US 10,897,266 B2 · RF quadrature mixing digital-to-analog conversion

Abstract

A double-balanced radio-frequency (RF) mixing digital-to-analog converter (DAC) apparatus includes a load network, a first set of resistive DAC driver circuits and a first mixing core. The first mixing core can receive first RF input signals from the first set of resistive DAC driver circuits and can provide a first mixed signal to the load network. The first mixing core includes a first input differential pair coupled to two first cross-coupled differential pairs. The first input differential pair can receive first RF input signals at respective first input nodes. Each of the two first cross-coupled differential pairs can receive first positive and negative local oscillator (LO) signals at corresponding first input nodes. The first mixing core can mix the first RF input signals with the first positive and negative LO signals.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A double-balanced radio frequency (RF) mixing digital-to-analog converter (DAC) apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a load network;
a first set of resistive DAC driver circuits;
and
a first mixing core configured to receive first RF input signals from the first set of resistive DAC driver circuits and to provide a first mixed signal to the load network,
wherein:
the first mixing core comprises a first input differential pair coupled to two first cross-coupled differential pairs,
the first input differential pair is configured to receive the first RF input signals at respective first input nodes,
each of the two first cross-coupled differential pairs is configured to receive first positive and negative local oscillator (LO) signals at corresponding first input nodes,
the first mixing core is configured to mix the first RF input signals with the first positive and negative LO signals, and
the apparatus comprises a tail current source coupled to a common node of the first input differential pair.

7 more elements

A current-steering radio-frequency (RF) mixing digital-to-analog converter (DAC) apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a load network;
a first set of current-steering DAC driver circuits;
a second set of current-steering DAC driver circuits;
a first mixing core configured to receive first RF input signals from the first set of current-steering DAC driver circuits and to provide a first mixed signal to the load network;
and
a second mixing core configured to receive second RF input signals from the second set of current-steering DAC driver circuits and to provide a second mixed signal to the load network,
wherein:
each of the first set of current-steering DAC driver circuits and the second set of current-steering DAC driver circuits comprises N input differential pairs,
each input differential pair of the N input differential pairs is coupled to a tail transistor,
the input differential pair is configured to receive, at two corresponding input nodes, a bit and a respective compliment bit of a first or a second digital signal,
the first set of current-steering DAC driver circuits are configured to convert the first digital signal to the first RF signal, and
the second set of current-steering DAC driver circuits are configured to convert the second digital signal to the second RF signal.

9 more elements

A method of providing a double-balanced radio-frequency (RF) mixing digital-to-analog converter (DAC), the method comprising:

providing a load network;
providing a first set of resistive DAC driver circuits;
forming a first mixing core by coupling a first input differential pair to two first cross-coupled differential pairs;
configuring the first mixing core to receive first RF input signals from the first set of resistive DAC driver circuits and to provide a first mixed signal to the load network;
configuring the first input differential pair to receive, at respective first input nodes, the first RF input signals;
configuring each of the two first cross-coupled differential pairs to receive, at corresponding first input nodes, first positive and negative local oscillator (LO) signals;
configuring the first mixing core to mix the first RF input signals with the first positive and negative LO signals;
and
coupling a tail current source to a common node of the first input differential pair.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

RF quadrature mixing digital-to-analog conversion

Life of this patent

RF quadrature mixing digital-to-analog conversion

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19