Phase-Variable Frequency Multiplier for Fine Phase Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing phase-variable frequency multipliers degrade phase shift resolution when doubling the frequency of a signal and shifting its phase, as they increase the phase shift of the output signal beyond that of the input signal.
Innovation Solution
A phase-variable frequency multiplier is designed with a 90-degree divider to split the input signal into in-phase and quadrature signals, amplitude setting circuits to adjust the amplitudes of these signals based on the phase shift, mixers to generate signals with doubled frequency, and a 90-degree combiner to apply a phase difference, ensuring the phase shift resolution is maintained.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a phase shifter is connected before the multiplier to achieve phase-variable frequency multiplication, then the frequency of the input signal is doubled and the phase of the signal is shifted, but the phase shift resolution is degraded because the multiplier doubles the phase of the signal output from the phase shifter
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the signal processing into two separate functional blocks: a phase shifter that provides coarse phase adjustment and a frequency multiplier that doubles the frequency while maintaining phase relationships. By segmenting the phase control into discrete steps before multiplication, the system achieves phase-variable frequency multiplication without degrading the effective phase shift resolution at the output.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the phase shift amount parameter in discrete steps (e.g., 0°, 45°, 90°, 135°) before the frequency multiplication. This parameter change strategy ensures that when the frequency is doubled, the phase shift resolution is maintained because the phase shifter operates at the lower frequency with coarser steps that become finer effective steps after frequency doubling.
2Speed
If the multiplier doubles the frequency of the signal output from the phase shifter, then the frequency multiplication is achieved, but the phase shift of the output signal becomes greater than the phase shift of the phase shifter output, causing resolution loss
Solution Approach 1:
The phase shifter performs preliminary phase adjustment before the frequency multiplication occurs. By establishing the desired phase relationship at the lower frequency before doubling, the system ensures that the final high-frequency output maintains the correct phase resolution without the need for finer phase control at the higher frequency.
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
The solution allows for doubling the frequency of the input signal while shifting its phase without degrading the phase shift resolution, improving the performance of the phase-variable frequency multiplier.
Implementation Method 1
a 90-degree divider to divide an input signal into an in-phase signal and a quadrature signal
Implementation Method 2
a first mixer to multiply a first in-phase signal of the two in-phase signals included in the set signals by a first quadrature signal of the two quadrature signals included in the set signals to generate a first signal with a doubled frequency being twice a frequency of the input signal
Data Source
AI summary
A phase-variable frequency multiplier includes: a 90-degree divider for dividing an input signal into an I-signal and a Q-signal; an amplitude setting circuit for distributing each of the I-signal and the Q-signal to two paths, setting amplitudes of two of four signals including the two distributed I-signals and the two distributed Q-signals depending on a phase shift amount of the input signal, and outputting as set signals, the four signals including the signals with the set amplitudes; a first mixer for multiplying one of the two I-signals included in the set signals by one of the two Q-signals included in the set signals to generate a first signal having a frequency being twice the frequency of the input signal; a second mixer for multiplying the other of the two I-signals included in the set signals by the other of the two Q-signals included in the set signals to generate a second signal with an amplitude ratio with respect to the first signal, being a tangent or a reciprocal of a tangent of the phase shift amount and with a frequency being twice the frequency of the input signal; and a 90-degree combiner for applying a phase difference of 90 degrees between the first signal and the second signal, and combining the first signal having the phase difference of 90 degrees from the second signal with the second signal.