Dual-Path Frequency Mixer for Low-Power Linear Transceivers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing frequency mixers in transceivers face high power consumption and low linearity issues, which are exacerbated by the integration of large-scale front-end antenna arrays in 5G communication systems, affecting battery life and cost.
Innovation Solution
A frequency mixer design that incorporates a passive transformer as a transconductance circuit, an amplification circuit between the load and switch circuits, and a dual-path amplification structure to reduce power consumption and improve linearity, using a common-gate and common-source path to enhance impedance matching and signal amplification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional frequency mixer architecture is used, then device complexity is reduced, but power consumption increases and linearity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The frequency mixer is divided into separate functional modules: transconductance circuit, switch circuit, amplification circuit, and load circuit. Each module performs a specific function, allowing for optimized design of each component to achieve both low power consumption and high linearity simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic element sizing where the first and second transistors in the transconductance circuit have different widths (first width and second width respectively). This asymmetric design optimizes the conversion gain and linearity while controlling power consumption through controlled current distribution.
2Productivity
If transceiver integrates large-scale front-end antenna arrays, then communication performance improves, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the electrical parameters of the mixer circuit including transistor width ratios, bias current levels, and impedance values to achieve maximum communication performance per unit power. The amplification circuit provides gain enhancement without proportionally increasing power consumption.
3Reliability
If frequency mixer operates at high performance, then linearity improves, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The amplification circuit acts as an intermediary stage between the switch circuit and load circuit, providing signal boosting that improves linearity performance without requiring the entire mixer to operate at high power levels. This intermediate amplification allows lower power operation while maintaining high linearity.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a frequency mixer, including: a transconductance circuit connected to an input signal terminal, and configured to generate a differential signal according to an input signal from the input signal terminal and output the differential signal through first and second output terminals of the transconductance circuit; a switch circuit connected to a local oscillator signal terminal and the first and second output terminals of the transconductance circuit, and configured to perform frequency mixing on a local oscillator signal from the local oscillator signal terminal and the differential signal to generate a mixed signal and output the mixed signal through first and second output terminals of the switch circuit; a load circuit connected to an output signal terminal and configured to provide a load; and an amplification circuit connected between the switch circuit and the load circuit and configured to amplify the mixed signal. A transceiver is also provided.