Frequency multiplying transceiver
View Patent ↗Described herein is a wireless transceiver and related method that enables ultra low power transmission and reception of wireless communications. In an example embodiment of the wireless transceiver, the wireless transceiver receives a first-reference signal having a first-reference frequency. The wireless transceiver then uses the first-reference signal to injection lock a local oscillator, which provides a set of oscillation signals each having an oscillation frequency that is equal to the first-reference frequency, and each having equally spaced phases. Then the wireless transceiver combines the set of oscillation signals into an output signal having an output frequency that is one of (i) a multiple of the first-reference frequency (in accordance with a transmitter implementation) or (ii) a difference of (a) a second-reference frequency of a second-reference signal and (b) a multiple of the first-reference frequency (in accordance with a receiver implementation).
1. An apparatus comprising:
a local oscillator configured to (i) receive a first reference signal having a first-reference frequency and (ii) generate, based on the received first reference signal, a set of oscillation signals, wherein each oscillation signal of the set has a respective oscillation frequency that is equal to the first-reference frequency; and
an edge combiner coupled to the local oscillator, wherein the edge combiner is configured to combine the set of oscillation signals into an output signal, wherein the output signal has an output frequency that is (i) a multiple of the first-reference frequency or (ii) a difference frequency equal to a difference of (a) a second-reference frequency of a second-reference signal and (b) a multiple of the first-reference frequency.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first-reference signal has a period T, wherein the set of oscillation signals comprises oscillation signals A 1 , A 2 . . . A N , wherein each of the oscillation signals A 1 , A 2 . . . A N has a respective phase, and wherein the respective phases are equally spaced apart by a period of T/(2N).
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the output frequency is the multiple of the first-reference frequency, and wherein the edge combiner being configured to combine the set of oscillation signals into the output signal comprises the edge combiner being configured to:
generate a set of signal products A 1 A 2 , A 2 A 3 . . . A N A 1 ; and
generate a summation of the set of signal products to produce the output signal having an output frequency equal to the first-reference frequency multiplied by N.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the output frequency is the difference frequency, and wherein the edge combiner being configured to combine the set of oscillation signals into the output signal comprises the edge combiner being configured to:
generate a set of signal products A 1 A 2 , A 2 A 3 . . . A N A 1 ;
mix the set of signal products with the second-reference signal; and
generate a summation of the mixed set of signal products to produce the output signal having an output frequency equal to the difference frequency.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first-reference signal is a frequency-shift keyed (FSK) reference-clock signal.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , the apparatus further comprising:
a wireless transmitter coupled to the edge combiner, wherein the wireless transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit the output signal.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first-reference signal is a reference-clock signal.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , the apparatus further comprising:
a wireless receiver coupled to the edge combiner, wherein the wireless receiver is configured to wirelessly receive the second-reference signal.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second-reference signal is a modulated signal, the apparatus further comprising:
a demodulator coupled to the edge combiner, wherein the demodulator is configured to demodulate the output signal.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first-reference frequency is a frequency within the range of 6.765-6.795 MHz, 13.553-13.567 MHz, 26.957-27.283 MHz, 40.66-40.70 MHz, 433.05-434.79 MHz, 902-928 MHz, 2.400-2.500 GHz, or 5.725-5.875 GHz.
11. A method comprising:
receiving a first reference signal having a first-reference frequency;
generating, based on the received first reference signal, a set of oscillation signals, wherein each oscillation signal of the set has a respective oscillation frequency that is equal to the first-reference frequency; and
combining the set of oscillation signals into an output signal, wherein the output signal has an output frequency that is (i) a multiple of the first-reference frequency or (ii) a difference frequency equal to a difference of (a) a second-reference frequency of a second-reference signal and (b) a multiple of the first-reference frequency.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first-reference signal has a period T, wherein the set of oscillation signals comprises oscillation signals A 1 , A 2 . . . A N , wherein each of the oscillation signals A 1 , A 2 . . . A N has a respective phase, and wherein the respective phases are equally spaced apart by a period of T/(2N).
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the output frequency is the multiple of the first-reference frequency, and wherein combining the set of oscillation signals into the output signal comprises:
generating a set of signal products A 1 A 2 , A 2 A 3 . . . A N A 1 ; and
generating a summation of the set of signal products to produce the output signal having an output frequency equal to the first-reference frequency multiplied by N.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the output frequency is the difference frequency, and combining the set of oscillation signals into the output signal comprises:
generating a set of signal products A 1 A 2 , A 2 A 3 . . . A N A 1 ;
mixing the set of signal products with the second-reference signal; and
generating a summation of the mixed set of signal products to produce the output signal having an output frequency equal to the difference frequency.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first-reference signal is a frequency-shift keyed (FSK) reference-clock signal.
16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising wirelessly transmitting the output signal.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first-reference signal is a reference-clock signal.
18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising wirelessly receiving the second-reference signal.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second-reference signal is a modulated signal, the method further comprising demodulating the output signal.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first-reference frequency is a frequency within the range of 6.765-6.795 MHz, 13.553-13.567 MHz, 26.957-27.283 MHz, 40.66-40.70 MHz, 433.05-434.79 MHz, 902-928 MHz, 2.400-2.500 GHz, or 5.725-5.875 GHz.