Super harmonic filter and method of filtering frequency components from a signal

1. A harmonic filter for filtering a plurality of frequency components from an input signal, the harmonic filter comprising:

a phase shifter having a positive in-phase output, a negative in-phase output, a positive quadrature-phase output, and a negative quadrature-phase output, for generating an in-phase signal and a quadrature-phase signal according to the input signal; and

a plurality of polyphase filter networks coupled in series, each having a positive in-phase input, a negative in-phase input, a positive quadrature-phase input, a negative quadrature-phase input, a positive in-phase output, a negative in-phase output, a positive quadrature-phase output, and a negative quadrature-phase output, the first polyphase filter network in the series being coupled to the phase shifter for receiving the in-phase and quadrature-phase signals, each polyphase filter network being for filtering a corresponding one of the frequency components from the input signal;

wherein either the positive quadrature-phase input and the negative quadrature-phase input of at least one of the polyphase filter networks are respectively coupled to the negative quadrature-phase output and the positive quadrature-phase output of a preceding polyphase filter network or of the phase shifter, or the positive in-phase input and the negative in-phase input of at least one of the polyphase filter networks are respectively coupled to the negative in-phase output and the positive in-phase output of a preceding polyphase filter network or of the phase shifter; and for each of the polyphase filter networks in the series, either the positive and negative quadrature-phase inputs or the positive and negative in-phase inputs are reversed if the frequency component being filtered by the polyphase filter network is positive and an even number of preceding polyphase filter networks have said reversed inputs.

2. The harmonic filter of claim 1 , wherein for each of the polyphase filter networks in the series, either the positive and negative quadrature-phase inputs or the positive and negative in-phase inputs are reversed if the frequency being filtered by the polyphase filter network is negative and an odd number of preceding polyphase filter networks have said reversed inputs.

3. The harmonic filter of claim 1 , wherein each polyphase filter network is a single-stage polyphase filter network.

4. A method of filtering a plurality of frequency components from an input signal, the method comprising:

phase shifting the input signal with a phase shifter to form an in-phase signal having a positive in-phase output and a negative in-phase output, and a quadrature-phase signal having a positive quadrature-phase output and a negative quadrature-phase output;

providing a plurality of polyphase filter networks being coupled in series, each having a positive in-phase input, a negative in-phase input, a positive quadrature-phase input, a negative quadrature-phase input, a positive in-phase output, a negative in-phase output, a positive quadrature-phase output, and a negative quadrature-phase output;

receiving the in-phase and quadrature-phase signals with a first one of the polyphase filter networks in the series; and

filtering each of the plurality of frequency components from the input signal with a corresponding one of the plurality of polyphase filter networks;

wherein either the positive quadrature-phase input and the negative quadrature-phase input of at least one of the polyphase filter networks are respectively coupled to the negative quadrature-phase output and the positive quadrature-phase output of a preceding polyphase filter network or of the phase shifter, or the positive in-phase input and the negative in-phase input of at least one of the polyphase filter networks are respectively coupled to the negative in-phase output and the positive in-phase output of a preceding polyphase filter network or of the phase shifter; and for each of the polyphase filter networks in the series, either the positive and negative quadrature-phase inputs or the positive and negative in-phase inputs are reversed if the frequency component being filtered by the polyphase filter network is positive and an even number of preceding polyphase filter networks have said reversed inputs.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein for each of the polyphase filter networks in the series, either the positive and negative quadrature-phase inputs or the positive and negative in-phase inputs are reversed if the frequency being filtered by the polyphase filter network is negative and an odd number of preceding polyphase filter networks have said reversed inputs.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein each polyphase filter network is a single-stage polyphase filter network.

7. An apparatus for processing a received signal, the apparatus comprising:

a local oscillator (LO) signal generator for generating a LO signal;

a harmonic filter, coupled to the LO signal generator, for receiving the LO signal from the LO signal generator and for filtering a plurality of frequency components from the LO signal, the harmonic filter comprising:

a phase shifter for generating an in-phase LO signal and a quadrature-phase LO signal according to the LO signal; and

a plurality of polyphase filter networks coupled in series, the first polyphase filter network in the series being coupled to the phase shifter for receiving the in-phase and quadrature-phase LO signals, each polyphase filter network being for filtering a corresponding one of the frequency components from the LO signal; and

at least one mixing circuit, coupled to the harmonic filter, for receiving an output of the harmonic filter, for mixing the received signal with the output of the harmonic filter to produce a mixed signal at output of the at least one mixing circuit;

wherein the harmonic filter is coupled between the LO signal generator and the at least one mixing circuit, the phase shifter has a positive in-phase output, a negative in-phase output, a positive quadrature-phase output and a negative quadrature-phase output, each polyphase filter network has a positive in-phase input, a negative in-phase input, a positive quadrature-phase input, a negative quadrature-phase input, a positive in-phase output, a negative in-phase output, a positive quadrature-phase output and a negative quadrature-phase output, and for each of the polyphase filter networks in the series, either the positive and negative quadrature-phase inputs or the positive and negative in-phase inputs are reversed if the frequency component being filtered by the polyphase filter network is positive and an even number of preceding polyphase filter networks have said reversed inputs.

8. An apparatus for processing a received signal, the apparatus comprising:

a local oscillator (LO) signal generator for generating a LO signal;

a harmonic filter, coupled to the LO signal generator, for receiving the LO signal from the LO signal generator and for filtering a plurality of frequency components from the LO signal, the harmonic filter comprising:

a phase shifter for generating an in-phase LO signal and a quadrature-phase LO signal according to the LO signal; and

a plurality of polyphase filter networks coupled in series, the first polyphase filter network in the series being coupled to the phase shifter for receiving the in-phase and quadrature-phase LO signals, each polyphase filter network being for filtering a corresponding one of the frequency components from the LO signal; and

at least one mixing circuit, coupled to the harmonic filter, for receiving an output of the harmonic filter, for mixing the received signal with the output of the harmonic filter to produce a mixed signal at output of the at least one mixing circuit;

wherein the harmonic filter is coupled between the LO signal generator and the at least one mixing circuit, the phase shifter has a positive in-phase output, a negative in-phase output, a positive quadrature-phase output and a negative quadrature-phase output, each polyphase filter network has a positive in-phase input, a negative in-phase input, a positive quadrature-phase input, a negative quadrature-phase input, a positive in-phase output, a negative in-phase output, a positive quadrature-phase output and a negative quadrature-phase output, and for each of the polyphase filter networks in the series, either the positive and negative quadrature-phase inputs or the positive and negative in-phase inputs are reversed if the frequency being filtered by the polyphase filter network is negative and an odd number of preceding polyphase filter networks have said reversed inputs.