Multiband Millimeter-Wave Receiver With Lower-LO Mixer Architecture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multiband receivers for millimeter wave devices face challenges with high power consumption and large size, particularly in applications like vehicular radar and 5G telecommunications, due to the need for high-frequency local oscillator signals that lead to power consumption and signal transmission errors.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a first band path with a passive mixer driven by a local oscillator signal at two-thirds of the input frequency, producing an intermediate signal at one-third of the input frequency, and a base band path that alternates between two different intermediate signals, each driven by a local oscillator signal at one-third of its respective frequency, reducing power consumption and size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a differential passive mixer is driven by a high-frequency local oscillator signal (e.g., 56 GHz) to process input RF signals (e.g., 28 GHz), then the receiver can achieve the required frequency conversion, but power consumption increases and signal transmission errors occur
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver is divided into multiple band paths (first band path, second band path, base band path), each handling specific frequency ranges. This segmentation allows each path to use optimized local oscillator frequencies rather than requiring all paths to use high-frequency oscillators, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining signal accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the local oscillator frequency parameter from high frequency (56 GHz) to lower frequencies (e.g., 14 GHz for the first band path, 20 GHz for the second band path, and 10 GHz for the base band path). This parameter change reduces power consumption and eliminates signal transmission errors associated with high-frequency distribution while maintaining effective frequency conversion through the mixing process.
2Adaptability or versatility
If high-frequency local oscillator signals are distributed to multiple mixers, then frequency conversion can be achieved, but the device size increases due to additional distribution circuitry
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver architecture segments frequency conversion into multiple stages across different band paths. Each path uses lower-frequency local oscillators that require simpler distribution circuitry, reducing the overall area needed for signal distribution while maintaining the ability to handle multiple input frequencies through the combined operation of all paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate frequency stages in each band path. The first and second band paths convert their respective RF signals to intermediate frequencies, which are then processed by the base band path. These intermediary conversion stages eliminate the need for direct high-frequency signal distribution across the entire receiver, reducing device area while preserving frequency conversion capability.
3Device complexity
If a single differential passive mixer is used for multiband reception, then the receiver structure remains simple, but power consumption and size increase due to high-frequency signal distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver is segmented into multiple band paths with dedicated mixers for each path. While this increases the number of components, each mixer operates at lower frequencies with simpler distribution requirements, resulting in reduced overall power consumption and device area compared to a single high-frequency mixer architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic switching in the base band path, where a single mixer alternates between processing signals from the first and second band paths based on duty cycles. This periodic operation allows shared use of the base band mixer, reducing the total number of mixers needed while maintaining full multiband functionality and keeping the overall structure relatively simple.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach results in multiband receiver circuits with reduced size and power consumption, addressing the limitations of existing multiband receivers by optimizing the frequency division and local oscillator usage.
Implementation Method 1
a first passive mixer configured to receive a first input radio frequency (RF) signal having a first frequency, wherein the first passive mixer is driven by a first local oscillator signal having a frequency about two-thirds of the first frequency, and is configured to provide a first intermediate RF signal having a frequency about one-third of the first frequency
Data Source
AI summary
We disclose multiband receivers for millimeter-wave devices, which may have reduced size and/or reduced power consumption. One multiband receiver comprises a first band path comprising a first passive mixer configured to receive a first input RF signal having a first frequency and to be driven by a first local oscillator signal having a frequency about ⅔ the first frequency; a second band path comprising a second passive mixer configured to receive a second input RF signal having a second frequency and to be driven by a second local oscillator signal having a frequency about ⅔ the second frequency; and a base band path comprising a third passive mixer configured to receive intermediate RF signals during a duty cycle and to be driven by a third local oscillator signal having a frequency about ⅓ the first frequency or about ⅓ the second frequency during the duty cycle.