IP Library Granted Patent US 8,731,504
Granted Patent B2
US 8,731,504 · App. 12/883,179 · Granted May 20, 2014

System and method for performing RF filtering

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,731,504
App. No.
12/883,179
Granted
May 20, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of filtering and a RF filtering circuit comprising a LO adapted to generate in-phase and quadrature LO signals; a quadrature passive mixer operatively connected to the LO; a filtering impedance operatively connected to the quadrature passive mixer, wherein the voltage at an input node of the quadrature passive mixer comprises the voltage across the filtering impedance up-converted to a frequency of a LO signal received by the quadrature passive mixer. Preferably, the voltage across the filtering impedance comprises a frequency of an input signal of the quadrature passive mixer down-converted by a frequency of the in-phase and quadrature LO signals and filtered by the filtering impedance.

Claims (37)

1. A radio frequency (RF) filtering circuit comprising:

a local oscillator (LO) adapted to generate in-phase and quadrature LO signals;

a pair of quadrature passive mixers each driven by a quadrature LO signal and operatively connected to said LO; and

a filtering impedance independently and operatively connected to each of the quadrature passive mixers,

wherein the voltage at an input node of each of said quadrature passive mixers comprises the voltage across said filtering impedance up-converted to a frequency of a LO signal received by each of said quadrature passive mixers, wherein said pair of quadrature passive mixers comprise a plurality of metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) switches driven by said in-phase and quadrature LO signals, wherein each of said MOSFET switches are connected in parallel to one another, wherein each of said MOSFET switches comprises a gate, a drain, and a source, wherein said drain of each of said MOSFET switches are operatively tied to one another for receiving a RF signal, wherein said source of each of said MOSFET switches are operatively connected to a respective said filtering impedance, and wherein said gate of each of said MOSFET switches are operatively connected to said LO for receiving said LO signal for turning on a respective MOSFET switch.

2. The RF filtering circuit of claim 1 , wherein said voltage across said filtering impedance comprises a frequency of an input signal of each of said quadrature passive mixers down-converted by a frequency of said in-phase and quadrature LO signals and filtered by said filtering impedance.

3. The RF filtering circuit of claim 1 , wherein said filtering impedance comprises a resistor in parallel with a capacitor.

4. The RF filtering circuit of claim 1 , wherein said filtering impedance comprises:

a first component comprising a first resistor in parallel with a first capacitor; and a second component comprising an active impedance,

wherein said first component is in parallel with said second component.

5. A wireless network system comprising:

an antenna;

a local oscillator (LO) adapted to generate in-phase and quadrature LO signals;

a pair of quadrature passive mixers each driven by a quadrature LO signal and operatively connected to each of said antenna and said LO; and

a filtering impedance independently and operatively connected to each of said quadrature passive mixers,

wherein the voltage at an input node of each of said quadrature passive mixers comprises the voltage across said filtering impedance up-converted to a frequency of a LO signal received by each of said quadrature passive mixers, wherein each of said quadrature passive mixers comprises a plurality of metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) switches driven by said in-phase and quadrature LO signals, wherein each of said MOSFET switches are connected in parallel to one another, wherein each of said MOSFET switches comprises a gate, a drain, and a source, wherein said drain of each of said MOSFET switches are operatively tied to one another for receiving a RF signal, wherein said source of each of said MOSFET switches are operatively connected to a respective said filtering impedance, and wherein said gate of each of said MOSFET switches are operatively connected to said LO for receiving said LO signal for turning on a respective MOSFET switch.

6. The wireless network system of claim 5 , wherein said voltage across said filtering impedance comprises a frequency of an input signal of each of said quadrature passive mixers down-converted by a frequency of said in-phase and quadrature LO signals and filtered by said filtering impedance.

7. The wireless network system of claim 5 , wherein said filtering impedance comprises a resistor in parallel with a capacitor.

8. The wireless network system of claim 5 , wherein said filtering impedance comprises:

a first component comprising a first resistor in parallel with a first capacitor; and

a second component comprising an active impedance,

wherein said first component is in parallel with said second component.

9. The wireless network system of claim 5 , further comprising a pair of low noise amplifiers (LNAs) connected to said filtering impedance.

10. The wireless network system of claim 9 , wherein said pair of LNAs comprise an in-phase channel low intermediate frequency (IF) LNA and a quadrature channel IF LNA.

11. A method of filtering signals in a radio frequency (RF) wireless network, said method comprising:

transmitting a RF signal;

generating in-phase and quadrature local oscillator (LO) signals;

providing a pair of quadrature passive mixers each driven by a quadrature LO signal and adapted to receive said RF signal and said LO signals;

configuring each of the quadrature passive mixers to comprise a plurality of metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) switches driven by said in-phase and quadrature LO signals;

independently and operatively connecting a filtering impedance to each of said mixers, wherein the voltage at an input node of each of said pair of quadrature passive mixers comprises the voltage across said filtering impedance up-converted to a frequency of a LO signal received by said pair of quadrature passive mixers; and

configuring each of said MOSFET switches to be connected in parallel to one another, wherein each of said MOSFET switches is configured to comprise a gate, a drain, and a source, wherein said drain of each of said MOSFET switches are operatively tied to one another for receiving a RF signal, wherein said source of each of said MOSFET switches are operatively connected to a respective said filtering impedance, and wherein said gate of each of said MOSFET switches are operatively connected to a LO for receiving said LO signal for turning on a respective MOSFET switch.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said voltage across said filtering impedance comprises a frequency of an input signal of each of said quadrature passive mixers down-converted by a frequency of said in-phase and quadrature LO signals and filtered by said filtering impedance.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising configuring said filtering impedance to filter said RF signal, wherein said filtering impedance is configured to comprise a resistor in parallel with a capacitor.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising configuring said filtering impedance to filter said RF signal, wherein said filtering impedance is configured to comprise:

a first component comprising a first resistor in parallel with a first capacitor; and

a second component comprising an active impedance,

wherein said first component is in parallel with said second component.

Assignments (31)
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 6, 2016
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: ATMEL WIRELESS MCU TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038364/0615 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL Recorded Apr 6, 2016
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NEWPORT MEDIA, INC.
Reel/Frame 038364/0659 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2014
From: NEWPORT MEDIA, INC.
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 034705/0090 →
TERMINATION OF SECURITY Recorded Oct 7, 2014
From: BRIDGE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 033907/0517 →
TERMINATION OF SECURITY Recorded Oct 7, 2014
From: PINNACLE VENTURES, L.L.C.
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 033908/0435 →
TERMINATION OF SECURITY Recorded Oct 7, 2014
From: PINNACLE VENTURES, L.L.C.
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 033908/0379 →
TERMINATION OF SECURITY Recorded Oct 7, 2014
From: NEWPORT MEDIA, INC.
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 033908/0242 →
TERMINATION OF SECURITY Recorded Oct 7, 2014
From: NEWPORT MEDIA, INC.
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 033907/0775 →
TERMINATION OF SECURITY Recorded Oct 7, 2014
From: NEWPORT MEDIA, INC.
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 033907/0748 →
TERMINATION OF SECURITY Recorded Oct 7, 2014
From: HORIZON TECHNOLOGY FINANCE CORPORATION
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 033907/0702 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 5, 2014
From: NEWPORT MEDIA, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 033689/0195 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 5, 2014
From: ATMEL WIRELESS MCU TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 033689/0214 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 1, 2013
From: NEWPORT MEDIA, INC.
To: HORIZON TECHNOLOGY FINANCE CORPORATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 029956/0891 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 15, 2013
From: NEWPORT MEDIA, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; NEWPORT MEDIA, INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION
To: PINNACLE VENTURES, L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 029818/0138 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 31, 2012
From: NEWPORT MEDIA, INC.
To: BRIDGE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 029554/0118 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 31, 2012
From: NEWPORT MEDIA, INC.
To: PINNACLE VENTURES, L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 028299/0903 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2010
From: ISMAIL, ALY; YOUSSOUFIAN, EDWARD; ELWAN, HASSAN; CARR, FRANK
To: NEWPORT MEDIA, INC.
Reel/Frame 024995/0367 →