voltage as a function of said first current; and
a voltage-to-current converter coupled to said current-to-voltage converter and adapted to develop said power reference current as a function of said first voltage.

3. The power detector of claim 1 , wherein the power quantizer comprises:
a current source circuit coupled to said reference circuit and adapted to develop a reference current in response to a digital control value; and
a control circuit, coupled to said current source circuit and to said reference circuit, and adapted to:
develop a power reference value as a function of said reference current and said power reference current; and
when said power reference value is less than a predetermined threshold value, selectively change said digital control value by a predetermined amount.

4. A power detector for use in a radio frequency (RF) receiver, the power detector comprises:
a power reference generator adapted to develop a power reference signal as a function of a power transferred via a received RF signal, wherein the power reference generator includes:
a regulator circuit adapted to develop a first current proportional to the power transferred via said received RF signal; and
a reference circuit coupled to said regulator circuit and adapted to develop said power reference current as a function of said first current; and

a power quantizer, responsive to said power reference signal, adapted to develop a digital field power value indicative of said power reference signal.

5. The power detector of claim 4 , wherein the reference circuit comprises:
a current-to-voltage converter coupled to said regulator circuit and adapted to develop a first voltage as a function of said first current; and
a voltage-to-current converter coupled to said current-to-voltage converter and adapted to develop said power reference current as a function of said first voltage.

6. The detector of claim 4 , wherein the power quantizer comprises:
a current source circuit coupled to said reference circuit and adapted to develop a reference current in response to a digital control value; and
a control circuit, coupled to said current source circuit and to said reference circuit, and adapted to:
develop a power reference value as a function of said reference current and said power reference current; and
when said power reference value is less than a predetermined threshold value, selectively change said digital control value by a predetermined amount.

Assignees

• Rfmicron Inc

Inventors

• Rokhsaz Shahriar
• De Angel Edwin

Classifications

• H03H7/40 Primary

  Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance · CPC title

• H03J2200/10

  Tuning of a resonator by means of digitally controlled capacitor bank · CPC title

• H03J3/20 Primary

  of single resonant circuit by varying inductance only or capacitance only · CPC title

• H04B5/0037

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04B5/79

  for data transfer in combination with power transfer · CPC title