A travelling wave mixer (TWM) is provided that includes an input artificial transmission line configured to transmit an input signal, an output artificial transmission line configured to transmit an output signal, a local oscillator (LO) artificial transmission line configured to transmit an LO signal, and a plurality of mixer stages connected in parallel between the output artificial transmission and the input artificial transmission line. Each of the mixer stages includes an input amplifier, a mixer and an output amplifier connected in series between the input artificial transmission line and the output artificial transmission line, where an input of the mixer receives an output of the input amplifier, and an output of the mixer is applied to an input of the output amplifier. Further, each of the mixer stages includes a phase-adjustable LO amplifier circuit connected between the LO artificial transmission line and an LO input of the mixer, where the phase-adjustable LO amplifier is configured to adjust an LO signal phase applied to the LO input of each mixer to null out a phase error in each mixer stage independently.

A frequency multiplier includes an input section having inputs to receive an input signal having an input frequency, a mixer section, and an output section magnetically coupled to the input section and generating an output signal in response to the input signal. The mixer section may be coupled to the input section by a common mode node forming a path for a common mode current to flow to the mixer section and be magnetically coupled to the common mode node. The input section may generate a signal current, and the mixer section may be magnetically coupled to the input section and be directly capacitively coupled to the input section through a capacitor in a signal current path. The mixer section may have differential inputs capacitively coupled to the input section and also be coupled to the input section through a current path. A current helper section may be coupled to the current path.

One or more systems, devices and/or methods of use provided herein relate to a device that can support a signal generation. A current-mode end-to-end signal path can include a digital to analog converter (DAC) operating in current-mode and an upconverting mixer, operating in current-mode and operatively coupled to the DAC. Analog inputs and outputs of the DAC and upconverting mixer can be represented as currents, and the DAC can generate a baseband signal. The DAC and upconverting mixer each can comprise switching transistors of the same type, such as p-type metal-oxide semiconductor (PMOS) switching transistors. In one or more embodiments, a current source and a diode-connected transistor can be arranged in parallel in the current-mode signal path, and the current source passes a static current, while the diode-connected transistor passes both a static current and a dynamic current.

Described are an amplifier circuits, systems, and methods for amplifying a plurality of sinusoid signals having a relative phase difference to each other. The amplifier circuit comprises a first sequence of at least three transistor amplifiers, wherein a first terminal of each transistor amplifier of the first sequence is configured to receive one respective signal of the plurality sinusoid signals. The amplifier further comprises a second sequence of at least three transistor amplifiers. A second terminal of each transistor amplifier of the second sequence is connected to a third terminal of one respective transistor amplifier of the first sequence. A first terminal of each transistor amplifier of the second sequence is connected to the third terminal of a next transistor amplifier of the second sequence. The first terminal of a last transistor amplifier is connected to the third terminal of a first transistor amplifier.

Described are an amplifier circuits, systems, and methods for amplifying a plurality of sinusoid signals having a relative phase difference to each other. The amplifier circuit comprises a first sequence of at least three transistor amplifiers, wherein a first terminal of each transistor amplifier of the first sequence is configured to receive one respective signal of the plurality sinusoid signals. The amplifier further comprises a second sequence of at least three transistor amplifiers. A second terminal of each transistor amplifier of the second sequence is connected to a third terminal of one respective transistor amplifier of the first sequence. A first terminal of each transistor amplifier of the second sequence is connected to the third terminal of a next transistor amplifier of the second sequence. The first terminal of a last transistor amplifier is connected to the third terminal of a first transistor amplifier.

The present disclosure generally relates to the field of receiver structures in radio communication systems and more specifically to passive mixers in the receiver structure and to a technique for converting a first signal having a first frequency into a second signal having a second frequency by using a third signal having a third frequency. A passive mixer for converting a first signal having a first frequency into a second signal having a second frequency by using a third signal having a third frequency comprises a cancellation component 220 for generating a first cancellation signal for cancelling second order intermodulation components by superimposing the first signal weighted by a cancellation value on the third signal; and a mixing component 231 having a first terminal 232 for receiving the first signal, a second terminal 234 for outputting the second signal, and a third terminal 236 for receiving the first cancellation signal, wherein the mixing component 231 is adapted to provide the second signal as output at the second terminal 234 by mixing the first signal provided as input at the first terminal 232 and the first cancellation signal provided as input at the third terminal 236.

The present disclosure generally relates to the field of receiver structures in radio communication systems and more specifically to passive mixers in the receiver structure and to a technique for converting a first signal having a first frequency into a second signal having a second frequency by using a third signal having a third frequency. A passive mixer for converting a first signal having a first frequency into a second signal having a second frequency by using a third signal having a third frequency comprises a cancellation component 220 for generating a first cancellation signal for cancelling second order intermodulation components by superimposing the first signal weighted by a cancellation value on the third signal; and a mixing component 231 having a first terminal 232 for receiving the first signal, a second terminal 234 for outputting the second signal, and a third terminal 236 for receiving the first cancellation signal, wherein the mixing component 231 is adapted to provide the second signal as output at the second terminal 234 by mixing the first signal provided as input at the first terminal 232 and the first cancellation signal provided as input at the third terminal 236.

A frequency multiplier includes an input section having inputs to receive an input signal having an input frequency, a mixer section, and an output section magnetically coupled to the input section and generating an output signal in response to the input signal. The mixer section may be coupled to the input section by a common mode node forming a path for a common mode current to flow to the mixer section and be magnetically coupled to the common mode node. The input section may generate a signal current, and the mixer section may be magnetically coupled to the input section and be directly capacitively coupled to the input section through a capacitor in a signal current path. The mixer section may have differential inputs capacitively coupled to the input section and also be coupled to the input section through a current path. A current helper section may be coupled to the current path.

A harmonic-rejection mixer apparatus includes a mixing circuit and a combining circuit. The mixing circuit receives mixes an input signal and a first local oscillator (LO) signal to generate a first output signal, and mixes the same input signal and a second LO signal to generate a second output signal, wherein the first LO signal and the second LO signal have a same frequency but different phases. The combining circuit combines the first output signal and the second output signal, wherein harmonic rejection is at least achieved by combination of the first output signal and the second output signal.

A harmonic-rejection mixer apparatus includes a mixing circuit and a combining circuit. The mixing circuit receives mixes an input signal and a first local oscillator (LO) signal to generate a first output signal, and mixes the same input signal and a second LO signal to generate a second output signal, wherein the first LO signal and the second LO signal have a same frequency but different phases. The combining circuit combines the first output signal and the second output signal, wherein harmonic rejection is at least achieved by combination of the first output signal and the second output signal.