Integrated multi-channel RF circuit with phase sensing

US11837797B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Infineon Technologies AG · DE

Inventors

• Jochen Schrattenecker · Eisenlohrsweg, AT
• Niels Christoffers · Cambridge, GB
• Vincenzo Fiore · Linz, AT
• Bernhard Gstoettenbauer · Felberleiten, AT
• Helmut Kollmann · Linz, AT
• Alexander Melzer · Neutillmitsch, AT
• Alexander Onic · Linz, AT
• Rainer Stuhlberger · Puchenau, AT
• Mathias Zinnoecker · Linz, AT

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 26, 2021
• Grant date: Dec 5, 2023
• Expiry date: Sep 2, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04B1/1638
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A circuit includes a radio frequency (RF) channel including an input node and an output node and being configured to receive an RF oscillator signal at the input node and to provide an RF output signal at the output node; a mixer configured to mix an RF reference signal and an RF test signal representative of the RF output signal to generate a mixer output signal; an analog-to-digital converter configured to sample the mixer output signal in order to provide a sequence of sampled values; and a control circuit configured to provide a sequence of phase offsets by phase-shifting at least one of the RF test signal and the RF reference signal using one or more phase shifters, calculate a spectral value from the sequence of sampled values; and calculate estimated phase information indicating a phase of the RF output signal based on the spectral value.