A frequency-translational quadrature-hybrid receiver for carrier aggregation

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.

Unmet Need: A simpler method of inter-band carrier aggregation

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.

The Technology: A frequency-translational quadrature-hybrid receiver

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.

Applications:

• Mobile device telephony transmission
• Mobile device data transmission
• Telecommunications
• Network data transmission

Advantages:

• High generality in range and frequency coverage
• Cost-effective
• Low-noise and frequency-translational
• Tunable
• Does not require filtering
• Can determine the antenna impedance
• Antenna monitoring does not require any additional architecture

Lab Director:

Peter Kinget, Ph.D.

Patent Information:

Patent Status

Related Publications:

• Zhu J, Kinget PR. “Frequency-translational quadrature-hybrid receivers for very-low-noise, frequency-agile, scalable inter-band carrier aggregation” IEEE J Solid-St Circ. 2016 Aug 25; 51(12): 3137-3151.

• Chen R, Hashemi H. “19.3 Reconfigurable SDR receiver with enhanced front-end frequency selectivity suitable for intra-band and inter-band carrier aggregation” ISSCC Dig Tech Pap. 2015 Mar 19; 14999461.

• Hwu SC, Razavi B. “An RF receiver for intra-band carrier aggregation” IEEE J Solid-St Circ. 2015 Feb 2; 50(4): 946-961.

• Sundström L, Anderson M, Strandberg R, Ek S, Svensson J, Mu F, Olsson T, ud Din I, Wilhelmsson L, Eckerbert D, Mattisson S. “A receiver for LTE Rel-11 and beyond supporting non-contiguous carrier aggregation” ISSCC Dig Tech Pap. 2013 Mar 28; 13413773.

• Murphy D, Hafez A, Mirzaei A, Mikhemar M, Darabi H, Chang MCF, Abidi A. “A blocker-tolerant wideband noise-cancelling receiver with a 2dB noise figure” ISSCC Dig Tech Pap. 2012 Apr 3; 12640248.

Tech Ventures Reference:

• IR CU16077

• Licensing Contact: Greg Maskel