Towards software configurable millimeter wave architectures

Limitations of existing receivers are the reason for the search for flexible receiver architectures. It is clear that the world of wireless communication systems and radar sensors will be heterogeneous in the future. Therefore, it arises the need for hardware solutions, which can handle several standards and related software implementations. Sampling architectures which sample the RF signal close to the antenna can provide a very flexible approach. Using a bandpass limited subsampling approach it is possible to investigate the basic feasibility of a ∞φ modulator approach at a carrier frequency of 24 GHz. The alternative six-port concept relies on an increased number of scalar measurements of the received signal and is basically suited for broadband applications. The signal is fed into power dividers, super-posed with a reference signal and the amplitude is measured at a minimum of 3 ports. Flexible signal generation will gain importance if different communication standards have to be supported. With direct digital synthesizers frequencies up to 2 GHz may now be reached.