# US 10,320,332 B2 · Octagonal phase rotators

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- Number: US 10,320,332 B2
- Document ID: US10320332B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/809,812
- Filed: 2017-11-10
- Published: 2018-09-13
- Granted: 2019-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2017-03-07
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Pier A. Francese
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10320332B2

## CPC

- H03D 7/166: {using two or more quadrature frequency translation stages}
- H03D 7/1441: {using field-effect transistors (H03D7/145 takes precedence)}
- H03D 7/1458: {Double balanced arrangements, i.e. where both input signals are differential}
- H03D 7/165: {at least two frequency changers being located in different paths, e.g. in two paths with carriers in quadrature (combined with amplitude demodulation H03D1/2245, combined with angle demodulation H03D3/007; N-path filters H03H19/002)}
- H03H 11/16: Networks for phase shifting
- H03L 7/0807: {concerning mainly a recovery circuit for the reference signal}
- H03D 2200/0019: Gilbert multipliers
- H03K 5/131: Digitally controlled
- H03D: DEMODULATION OR TRANSFERENCE OF MODULATION FROM ONE CARRIER TO ANOTHER (masers, lasers H01S; circuits capable of acting both as modulator and demodulator H03C; details applicable to both modulators and frequency-changers H03C; demodulating pulses H03K9/00; transforming types of pulse modulation H03K11/00; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M; repeater stations H04B7/14; demodulators adapted for AC systems of digital information transmission H04L27/00; synchronous demodulators adapted for colour television H04N9/66)
- H03H: IMPEDANCE NETWORKS, e.g. RESONANT CIRCUITS; RESONATORS (waveguides, resonators, lines or other devices of the waveguide type H01P)
- H03L: AUTOMATIC CONTROL, STARTING, SYNCHRONISATION OR STABILISATION OF GENERATORS OF ELECTRONIC OSCILLATIONS OR PULSES (generation of oscillations H03B)
- H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M)

## Abstract

Octagonal phase rotator includes an I-mixer having an I-DAC for steering current between positive and negative phases of an in-phase signal depending on k I-DAC control bits of a control code, a Q-mixer having a Q-DAC for steering current between the positive/negative phases of a quadrature signal depending on k Q-DAC control bits of the code, and an IQ-mixer having n IQ-mixer units each comprising an IQ-DAC for switching a second current unit between the in-phase and quadrature signals, in dependence on a respective bit of n IQ-DAC control bits, and between the positive/negative phases of the in-phase and quadrature signals via I and Q polarity switches respectively of that component. I and Q polarity switches of some different IQ-DAC components switch depending on different I-DAC control bits and Q-DAC control bits respectively. A summation circuit sums weighted output signals from the mixers to produce an output signal of phase.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for generating output signals of phase from an octagonal phase rotator apparatus, said generated output signals dependent on a digital control code, the method comprising:
using an I-DAC of an I-mixer for steering current between positive and negative phases of an in-phase signal in dependence on k I-DAC control bits of said control code, each control bit controlling switching of a first current unit between said phases,
receiving, at a set of amplifiers, said phases of the in-phase signal and weighting each phase, in dependence on current steered to that phase by the I-DAC, to produce a weighted output signal;
using a Q-DAC of a Q-mixer for steering current between positive and negative phases of a quadrature signal in dependence on k Q-DAC control bits of said code, each control bit controlling switching of a said first current unit between said phases,
receiving, at a further set of amplifiers, said phases of the quadrature signal and weighting each phase, in dependence on current steered to that phase by the Q-DAC, to produce a weighted output signal;
switching, at a respective IQ-DAC component of an IQ-mixer comprising n IQ-mixer units each comprising the respective IQ-DAC, a second current unit between said in-phase and quadrature signals in dependence on a respective bit of n IQ-DAC control bits of said code, and between the positive and negative phases of the in-phase and quadrature signals via I and Q polarity switches respectively of that component, and
receiving at a set of amplifiers said phases of said signals and weighting each phase, in dependence on current steered to that phase by the IQ-DAC component, to produce a weighted output signal, wherein the I and Q polarity switches of at least some different IQ-DAC components are arranged to switch in dependence on different I-DAC control bits and Q-DAC control bits respectively; and
summing, at a summation circuit, the weighted output signals from the I-mixer, Q-mixer and IQ-mixer to produce said output signal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein n>k and the method further comprising:
switching the I polarity switches in k of said IQ-DAC components in dependence on respective bits of the k I-DAC control bits,
switching the I polarity switches in the remaining (n−k) IQ-DAC components in dependence on different bits of the k I-DAC control bits; and
switching the Q polarity switches in k of said IQ-DAC components in dependence on respective bits of the k Q-DAC control bits, and
switching the Q polarity switches in the remaining (n−k) IQ-DAC components in dependence on different bits of the k Q-DAC control bits.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein n≤k and the method further comprising: switching the I and Q polarity switches of all IQ-DAC components in dependence on different I-DAC control bits and Q-DAC control bits respectively.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein n=k.