Rockwell Collins, Inc.

Robert C Potter

Robert Newgard

Roy H Olsson

Kenneth Wojciechowski

Jonathan A Lovseth

Vadim Olen

Joseph F Jiacinto

Manas K Roy

The present invention is a method for reducing phase noise in oscillator signals. For example, the oscillator may be a low phase noise MEMS-based oscillator and may include a resonator (ex.&#x2014;a MEMS resonator). Further, the resonator of the oscillator may be operated near a bifurcation point. Still further, the MEMS resonator may be parametrically pumped in such a way so as to redistribute the quadrature signal noise (ex.&#x2014;phase noise) to in-phase noise (ex.&#x2014;amplitude noise).

Low phase noise MEMS-based oscillator with bifurcation and parametric noise squeezing

The present invention is directed to a highly-integrated MEMS-based miniaturized transceiver. The transceiver utilizes a low band front-end to direct sample low band signals and a high band front-end to translate high band signals that cannot be directly sampled to low band before low band front-end processing. The low band front-end comprises an array of High-Q MEMS (microelectromechanical systems)-based filters/resonators separated by isolation amplifiers in selectable cascade with narrower bandwidth filters. Dynamic tuning ability is provided through the isolation amplifiers and the sample frequency of the analog-to-digital converter. This architecture is amenable to monolithic fabrication. The input frequency range is scalable with analog-to-digital conversion sampling rate improvements. Re-utilization of filters is spatially efficient and cost effective. Tuning time is limited only by the analog-to-digital conversion and digital signal processing, not synthesizer settling times. This architecture eliminates major sources of traditional intermodulation distortion and reduces complex hardware, increasing reliability.

Highly-integrated MEMS-based miniaturized transceiver

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Marion, IA, United States of America

Robert C Potter