IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,994,870
Granted Patent B2
US 7,994,870 · App. 12/254,155 · Granted Aug 9, 2011

Tunable filter with gain control circuit

Assignee: QUALCOMM, Incorporated
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,994,870
App. No.
12/254,155
Granted
Aug 9, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus includes a filter and a gain control circuit. The filter receives and filters an input signal and provides an output signal in a first mode and operates as part of an oscillator in a second mode. The gain control circuit varies the amplitude of an oscillator signal from the oscillator in the second mode, e.g., by adjusting at least one variable gain element within the oscillator to obtain a target amplitude and/or non rail-to-rail signal swing for the oscillator signal. The apparatus may further include a bandwidth control circuit to adjust the bandwidth of the filter in the second mode. The bandwidth control circuit receives the oscillator signal, determines a target oscillation frequency corresponding to a selected bandwidth for the filter, and adjusts at least one circuit element within the filter to obtain the target oscillation frequency.

Claims (52)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a filter to filter an input signal and provide an output signal in a first mode and to operate as part of an oscillator to tune the filter in a second, closed-loop mode; and

a gain control circuit to vary amplitude of an oscillator signal from the oscillator in the second mode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , the gain control circuit adjusting at least one variable gain element within the oscillator to obtain a target amplitude, or non rail-to-rail signal swing, or both for the oscillator signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , the gain control circuit comprising

a comparator to compare the oscillator signal against a reference value and provide a comparator output signal, the reference value determining the target amplitude of the oscillator signal, and

a loop filter to generate a control signal for the at least one variable gain element based on the comparator output signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , the at least one variable gain element comprising a variable resistor within a feedback path of the oscillator.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , the at least one variable gain element comprising a variable resistor within the filter.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising:

an amplifier coupled to the filter and providing a variable gain, the at least one variable gain element comprising at least one variable resistor within the amplifier.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 , the at least one variable gain element comprising a variable resistor, the variable resistor comprising a transistor to receive a control signal from the gain control circuit and provide variable resistance.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a bandwidth control circuit to adjust bandwidth of the filter in the second mode.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , the bandwidth control circuit receiving the oscillator signal, determining a target oscillation frequency corresponding to a selected bandwidth for the filter, and adjusting at least one circuit element within the filter to obtain the target oscillation frequency.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , the bandwidth control circuit adjusting the bandwidth of the filter after the oscillator signal has been adjusted to a target amplitude by the gain control circuit.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , the filter comprising

multiple filter sections coupled in series, each filter section implementing a first or second order section.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , the filter further comprising

at least one switch coupled across at least one filter section among the multiple filter sections, each switch enabling or disabling an associated filter section.

13. An integrated circuit comprising:

a filter to filter an input signal and provide an output signal in a first mode and to operate as part of an oscillator to tune the filter in a second, closed-loop mode; and

a gain control circuit to vary amplitude of an oscillator signal from the oscillator in the second mode.

14. The integrated circuit of claim 13 , the gain control circuit adjusting at least one variable gain element within the oscillator to obtain a target amplitude, or non rail-to-rail signal swing, or both for the oscillator signal.

15. The integrated circuit of claim 13 , further comprising:

a bandwidth control circuit to adjust bandwidth of the filter in the second mode.

16. A wireless device comprising:

a downconverter to frequency downconvert an input signal and provide a downconverted signal;

a filter to filter the downconverted signal and provide an output signal in a first mode and to operate as part of an oscillator to tune the filter in a second, closed-loop mode; and

a gain control circuit to vary amplitude of an oscillator signal from the oscillator in the second mode.

17. The wireless device of claim 16 , further comprising:

a bandwidth control circuit to adjust bandwidth of the filter in the second mode.

18. A method comprising:

filtering an input signal with a filter to obtain an output signal in a first mode;

operating the filter as part of an oscillator to tune the filter in a second, closed-loop mode; and

varying amplitude of an oscillator signal from the oscillator in the second mode.

19. The method of claim 18 , the varying the amplitude of the oscillator signal comprising

comparing the oscillator signal against a reference value to obtain a comparator output signal, and

generating a control signal for at least one variable gain element within the oscillator based on the comparator output signal.

20. The method of claim 18 , the varying the amplitude of the oscillator signal comprising adjusting at least one variable gain element within the oscillator to obtain a target amplitude, or non rail-to-rail signal swing, or both for the oscillator signal.

21. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

adjusting bandwidth of the filter based on the oscillator signal in the second mode, the bandwidth being adjusted after the oscillator signal has been adjusted to a target amplitude.

22. An apparatus comprising:

means for filtering an input signal with a filter to obtain an output signal in a first mode;

means for operating the filter as part of an oscillator to tune the filter in a second, closed loop mode; and

means for varying amplitude of an oscillator signal from the oscillator in the second mode.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 , the means for varying the amplitude of the oscillator signal comprising

means for comparing the oscillator signal against a reference value to obtain a comparator output signal, and

means for generating a control signal for at least one variable gain element within the oscillator based on the comparator output signal.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 , the means for varying the amplitude of the oscillator signal comprising means for adjusting at least one variable gain element within the oscillator to obtain a target amplitude, or non rail-to-rail signal swing, or both for the oscillator signal.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 , further comprising:

means for adjusting bandwidth of the filter based on the oscillator signal in the second mode, the bandwidth being adjusted after the oscillator signal has been adjusted to a target amplitude.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2009
From: WANG, CHENG-HAN; PAN, TZU-WANG
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 022378/0384 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100097152A1 · Apr 22, 2010