US 12,519,226 B1Granted

Frequency multiplying using variable inductors and capacitors

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorNuntha Kumar Krishnasamy Maniam

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Abstract

Technologies directed to a frequency multiplier circuit of a customer terminal (CT) for doubling and tripling a frequency of a local oscillator are described. One communication device includes a local oscillator (LO) to generate a first differential signal having a first frequency and a frequency multiplier circuit to generate a second differential signal having a second frequency that is double the first frequency or a third differential signal having a third frequency that is triple the first frequency. The frequency multiplier circuit includes a variable capacitance circuit that is programmable to one of multiple capacitances and a variable inductance circuit that is programmed to a first inductance for the second differential signal and to a second inductance for the third differential signal.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A customer terminal (CT) comprising:

an array antenna;
a beamforming circuitry coupled to the array antenna;
a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) that generates a first differential signal having a first frequency;
a polyphase filter (PPF) coupled to the VCO, the PPF generates four phase signals using the first differential signal;
an edge combiner coupled to the PPF, the edge combiner generates eight phase signals using the four phase signals;
an in-phase path (I path) and a quadrature path (Q path) coupled to the edge combiner and the beamforming circuitry, wherein each of the I path and the Q path comprises:
a first mixer that multiplies a first pair of signals of the eight phase signals by a second pair of signals of the eight phase signals to generate a second differential signal;
a second mixer that multiplies a third pair of signals of the eight phase signals by a fourth pair of signals of the eight phase signals, respectively, to generate a third differential signal, wherein a sum of the second differential signal and the third differential signal is a fourth differential signal having a second frequency that is twice the first frequency;
a third mixer that selectively multiplies the fourth differential signal by the second pair of signals to generate a fifth differential signal having a third frequency that is three times the first frequency;
a variable inductor configured to have a first inductance in a first mode and a second inductance in a second mode;
and
a variable capacitor configured to have a first capacitance in the first mode and a second capacitance in the second mode, wherein:
in the first mode, each of the I path and the Q path provides the fourth differential signal to the beamforming circuitry;
and
in the second mode, each of the I path and the Q path provides the fifth differential signal to the beamforming circuitry.

12 more elements

A customer terminal (CT) comprising:

a local oscillator (LO) that generates a first differential signal having a first frequency;
a LO distribution circuit coupled to the LO, the LO distribution circuit comprising:
a variable capacitance circuit configured to have a first capacitance in a first mode of the CT and a second capacitance in a second mode of the CT;
and
a variable inductance circuit configured to have a first inductance in the first mode and a second inductance in the second mode;
wherein the LO distribution circuit is configured to:
in the first mode, generate a second differential signal having a second frequency that is twice the first frequency;
or
in the second mode, generate a third differential signal having a third frequency that is three times the first frequency.

6 more elements

A communication device comprising:

a local oscillator (LO) that generates a first differential signal having a first frequency;
a frequency multiplier circuit coupled to the LO, wherein the frequency multiplier circuit is configured to generate a second differential signal having a second frequency that is double the first frequency or a third differential signal having a third frequency that is triple the first frequency;
a first set of one or more digital beamforming devices configured to use the second differential signal to receive one or more radio frequency (RF) signals in a first frequency range;
a second set of one or more digital beamforming devices configured to use the third differential signal to send one or more RF signals in a second frequency range that is higher than the first frequency range, wherein the frequency multiplier circuit comprises:
a variable capacitance circuit that is programmable to one of a plurality of capacitances;
and
a variable inductance circuit that is programmed to a first inductance for the second differential signal having the second frequency and to a second inductance for the third differential signal having the third frequency.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/142,465Filed 2 May 2023
Granted: 6 Jan 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

H01Q 3/36
By electrical means: with variable phase-shifters
H03B 19/14
By means of discharge device or semiconductor device with more than two electrodes: by means of a semiconductor device
H01Q 3/28
Varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of…
H03B 5/12
With frequency-determining element comprising lumped inductance and capacitance: active element in amplifier being semiconductor device