IP Library Granted Patent US 10,666,491
Granted Patent B2
US 10,666,491 · App. 16/144,092 · Granted May 26, 2020

Signal imbalance detection systems and methods

Inventor: Florian Mrugalla (Munich, DE)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
H04L27/3863
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,666,491
App. No.
16/144,092
Granted
May 26, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a communication device and corresponding methods to determine a phase offset imbalance, an input signal (e.g. oscillator signal) is phase shifted to generate a set of phase-shifted values. The set of phased-shifted values and the input signal are mixed to generate a respective set of mixed signals. The phase offset imbalance (e.g. phase error) is calculated based on the set of mixed signals and a gradient value.

Claims (35)

1. A phase error detection method, comprising:

phase shifting an input signal to generate a set of phase-shifted values;

mixing the set of phased-shifted values and the input signal to generate a respective set of mixed signals;

cross correlating the set of mixed signals to determine a cross correlation signal; and

calculating a phase error based on the cross correlation signal and a gradient value associated with the cross correlation signal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein phase shifting the input signal comprises phase shifting the input signal by multiples of a phase shift value to generate the set of phase-shifted signals.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein mixing the set of phased-shifted signals and the input signal comprises multiplying each phase-shifted value of the set of phase-shifted values by the input signal to generate respective mixed signal values that form the set of mixed signals set of mixed signals.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixing comprises down converting the set of phase-shifted values by the input signal.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gradient value is a slope of the cross correlation signal.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixing comprises:

performing a triangular function on the input signal to generate a triangular value; and

cross correlating the triangular value to generate the cross correlation signal.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input signal is a quadrature modulated signal having an in-phase (I) component and an in-quadrature (Q) component, the set of mixed signals corresponding to a triangular function of the I component and a triangular function of the Q component.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input signal is a quadrature modulated signal having an in-phase (I) component and an in-quadrature (Q) component.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with an executable program stored thereon, when executed, causes a processor to perform the method of claim 1 .

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixed signals of the set of mixed signals are triangle-wave signals.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of mixed signals correspond to a triangular function of the input signal.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of phased-shifted values and the input signal are square-wave signals, the mixing of the set of phased-shifted values and the input signal generates the respective set of mixed signals as triangle-wave signals.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the calculated phase error is a function of the cross correlation signal and the gradient value.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the gradient value is a slope of the cross correlation signal.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the phase error comprises dividing the cross correlation signal by the gradient value.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the gradient value is a slope of the cross correlation signal.

17. A demodulator comprising:

a phase shifter configured to phase shift an input signal to generate a set of phase-shifted values;

a mixer configured to mix the set of phased-shifted values and the input signal to generate a respective set of mixed signals; and

an imbalance calculator configured to:

cross correlate the set of mixed signals to determine a cross correlation signal; and

calculate a phase error based on the cross correlation signal and a gradient value associated with the cross correlation signal.

18. The demodulator of claim 17 , wherein phase shifter is configured to phase shift the input signal by multiples of a phase shift value to generate the set of phase-shifted signals.

19. The demodulator of claim 17 , wherein the mixer is configured to multiply each phase-shifted value of the set of phase-shifted values by the input signal to generate respective mixed signal values that form the set of mixed signals set of mixed signals.

20. The demodulator of claim 17 , wherein the mixing comprises down converting the set of phase-shifted values by the input signal.

21. The demodulator of claim 17 , wherein the gradient value is a slope of the cross correlation signal.

22. The demodulator of claim 17 , wherein the input signal is a quadrature modulated signal having an in-phase (I) component and an in-quadrature (Q) component, the set of the mixed signals corresponding a triangular function of the I component and a triangular function of the Q component to generate the triangular value.

23. The demodulator of claim 17 , wherein the input signal is a quadrature modulated signal having an in-phase (I) component and an in-quadrature (Q) component.

24. A wireless communication device comprising the demodulator of claim 17 .

Assignments (3)
CONFIRMATORY ASSIGNMENT Recorded Aug 11, 2020
From: INTEL IP CORPORATION
To: INTEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 053455/0489 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2020
From: INTEL CORPORATION
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 053065/0627 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 27, 2018
From: MRUGALLA, FLORIAN
To: INTEL IP CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 046997/0013 →