IP Library Granted Patent US 8,630,603
Granted Patent B2
US 8,630,603 · App. 12/716,816 · Granted Jan 14, 2014

Circuit and method for image frequency rejection

Inventor: Marco Schwarzmueller (Heilbronn, DE)
Assignee: Atmel Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,630,603
App. No.
12/716,816
Granted
Jan 14, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A circuit and method for image frequency rejection is provided that includes an analog dual-quadrature mixer device whose signal inputs for an in-phase-signal and a quadrature-phase signal are connected to an input circuit in the signal path and whose oscillator inputs for an in-phase oscillator signal and a quadrature-phase oscillator signal are connected to a local oscillator device, having an analog adder-amplifier device, which has a number of transistor pairs, in which in each case both transistors of each transistor pair are connected to the same load resistor for the addition of the signals applied at the control inputs of both transistors, and in which the control inputs of both transistors are connected downstream of the outputs of analog dual-quadrature mixer device, and having a multistage analog polyphase filter whose inputs are connected to outputs of the adder-amplifier device.

Claims (26)

1. A circuit for image frequency rejection, the circuit comprising:

an analog dual-quadrature mixer device having signal inputs for an in-phase signal and a quadrature-phase signal that are connectable to an input circuit in a signal path, the analog dual quadrature mixer device having oscillator inputs for an in-phase oscillator signal and a quadrature-phase oscillator signal that are connectable to a local oscillator device;

an analog adder-amplifier device having a plurality of transistor pairs, both transistors of each transistor pair being connectable to the same load resistor for the addition of the in-phase signal and the quadrature-phase signal applied at control inputs of both transistors, the control inputs of both transistors being connectable downstream of the outputs of the analog dual-quadrature mixer device; and

a multistage analog polyphase filter having inputs that are connectable to outputs of the adder-amplifier device.

2. The circuit according to claim 1 , wherein a load is formed by passive components.

3. The circuit according to claim 1 , wherein a load is formed by components of the multistage analog polyphase filter.

4. The circuit according to claim 1 , wherein a load is formed by active components.

5. The circuit according to claim 4 , wherein the active load is formed from two complementary transistors, wherein a transistor of the transistor pair and a complementary transistor together form a push-pull stage.

6. The circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising a further analog polyphase filter, which is connectable to the outputs of the analog dual-quadrature mixer device and to the inputs of the analog adder-amplifier device.

7. The circuit according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of the polyphase filter, the dual-quadrature mixer device, and the adder-amplifier device are formed differentially.

8. The circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the dual-quadrature mixer device has at least one passive mixer.

9. A method for image frequency rejection, the method comprising:

downmixing or upmixing, in an analog dual-quadrature mixer device, an in-phase signal and a quadrature-phase signal by an in-phase oscillator signal and a quadrature-phase oscillator signal of a local oscillator device to output signals;

adding and amplifying, in each case, two of the signals into sum signals by an adder-amplifier device having a plurality of transistor pairs, both transistors of each transistor pair being connectable to the same load resistor for the addition of the in-phase signal and the quadrature-phase signal applied at control inputs of both transistors, the control inputs of both transistors being connectable downstream of the outputs of the analog dual-quadrature mixer device; and

filtering the sum signals by a multistage analog polyphase filter.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising forming a load by passive components.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising forming a load by passive by components of the multistage analog polyphase filter.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising forming a load by active components.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the active load is formed from two complementary transistors, wherein a transistor of the transistor pair and a complementary transistor together form a push-pull stage.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising coupling a further analog polyphase filter to the outputs of the analog dual-quadrature mixer device and to the inputs of the analog adder-amplifier device.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein one or more of the polyphase filter, the dual-quadrature mixer device, and the adder-amplifier device are formed differentially.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the dual-quadrature mixer device has at least one passive mixer.

17. A circuit for image frequency rejection, the circuit comprising:

an analog dual-quadrature mixer device having differential signal inputs for an in-phase signal and a quadrature-phase signal that are connectable to an input circuit in a signal path, the analog dual quadrature mixer device having differential oscillator inputs for an in-phase oscillator signal and a quadrature-phase oscillator signal that are connectable to a local oscillator device;

an analog adder-amplifier device configured to provide, via addition of eight output signals of the analog dual-quadrature mixer device, four summed signals at four outputs; and

a multistage analog polyphase filter having inputs that are connectable to the outputs of the analog adder-amplifier device.

Assignments (18)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060894/0437 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059363/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059863/0400 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059262/0105 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059333/0222 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057935/0474 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055671/0612 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053468/0705 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053466/0011 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0305 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047103/0206 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 046426/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2017
From: ATMEL CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 041715/0747 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL Recorded Apr 7, 2016
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038376/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 3, 2014
From: ATMEL CORPORATION
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC. AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 031912/0173 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 4, 2011
From: ATMEL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 025899/0710 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 3, 2010
From: SCHWARZMUELLER, MARCO
To: ATMEL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
Reel/Frame 024022/0942 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2009 011 549 · Mar 6, 2009 · national
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61157988 · Mar 6, 2009
Related Publication 20100227580A1 · Sep 9, 2010