Quadrature current-combining linearizing circuit for generating arbitrary phase and amplitude

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9467196-B2
Application number	US-201414173085-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2014
Priority date	Feb 5, 2014
Publication date	Oct 11, 2016
Grant date	Oct 11, 2016

Abstract

A device includes a first circuit path coupled to a first node and a second node, the first circuit path having at least one first varactor circuit configured to receive a first tuning voltage, the first circuit path having a resistor with a selectable value, and a second circuit path coupled to the first node and the second node, the second circuit path having at least one second varactor circuit configured to receive a second tuning voltage, the second circuit path having a capacitor with a selectable value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device, comprising:
a first circuit path coupled to a first node and a second node, the first circuit path having at least one first varactor circuit configured to receive a first tuning voltage, the first circuit path having a resistor with an adjustable value coupled between the at least one first varactor circuit and one of the first and second nodes; and
a second circuit path coupled to the first node and the second node, the second circuit path having at least one second varactor circuit configured to receive a second tuning voltage, the second circuit path having a capacitor with an adjustable value coupled between the at least one first varactor circuit and one of the first and second nodes, wherein the resistor is configured to adjust a phase shift between a first signal in the first circuit path and a second signal in the second circuit path, and the capacitor is configured to adjust an amplitude for the second signal.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the resistor is adjusted to create a 90 degree phase shift between the first signal in the first circuit path and the second signal in the second circuit path.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein a distortion signal on the first node comprises a third order distortion current signal.

4. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
circuitry for coupling the first varactor circuit in the first circuit path and the second varactor circuit in the second circuit path in any of a common-anode configuration and a common-cathode configuration;
a first cross-switch associated with the first varactor circuit in the first circuit path;
a second cross-switch associated with the second varactor circuit in the second circuit path; and
wherein the first and second cross-switches allow the respective first and second tuning voltages to be applied to the respective first and second varactor circuits in any of the common-anode configuration and the common-cathode configuration.

5. The device of claim 3 , further comprising:
a third circuit path configured to receive a third tuning voltage, wherein the third circuit path comprises an additional resistor having an adjustable value, the third circuit path operable with the second circuit path to cancel an additional third order distortion current signal.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the third order distortion current signal comprises third order intermodulation distortion (IM3) and the additional third order distortion current signal comprises third order harmonic distortion (HD3).

7. A device, comprising:
a circuit path having a first node and a second node, the circuit path between the first node and the second node comprising at least one varactor circuit and a resistor having an adjustable value, the circuit path configured to receive a tuning voltage, wherein the adjustable value is chosen to adjust a phase of a distortion signal on the first node;
circuitry for coupling the at least one varactor circuit in any of a common-anode configuration and a common-cathode configuration;
a cross-switch associated with the at least one varactor circuit in the first circuit path; and
wherein the cross-switch allows the tuning voltage to be applied to the at least one varactor circuit in any of the common-anode configuration and the common-cathode configuration.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the tuning voltage adjusts an amplitude of the distortion signal on the first node.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the distortion signal on the first node comprises a third order distortion current signal.

10. A method comprising:
coupling a first circuit path and a second circuit path together at a first node and at a second node, each circuit path comprising at least one varactor circuit;
applying a first tuning voltage to the first circuit path to generate a first current in the first circuit path;
applying a second tuning voltage to a second circuit path to generate a second current in the second circuit path;
adjusting a resistance in the first circuit path to create a phase difference between the first current and the second current; and
adjusting a capacitance in the second circuit path to create a desired amplitude for the second current.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising creating a 90 degree phase shift between the first current and the second current.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
coupling the varactor circuit in the first circuit path and the varactor circuit in the second circuit path in any of a common-anode configuration and a common-cathode configuration; and
applying the respective first and second tuning voltages to the respective first and second varactor circuits in any of the common-anode configuration and the common-cathode configuration.

13. A device, comprising:
means for coupling a first circuit path and a second circuit path together at a first node and at a second node, each circuit path comprising at least one varactor circuit;
means for generating a first current in the first circuit path;
means for generating a second current in the second circuit path;
means for creating a phase difference between the first current and the second current; and
means for creating a desired amplitude for the second current.

14. The device of claim 13 , further comprising means for creating a 90 degree phase shift between the first current and the second current.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the signal on the first node comprises a third order distortion current signal.

16. The device of claim 13 , further comprising:
means for coupling the varactor circuit in the first circuit path and the varactor circuit in the second circuit path in any of a common-anode configuration and a common-cathode configuration; and
means for applying the respective first and second tuning voltages to the respective first and second varactor circuits in any of the common-anode configuration and the common-cathode configuration.

17. The device of claim 15 , further comprising:
means for coupling a third circuit path between the first node and the second node;
means for configuring the third circuit path to receive a third tuning voltage;
means for coupling an additional adjustable resistance in the third circuit path; and
means for adjusting the additional adjustable resistance in the third circuit path to cancel an additional third order distortion current signal.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the third order distortion current signal comprises third order intermodulation distortion (IM3) and the additional third order distortion current signal comprises third order harmonic distortion (HD3).

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Imbornone James Francis
• Wang Xinwei
• Dicicco Marc Gerald
• Carrez Frederic
• Luo Zhenying
• Zhang Xiangdong

Classifications

• H04B1/0475 Primary

  with means for limiting noise, interference or distortion (H04B1/0483 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04B2001/485

  inhibiting unwanted transmission · CPC title

• H04B1/0057

  using diplexing or multiplexing filters for selecting the desired band · CPC title

• H04B1/48 Primary

  in circuits for connecting transmitter and receiver to a common transmission path, e.g. by energy of transmitter {(H04B1/46 takes precedence)} · CPC title