Low power radio receiver

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016112082-A1
Application number	US-201514981755-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 28, 2015
Priority date	Jul 16, 2012
Publication date	Apr 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and device for receiving a wireless signal is provided. The device includes a passive mixer having a first input node, a second input node, and at least one output node. An oscillator is coupled to the first input node of the mixer. The output of a buffer is coupled to the second input node of the mixer. An antenna is operatively coupled to the input node of the buffer. The buffer is configured to provide isolation from the mixer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A frequency converting element comprising:
a mixer having first and second input nodes and an output node; and a charge pump, wherein an input node of the charge pump is coupled to the output node of the mixer, and wherein the charge pump receives a mixer output signal at the input node of the charge pump, and outputs an amplified version of the mixer output signal.

2 . A wireless receiver comprising:
the frequency converting element of claim 1 ; an oscillator coupled to the first input node of the mixer of the frequency converting element; and an antenna operatively coupled to the second input node of the mixer of the frequency converting element, wherein the mixer receives a signal from the antenna at the first input node and outputs a mixed version of the signal received from the antenna at the output node, and the charge pump operates on the mixed version of the signal received from the antenna to output an amplified version of the mixed version of the signal received from the antenna.

3 . The wireless receiver of claim 2 , wherein the mixer is a passive mixer.

4 . The wireless receiver of claim 3 , further comprising:
a buffer having an input coupled to the antenna and an output coupled to the second input node of the mixer of the frequency converting element, such that the antenna is operatively coupled to the mixer through the buffer, wherein an operative coupling between the antenna and the buffer is passive.

5 . The wireless receive of claim 2 , wherein the charge pump receives a clock signal having a frequency lower than a frequency of the oscillator coupled to the first input node of the mixer.

6 . The frequency converting element of claim 1 , wherein:
the charge pump is a first charge pump, the frequency converting element further comprises a second charge pump having an input node coupled to the output node of the mixer, the first and second charge pumps each alternate between sampling and gain phases of operation, and the first and second charge pumps are operated out of phase with each other such that the first charge pump operates in the sampling phase of operation while the second charge pump operates in the gain phase of operation.

7 . A wireless receiver comprising:
a first frequency converting element in accordance with claim 1 ; a second frequency converting element in accordance with claim 1 ; and an antenna operatively coupled to the first input nodes of the mixers of each of the first and second frequency converting elements, wherein the mixers of the first and second frequency converting elements receive respective local oscillator signals at respective second input nodes thereof.

8 . The wireless receiver of claim 7 , wherein each of the first and second frequency converting elements includes first and second charge pumps that operate out of phase with each other.

9 . The frequency converting element of claim 1 , wherein:
the charge pump is a first charge pump, and the frequency converting element further comprises a second charge pump having an input node coupled to an output node of the first charge pump.

10 . The frequency converting element of claim 9 , wherein:
the first charge pump and the second charge pump each include a plurality of switches and capacitors, and the switches and capacitors in the second charge pump are smaller than switches and capacitors in the first charge pump.

11 . The frequency converting element of claim 9 , wherein the first and second charge pumps are connected in series, and the series-connected first and second charge pumps operate at different frequencies.

12 . The frequency converting element of claim 9 , wherein the first and second charge pumps are connected in series, and the series-connected first and second charge pumps operate at a same frequency.

13 . The frequency converting element of claim 1 , wherein the input node of the charge pump is directly coupled to the output node of the mixer.

14 . The frequency converting element of claim 1 , wherein the charge pump comprises first and second capacitors, and the charge pump is operative to configure the first and second capacitors in parallel at the input node of the charge pump during a sampling phase of operation and to configure the first and second capacitors in series at an output node of the charge pump during a gain phase of operation that does not overlap with the sampling phase of operation.

15 . The frequency converting element of claim 1 , wherein the charge pump provides a frequency-filtering characteristic.

Assignees

• Linear Techn Inc

Inventors

• Lemkin Mark Alan
• Juneau Thor Nelson

Classifications

• H03D7/1441

  using field-effect transistors (H03D7/145 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04B1/30

  for homodyne or synchrodyne receivers (demodulator circuits H03D1/22) · CPC title

• H04B1/18 Primary

  Input circuits, e.g. for coupling to an antenna or a transmission line (coupling networks between antennas or lines and receivers independent of the nature of the receiver H03H) · CPC title

• H03D7/1466 Primary

  Passive mixer arrangements · CPC title

• H04B1/10 Primary

  Means associated with receiver for limiting or suppressing noise or interference · CPC title