Switching down conversion mixer for use in multi-stage receiver architectures

A mixer circuit for use with a direct conversion receiver comprising:

• an input for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal;
• a voltage to current converter coupled to the input for providing a single current node;
• and
• a switching network having multiple stages, each stage being connected to the single current node and each stage having a selectable enable such that only one stage is selected at any instant in time to generate baseband I and Q output signals.

A direct conversion receiver including a mixer circuit, said mixer, comprising:

• an input for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal;
• a voltage to current converter coupled to the input for providing a single current node;
• a switching network having a plurality of stages, each stage connected to the single current node and further having a selectable control line;
• and
• a clock signal generator connected to the selectable control line of each switching network stage, such that only one switching network stage is active at any instant in time, the switching network generating baseband I and Q output signals.

A communication device including a direct conversion receiver, said direct conversion receiver including:

• a voltage to current converter for receiving a radio frequency (RF) input signal and providing a single current node;
• a switching network having a plurality of stages, each stage connected to the single current node and further having a selectable control line;
• and
• a clock generator connected to the selectable control line of each switching network stage, such that only one switching network stage is active at any instant in time to generate baseband I and Q output signals.

A differential mixer circuit for use with a direct conversion receiver, comprising:

• a first voltage to current converter for receiving a radio frequency (RF) input and providing a first current node;
• a second voltage to current converter coupled to a second input for providing a second current node;
• a first switching network having a plurality of stages, each stage of the first switching network connected to the first current node and further having a selectable control line;
• and
• a second switching network having a plurality of stages, each stage of the second switching network connected to the second current node and further having a selectable control line;
• and
• a clock signal generator connected to the selectable control line of each first and second switching network stage, such that only one first and one second switching network stage is active at any instant in time, the one first or one second active switching network generating baseband I and Q output signals.