KR20180009155A - Millimeter wave transmission apparatus using variable power level and transmission method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides an ultrahigh frequency transmission device performing high-speed modulation with low power by changing an amplitude of an output signal in accordance with a logic level of an input signal, and a method thereof. The ultrahigh frequency transmission device applied to an ultrahigh frequency communication system includes: a signal source generating an ultrahigh frequency carrier signal; and a modulator outputting a modulation signal by composing input digital data with the carrier signal. The modulator includes: a signal transforming unit changing an output level of the input digital data and outputting transformed digital data; a first switch switching in accordance with a logic level of the transformed digital data and controlling a current flow on the modulator; a second switch and a third switch, which mix the input digital data with the carrier signal by individually switching at a high speed by the carrier signal; and a fourth switch switching in accordance with the logic level of the transformed digital data and performing short-circuit or disconnection of a differential output signal output by the first switch and the second switch.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a microwave transmitting apparatus and a microwave transmitting apparatus using a variable output level,

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a microwave transmitter and a transmission method thereof applied to a communication system using microwave.

In a very high frequency communication system using an on-off keying (OOK) / amplitude shift keying (OOK) modulation / demodulation system, a modulating method using a manual switch and a modulating method using an amplifier are used as a very high frequency modulation method.

According to a conventional modulation method using a passive switch, there is a disadvantage that a millimeter wave band has a large loss due to passive elements and is also greatly affected by a parasitic component. In order to overcome these disadvantages, additional amplifiers are required, and there is a limitation in that it is difficult to realize low power consumption due to the existence of additional power consumption sources.

1 is a diagram illustrating a modulation apparatus using an amplifier of a conventional microwave communication system.

1, when data signals (Din +, Din-) are applied as input signals, they are mixed with signals (VCO +, VCO-) generated by an internal signal source and then transmitted through transmission lines ML1 to ML5 The modulated signal is output. Such a conventional modulator using an amplifier has a disadvantage in that power consumption is very large since it is constituted by using only a transistor.

That is, since a signal source, a modulator, and a variable gain amplifier are included as a block that generates power consumption in a very high frequency transmitter, it is difficult to implement a low power.

In this regard, Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2012-0038275 (entitled "High-speed OOK modulation apparatus and transmitter using the same") discloses that an OOK modulation apparatus in a millimeter wave band inputs an OOK control signal to a gate bias input terminal A first amplifying stage for performing a switching operation and for amplifying and outputting a millimeter wave signal through a switching operation and a switching circuit for performing a switching operation by receiving the OOK control signal through a gate bias input terminal, A first amplification stage for receiving a signal output from the first amplification stage at a gate stage and amplifying and outputting the signal; and an output matching circuit for receiving and outputting a signal amplified by the second amplification stage.

An embodiment of the present invention seeks to provide a microwave transmitter and a method for modulating an amplitude of an output signal according to a logic level of an input signal to process high-speed modulation with low power.

It should be understood, however, that the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described technical problems, and other technical problems may exist.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a microwave transmission apparatus including: a signal source for generating a carrier signal; And a modulator for combining the input digital data with the carrier signal to output a modulated signal. In this case, the modulator may include: a signal transforming unit for varying an output level of the input digital data to output modified digital data; A first switch for switching operation according to a logic level of the modified digital data to control current flow to the modulator; Second and third switches for respectively performing a fast switching operation by the carrier signal to mix the input digital data with the carrier signal; And a fourth switch for performing a switching operation according to a logic level of the modified digital data to short-circuit or disconnect the differential output signal output by the first and second switches.

According to one of the above-described objects of the present invention, it is possible to apply to all electronic circuits, and particularly to a microwave using a low power modulation applicable to a communication system using a very high frequency (for example, a communication system using OOK or ASK modulation) A transmitting apparatus can be provided.

According to any one of the tasks of the present invention, the level of the transmission power can be adjusted by varying the input digital data signal. Accordingly, the power consumed by the transmitting apparatus can be minimized, and the duration of the apparatus can be increased when the apparatus is mounted on a portable communication apparatus such as a mobile terminal.

Further, according to any one of the tasks of the present invention, it is possible to process high-speed data of 3 Gbps or more and to simply implement a transmitter using OOK / ASK modulation. At this time, the modulation circuit for simultaneously performing the oscillator and the high-speed modulator, which are separately configured in the existing microwave transmission apparatus, is implemented, so that the power consumption of the transmission terminal can be effectively reduced.

In addition, according to any one of the tasks of the present invention, the matching with the antenna can be easily solved by using the transformer instead of the inductor used in the existing microwave transmitter, and the output signal can be obtained using the transformer, Can be easily solved.

1 is a diagram illustrating a modulation apparatus using an amplifier of a conventional microwave communication system.
2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a microwave communication apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a diagram illustrating a modulator of a microwave transmission apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a diagram illustrating a structure of a signal modification unit of a modulator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a graph illustrating a result of generating a variable output level through a signal transforming unit of a modulator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a graph showing the output level variable result shown in FIG.
7 is a flowchart illustrating a microwave transmission method using a variable output level according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. In order to clearly explain the present invention in the drawings, parts not related to the description are omitted.

Throughout the specification, when a part is referred to as being "connected" to another part, it includes not only "directly connected" but also "electrically connected" with another part in between .

Also, when an element is referred to as "comprising ", it means that it can include other elements as well, without departing from the other elements unless specifically stated otherwise.

Hereinafter, a microwave transmitter having a variable output level and a method thereof according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a microwave communication apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

At this time, the microwave communication apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention uses an OOK modulation / demodulation scheme as an example, and various modulation and demodulation schemes such as an ASK modulation / demodulation scheme may be used.

The microwave communication device 10 includes a microwave transmitter 100, a microwave receiver 200, and a modem 300.

The microwave transmitting apparatus 100 includes a microwave signal source 110 (hereinafter referred to as a signal source) for generating a high-frequency signal (that is, a carrier signal) Frequency modulator 120 (hereinafter referred to as a modulator). At this time, the frequency of the signal source 110 may be at least five times higher than the frequency of the high-speed data signal.

Meanwhile, the microwave transmitter 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may further include a microwave variable gain amplifier 130 (hereinafter, referred to as an amplifier) for amplifying a signal size so as to enable wireless communication. This amplifier 130 variably processes the gain according to the wireless communication distance.

The microwave receiver 200 includes a microwave low noise amplifier 210, a microwave demodulator 220 and a baseband amplifier 230. The microwave receiver 200 receives the high speed data signal from the modem 300, .

3 is a diagram illustrating a modulator of a microwave transmission apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

3, the modulator 120 included in the microwave transmission apparatus 100 includes first to fourth transistors 121 to 124, a signal transforming unit 125, a low loss transformer 126, To a third transmission line 127-129.

At this time, a high-speed data signal is input from the modem 300 to the modulator 120, and the VCO + and VCO- signals generated by the signal source 110 are input.

The second transistor M2 (122) and the third transistor (M3) 123 perform super high-speed switching operation by the signals VCO + and VCO-, respectively.

The signal modifying unit 125 outputs a signal Dmod after performing a predetermined signal modification process when the high-speed data signal Din is input from the modem 300. [

The first transistor M1 (121) performs a high-speed switching operation by the output signal Dmod output from the signal deformation unit 125. [

At this time, when the output signal Dmod is at a logic low level, no current flows through the first transistor M1 (121) and the fourth transistor M4 (124) is turned on. On the other hand, when the output signal Dmod is at a logic high level, a current flows to the first transistor M1 (121) and the fourth transistor M4 (124) is turned off. That is, the fourth transistor M4 124 short-circuits the differential output signals OUTP and OUTN when the logic low level state and disconnects the differential output signals OUTP and OUTN when the logic level is high. As described above, when the data signal is at a logic low level, no current flows and no power is consumed. Only when the data signal is at a logic high level, current flows. That is, the modulator 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention has low power characteristics by operating according to the level of the input data signal.

As described above, the modulator 120 outputs OUTP and OUTN as modulated signals by the input VCO signal and the input data signal. At this time, the load condition can be designed in consideration of the effects of the first transmission line ML1 127 to the third transmission line ML3 129 to obtain a normal output.

Meanwhile, the modulator 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention can process a function as the variable gain amplifier 130. [ Accordingly, the microwave transmitter 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may not include the variable gain amplifier 130 described in FIG. 1 previously.

Specifically, the modulator 120 can vary the power supply voltage VDD to obtain a variable gain. At this time, the modulator 120 may further include a regulator (not shown) for providing VDD power, and a regulator (not shown) regulates and provides the power supply voltage VDD.

Meanwhile, the modulator 120 may obtain a variable gain through the signal transforming unit 125. The variable gain amplification method through the signal modification unit 125 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 4 and 6 below.

4 is a diagram illustrating a structure of a signal modification unit of a modulator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4, the signal deforming section 125 includes a variable delay element 151, a high-speed gate element section 152, and a multiplexer 153. [

When the high-speed data signal Din is input from the modem 300 to the signal transforming unit 125, the data signal Din delayed through the variable delay element 151 is output.

At this time, the delay value of the variable delay element 151 may be varied by a separate control signal, and the signal modification section 125 may include a delay setting section (not shown) for setting the delay value of the variable delay element 151 .

Next, the data signal Din delayed through the variable delay element 151 is transformed through the fast gate element part 152 and output as a first modified signal Din1 or a second modified Din2 signal. At this time, the high-speed gate element portion 152 includes a high-speed AND gate and a high-speed OR gate.

For reference, the ultrasound receiving apparatus 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a restoration process configuration corresponding to the characteristics of the signal deforming unit 125. [ Also, in the microwave receiver 200, a delay element and a high-speed gate element corresponding to the signal deformation unit 125 may be formed at a stage subsequent to the base band amplifier, thereby restoring the original signal shape. This function may be implemented on the modem 300 as well.

Next, the multiplexer 153 selects one of the first and second modified signals Din1 and Din2 according to the control signal S and outputs the selected signal.

4, the high-frequency receiving apparatus 200 can have a duty ratio of 50% at the time of demodulating the high-speed data signal, so that the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) performance .

5 is a graph illustrating a result of generating a variable output level through a signal transforming unit of a modulator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 5, it is assumed that a 3 GHz clock signal is applied as the high-speed data signal Din. Accordingly, the duty ratio of the 3 GHz signal is modified through the signal transforming unit 125 described with reference to FIG.

5A and 5B show the results when the duty ratio of the modified data signal Dmod is 0.2. 5 (c) and 5 (d) show the results when the duty ratio of the modified data signal Dmod is 0.8.

5A and 5B show the voltage waveform of the final output signal OUT when the duty ratio of the modified data signal Dmod is 0.2 and the voltage waveform of the final output signal OUT when the voltage waveform is subjected to discrete Fourier transform (DFT) Respectively.

As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the 60 GHz carrier signal level has a value of -18.3 dBv as a result of transforming the 3 GHz signal through the signal transforming unit 125 have.

In FIGS. 5C and 5D, when the duty ratio of the modified data signal Dmod is 0.8, the voltage waveform of the final output signal OUT and the value obtained by taking the DFT into the voltage waveform of the final output signal OUT are shown. At this time, it can be seen that the 60 GHz carrier signal level has a value of -6.05 dBv.

From the above results, it can be seen that the final output level varies in the signal transforming process through the signal transforming unit 125.

6 is a graph showing the output level variable result shown in FIG.

The 'Freq_60 GHz' curve shown in FIG. 6 indicates a 60 GHz carrier signal level, and it can be seen that the tone power increases with an increase in the duty ratio.

For reference, the output level of the transmitting apparatus can be adjusted by changing the power supply voltage VDD of the modulator 120. [

When the modulator 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied to a communication system operating with a signal of 10 GHz or higher (i.e., a very high frequency signal), each node may be implemented by using a microstrip line.

Hereinafter, a microwave transmitting method using a variable output level of a microwave transmitting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

7 is a flowchart illustrating a microwave transmission method using a variable output level according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, the signal deforming unit 125 of the modulator 120 changes the output level of the high-speed data signal input from the modem 300 and outputs a modified data signal (S710).

Next, the modulator 120 mixes the super-high frequency carrier signal input from the signal source 110 and the output data signal through the switching operation using the modified data signal (S720).

In this case, when the output level of the modified data signal is a logic low state, the switch for mixing the carrier signal and the data signal is turned off, and when the output level of the modified data signal is a logic high state, And the modulated signal (that is, the final output signal) is output. This final output signal is output in a differential output manner.

Next, the modulator 120 transmits the modulated signal to the antenna through the low-loss transformer and transmits the modulated signal to the antenna (S730).

As described above, the microwave transmitting method in the microwave transmitting apparatus having the variable output level according to the embodiment of the present invention can be performed in the form of a recording medium including a computer program stored in a medium executed by the computer or instructions executable by the computer Can be implemented. Computer readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a computer and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media. In addition, the computer-readable medium may include both computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes both volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Communication media typically includes any information delivery media, including computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave, or other transport mechanism.

While the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, some or all of those elements or acts may be implemented using a computer system having a general purpose hardware architecture.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing description of the present invention is for illustrative purposes only and that those of ordinary skill in the art can readily understand that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the present invention. will be. It is therefore to be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all aspects and not restrictive. For example, each component described as a single entity may be distributed and implemented, and components described as being distributed may also be implemented in a combined form.

The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the detailed description and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents are to be construed as being included within the scope of the present invention do.

10: Very high frequency communication device 100: Very high frequency transmitting device
200: Microwave receiving apparatus 300: Modem
110: a very high frequency signal source 120: a very high frequency modulator
130: Very High Frequency Variable Gain Amplifier 210: Very High Frequency Low Noise Amplifier
220: Microwave Demodulator 230: Baseband Amplifier
121 to 124: first to fourth transistors 125:
126: Transformers 127 to 129: First to third transmission lines

Claims (1)

In a very high frequency transmission apparatus,
A signal source for generating a very high frequency carrier signal; And
And a modulator for combining the input digital data with the carrier signal to output a modulated signal,
The modulator comprising:
A signal transforming unit for varying an output level of the input digital data to output modified digital data;
A first switch for switching operation according to a logic level of the modified digital data to control current flow to the modulator;
Second and third switches for respectively performing a fast switching operation by the carrier signal to mix the input digital data with the carrier signal; And
And a fourth switch for performing a switching operation in accordance with a logic level of the modified digital data to short-circuit or disconnect the differential output signal output by the first and second switches.

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