Noise-cancelling wideband receiver for software-defined radio
Modern radio receivers must be capable of transmitting and receiving information over a wide range of frequencies in accordance with various communication standards. This is commonly achieved by employing multiple narrowband front-end receivers. However, each individual receiver must be optimized for a single, specific frequency band, making them incapable of adapting to the ever-increasing new communication protocols. While wideband receivers are inherently desirable for their flexibility and ability to adapt to new communication protocols, it is difficult to maintain the linearity of the amplifier. This technology is a noise-cancelling wideband radio receiver that uses a hybrid class-AB-C low-noise transconductance amplifier (LNTA) architecture for high linearity.
Amplifier architecture allows for high linearity and field-programmability
This technology achieves the difficult task of preserving the flexibility of wideband receivers while maintaining high linearity of the signal amplifier through the use of hybrid class-AB-C LNTAs in common-source and common-gain configurations. The LNTAs are used in a frequency-translational noise-cancelling receiver so the noise of the impedance termination is cancelled. Furthermore, the receiver is field-programmable, makes it suitable for the rapidly-evolving field of software-defined radio. Each LNTA can be individually adjusted in software to optimize the receiver for a particular application. For example, the receiver can be adjusted into Low Noise Mode, High Linearity Mode, or Low Power Mode, depending on the application and user requirements. A prototype has been tested in a 40 nm CMOS technology.
Lab Director:
Applications:
- Software-defined radio
- Wideband RF receiver for portable electronics communications
- Multi-standard, multi-band radio design for wireless communication (cell phones, laptops, tablets)
- Portable wireless devices, such as mobile phones or GPS, where optimizing power consumption is important for maximizing battery life
- Signal amplifier for reconfigurable radio frequency systems whose signal quality requirements vary with different standards
Advantages:
- Allows communication throughout a wide range of radio frequencies
- Maintains high linearity of the signal amplifier in a wideband receiver
- In-field tradeoff between performance specifications (such as linearity, noise, and power consumption)
- Highly programmable in terms of gain, noise figure, and linearity
Patent Information:
Tech Ventures Reference: IR CU16075