Multiplier device with suppression of higher-order distortion

Abstract

A multiplier device is configured to include first to nth multipliers M1 to Mn for multiplying a carrier modulated information signal with first to nth mutually phase shifted and identical, substantially square wave mixing signals MS1 to MSn with 50% duty cycle. In order to eliminate fifth or higher order interferences from the output of the multiplier device according to the invention, n is greater than 2, outputs of the multipliers M1 to Mn are respectively coupled through weighting circuits W1 to Wn with respective fixed weighting factors WF1 to WFn to an adder circuit, the mixing signals MS1 to MSn having respective phase angles φi corresponding to φi=i*Δφ, the weighting factors WFi corresponding to the sine value of the respective phase angles φi=i*Δφ with Δφ being the mutual phase difference between each two phase consecutive mixing signals corresponding to π / (n+1) and i varying from 1 to n.

Description

[0001]This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 581,659, filed 31 May 2006, and claims the benefit of PCT / EP2004 / 013742, filed 1 Dec. 2004 and EP 03078812, filed 5 Dec. 2003.BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention relates to a multiplier device comprising first to nth multipliers M1 to Mn for multiplying a carrier modulated information signal with first to nth mutually phase shifted and identical, substantially square wave mixing signals MS1 to MSn with 50% duty cycle. Such multiplier devices are frequently used in receivers for converting an RF antenna input signal with an RF carrier frequency fRF into an intermediate frequency (IF) signal with an IF carrier frequency fIF and / or for demodulating an (IF) carrier modulated information signal with carrier frequency fc into baseband, or as used in stereo decoder circuits for decoding and / or demultiplexing a stereo multiplex signal into left and right baseband stereo signals.[0003]A ste...

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