RF Mixer Module With Arbitrary LO Phase Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mixers struggle to generate local oscillator signals with phase differences that are non-integer fractions of 360°, which is necessary for certain electronic devices like vector modulators and harmonic rejection mixers.
Innovation Solution
A mixer module with a phase adjustment module that adds a desired delay to the local oscillator signal, allowing for the generation of adapted oscillator signals with arbitrary phase differences, using components like tapped delay lines and multiplexers to provide multiple phases for mixing channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If ring oscillators are used to generate local oscillator signals, then multiple output signals with different phases can be generated, but the phase differences are limited to integer fractions of 360°
Solution Approach 1:
The ring oscillator is divided into multiple tapped points along its feedback path, allowing extraction of signals at different phase points. This segmentation enables obtaining multiple phase-shifted signals from a single oscillator structure without requiring multiple independent oscillators.
Solution Approach 2:
A phase adjustment module is introduced as an intermediary component between the ring oscillator and the mixing channels. This module includes delay elements and multiplexers that can arbitrarily adjust the phase of local oscillator signals, converting the fixed integer-fraction phases from the ring oscillator into adjustable non-integer fraction phases.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple ring oscillators are used to achieve non-integer phase differences, then phase flexibility is improved, but device complexity and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single ring oscillator is designed to serve multiple mixing channels simultaneously. By tapping the oscillator at different points and using phase adjustment modules, one oscillator generates local oscillator signals for multiple channels with different phases, eliminating the need for separate oscillators for each channel.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple phase adjustment functions are merged into a single integrated phase adjustment module that shares the same local oscillator source. The module combines delay elements and multiplexers to provide arbitrary phase shifts to multiple channels from one unified structure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If arbitrary phase adjustments are implemented using phase adjustment modules, then phase flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The phase adjustment module uses controllable delay elements and multiplexers that can dynamically adjust the phase of local oscillator signals. The delay amount and signal selection can be changed in real-time to achieve arbitrary phase differences, providing dynamic adaptability rather than fixed phase relationships.
Data Source
AI summary
A mixer for mixing a radio frequency signal is described. The mixer includes a local oscillator input, a phase adjustment module, and at least one mixing channel. The local oscillator input is configured to receive a local oscillator signal. The phase adjustment module is configured to control a phase of the local oscillator signal in order to add a desired amount of delay to the local oscillator signal, thereby generating at least one adapted oscillator signal. The at least one adapted oscillator signal has a desired phase difference compared to the local oscillator signal. The at least one mixing channel includes at least one mixer unit having at least one signal input. The at least one mixing channel is configured to receive the at least one adapted oscillator signal. The at least one mixing channel further is configured to forward the adapted oscillator signal to the mixer unit. The at least one signal input is configured to receive an input signal. The at least one signal input further is configured to forward the input signal to the mixer unit. The mixer unit is configured to mix the at least one adapted oscillator signal with the input signal, thereby generating a mixer output signal.