Wide spectrum radio transmit architecture

A communications device, comprising

• a frequency divider circuit having a plurality of frequency division ratios;
• at least one phase-lock loop (PLL) circuit coupled to at least a signal input of said frequency divider circuit, said PLL circuit comprising a local oscillator (LO) circuit, said LO circuit comprising a plurality of voltage controlled oscillators (VCOs) having different frequency tuning ranges;
• and
• at least one control input coupled to at least said frequency divider circuit and said PLL circuit for selecting one of said plurality of VCOs and one of said plurality of frequency division ratios;
• wherein said PLL circuit further comprises at least one first PLL loop comprising a loop filter coupled to an LO input of said LO circuit, a comparator coupled to said loop filter circuit, and a PLL feedback circuit coupled to said comparator and to one of a signal output of said frequency divider circuit and said signal input of said frequency divider circuit;
• and
• wherein said PLL loop is coupled to a first one of said plurality of VCOs, and wherein said PLL circuit further comprises at least a second PLL loop comprising a second loop filter coupled to a second of said plurality of VCOs, a second comparator coupled to said second loop filter circuit, and a second PLL feedback circuit coupled to said second comparator and the one of said signal output and said signal input of said frequency divider circuit.

A communications device, comprising:

• a modulator for modulating a signal based on a synthesizer signal;
• and
• a frequency synthesizer for providing said synthesizer signal, said frequency synthesizer comprising:
• a frequency divider circuit having an a plurality of frequency division ratios,
• at least one phase-lock loop (PLL) circuit coupled to at least a signal input of said frequency divider circuit, said PLL circuit comprising
• a local oscillator (LO) circuit comprising a plurality of voltage controlled oscillators (VCOs) having different frequency tuning ranges,
• a plurality of loop filter circuits each coupled to a respective one of said plurality of VCOs,
• a plurality of comparators each coupled to a respective one of said plurality of loop filter circuits, and
• a plurality of feedback circuits each coupled to a respective one of said plurality of comparators, and to an input or output of said frequency divider circuit;
• and
• at least one control input coupled to at least said frequency divider circuit and said PLL circuit for selecting one of said plurality of VCOs and one of said plurality of frequency division ratios for generating said synthesizer signal.

A communication device, comprising

• a modulator for modulating a signal based on a synthesizer;
• and
• a frequency synthesizer for providing said synthesizer signal, said synthesizer comprising:
• a frequency divider circuit having a plurality of frequency division ratios,
• at least one phase-lock loop (PLL) circuit coupled to at least a signal input of said frequency divider circuit, said PLL circuit comprising a local oscillator (LO) circuit comprising a plurality of voltage controlled oscillators (VCOs) having different frequency tuning ranges, and
• at least one control input coupled to at least said frequency divider circuit and said PLL circuit selecting one of said plurality of VCOs and one of said plurality of frequency division ratios for generating said synthesizer signal;
• wherein said PLL circuit further comprising at least one PLL loop comprising a loop filter coupled to an LO input of said LO circuit, a comparator coupled to said loop filter circuit, and a PLL feedback circuit coupled to said comparator and to one of a signal output of said frequency divider circuit and said signal input of said frequency divider circuit;
• and
• wherein said one PLL loop is coupled to a first of said plurality of VCOs, and wherein said PLL circuit further comprises at least a second PLL loop comprising a second loop filter coupled to a second of said plurality of VCOs, a second comparator coupled to said second loop filter circuit, and a second PLL feedback circuit coupled to said second comparator and the one of said signal output and said signal input of said frequency divider circuit.

A communications device, comprising

• a modulator for modulating a signal based on a synthesizer signal;
• a frequency synthesizer for providing said synthesizer signal, said synthesizer comprising:
• a frequency divider circuit having a plurality of frequency division ratios,
• at least one phase-lock loop (PLL) circuit coupled to at least a signal input of said frequency divider circuit, said PLL circuit comprising a local oscillator (LO) circuit comprising a plurality of voltage controlled oscillators (VCOs) having different frequency tuning ranges, and
• at least one control input coupled to at least said frequency divider circuit and said PLL circuit for selecting one of said plurality of VCOs and one of said plurality of frequency division ratios for generating said synthesizer signal;
• and
• an intermediate frequency to radio frequency (IF/RF) converter, said IF/RF converter comprising an output frequency divider circuit having an adjustable frequency division ratio.

A method of transmitting a signal using a frequency synthesizer comprising a phase locked loop (PLL) circuit having a plurality of voltage controlled oscillators (VCOs) and a frequency divider circuit having a plurality of frequency division ratios, the method comprising:

• receiving, at each of a plurality of comparators, an input reference signal for said PLL circuit and a respective one of a plurality of feedback signals, each of said plurality of comparators coupled to a respective VCO of said plurality of VCOs via a respective loop filter of a plurality of loop filters;
• generating at least one error signal in said PLL circuit based on at least said input reference signal and one of said plurality of feedback signals;
• producing an oscillator signal by coupling a first VCO of said plurality of VCOs to said frequency divider circuit based on at least one control signal and driving said first VCO with said error signal;
• frequency dividing said oscillator signal with said frequency divider circuit by selecting one of said plurality of frequency division ratios based on said control signal;
• generating said plurality of feedback signals based on said oscillator signal.