Granted Patent B2

US 8,957,743 · App. 13/124,961 · Granted Feb 17, 2015

Abstract

Claims (30)

1. A communication unit comprising:

a controller;

a radio frequency signal path having a plurality of delay elements operably coupled to a series of respective amplifier stages;

wherein the controller is arranged to individually enable the respective amplifier stages and in response thereto a number of the plurality of delay elements are selectively inserted into or by-passed from the radio frequency signal path thereby adjusting a phase shift applied to signals provided through the radio frequency signal path.

2. The communication unit of claim 1 wherein the plurality of delay elements comprise a number of a plurality of respective transmission lines.

3. The communication unit of claim 2 wherein the plurality of respective transmission lines are connected in series.

4. The communication unit of claim 3 wherein unequal length transmission lines are used to provide respective unequal phase shifts that are selectively introduced by the controller enabling individual amplifier stages.

5. The communication unit of claim 3 wherein the communication unit further comprises an active real-time feedback circuit operably coupled to the controller and arranged to provide an indication to the controller of a phase shift applied to signals provided through the radio frequency signal path.

6. The communication unit of claim 3 wherein the communication unit comprises a frequency generation circuit for generating a local oscillator (LO) signal such that a number of the plurality of delay elements are selectively inserted into or by-passed from the radio frequency signal path carrying the LO signal.

7. The communication unit of claim 2 wherein the number of the plurality of respective transmission lines are inserted into the radio frequency signal path adjust an effective length of the transmission lines used in the radio frequency signal path.

8. The communication unit of claim 2 wherein unequal length transmission lines are used to provide respective unequal phase shifts that are selectively introduced by the controller enabling individual amplifier stages.

9. The communication unit of claim 2 wherein the communication unit further comprises a transmitter for transmitting a first high frequency signal such that a number of the plurality of delay elements are selectively inserted into or by-passed from the radio frequency signal path carrying the first high frequency signal.

10. The communication unit of claim 1 wherein the communication unit further comprises an active real-time feedback circuit operably coupled to the controller and arranged to provide an indication to the controller of a phase shift applied to signals provided through the radio frequency signal path.

11. The communication unit of claim 10 wherein the active real-time feedback circuit comprises DC offset determination logic operably coupled to the controller and arranged to compare a DC offset of the received, down-converted signal with a threshold.

12. The communication unit of claim 11 wherein the active real-time feedback circuit is implemented in a digital form such that phase compensation is performed in a fully digital domain.

13. The communication unit of claim 10 wherein the active real-time feedback circuit is implemented in a digital form such that phase compensation is performed in a fully digital domain.

14. The communication unit of claim 1 wherein the communication unit comprises a frequency generation circuit for generating a local oscillator (LO) signal such that a number of the plurality of delay elements are selectively inserted into or by-passed from the radio frequency signal path carrying the LO signal.

15. The communication unit of claim 1 wherein the communication unit further comprises a transmitter for transmitting a first high frequency signal such that a number of the plurality of delay elements are selectively inserted into or by-passed from the radio frequency signal path carrying the first high frequency signal.

16. The communication unit of claim 1 wherein the communication unit further comprises a receiver for receiving a second high frequency signal, such that a number of the plurality of delay elements are selectively inserted into or by-passed from the radio frequency signal path carrying the second high frequency signal.

17. The communication unit of claim 1 adapted to operate in a mono-static radar system.

18. An integrated circuit for a communication unit comprising:

a controller;

a radio frequency signal path having a plurality of delay elements operably coupled to a series of respective amplifier stages;

wherein the controller is arranged to individually enable the respective amplifier stages and in response thereto a number of the plurality of delay elements are selectively inserted into or by-passed from the radio frequency signal path thereby adjusting a phase shift applied to signals provided through the radio frequency signal path.

19. A method for compensating a phase of signals in a communication unit comprising a controller and a radio frequency signal path having a plurality of delay elements operably coupled to a series of respective amplifier stages, wherein the method comprises:

individually enabling the respective amplifier stages, and in response thereto either:

selectively inserting a number of the plurality of delay elements into the radio frequency signal path; or

selectively by-passing a number of the plurality of delay elements from the radio frequency signal path;

thereby adjusting a phase shift applied to signals provided through the radio frequency signal path.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the delay elements comprise unequal delay elements configurable to provide unequal phase shifts.

Assignments (31)