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US 9,176,188 B2Granted
Waveform calibration using built in self test mechanism
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsSudipto Chakraborty, Jens Graul
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system on a chip (SoC) includes a transceiver comprising a transmitter having a power amplifier and a receiver having a signal buffer. At least one of the transmitter and receiver has a configurable portion that can be configured to produce a range of waveforms (both in waveshape as well as duty cycle). A low cost built in self test (BIST) logic is coupled to the transceiver. The BIST logic is operable to calibrate the configurable portion of the transceiver to produce a waveform that has a selected harmonic component that has an amplitude that is less than a threshold value. Current consumed by the transceiver may be dynamically reduced by selecting an optimized waveform that has low harmonic components.
Claims7
A method for operating a transceiver on a chip, the method comprising:
- performing a calibration procedure comprising:
- generating first constant frequency signal using an adjustable power amplifier in a transmitter portion of the transceiver at a selected operating amplitude level;
- generating a second constant frequency signal having a different but similar fundamental frequency as the first constant frequency signal in a receiver portion of the transceiver;
- receiving a portion of the second constant frequency signal in the receiver portion of the transceiver;
- down-converting the received portion of the first constant frequency signal using the second constant frequency signal to produce low frequency harmonic components indicative of a wave-shape of the first constant frequency signal;
- adjusting the power amplifier across a range of power levels while monitoring an amplitude of one or more of the low frequency harmonic components;
- and
- selecting an operating power for the adjustable power amplifier for which the amplitude of the one or more low frequency harmonic components is below a threshold value, whereby the wave-shape of the first constant frequency signal is optimized;
- wherein the calibration procedure further comprises:
- generating a third constant frequency signal using a power amplifier in the transmitter portion of the transceiver;
- generating a fourth constant frequency signal having a different but similar fundamental frequency as the first constant frequency signal using an adjustable power buffer;
- receiving a portion of the third constant frequency signal in the receiver portion of the transceiver;
- down-converting the received portion of the amplified constant frequency signal using the fourth constant frequency signal to produce second low frequency harmonic components indicative of the wave-shape of the fourth amplified constant frequency signal;
- adjusting the amplitude of the buffer across a range of power levels while monitoring an amplitude of one or more of the second low frequency harmonic components;
- and
- selecting an operating power for the adjustable power buffer for which the amplitude of the one or more second low frequency harmonic components is below a threshold value, whereby the wave-shape of the fourth constant frequency signal is optimized.
13 more elements
A method for operating a transceiver on a chip, the method comprising:
- placing the transceiver in a calibration mode, wherein the transceiver comprises a transmitter having a power amplifier and a receiver having a signal buffer, wherein at least one of the transmitter and receiver has a configurable portion that can be configured to produce a range of waveforms;
- calibrating the configurable portion of the transceiver to produce a waveform that has a selected harmonic component that has an amplitude that is less than a threshold value while operating at a selected operating amplitude by:
- down-converting a portion of a signal produced by the configurable portion to produce low frequency harmonic components indicative of a wave-shape of the signal;
- and
- selecting an operating power for the configurable portion for which the amplitude of the one or more low frequency harmonic components is below the threshold value;
- operating the transceiver using the selected operating power for the configurable portion;
- and
- selecting an operating amplitude level for the configurable portion prior to calibrating the configurable portion.
5 more elements
A method for operating a transceiver on a chip, the method comprising:
- placing the transceiver in a calibration mode, wherein the transceiver comprises a transmitter having a power amplifier and a receiver having a signal buffer, wherein at least one of the transmitter and receiver has a configurable portion that can be configured to produce a range of waveforms;
- calibrating the configurable portion of the transceiver to produce a waveform that has a selected harmonic component that has an amplitude that is less than a threshold value while operating at a selected operating amplitude by:
- down-converting a portion of a signal produced by the configurable portion to produce low frequency harmonic components indicative of a wave-shape of the signal;
- and
- selecting an operating power for the configurable portion for which the amplitude of the one or more low frequency harmonic components is below the threshold value;
- further comprising:
- operating the transceiver for a period of time using the selected operating amplitude level;
- and
- changing the selected operating amplitude level of the power amp and repeating the calibration procedure.
6 more elements
A method for operating a transceiver on a chip, the method comprising:
- placing the transceiver in a calibration mode, wherein the transceiver comprises a transmitter having a power amplifier and a receiver having a signal buffer, wherein at least one of the transmitter and receiver has a configurable portion that can be configured to produce a range of waveforms;
- calibrating the configurable portion of the transceiver to produce a waveform that has a selected harmonic component that has an amplitude that is less than a threshold value while operating at a selected operating amplitude by:
- down-converting a portion of a signal produced by the configurable portion to produce low frequency harmonic components indicative of a wave-shape of the signal;
- and
- selecting an operating power for the configurable portion for which the amplitude of the one or more low frequency harmonic components is below the threshold value;
- wherein calibrating the configurable portion further comprises:
- generating first constant frequency signal using an adjustable power amplifier in a transmitter portion of the transceiver at the selected operating amplitude level;
- generating a second constant frequency signal having a different but similar fundamental frequency as the first constant frequency signal in a receiver portion of the transceiver;
- receiving a portion of the second constant frequency signal in the receiver portion of the transceiver;
- down-converting the received portion of the first constant frequency signal using the second constant frequency signal to produce low frequency harmonic components indicative of a wave-shape of the first constant frequency signal;
- adjusting the power amplifier across a range of power levels while monitoring an amplitude of one or more of the low frequency harmonic components;
- and
- selecting an operating power for the adjustable power amplifier for which the amplitude of the one or more low frequency harmonic components is below the threshold value, whereby the wave-shape of the first constant frequency signal is optimized.
10 more elements
A method for operating a transceiver on a chip, the method comprising:
- placing the transceiver in a calibration mode, wherein the transceiver comprises a transmitter having a power amplifier and a receiver having a signal buffer, wherein at least one of the transmitter and receiver has a configurable portion that can be configured to produce a range of waveforms;
- calibrating the configurable portion of the transceiver to produce a waveform that has a selected harmonic component that has an amplitude that is less than a threshold value while operating at a selected operating amplitude by:
- down-converting a portion of a signal produced by the configurable portion to produce low frequency harmonic components indicative of a wave-shape of the signal;
- and
- selecting an operating power for the configurable portion for which the amplitude of the one or more low frequency harmonic components is below the threshold value;
- wherein calibrating the configurable portion further comprises:
- generating first constant frequency signal using a power amplifier in a transmitter portion of the transceiver;
- generating a second constant frequency signal having a different but similar fundamental frequency as the first constant frequency signal using an adjustable power buffer;
- receiving a portion of the first constant frequency signal in a receiver portion of the transceiver;
- down-converting the received portion of the amplified constant frequency signal using the second constant frequency signal to produce low frequency components indicative of the wave-shape of the second amplified constant frequency signal;
- adjusting the amplitude of the buffer across a range of power levels while monitoring an amplitude of one or more of the low frequency components;
- and
- selecting an operating power for the adjustable power buffer for which the amplitude of the one or more low frequency components is below a threshold value, whereby the wave-shape of the second constant frequency signal is optimized.
10 more elements
A system on a chip (SoC) comprising:
- a transceiver comprising a transmitter having a power amplifier and a receiver having a signal buffer, wherein at least one of the transmitter and receiver has a configurable portion that can be configured to produce a range of waveforms;
- and
- built in self test (BIST) logic coupled to the transceiver, wherein the BIST logic is operable to calibrate the configurable portion of the transceiver to produce a waveform that has a selected harmonic component that has an amplitude that is less than a threshold value, whereby current consumed by the transceiver is reduced;
- a microprocessor controllably coupled to the power amplifier, wherein code executed by the microprocessor is operable to calibrate the power amplifier to produce a waveform that has a selected harmonic component that has an amplitude that is less than a threshold value;
- wherein the configurable portion of the transceiver is the transmitter portion, wherein the power amplifier of the transmitter is operable to be configured to operate at different power levels;
- wherein the power amplifier comprises a preamp stage having an adjustable gain and a first adjustable supply voltage and an output stage having a second adjustable supply voltage;
- and
- wherein the power amplifier is configurable to operate linearly or nonlinearly by adjusting the preamp gain and the first and second supply voltages.
5 more elements
A system on a chip (SoC) comprising:
- a transceiver comprising a transmitter having a power amplifier and a receiver having a signal buffer, wherein at least one of the transmitter and receiver has a configurable portion that can be configured to produce a range of waveforms;
- and
- built in self test (BIST) logic coupled to the transceiver, wherein the BIST logic is operable to calibrate the configurable portion of the transceiver to produce a waveform that has a selected harmonic component that has an amplitude that is less than a threshold value, whereby current consumed by the transceiver is reduced;
- wherein the BIST logic is operable to calibrate the transceiver by:
- configuring the transmitter to generate a first constant frequency signal with the power amplifier at a selected operating amplitude level;
- configuring the receiver to generate a second constant frequency signal having a different but similar fundamental frequency as the first constant frequency signal,
- receive a portion of the second constant frequency, and down-convert the received portion of the first constant frequency signal using the second constant frequency signal to produce low frequency harmonic components indicative of a wave-shape of the first constant frequency signal;
- adjusting the power amplifier across a range of power levels while monitoring an amplitude of one or more of the low frequency harmonic components;
- and
- selecting an operating power for the adjustable power amplifier for which the amplitude of the one or more low frequency harmonic components is below a threshold value.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.