This technology is a low-noise, frequency-translational quadrature-hybrid receiver for massive concurrent reception. The receiver architecture also allows the user to estimate the impedance of the antenna.
Inter-band carrier aggregation is necessary to provide the large instantaneous bandwidth required by wireless communication devices such as cellphones. Current methods of achieving carrier aggregation include using multiple antennas or using fixed frequency filter banks to split the signals from the antenna. However, each of these techniques is costly and lacks the ability for concurrent reception. Innovation is needed to reduce system architecture complexity while allowing for more advanced capabilities, particularly the ability for receivers to accept signals from multiple frequency bands concurrently.
This technology allows a single wideband antenna to support multiple wideband wireless receivers that need to receive signals from various frequency bands concurrently. Users retain control over the parameters for each receiver, including carrier frequency, gain sensitivity, and power consumption. Effectively, this technology reduces the number of antennas used and simplifies devices for global roaming. This architecture also enables antenna impedance to be sensed in-situ by the receivers, allowing for a receiver’s performance to be optimized.
This technology has been validated in a laboratory setting using a prototype chip that was designed and fabricated in a 65 nm GP CMOS technology with an active area of 1.1 mm2.
IR CU16077
Licensing Contact: Greg Maskel