Stepped gain mixer
US8229043B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 21, 2008 |
| Grant date | Jul 24, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 24, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03D2200/0025
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An amplified stepped gain mixer portion improves the signal-to-noise ratio of a receiver by using multiple gain states to improve linearity. The mixer portion includes an amplifier, a switch and two transistors. The amplifier output is coupled to the sources of the two transistors. An oscillating signal is present on the transistor gates. The transistor drains are coupled to one another through the switch when the switch is closed. The mixer portion operates in two modes. In a 1/2 mode, the mixer portion output current flows only through the first transistor and not through the second transistor because the switch is open. In a 2/2 mode, the mixer portion output current flows through both transistors. The mixer portion is configured such that the switch is closed when a switching signal is asserted. The switching signal is asserted when a bit of a mixer control register is written to.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.