Transceiver array with adjustment of local oscillator signals based on phase difference

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9825694-B2
Application number	US-201615238877-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2016
Priority date	Aug 18, 2015
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

Aspects of methods and systems for transceiver array synchronization are provided. An array based communications system comprises a plurality of transceiver circuits and an array coordinator. Each transceiver circuit of the plurality of transceiver circuits comprises a plurality of wireless transmitters and a local oscillator generator. Each wireless transmitter of the plurality of wireless transmitters is able to modulate a local oscillator signal from the local oscillator generator based on a weighted sum of a plurality of digital datastreams. The array coordinator is able to adjust a phase of a first local oscillator signal based on a phase difference between the first local oscillator signal and a second local oscillator signal. The first local oscillator signal is generated by a first local oscillator generator of a first transceiver circuit. The second local oscillator signal is generated by a second local oscillator generator of a second transceiver circuit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An array based communications system comprising:
a plurality of transceiver circuits, each transceiver circuit of the plurality of transceiver circuits comprising a plurality of wireless transmitters and a local oscillator generator, each wireless transmitter of the plurality of wireless transmitters being operable to modulate a local oscillator signal from the local oscillator generator based on a weighted sum of a plurality of digital datastreams; and
an array coordinator operable to adjust a phase of a first local oscillator signal based on a phase difference between the first local oscillator signal and a second local oscillator signal, the first local oscillator signal being generated by a first local oscillator generator of a first transceiver circuit of the plurality of transceiver circuits, the second local oscillator signal being generated by a second local oscillator generator of a second transceiver circuit of the plurality of transceiver circuits,
wherein the phase difference between the first local oscillator signal and the second local oscillator signal is an average phase difference between a first plurality of mixer outputs and a second plurality of mixer outputs, the first plurality of mixer outputs being generated by a first plurality of mixers operably coupled to the first local oscillator generator, the second plurality of mixer outputs being generated by a second plurality of mixers operably coupled to the second local oscillator generator.

2. The array based communications system of claim 1 , wherein the array based communications system comprises a phase differencing circuit operable to generate the phase difference between the first local oscillator signal and the second local oscillator signal, the differencing circuit comprising a mixer, a filter, and an analog-to-digital converter.

3. The array based communications system of claim 2 , wherein the phase differencing circuit operates at start up.

4. The array based communications system of claim 2 , wherein the phase differencing circuit operates periodically.

5. The array based communications system of claim 2 , wherein the phase differencing circuit operates on an event driven basis.

6. The array based communications system of claim 2 , wherein the phase differencing circuit operates in response to an error rate exceeding a threshold.

7. The array based communications system of claim 2 , wherein the phase differencing circuit is in a low power state while not operating.

8. An array based communications system comprising:
a plurality of transceiver circuits, each transceiver circuit of the plurality of transceiver circuits comprising a plurality of wireless transmitters and a local oscillator generator, each wireless transmitter of the plurality of wireless transmitters being operable to modulate a local oscillator signal from the local oscillator generator based on a weighted sum of a plurality of digital datastreams; and
an array coordinator operable to adjust a phase of a first local oscillator signal based on a phase difference between the first local oscillator signal and a second local oscillator signal, the first local oscillator signal being generated by a first local oscillator generator of a first transceiver circuit of the plurality of transceiver circuits, the second local oscillator signal being generated by a second local oscillator generator of a second transceiver circuit of the plurality of transceiver circuits,
wherein the array based communications system comprises a phase differencing circuit operable to generate the phase difference between the first local oscillator signal and the second local oscillator signal, the differencing circuit comprising a mixer, a filter, and an analog-to-digital converter.

9. The array based communications system of claim 8 , wherein the phase differencing circuit operates at start up.

10. The array based communications system of claim 8 , wherein the phase differencing circuit operates periodically.

11. The array based communications system of claim 8 , wherein the phase differencing circuit operates on an event driven basis.

12. The array based communications system of claim 8 , wherein the phase differencing circuit operates in response to an error rate exceeding a threshold.

13. The array based communications system of claim 8 , wherein the phase differencing circuit is in a low power state while not operating.

14. The array based communications system of claim 8 , wherein the phase difference between the first local oscillator signal and the second local oscillator signal is an average phase difference between a first plurality of mixer outputs and a second plurality of mixer outputs, the first plurality of mixer outputs being generated by a first plurality of mixers operably coupled to the first local oscillator generator, the second plurality of mixer outputs being generated by a second plurality of mixers operably coupled to the second local oscillator generator.

15. A method for array based communications, the method comprising:
generating a first local oscillator signal at a first transceiver circuit, the first transceiver circuit comprising a first plurality of wireless transmitters, each wireless transmitter of the first plurality of wireless transmitters being operable to modulate the first local oscillator signal based on a weighted sum of a plurality of digital datastreams;
generating a second local oscillator signal at a second transceiver circuit, the second transceiver circuit comprising a second plurality of wireless transmitters, each wireless transmitter of the second plurality of wireless transmitters being operable to modulate the second local oscillator signal based on a weighted sum of a plurality of digital datastreams;
generating a phase difference between the first local oscillator signal and the second local oscillator signal; and
adjusting a phase of the first local oscillator signal based on the phase difference,
wherein generating the phase difference comprises mixing the first local oscillator signal and the second local oscillator signal together, filtering a resulting difference signal, and digitizing a resulting filtered signal.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the method comprises wirelessly transmitting a plurality of modulated analog signals corresponding to the plurality of weighted sums.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein generating the phase difference comprises averaging a phase difference between a first plurality of mixer outputs and a second plurality of mixer outputs, the first plurality of mixer outputs being generated by a first plurality of mixers operably coupled to the first local oscillator generator, the second plurality of mixer outputs being generated by a second plurality of mixers operably coupled to the second local oscillator generator.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein generating the phase difference occurs periodically.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein generating the phase difference occurs on an event driven basis.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein generating the phase difference occurs in response to an error rate exceeding a threshold.

21. A machine-readable non-transitory storage media having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section for networking, the at least one code section being executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform steps comprising:
controlling the generation of a first local oscillator signal at a first transceiver ci

Assignees

• Maxlinear Inc

Inventors

• Gallagher Timothy
• Ling Curtis

Classifications

• H04B17/21

  for calibration; for correcting measurements · CPC title

• H04B7/18513 Primary

  Transmission in a satellite or space-based system · CPC title

• H04B1/04

  Circuits · CPC title

• H04B17/18

  Monitoring during normal operation · CPC title

• H04B1/38

  Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving · CPC title