text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Oct 7, 2003
|Filing date
|Apr 20, 2000
|Priority date
|Apr 20, 2000
|Fee status
|Publication number
|William A. White, Geoffrey C. Dawe
|Original Assignee
|Microtune (Texas), L.P.
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (4), Non-Patent Citations (21), Referenced by (44), Classifications (15), Legal Events (8)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This invention relates generally to electronic signal processing circuits and more particularly to radio frequency (RF) mixers.
In the area of radio frequency (RF) receivers or transmitters, mixing circuits (mixers) generally perform frequency translation by multiplying two input signals, each of which may comprise a non-inverted/inverted signal pair. Typically, one input signal is a received signal containing information to be processed, and the other signal is typically a reference signal generated by the mixer or the receiver/transmitter circuits. Mixers have many varied applications. For example, mixers are commonly embodied in equipment used for sending and receiving AM/FM radio signals, both cable and broadcast television signals, and even in cable modems. Mixers may be used in systems designed to send or receive any type of information in an RF signal, such as voice, video, and data. The quality and performance of the mixer generally depends on achieving a closely linear operation and obtaining a controllable and predictable gain. In the prior art, the most commonly used active device mixer is known as the Gilbert cell. Other passive device mixers exist which use arrays of transformers and diodes. However, these passive device mixers are generally not amenable to integrated circuit design. Because its configuration is generally suitable for integrated circuit fabrication, the Gilbert cell has essentially become the standard "on-chip" mixer configuration. FIG. 1 details the circuit layout of a typical prior art Gilbert cell mixer.
Mixers perform frequency translation by multiplying two frequencies together. The graphs of FIG. 2 give a hypothetical illustration of how two signals are multiplied. We begin with the time domain representation of the two input signals fRF(t) 200 and fLO(t) 201. The local oscillator (LO) signal is, ideally, a square wave, and the RF signal is a hypothetical modulated sinusoidal waveform. Multiplication of these two signals is simplified by transforming each one into the frequency domain and convolving the two transformed signals. Convolution is well known in the art as the method of obtaining the frequency domain representation of two signals multiplied in the time domain. It is also well known in the art to transform a time domain signal into its frequency spectrum through a Fourier Transformation. FRF(ω) 202 and FLO(ω) 203 represent the RF and LO signals in the frequency spectrum. Convolving FRF(ω) 202 and FLO(ω) 203 produces the intermediate frequency (IF) output frequency spectrum FIF(ω) 204. As shown by FIG. 2, the output FIF(ω) 204 contains a scaled version of the RF spectrum centered at the sum of the RF harmonic frequency and the LO first harmonic frequency and another scaled version at the difference of the RF and LO harmonic frequencies. Thus, the product of two signals produces "sum-and-difference" results. If the mixer is an up-converter, the difference result is filtered out or suppressed while the sum result is processed further. Conversely, if the mixer is a down-converter, the sum result is filtered out or suppressed while the difference result is processed further.
To perform this frequency translation, the Gilbert cell, as shown in FIG. 1, typically includes a mixer core 10, an RF input section 11, and a biasing circuit (not shown). The mixer core 10 is made up of an LO switching interface 12 with input terminals LOP 100, which receives the non-inverted LO input signal, and LON 101, which receives the inverted LO input signal, and an IF output with terminals IFP 102 and IFN 103 for providing the mixer output. The LO switching interface 12 also contains two pairs of transistors, Q3 104 and Q6 107, and Q4 105 and Q5 106, wherein the Q3 104 and Q6 107 pair are each connected to input terminal LOP 100, and the Q4 105 and Q5 106 pair are each connected to input terminal LON 101. The LO switching interface 12 operates in such a way so as to quickly switch between turning Q3 104 and Q6 107 on while Q4 105 and Q5 106 are turned off, and vice versa. Therefore, at any one time, one of the transistor pairs is on and the other off.
The LO input signal which drives the switching process is ideally represented as a square wave to minimize the switching time between the two pairs of transistors. This process is normally accomplished by amplifying an LO sinusoidal signal into compression. By amplifying the signal into compression, the tops of the sinusoid are flattened out or clipped, thus approximating the attributes of a square wave.
The RF input section 11 contains input terminals RFP 108, which receives the non-inverted RF input signal, and RFN 109, which receives the inverted RF input signal; two transistors Q1 110 and Q2 111, which are arranged as an emitter coupled differential pair; a series connection from Q1 110 to the Q3 104 and Q4 105 of the mixer core 10; another series connection from Q2 111 to Q5 106 and Q6 107 of the mixer core 10; and a pull-down current source 112 connected to the differential pair Q1 110 and Q2 111. Input terminals RFP 108 and RFN 109 may also be used for receiving a biasing signal from the biasing circuit. With connections to the load resistors RLN 113 and RLP 114 through the mixer core 10 and the resistors RE1 115 and RE2 116, the differential pair Q1 110 and Q2 111 operates as a differential amplifier. Further, the active mixer core transistors (Q3 104 & Q6 107 or Q4 105 & Q5 106) create a cascode stage in the differential amplifier.
A cascode stage is generally well known in the art as an amplifier comprising a common emitter stage followed by a common base stage. For the cascode connection, either transistor of the differential pair may be considered a common emitter stage. As shown in FIG. 1, the RF transistors Q1 110 and Q2 111 each form a common emitter stage of the circuit. Which ever of the mixer core transistor pairs is activated at any one time, for example Q3 104 and Q6 107, will typically form the common base stage. Thus, the common emitter-common base connection produces a cascode configuration. In a cascode configuration, the effective load resistance, as seen by the RF transistors, i.e., the common emitter stage, is not the value of load resistors, here RLN 113 and RLP 114, but rather, is typically the much lower input resistance of the transistors Q3 104 and Q6 107.
The addition of the cascode stage in the Gilbert cell generally helps avoid frequency response attenuation caused by Miller effect in the common emitter stage. Miller effect arises in the general situation where there is an impedance straddling the input and output terminals of an active network (assuming the impedance does not affect the voltage gain of the network). Miller's Theorem shows that this straddling impedance is equivalent to the sum of two "Miller" impedances which do not straddle the input and output terminals (i.e., one in the input circuit and one in the output circuit). The values of these input and output "Miller" impedances depend, in general, on both the value of the original straddling impedance and the network's voltage gain. In effect, a small impedance straddling the input/output terminals may be equivalent to an input impedance many times the original straddling impedance value. In the situation of a capacitance, the influence of the straddling capacitance, based on Miller effect, may have an enormous effect on the transistor's high frequency behavior.
A transistor typically has an inherent capacitance between the base and collector, which, in a common emitter configuration, results in effectively straddling the input/output terminals. Because the value of this inherent capacitance will generally be fixed depending on the particular transistor, the voltage gain of the common emitter stage will usually provide a greater influence on the value of the equivalent "Miller" input impedance. Because of its configuration, voltage gain across a common emitter will generally depend on the value of the load impedance/resistance. With a cascode configuration, the low load resistance, as seen from the common emitter stage, typically reduces the voltage gain which would then reduce the Miller effect. Therefore, the Gilbert cell's cascode configuration helps reduce the frequency response attenuation which typically affects common emitter circuits.
The Gilbert cell also includes a biasing circuit with a bias output connected to the RF biasing input terminals for providing the appropriate biasing signal to the RF input section.
In operation, the Gilbert cell's LO switching interface 12 alternates quickly switching its transistors on and off, which, in turn, provides alternating paths to the IF outputs for the RF signals at RFP 108 and RFN 109. As shown in FIG. 3, the IFP output signal 300, therefore, alternates between the non-inverted RFP signal 302 and inverted RFN signal 303, while the IFN output signal 301, conversely, alternates between the inverted and non-inverted RF signals. The resulting output signal waveform is the sum-and-difference product of the LO and RF input signals. Appropriate selection or manipulation of the LO input signals LOP 304 and LON 305 will typically produce the desired IF output signal.
Ideally, the IFP and IFN output signals 300 and 301 should be exact mirrored images of each other. This mirrored attribute results from the pure sum-and-difference product of the signals, the symmetry and balance in the mixer circuit, and the balance of both the LO and RF input signals. Without symmetry or balance, distortion increases in the output signal due to portions of the original LO and/or RF frequencies translating through to the IF output signal, a phenomenon known as "feed-through". LO and RF signal balance means that there is little or no DC component of the differential signal. In other words, the LO signals at the LO inputs must be centered around the same DC level. If not, then, in the mixing process, in addition to the pure LO/RF sum-and-difference product, there is a DC component of the LO signal multiplied by the RF signal, which results in the RF feed-through added to the IF output signal. The same applies for LO feed-through where the RF signal is not balanced. Thus, to prevent LO/RF feed-through, both LO and RF signals must be balanced. This technique for suppressing LO/RF feed-through is generally known in the art as double balancing, and mixers which use it are generically referred to as double-balanced mixers.
In addition to the double balancing attribute, the circuit's devices should also match as closely as possible. Because the Gilbert cell is designed as a differential amplifier, the transistors of the differential pair, Q1 101-Q2 111, from FIG. 1, should ideally have identical device specifications. Generally, the further from identical the device specifications get, the more distortion results in the IF output. In the current state of the art, it is possible to achieve very nearly identical device specifications which helps minimize distortion in the IF output.
The Gilbert cell configuration generally provides a closely linear operation even though the transistors which make up the differential and cascode stages are nonlinear devices. The differential setup generates a compensating effect on the nonlinear response of transistors, Q1 110 and Q2 111. As Q1 110 shuts off, Q2 111 turns on, thereby passing each other's nonlinear response paths going in opposite directions. The net effect of this property creates a joint response which is more nearly linear than each transistor's individual response.
The Gilbert cell mixer also typically produces controllable and predictable gain. Because it is configured as a differential common emitter amplifier, gain is generally determined by the ratio of the load resistors, RLP 114 or RLN 113, to the emitter resistors, RE1 115 or RE2 116. Therefore, virtually any level of gain may be obtained by appropriate selection of the resistance values.
With all of the advantages of the Gilbert cell configuration, it still possesses limitations in its application. One problem is that the supply voltage to the cell must be divided across four circuit levels. The load resistors, LO transistors, RF transistors, and pull-down current source are connected in series. The constant DC current flowing through the load resistors causes a corresponding voltage drop. The LO transistors Q3 104 through Q6 107 and pull-down current source 112 also require a certain voltage level to operate properly. Thus, the processing RF transistors Q1 110 and Q2 111 must be biased from the remaining voltage. For example, if the voltage drop across the load resistor and pull-down current source is 0.5 volts each and each transistor requires two volts for proper operation, five volts is required just to drive the circuit. Considering that the standard supply voltage is five volts, the available headroom is severely limited.
Headroom, as that term is generally known in the art, typically refers to the available peak-to-peak signal amplitude that an amplifier can produce without clipping the top or bottom of the signal peaks. In a common emitter amplifier, the DC operating voltage (Vce at the operating or "Q" point) is limited at one end by the voltage at which the transistor enters its saturation region and at the other end by the supply voltage, Vcc. The output signal typically alternates about the DC operating voltage. Because the amplifier cannot produce a response which exceeds its limits, the peaks of an output signal cannot exceed either the supply voltage or the saturation voltage without being clipped. Therefore, the closer the operating voltage is to either limit, the smaller the unclipped peak-to-peak signal output can be, which results in limited headroom.
Another problem with the prior art mixer is the distortion caused by the cumulative nonlinear effects of the differential and cascode stage transistors. While distortion due to the differential pair is small because of its natural compensating effect, the signal must still travel through non-differential cascode stage transistors. Thus, the small distortion from the differential pair is substantially increased by the cascode stage transistors. When processing higher frequency ranges or needing a more precise or accurate solution, the distortion attributable to the Gilbert cell arrangement becomes significant.
It would therefore be desirable to have a mixer circuit with increased headroom and improved linearity over the prior art system.
These features are achieved by a system and method which combines the mixer core transistors and the RF input circuit transistors on the same circuit level, i.e., in anti-series. Compared to a series connection, in which devices are connected together at one node and share the same current and a pro ratable portion of the voltage across the connected devices; or a parallel connection, in which the devices are directly connected at two nodes and share the same voltage across each connected device; an anti-series connection connects devices in such a way that they are connected at one node, but do not necessarily share a pro ratable portion of a voltage drop. Instead, the devices are on the same circuit level, but without necessarily being parallel. Thus, the voltage drop across each device is not necessarily equal, as in a parallel connection, but also does not necessarily add up to the total voltage drop across the level, as in a series connection. Removing the series connection across the total available supply voltage increases headroom by effectively raising the available operating voltage for both the RF and LO transistors and increases the linearity of the mixer's response by eliminating the non-differential cascode stage.
To realize these desirable characteristics, the present invention includes a first and second pair of LO transistors connected respectively to a first and second LO input terminal. It also includes a first RF transistor which is connected to a first RF input terminal and connected in anti-series to the first one of the first pair and to the first one of the second pair of LO transistors. It has a second RF transistor which is connected to a second RF input terminal and connected in anti-series to the second one of the first pair and to the second one of the second pair of LO transistors. It also has two IF outputs. One of the IF outputs is connected to the outputs of both the first one of the first LO transistor pair and the second one of the second LO transistor pair. The other IF output is connected to the outputs of both of the remaining LO transistors.
The present invention produces the desirable characteristics through a method for mixing signals, wherein the circuit receives an RF signal to be mixed. An LO signal is used to continuously alternate switching between enabling the first pair of LO transistors while the second pair is disabled and enabling the second pair of LO transistors while the first pair is disabled. Depending on which of the LO transistor pairs is enabled, the LO and RF transistors form two differential pair amplifiers. The present invention outputs the signal produced by the two differential pairs as the IF signal.
It is an advantage of a preferred embodiment of the present invention to provide a mixer with increased headroom for any given supply voltage. Because the RF and LO transistors operate in anti-series, as opposed to the prior art series configuration, the available operating voltage of the differential amplifiers is now generally increased. This increase in available operating voltage actually increases the headroom for signal processing.
It is another advantage of a preferred embodiment of the present invention to improve the linearity of the mixer's response. The present invention mixes the signals through two differential pairs on the same circuit level. The prior art system directs the signals through the differential RF stage transistors and then through the non-differential cascode stage transistors before outputting the final IF signal. The present invention increases the linearity of the mixer response by eliminating any non-differential transistor processing.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating the prior art Gilbert cell configuration;
FIG. 2 is a set of graphs which hypothetically illustrate the mixing process;
FIG. 3 is a set of graphs which hypothetically illustrate the signal processing performed by a mixer;
FIG. 4A is a circuit diagram illustrating the inventive mixer circuit;
FIG. 4B is a circuit diagram illustrating an alternative embodiment of the inventive mixer circuit; and
FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram illustrating the inventive mixer circuit with the preferred biasing circuit embodiment.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention achieves the increased headroom and improved linearity by choosing an anti-series configuration for the mixer's transistors. The inventive mixer circuit, shown in FIG. 4A, has a first pair of LO transistor devices, Q3 406 and Q5 409, connected to a first LO input terminal, LOP 401, and a second pair of LO transistor devices, Q4 407 and Q6 410, connected to a second LO input terminal, LON 402. It has a first RF transistor device, Q1 405, connected to a first RF input terminal, RFP 403, and connected in anti-series to both the first one of the first pair of LO transistor devices, Q3 406, and the first one of the second pair of LO transistor devices, Q4 407; and a second RF transistor device, Q2 408, connected to a second RF input terminal, RFN 404, and connected in anti-series to both the second one of the first pair of LO transistor devices, Q5 409, and the second one of the second pair of LO transistor devices, Q6 410. It also has two IF output terminals: IFP 411, which is connected to the outputs of both the first one of the first pair of LO transistor devices, Q3 406, and the second one of the second pair of LO transistor devices, Q6 410; and IFN 412, which is connected to the outputs of both the second one of the first pair of LO transistor devices, Q5 409, and the first one of the second pair of LO transistor devices, Q4 407.
With the introduction of an LO signal to the LO input terminals, the LO transistor devices begin alternately switching on and off. At any one time, therefore, either Q3 406 and Q5 409 are on while Q4 407 and Q6 410 are off, or vice versa. Each of the RF transistors will then form a differential pair with whichever of the LO transistors is on, producing two separate emitter coupled differential pairs. Specifically, Q1 405 forms a differential pair with the active of Q3 406 or Q4 407, and Q2 408 forms a differential pair with the active of Q5 409 or Q6 410. As shown in FIG. 4A, these emitter coupled differential pairs operate in anti-series.
The two differential pairs become two differential amplifiers with the connection to the load resistors, RLP 419 and RLN 420; the shared emitter resistors, R8 413 and R9 414; and the constant pull-down current sources 415, 416, 417, and 418. Gain is typically predictable in differential common emitter amplifiers and is generally controlled by the ratio between the load and emitter resistors. Therefore, virtually any desired gain may be obtained by selecting the appropriate resistance values.
The outputs of the two differential amplifiers are connected directly to the IF output terminals. As will be recalled from the prior art of FIG. 1, the Gilbert cell directs the output of the RF differential amplifier through a cascode stage before outputting the signal. This added step, which is inherent in the Gilbert cell series connection, reduces Miller effect but adds distortion to the final stage due to the nonlinearity of the cascode stage transistors. The embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 4A eliminate the cascode stage distortion of the prior art by directly connecting the outputs of the differential amplifiers, which, as discussed previously, produces a compensated, nearly linear response, directly to the IF output terminals. Additionally, the configuration of the present invention shown in the FIG. 4A embodiment practically eliminates any Miller effect because the collectors of the RF transistors, Q1 405 and Q2 408, are connected to signal ground and, therefore, see virtually no load resistance.
It should be noted that in alternative embodiments, the transistors Q1 405, Q3 406, and Q4 407, may connect to only one constant pull-down current source through their coupling terminals. Additionally, the amplifier configuration of Q1 405, Q3 406, and Q4 407, is not limited to only one shared impedance. Multiple variations between one pull-down current source with many shared impedances or multiple pull-down current sources with multiple or singular shared impedances may be used and are within the scope of the present invention. The same applies to the Q2 408, Q5 409, and Q6 410 transistors and amplifier configuration.
It should also be noted that an alternative embodiment of the present invention may use only a single half of the complementary RF amplifier pair. In such a single or "unbalanced" configuration, as shown in FIG. 4B, only one RF transistor, Q1 405, is connected to the LO transistors, Q3 406 and Q4 407. Load impedances, RLP 419 and RLN 420, are connected, respectively, to the collector terminals of Q3 406 and Q4 407, with emitter impedance, R8 413, commonly joining the emitter terminals of the transistors, Q1 405, Q3 406, and Q4 407. Pull-down current source 415, preferably is connected to the emitter of Q1 405, while pull-down current source 416, is connected to the emitter terminals of Q3 406 and Q4 407. However, as indicated previously, the three transistors, may share a common pull-down current source (not shown) or any combination of multiple or singular current sources with multiple or singular impedances. The two LO transistors would still preferably be driven by LO inputs, LOP 401 and LON 402, respectively, with the RF input applied to the circuit through RFP 403. The output of the alternative, unbalanced circuit configuration would still preferably be taken from IFP 411 and IFN 412.
In typical mixer cells, the RF input terminals are usually connected to AC coupling capacitors as seen in FIG. 5, capacitors 516 and 515. The presence of these coupling capacitors, which block DC signals, requires biasing the subsequent transistors to ensure proper operation. While any number of different biasing circuit designs are feasible and are within the scope of the present invention, a preferred embodiment will be shown below.
In operation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 4A, the LO input signal alternately switches on and off LO transistors, Q3 406-Q5 409 and Q4 407-Q6 410. The RF input terminals typically receive the RF input signals. Assuming a case where the Q3 406 and Q5 409 LO transistors are on initially, as shown in the signal graphs of FIG. 3, the corresponding signal path through Q3 406 and Q5 409 provide the output signal IFP 300 with the non-inverted RF signal RFP 302. As Q3 406 and Q5 409 are switched off and Q4 407 and Q6 410 are activated, the output signal IFP 300 switches to the inverted RF signal RFN 303. This process usually continues as long as the LO signal is provided or the RF signal continues. The output signal IFP 300, therefore, typically alternates between the non-inverted and inverted RF signals with the frequency of the switching dependent on the LO signal frequency. Conversely, the output signal IFN 301 alternates between the inverted and non-inverted RF signals. This sequence generally produces the same sum-and-difference output signals as the prior art configuration as can be seen in FIG. 3.
Because the RF and LO transistors generally operate on the same circuit level, the required operating voltages are typically no longer added in series in relation to the supply voltage. In the example from the preceding section, assuming the same five volt standard supply voltage, the 0.5 volt drop across both the lead resistor and the pull-down current source, and the two volts required for the RF and LO transistors' operating voltages, the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 4A may operate with only three volts instead of the five required for the prior art configuration. For supply voltages greater than the minimum, this anti-series connection increases the available operating voltage, thereby increasing the available headroom.
Furthermore, the RF transistors, although requiring only two volts for proper operation, would actually have 2.5 volts available with the minimum three volt supply and 4.5 volts available with the standard five volt supply. This is because they are generally connected across both the load resistor and LO transistor. The higher RF transistor voltage decreases the collector-base junction capacitance which helps reduce frequency response attenuation.
In a preferred embodiment of the biasing circuit for the present invention, the circuit both provides the appropriate biasing signals for the RF interface and drives the LO transistor switching at the same time, thus increasing the simplicity and space constraints of the entire design. FIG. 5 shows the inventive mixer circuit attached to the preferred LO/biasing circuit embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 5, the preferred embodiment of the LO/biasing circuit has biasing output terminals 500 and 501; signal inputs 502 and 503; an output interface 504 and 505; and an LO signal processing cell 50. The LO signal processing cell 50 preferably includes two transistors, QL1 506 and QL2 507, arranged in an emitter coupled differential pair which forms the basis of a limiting amplifier. The base terminals of the differential pair are preferably each respectively connected to one of the signal inputs 502 and 503. The emitter terminals of the differential pair are preferably coupled together and to a constant pull-down current source 508, while the collector terminals are preferably connected respectively to one of the load resistors R4 509 and R5 510, and to the output interface 504 and 505. R4 509 and R5 510 are preferably connected to the resistors R2 511 and R3 512. R2 511 and R3 512 are preferably respectively connected to one of the biasing output terminals 500 and 501. The resistors R2 511, R3 512, R4 509, and R5 510 are preferably connected in series to capacitor, C1 513, and resistor, R1 514, which are preferably connected together in parallel. C1 513 and R1 514 are then preferably connected to the present invention through transistors Q3 406, Q4 407, Q5 409, and Q6 410.
In operation of the preferred LO/biasing circuit as shown in FIG. 5, an LO sinusoidal signal, which generally must be big enough to drive QL1 506 and QL2 507 to their limit, is introduced into the signal inputs 502 and 503. The action of the limiting amplifier typically flattens or clips the tops of the original LO signal, thus, making it approach the characteristics of a square wave. As seen in FIG. 5, the peak voltage level of the square wave is generally set by the voltage at the bottom of R1 514. That voltage is fixed typically due to the constant current running through R1 514 from the constant pull-down current source 508. QL1 506 and QL2 507 then alternate passing a square wave signal with the R1 514 peak voltage from the output interface 504 and 505 to the present invention. This signal enters the present invention through LO input terminals, LOP 401 and LON 402, both providing the LO signal and biasing the activated LO transistors at the R1 514 peak voltage.
In a differential amplifier, the best performance is generally achieved by biasing the transistor pair at the same voltage. This balanced bias will typically provide the maximum dynamic range or the signal processing. Because the voltage biasing the active LO transistors is generally available at the bottom of R1 514, it may easily be applied to bias the RF transistors through biasing resistors R2 511 and R3 512. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the biasing signals are provided to the present invention through the RF input terminals, RFP 403 and RFN 404. These input terminals may provide both signal input and biasing input to the present invention at the same time. Therefore, the preferred embodiment of the LO/biasing circuit provides the present invention with an LO input signal and balanced biasing voltages. This configuration typically provides the operational requirements of the present invention through a minimum of added devices, power, and complexity.
FIGS. 4A and 5 illustrate the preferred embodiments using bipolar transistors. It should be noted that in alternative embodiments, MOS-, JFET, or other types of transistors may be used in place of the bipolar transistors.
Additionally, constant pull-down current sources may be implemented in any number of ways which are well known in the art and are within the scope of this invention.
Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.
|Cited Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Jul 2, 1979
|Dec 15, 1981
|Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
|Double-balanced mixer circuit
|Jun 26, 1996
|Mar 16, 1999
|Raytheon Company
|Low noise mixer circuit having passive inductor elements
|Mar 20, 1997
|Dec 7, 1999
|National Semiconductor Corporation
|Low noise quadrature mixer circuit
|Dec 31, 1998
|Mar 20, 2001
|Nokia Mobile Phones, Limited
|Active radio frequency mixer circuit with feedback
|"Double-balanced mixer and oscillator" Phillips Semiconductors. (Nov. 7, 1997). 1-11.
|Brady, Vernon, et al. "Development of a Monolithic FET Ka-Band Single Side Band UFConverter and Image Reject Downconverter." GaAs Symposium Technical Digest (Oct. 1989) 189-192.
|Crols, Jan and Michiel Steyaert. "A Fully Integrated 900MHz CMOS Double Quadrature Downconverter" IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference. (1995). 136-137.
|Crols, Jan, and Michel S. J. Steyaert. "A 1.5 GHz Highly Linear CMOS Downconversion Mixer." IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits. vol. 30 No. 7 (Jul. 1995). 736-742.
|Gilbert, Barrie and Baines, Rupert. "Fundamentals of Active Mixers" Applied Microwave and Wireless. (1995). 10-27.
|Gilbert, Barrie. "Demystifying the Mixer" Analog Devices Inc. (Apr. 1994). 1-58.
|Gilbert, Barrie. "The MICROMIXER: A highly Linear Variant of the Gilbert Mixer using a Bisymmetric Class-AB Input Stage" IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 32, No. 9, (Sep. 1997). 1412-1423.
|Kinget, Peter and Michiel Steyaert. "A 1 GHz CMOS Upconversion Mixer". IEEE Custom Integrated Circuits Conference. (1996) 197-200.
|Lovelace, David, et al. "Silicon Upconverter RF IC Simplifies Cable Modem Designs" Microwaves & RF (Mar. 1997). 136-142.
|Maas. Stephen A. "A GaAs MESFET Mixer with Very Low Intermodulation" IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. MTT-35, No. 4. (Apr. 1987). 425-429.
|MC13143: Ultra Low Power DC-2.4 GHz Linear Mixer, Motorola, Inc. Issue 2. (1996). 1-8.
|McDonald, Mark D. "A 2.5GHz BiCMOS Image-Reject Front-End" IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference. (1993). 144-145.
|Meyer, Robert G. "Intermodulation in High-Frequency Bipolar Transistor Integrated-Circuit Mixers." IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. SC-21, No. 4. (Aug. 1986). 534-537.
|Nakatsuka, T., et al., "Low Distortion and Low Noise Oscillator Mixer for CATV Converters." GaAs Symposium Technical Digest. (1988). 161-164.
|Okanobu, Taiwa, Hitoshi Tomiyama, and Hiroshi Arimoto. "Advanced Low Voltage Single Chip Radio IC." IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics . vol. 38 No. 3. (Aug. 1992) 465-475.
|Pandula, Louis. "Image Reject and Image Canceling Mixers" RF Design. (Apr. 1995). 60-65.
|Razavi, Behzad, Kwing F. Lee, Ran-Hong Yan, and Robert G. Swartz. "A 3-GHz 25-mW CMOS Phase-Locked Loop." 1994 Symposium on VLSI Circuits Digest of Technical Papers. (1994). 131-132.
|Sabin, William E. & Edgar O. Schoenike. "Single-Sideband Systems & Circuits." McGraw Hill Book Company. New York. (1987). 88-134, 181-213.
|Scheinberg, N., et al. "A GaAs Up Converter Interated Circuit for a Double Conversion Cable TV "Set-Top" Tuner" International Conference on Consumer Electronics. (Jun. 1993). 108-109.
|Svelto, F., et al. "A Low-Voltage Topology After CMOS RF MIxers." IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics., vol. 45, No. 2 (May 1999). 299-309.
|Torji, K., et al. "Monolithic Integrated VHF TV Tuner." IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics, vol. CE-26. (May 1980). 180-189.
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Jul 12, 2001
|Jul 6, 2004
|Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
|Mixer circuit
|Jul 28, 2003
|Dec 7, 2004
|Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
|Mixer which assures satisfactory performance even at low supply voltage
|Sep 4, 2003
|Jun 14, 2005
|Texas Instruments Incorporated
|Generating a waveform having one signal level periodically and different signal levels in other durations
|Oct 9, 2003
|Sep 20, 2005
|Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
|Mixer device including an amplifier circuit
|Jul 3, 2002
|Mar 21, 2006
|Zarlink Semiconductor Limited
|Mixer circuit arrangement and an image-reject mixer circuit arrangement
|Apr 13, 2005
|May 30, 2006
|Broadcom Corporation
|System for tuning a corner frequency of a low pass filter
|Nov 29, 2001
|Aug 8, 2006
|Broadcom Corporation
|Apparatus for reducing flicker noise in a mixer circuit
|Sep 6, 2000
|Oct 17, 2006
|Industrial Technology Research Institute
|Broadband single-ended input upconverter
|Nov 29, 2001
|Nov 21, 2006
|Broadcom Corporation
|Integrated direct conversion satellite tuner
|Jul 30, 2004
|Dec 26, 2006
|Broadcom Corporation
|Apparatus and method to provide a local oscillator signal
|Aug 26, 2003
|Oct 23, 2007
|Broadcom Corporation
|Local oscillator apparatus and method
|Oct 2, 2006
|Jun 3, 2008
|Broadcom Corporation
|Apparatus and method to provide a local oscillator signal from a digital representation
|Oct 20, 2005
|Jul 15, 2008
|Anadigics, Inc.
|Method and system for image rejection by using post mixer I/Q equalization
|Mar 31, 2005
|Aug 19, 2008
|Conexant Systems, Inc.
|Systems and method for a highly linear, low power mixer
|Jul 30, 2004
|May 19, 2009
|Broadcom Corporation
|Apparatus and method for integration of tuner functions in a digital receiver
|Mar 29, 2006
|Mar 23, 2010
|Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
|Methods and apparatus for a reduced inductance wirebond array
|Oct 22, 2007
|Jun 8, 2010
|Broadcom Corporation
|Local oscillator apparatus and method
|Oct 13, 2006
|Aug 24, 2010
|Broadcom Corporation
|Integrated direct conversion satellite tuner
|Jul 9, 2008
|Mar 12, 2013
|Pmc-Sierra, Inc.
|Wideband mixer
|Nov 29, 2001
|Aug 29, 2002
|Chang James Y.C.
|Apparatus for reducing flicker noise in a mixer circuit
|Jul 3, 2002
|Jan 23, 2003
|Zarlink Semiconductor Limited
|Mixer circuit arrangement and an image-reject mixer circuit arrangement
|Dec 27, 2001
|Feb 20, 2003
|Yu Hyun Kyu
|RF mixer using half local oscillation frequency
|Nov 29, 2001
|Mar 6, 2003
|Myles Wakayama
|Integrated direct conversion satellite tuner
|Jul 12, 2001
|Feb 12, 2004
|Yoshinori Takahashi
|Mixer circuit
|Jul 28, 2003
|Feb 12, 2004
|Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
|Mixer which assures satisfactory performance even at low supply voltage
|Nov 11, 2003
|Jun 3, 2004
|Moran Peter Leslie
|Electrical circuit board
|Oct 9, 2003
|Aug 26, 2004
|Toshiyuki Umeda
|Amplifier circuit
|Aug 26, 2003
|Aug 26, 2004
|Broadcom Corporation
|Local oscillator apparatus and method
|Oct 6, 2003
|Jan 13, 2005
|Yoon Kwang Ho
|Frequency converter using multi-phase mixer
|Sep 4, 2003
|Mar 10, 2005
|Texas Instruments Incorporated
|Generating a waveform having one signal level periodically and different signal levels in other durations
|Apr 13, 2005
|Aug 11, 2005
|Broadcom Corporation
|Method for tuning a corner frequency of a low pass filter
|Jul 30, 2004
|Feb 2, 2006
|Broadcom Corporation
|Apparatus and method for integration of tuner functions in a digital receiver
|Jul 30, 2004
|Feb 2, 2006
|Broadcom Corporation
|Apparatus and method to provide a local oscillator signal
|May 31, 2005
|May 4, 2006
|Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
|I/Q quadrature demodulator
|Jan 27, 2006
|Aug 3, 2006
|Atmel Germany Gmbh
|Mixer stage and method for mixing signals of different frequencies
|Mar 31, 2005
|Nov 9, 2006
|Ray Rosik
|Systems and method for a highly linear, low power mixer
|Oct 2, 2006
|Feb 1, 2007
|Broadcom Corporation
|Apparatus and method to provide a local oscillator signal
|Oct 13, 2006
|May 24, 2007
|Broadcom Corporation
|Integrated direct conversion satellite tuner
|Mar 29, 2006
|Oct 11, 2007
|Bokatius Mario M
|Methods and apparatus for a reduced inductance wirebond array
|Apr 19, 2007
|Oct 23, 2008
|Mediatek Inc.
|Low voltage iq dual mixer
|Nov 24, 2005
|Dec 3, 2009
|Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
|Low voltage mixer circuit
|Nov 24, 2005
|Jun 1, 2006
|Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
|Low voltage mixer circuit
|Feb 27, 2006
|Oct 12, 2006
|Conexant Systems, Inc.
|Systems and method for a highly linear, low power mixer
|Feb 27, 2006
|Dec 21, 2007
|Conexant Systems Inc
|Systems and method for a highly linear, low power mixer
|U.S. Classification
|455/333, 327/359, 327/355, 455/323, 327/356
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Apr 20, 2000
Owner name: MICROTUNE, INC., TEXAS
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:WHITE, WILLIAM A.;DAWE, GEOFFREY C.;REEL/FRAME:010764/0453;SIGNING DATES FROM 20000419 TO 20000420
|Feb 2, 2001
Owner name: MICROTUNE (TEXAS), L.P., TEXAS
Free format text: CERTIFICATE OF CONVERSION;ASSIGNOR:MICROTUNE (TEXAS), INC.;REEL/FRAME:011512/0886
Effective date: 20010101
Owner name: MICROTUNE (TEXAS), INC., TEXAS
Free format text: MERGER;ASSIGNOR:MICROTUNE, INC.;REEL/FRAME:011512/0958
Effective date: 20000609
|Mar 23, 2007
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Feb 10, 2011
Owner name: ZORAN CORPORATION, CALIFORNIA
Free format text: MERGER;ASSIGNOR:MICROTUNE, INC.;REEL/FRAME:025782/0047
Effective date: 20101217
Owner name: MICROTUNE, INC., TEXAS
Free format text: MERGER;ASSIGNOR:MICROTUNE (LP), L.L.C.;REEL/FRAME:025782/0057
Effective date: 20101217
Owner name: MICROTUNE (LP), L.L.C., TEXAS
Free format text: MERGER;ASSIGNOR:MICROTUNE (TEXAS), L.P.;REEL/FRAME:025782/0065
Effective date: 20101217
|Apr 7, 2011
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8
|Jan 18, 2012
Owner name: CSR TECHNOLOGY INC., CALIFORNIA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ZORAN CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:027550/0695
Effective date: 20120101
|Apr 7, 2015
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 12
|Sep 21, 2015
Owner name: CSR TECHNOLOGY INC., CALIFORNIA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ZORAN CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:036642/0395
Effective date: 20150915


text:
Tom Spahn on Confidentiality: Non-Clients' Misunderstandings and Mistakes
Watergate—Dean's Break with the White House: The Ethics of a Lawyer Representing an Organization in Reporting Crime or Fraud That Is Continuing - ALL NEW PROGRAM!
Great Adverse Depositions—Principles and Principal Techniques
Getting the Right Mental Health Resources for Your Case
34th Annual Real Estate Practice Seminar
What's New at the Virginia Supreme Court? An Overview of Recent Civil Decisions 2016
35th Annual Family Law Seminar
25th Annual Employment Law Update Seminar
DUI Defense in Virginia
No Reason to Be Anti-Social (Media): Your Ethical Obligations Regarding Social Media

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Content That ProfRN4 Likes
ProfRN4, MSN 13,649 Views
Joined Apr 5, '03. ProfRN4 is a nursing professor. She has '20+' year(s) of experience. Posts: 2,236 (22% Liked) Likes: 1,311
Apr 21Quote from Nurse2bJacksNot for nothing but the two Saint Paul's schools of nursing have the *lowest* board passing rate of all ADN programs in NYS: 41.8% (Queens) and 43.9% (Staten Island). Even the Swedish Institute managed to eek out 57.5%. http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/nurse/n...xrn2013-17.htmHi Science101
I am going to SPSON today to take the IQ test and hand in my application. It has always been a dream of mine to become a nurse and all these posts scare me about this school but the program seems so flexible and the school has been around for so long how bad could it be? I wanted to know if you got a job as a nurse right after graduation and did you go on for your BSN? And, was this education worth it to you? I know things are hard and I understand people want to take the easy road and this is going to be tough, I attend a cuny school now and it is messy and if you are not on top of it it can turn out bad. I am just super nervous about these posts.
Don't want to rain on anyone's parade but those first time passing rates are appalling.
Apr 20Quote from milesimsBecause there are rotten people everywhere who seem to live to make other people miserable and nursing is no different. You'd think, with they type of care we do, that this would be the field with the least amount of those types, but that's not the case. Even when you graduate and start working there are always those few nurses who never seem to talk except to criticize, or seemingly look for ways to bring someone else down. If no one else feels that way about them, then it's probably you, but if you hear the same things from the majority of other people then it's just them and you have to deal with it. You can "avoid" it/them by just keeping your head down and doing your thing to the best of your ability. It gets easier and easier as time goes on, but it won't ever go away completely. I don't hear you expecting your peers to be your personal cheerleader, but it is sad when people can't be nice and be happy for others when they do well. Just do your best, be there to help if they feel like asking for it, and they won't have anything real to "get you" on. xoHello,
So I'm having a little bit of difficulty understanding this. Why is everybody competitive in nursing?
We're all getting the same degree, and you don't need high marks to get a Masters and/or NP. I've found that many people like to brag and frequently get upset at other people's accomplishments in nursing (for example, grades).
I've noticed this more among my peer group when I started my business plan. They doubted me at first, called it stupid, and interrogated me frequently. Now that my business is up and running, they expect me to hire them into my home care agency and I feel like they're waiting for me to fail. Don't get me wrong, I don't brag. I only talk about it in school when I'm asked about the subject or asked what I want to do after graduation. I know it's this stupid competitive vibe that's going around, and I'd really like to understand how to avoid this negativity.
I'm not talking about all of the students, but it's really becoming a trend.
Why can't we all just get along?
Apr 20Quote from LadyFree28Completely agreed and I can see your point.Not everyone is a cheerleader to YOUR own dreams.
I have learned that personal goals are more satisfying to the person achieving the goal.
An athlete once said "I run my own race; when I run my own race, I NEVER lose.
I know "cheerleaders" are too much to ask for, although I don't see anything wrong with that. I always praise my friends for accomplishments, and I think if everybody appreciated one another, this world would be a better place.
Apr 20Quote from milesimsI have 2 children, and balancing my school versus getting them ready for their school was ... interesting. And, yup, there were (and are) a lot of crazy, rushed mornings. Welcome to parenthood. Just because I'm a mom doesn't give me an automatic go-ahead to be late to class. It just means I organize my time -- get things ready the night before (pack lunches, set out clothes, have bags packed and by the door), set alarm wicked early, etc.I agree with absolutely everything ...except for #1.
I feel that we don't have the right to judge nursing students with children that are late to class... They are probably getting their kids to school, rushing to class, working full-time, and barely making ends meet for all we know. Having one kid is a full-time job in itself.
I personally know a wonderful student with 3 children. She is frequently late because she has to take her kids to school, but she works very hard and achieves good grades.
And, no. My husband is not around to help out. I'm on my own.
It drives me nuts to hear this justification that, because someone has kids, they have the automatic a-ok to be late. No no no no no ... it's part of your responsibility of being a student, and then later being a nurse.
Apr 20Quote from milesimsWhen you are the off going nurse and you have to wait 1 to2 hours for you relief to show up, do you honestly think you are still going to feel this way? I seriously doubt it. And I do NOT like to work with others who are late all the time because until they show up, the other nurses and I are responsible for their patients. We have far to much to do to care for our own patients let alone have our assignment increased because of that one nurse who can't be to work on time.I agree with absolutely everything ...except for #1.
I feel that we don't have the right to judge nursing students with children that are late to class... They are probably getting their kids to school, rushing to class, working full-time, and barely making ends meet for all we know. Having one kid is a full-time job in itself.
I personally know a wonderful student with 3 children. She is frequently late because she has to take her kids to school, but she works very hard and achieves good grades.
Apr 20Quote from milesimsThat's still not acceptable. Nor is it an excuse. I have 2 kids and work with you no family/friends to help, just my husband, and get to class ON TIME.I agree with absolutely everything ...except for #1.
I feel that we don't have the right to judge nursing students with children that are late to class... They are probably getting their kids to school, rushing to class, working full-time, and barely making ends meet for all we know. Having one kid is a full-time job in itself.
I personally know a wonderful student with 3 children. She is frequently late because she has to take her kids to school, but she works very hard and achieves good grades.
And employer is not going to accept frequent lateness, why should the school. It's disrespectful, and part of being a grown up is figuring out how to solve those kinds of problems.
Apr 20
Hmm - sounds like you've been surrounded by quite a few "special little snowflakes". They are so special that rules don't apply to them - . Don't worry, that herd will be thinned by NCLEX & subsequent real-world work experiences.
I only wish that there was more of YOUR TYPE to fill all of my organization's new grad residency programs -- since we seem to attract snowflakes.
Apr 16Quote from DeepinthegameI agreed with the school having the responsibility, until just now. I literally just changed my mind about it.I can tell you why- Starts with College/University Professors not being honest with students. Not taking time out and taking the authority hat off and telling it like it is. As a guy that was former military (USMC ) our instructors told the truth - like sometimes help isn't coming and things may/will go BAD ( want to say more but may offend ) . For example , if I was an instructor I would love to explain that depending on where you work , forget most of what we taught you - "Just Survive the shift " and remember ABC's and complain later. Survive ,survive
Is it really up to an educational program to warn students that they're likely not going to be able to practice good nursing? Isn't the student the one who should be researching their career choice? Caveat emptor?
If I were an instructor I wouldn't compromise my principles because employers may or may not allow for adequate staffing. I would instruct the proper way of everything. I would not instruct subpar or "shortcuts" to accommodate employers' expectations of productivity. That would not be my responsibility.
Apr 16
I think some nurses hate nursing for the same reasons that some educators hate teaching, some pilots hate flying, some secretaries hate "secretarying", some engineer hate engineering.........
Apr 14By roser13 In Lied to in Interview →Quote from westieluvWow, think really hard about turning your dream job down. Yes, you committed to the rehab facility but they did not commit to you. Is it worth it?Thanks to all of you for taking the time to reply, I really appreciate your feedback.
I did receive an email from a dialysis facility of one of the Big Two dialysis companies literally two minutes from my house (I have a year and a half of recent dialysis experience with that same company) and it is a dream schedule: MWF 5:30-5:30 with no weekends. I would jump on this opportunity in a New York minute except that my work ethic tells me that since I committed to the rehab position, I have to try to stay and make it work. This dialysis company was not bad at all to work for, and I regret leaving. If I had it to do over again, I would not have given up my position with them, and now they are contacting me with this position that I could almost walk to!
It's really hard to commit to the rehab facility after being lied to, that is the problem.
Apr 13Quote from elkparkIf I could like this 1,000 times, I would. This participation-trophy mentality is fostering some really weak individuals. "Congratulations for breathing today!" Nope.I'm an adult, nursing students are adults, and, when I've taught nursing, I've treated the students like adults. Your examples sound like the "everyone gets an award for showing up" approach that people use with small children that many of us feel has contributed to the current sorry situation with so many nursing students. They've spent their whole lives being praised for doing things that are no big deal, nothing special, the basic, minimal expectations for getting through the day. I'm not buying into that.
I am all for the "sandwich method" of feedback, but that requires that both bread and sandwich innards be present.
Apr 13Quote from milesimsSo because the school receives money from you, you are entitled to compliments when not truly deserved?Gladly.
I'm a nursing student in Ontario. We literally pay the school $800-$900 a semester to work in a hospital once a week during the semester, and a whole month at the end of the school year full time. Every other program gets paid $17 an hour for co-op, we pay the school for this "learning experience," working as PSWs for the most part. I get to do medications maybe three times a semester (if lucky), any other skills once a semester, and just clean patients up 99% of the time.
And only passing meds a few times in a semester and doing a lot other types of patient care is not uncommon. But you are not working for the hospital or making things easier on them.
People earn both compliments and criticisms. Lessons can be learned from both.
Apr 12Quote from milesimsHere's how it could end badly... The student gets a compliment (like they are a child) then decides from that compliment they are excelling at clinicals and don't need to do anything more. Then they stand around even more.I can see your point of view and I agree with you. Adults should not expect praise for doing the things that they are expected to do.
However, what do you do when adults don't want to do these things? These students are paying the school to work in a hospital for free full-time and/or part-time, have lectures to attend to, most likely another job on the side, maybe even kids. Then imagine receiving criticism after going through hell in lectures, exams, and the job on the side that you have that actually pays. I can see their point of view as a nursing student.
My point is, even adults act appropriately when given positive reinforcement. There are many studies to back this up, and all of them show that positive reinforcement and appreciation = more money for the company, more happiness for the employer, and more happiness to the employees. I did the research because I'm starting my own business.
I don't see how it could negatively affect the students and the clinical instructor, at all, by giving them this positive reinforcement. However, I can see a multitude of ways it could end badly by punishing them at every turn.
I think you're imagining a bunch of whiny students who won't do anything if they're not complimented on wiping their own butts. That's not the case, at least most of the time...
Another compliment? "Wow! I'm really doing everything right this semester. No need to change any of my behavior." = Continues being useless on the floor.
They are students, not children. If they don't deserve a compliment, then they shouldn't receive one as some sort of backhanded way to attempt to make them useful during their shift.
Apr 12Quote from milesimsI don't see any reason to compliment students for doing something that is a basic expectation of the clinical rotation. I'm an adult, nursing students are adults, and, when I've taught nursing, I've treated the students like adults. Your examples sound like the "everyone gets an award for showing up" approach that people use with small children that many of us feel has contributed to the current sorry situation with so many nursing students. They've spent their whole lives being praised for doing things that are no big deal, nothing special, the basic, minimal expectations for getting through the day. I'm not buying into that.And to answer you on how the instructor is supposed to compliment them when they're doing nothing, you have to compliment them when they're doing SOMETHING. This will make them more likely to do SOMETHING. You can say something like, "Good job on finishing all of those vitals early," "Good job on cleaning up the unit when you have nothing to do," or "I really like how you sit down and talk with patients." Now tell me, when you were in nursing school and if an instructor were to tell you these things, what is the likelihood you would do it again? For me, it's 100%.
I'm not one to judge, and I wouldn't blame you if you have any resentment against nursing students. Most of us just "don't get it." But I'm sure that you were in the same situation in nursing school as well, and I really hope you find the patience and the time to take my advice, even though it's coming from a nursing student.
I wasn't "in the same situation in nursing school" because neither I nor any of my classmates were ever slacking off in clinical. We were expected, from day one, to find something constructive to do in clinical if we weren't directly involved in the care of our assigned clients, and we did. We were corrected by our instructors if we weren't taking the initiative to stay busy and meet the school's expectations in clinical, and nobody thought there was anything wrong or harmful about that. We didn't get praised by our instructors for meeting the basic expectations of the clinical rotation; we were expected to function at a much higher level than that, and most of us did. I've always found high expectations to be much more energizing and motivating than empty, meaningless "compliments." But maybe that's just me.
Apr 12Quote from milesimsSpeaking as someone who has taught nursing clinicals in a few different schools over the years, I have a few different thoughts on this.You're stuck with them, so please consider this advice FROM A NURSING STUDENT because it will make this whole experience better for you and your students.
Compliment your students on every little thing that they do right.
As a nursing student, even one small compliment from a professor will keep me motivated an entire year. Discipline and negative reinforcement, even one occasion, is what drives students to slack, get unmotivated, and even consider quitting nursing. All humans have one thing in common that differentiates us from any other animal, and that is to feel appreciated.
My reference for this is "Dale Carnegie - How to Influence People and Win Friends." I learned this concept of appreciation, and never fail to appreciate anyone. My life has changed dramatically and I have started my own business while in school. And no, I am not selling this 30 year old book.
I really hope you don't listen to others in this thread about discipline. It will not help at all to motivate them to do anything.
First, I agree about positive reinforcement, and have always made a point of providing positive feedback to students at nearly every opportunity. The students I have had would always freak out the first time they got paperwork back covered with notes from me, until they read through it and realized that at least half of my notes were positive feedback and compliments on their work, useful information, etc., and not just criticisms.
However, there is only so much complimenting and appreciating you can do when students are failing to meet the basic expectations/requirements of the course. Many of the students seem to sincerely not "get" what is expected of them, and someone has to explain this to them. How much is the instructor supposed to compliment students for standing around the desk doing nothing??
And last, I don't see it as my job to "motivate" adult students to do anything. They presumably entered nursing school because they want to become nurses. If they don't want to become nurses, or don't want to do the work necessary to do so, that is perfectly fine with me and they are welcome to withdraw (or flunk out, if they prefer). But how and why is it my job to convince unmotivated students that they should want to be more involved and do better? If they want to meet the requirements of the course, I'll be glad to help them to do so in any way that I can. If they don't, that's their choice.


text:
St Patrick's Day is tomorrow and that means that I'm in the mood for all things Irish! From variations on a classic Irish Coffee to even sweeter treats, there are many ways to celebrate the holiday. If you happen to make a loaf of Irish Soda Bread this week, save a few slices so that you can try Nomageddon's Irish Soda Bread French Toast With ... Read More »
Irish Cream Egg Cream
The other day, I showed you how to make classic Chocolate Egg Cream at home. These soda fountain treats were all the rage back when the counter at the local pharmacy was the hottest spot in town to hang out – and they still have plenty of fans today. Despite the name, egg creams contain neither egg nor cream. They're made with chocolate syrup, milk ... Read More »
Baking Bites for Craftsy: Irish Coffee, Three Ways
Irish coffee is one of the most popular coffee cocktails that there is. The drink was invented nearly 80 years ago, by an Irish chef who combined whiskey and coffee for a drink that would really take the chill off in cold, damp Irish winters. The drink was such a hit that news of it traveled back to the US, where several bartenders tried to ... Read More »
Chocolate Banana Hand Pies
These hand pies combine two delicious flavors for a dessert that is both decadent and easy to make. My Chocolate Banana Hand Pies are stuffed with slices of banana and chocolate chips. While those two ingredients might not sound particularly impressive on their own, they come together like a match made in heaven. In the oven, the bananas soften and their flavor intensifies. The chocolate ... Read More »
Peeps are the best selling non-chocolate Easter candy out there by a wide stretch. The fluffy, colorful marshmallow chicks (and bunnies!) are loved by both kids and adults. They're fun to eat right out of the package if you're a marshmallow-lover like me, but that isn't the only way to enjoy them. In Peeps-a-licious!: 50 Irresistibly Fun Marshmallow Creations – A Cookbook for Peeps Lovers, ... Read More »
Asparagus & Goat Cheese Frittata
I'll eat fresh asparagus any time I can get it (except, of course, for dessert) and I tend to eat quite a bit of it during the spring when it has just come into season and is at its best. This Asparagus & Goat Cheese Frittata is an excellent breakfast or brunch option for asparagus fans who want to make the most of this delicous ... Read More »
Cinnamon Raisin Irish Soda Bread
Irish soda bread is a bread that gets its rise from baking soda, rather than from yeast, which makes it perfect for days when you want homemade bread on a short timeline. The classic recipe gets most of its flavor from buttermilk, but the recipe is simple and it is easy to put a wide variety of twists on it, making both sweet and savory ... Read More »
How to Use A Pastry Blender
A pastry blender is a kitchen tool with metal tines that allows you to cut butter, or other fats, into flour quickly and easily. The tines are curved, so you can use the tool right in your mixing bowl, and they are attached to a handle that makes it very easy to grip. Pie crust, scones and other flaky pastries can all be made with ... Read More »


text:
We are a church who gathersWeekend gatherings are the primary way we gather as a church around the bread and cup, to pray, learn the Scriptures, and worship together as the people of God, before we scatter in missional communities all week long. Throughout the week we gather as brothers and sisters in similar stages of life and age groups to grow together in our discipleship to Jesus.
We are a church who scattersMissional Communities are the primary way that we scatter during the week to be the people of Jesus in our city. In Missional Communities, we are on the mission of God, as the family of God, making disciples of Jesus. We also scatter throughout the world to plant churches, do justice, and impact the world globally and locally with the Gospel.
About Westside
Located in Tigard, Oregon, we are a church for areas West of Portland. We are a family of missionary disciples who want to see God's will done in West Portland as it is in Heaven.
Gathering Times
Gathering Place
10500 SW Nimbus Ave. Bldg. T
Portland, OR 97223
(503) 620-1120
10500 SW Nimbus Ave. Bldg. T
Portland, OR 97223
Westside Events
Westside Men's Local Mission Trip
Westside Men has the opportunity to participate in our first-ever local area men's overnight mission trip – a two-day service project at Mt. Scott Learning Center (MSLC) in SE Portland. MSLC is a non-profit education organization tailored to the special needs of high school students who struggle to fulfill their potential in the traditional school environment. We will be converting approximately 1,000 square feet of unfinished space at MSLC's historic facility in SE Portland into a useable multipurpose room. Join us in helping make a positive difference in the lives of struggling youth in our community. Meet at 7am at Westside for a continental breakfast!
Dates: August 6-7
Cost: $10
Time: 7am Sat - 4pm Sun
Location: Mt. Scott Learning Center
Registration Deadline: August 1
Revive is a place for moms to be refreshed through friendship, encouragement, and prayer. Each month moms will gather to listen to speakers, enjoy a catered breakfast, connect as moms and pray for one another.
Dates: Every first Friday, October 2016 - June 2017
Cost: $100 (covers all 9 months)
Time: 9:30 - 11:30 AM
Location: Westside
Registration Deadline: October 2nd
3rd-5th Grade Mentorship Cohort
The Westside Kids 2016-2017 Mentorship Cohort is a nine month journey for 3rd-5th grade kids who want to learn more about Jesus and what it means to be his disciples. This cohort runs from September – June and includes a day trip, a retreat, and eight mentorship gatherings.
Dates: Cohort runs September - June
Cost: $50
Time: Various
Location: Westside Kids Building
Registration Deadline: September 19th
Moms In The Park
Moms In The Park provides a great opportunity for moms to gather and connect each week throughout the summer. It's a time of encouragement and sharing, as well as a space to meet and make friends. These park gatherings will take place on Wednesdays during the months of July and August. Please bring a blanket, Bible, Lunch, and swimsuits for kiddos!
Dates: Every Wednesday in July and August
Cost: Free
Time: See Women's page
Location: See Women's page
Westside Kids Summer Parties
Our Westside Kids Summer Parties give us a chance to break the Sunday mold, and provide your kids with a completely different gathering experience. We will be sharing the gospel at all of our Summer Parties, so this is a great opportunity for your kids to invite friends from their schools and neighborhoods.
Dates: June 20, July 18, August 15
Cost: $7 per party
Time: 6 - 8 PM
Location: Westside Kids Building
Intentional. Raising Passionate Jesus Followers
Your most important goal as a parent is to raise sons and daughters who love God with all their heart and follow Jesus all the days of their life. Nothing is more fulfilling. Nothing is more God honoring. But how do you do this? What do you need to know? Learn from Phil and Diane Comer on inspiring ways to raise kids who love and serve Jesus. For more information on Intentional conferences, visit the link below.
Dates: See Intentional site
Redemption Sundays
The last Sunday of every month is Redemption Sunday in our K-5th classrooms. On Redemption Sundays, kids will get to hear a special message from the Kids Pastor, redeem their tokens for prizes, and much more! Kids won't want to miss these special Sundays!
Dates: Last Sunday of every month
Cost: Free
Time: Normal gathering times
Location: Westside Kids Building
Dad Saturdays
Dads are invited to bring their kids and join us on the Third Saturday of every month for Dad Saturdays! We gather in the Kids Building at Westside for games, activities, bible stories, and more!
Dates: Every Third Saturday
Cost: Free
Time: 9 – 11 AM
Location: Westside Kids Building
Women's Night of Prayer
Every year the women of Westside are invited to gather and pray through the night. There will also be time for discussion and snacks. Dress cozy!
Dates: TBA (October)
Cost: TBA
Time: 6PM-Midnight
Location: Bldg T
Baby Dedications
Children are a gift. We would love to come alongside your community in celebrating your new little one and dedicate them to Jesus. We will eat desserts as one of our pastors leads the dedication service.
Dates: Various
Cost: Free
Time: 3 – 4 PM
Location: Westside Kids Building


text:
micoach is all you need to get the results you want.
You will receive a confirmation to
(9 Products)
Your SelectionClear All
We love Adidas and our son loves there slides! We have been buying him Adidas slides for a few years now and they are the only ones he wants. The fit it perfect and he says they are super comfy! Will be purchasing again next year. ... read more
I have no idea how these work, when I first put them on they were torture, the nubs were hard and pokey, and I figured they were going back, but within an hour they were comfortable, really comfortable. Maybe the heat from wearing, maybe the flex from walking...I really don't know but I'm glad I gave these slides a chance. Mine are black with deep pink details, very cool. ... read more
I thought these sandals would be perfect specially after a long day at work. But the little "massaging balls" are just too much. I can't walk more than 20 ft without feeling the discomfort. I thought I'd just have to break them in and I tried. After multiple times of wearing them my feet still hurt after wearing these. ... read more
I am a Adidas junkie from shoes to clothes. I love how the "nubs" make my flat feet tingle after I take them off. I even think it has something to do with my lower back feeling better. Im on my feet all day with my espresso business, and its sort of like a "reflexology feel" when you get a message. Thanks as always! ... read more
Bought this for my plantar fasciitis years ago and have been wearing it since. This is what I wear for everything..inside my home and outside. It used to stain my white socks but the new ones do not stain. Haven't had plantar fasciitis about a month or so after wearing these shoes. ... read more
This slide are the most comfortable sport slide/sandals I have purchased the benefit of the footbed in which is provided with this product instantly brought comfort. I am size 12 with other trainer brand, size 12 with all shoes but I normally by 13 in slides/sandals. I purchased this in 14 and it was dead fit so I returned and then purchased this product in a 15 and it was perfect fit. ... read more
The slide were very comforting. Also, the materials last longer than any other slide I have ever had. The size though for me was a little big, my foot was close to the toe box. But overall my thoughts are very impressed and good. ... read more
I bought these to wear in the shower while healing a broken ankle. They are adjustable to fit both my injured foot and my good foot. They are totally non-slip, which is a huge thing in these circumstances. All the other shower shoes I found were pastel colors and very Old Lady. The Size 4 fit my Women's size 5.5 feet perfectly. A great investment, considering I would be afraid to take a shower without them! ... read more
For the first few days these slides were very painful to wear. I thought I wasn't going to be able to keep them. But I kept on using them with and without socks and eventually it just didn't hurt to wear them anymore. Now I'm love these slides. I think my feet just needed to be broken in lol. I'm very happy with this product. ... read more
I purchased my Adidas slides about 4 years ago, so long that the comfort nodules/tubes have worn down taking the shape of my foot. I hate wearing shoes, but when I do, these are my go-to's. I wear these daily-all day-all year long; with or without socks & for every season! They are constructed well, last long & are very comfortable. I have purchased a pair for my son, who is always borrowing mine, my husband & my son's girlfriend. I'm a customer for life! Thanks Adidas!!!! ... read more
I ordered these because I am on my feet all day long and wanted something to slip on at the end of the day that was not a standard rubber flip flop. These are UNBELIEVABLE! My feet were slightly sensitive to the footbed the 1st couple of wears, but they easily adjusted. I highly recommend these if you are looking for a convenient slide that also offers some relief for tired feet. ... read more
I bought these to replace a pair with the "clear" nubs that start to break and fall off after about a year. I hope these black nubs will be a little more durable. I love to wear these unique slides because of the massage feature of the "nubs". Please continue to make these forever. These are great after a work out or even for everyday around the house. ... read more
I notice some people find these painful, which was my experience when first putting them on. However when you break them in (& the nubs soften) they become the most comfortable things you own & leave your feet feeling really nice. I wear these to the beach or take them swimming as they can handle all the sea and hot sand you throw at them without becoming nasty. ... read more
I purchased the same pair last year. Ever since, I have worn them every day as slippers or indoor sandals. In fact, when I tried wearing my shearling slippers, I found these slides more comfortable! These are very cushioned, feel great, and are healthy for your feet. The only con is the fabric material that may shred and create holes on that beautiful cushion. i.e. my reason for buying another pair. ... read more
These shoes are exactly what I hoped they would be. Comfortable slip ons for around the house and running errands. I wear them more then actual shoes because walking and standing in these is like getting a foot massage!! I wish I could wear them to work! ... read more
I received this as a gift for Christmas 2014. I've always wanted a pair because they look very fashionable, comfortable, and can be worn in a wet environment (need them for the banya). The material is comfortable, the strap stays tight, and they are fairly soft. All the nubs are intact (only three months of wear) and I must say, these are the best pair of slides I ever wore. I will buy these for the rest of my life ... read more
They are comfortable sometimes, but when you are walking around the house and have to step the little nubs poke you and when you take them off you have so many little nub marks on your foot. Socks helps the problem a little, but the shoes still look very nice. I purchased mine from an Adidas outlet on sale for $15, I feel that is a more fair price. I wouldn't pay $30, if I was I would buy the regular ones without nubs for sure. ... read more
PLEASE, Adidas, restore the Superstar FitFOAM Slide to a SMOOTH footbed! When I saw the Superstar 3G Slide in White (G61951) I was elated. It was what I have been looking for. BUT upon trying to wear it, I quickly learned the footbed's Ridge/Valley design hurt my feet (had surgery several years ago#. Since surgery I have worn FitFOAM Adidas Slides #YSS 606002 08/10 / 660783 / #102393269# with a SMOOTH Footbed and like them VERY much. I also encountered the same Ridge/Valley footbed design in the Zeitfrei FitFOAM Slide #U41591). The webpages for the current FitFOAM Slides with the Ridge / Valley footbed do NOT clearly show this footbed design on the respective webpages. I've returned both Slides. ... read more
The sandals where hard to find because of the time of year and size, however I found them on here. They where on sale as well and I received them within 5 business days. No complaints from me, process was flawless. ... read more
I purchased them to wear mostly at home after the run or gym - they provide great massage and relaxation for my feet. comfy to wear. also stylish design. I wear them with and without socks depending on my mood. (if your feet are too sensitive you probably need to wear socks). their purpose is to provide massage, so I don't think its a good idea to wear them as casual flip flops. I bought half size bigger than my actual size, and they fit perfectly (you can adjust the strap depending how wide your feet are). It's my first week wearing them so I cant tell much about durability/quality - just hope they last for a while. ... read more


text:
Create an ebay store view and an advertisment format
This project received 6 bids from talented freelancers with an average bid price of $137 USD.Get free quotes for a project like this
Skills Required
Project Budget$10 - $15 USD
Total Bids6
Project Description
We would like you to create an Ebay shop in one of our accounts. Please only reply if you can do this is a couple of days at maximum. You need to establish the shop with a new created template and install it in the account itself and provide us with the file code.
Looking to make some money?
- Set your budget and the timeframe
- Outline your proposal
- Get paid for your work
Hire Freelancers who also bid on this project
Looking for work?
Work on projects like this and make money from home!Sign Up Now
- Forbes
- The New York Times
- Time
- Wall Street Journal
- Times Online


text:
Welcome to the jungle More Info »
Amapondo Backpacker Lodge is situated in the lush, dense forest of the Eastern Cape Wild Coast overlooking the... More Info »
Video guides, travel podcasts, city maps & free city guides. What to eat, where to stay and things to do and see - our travel guides have it all.Find a guide »
With the sun shining 80% of the time, Miami is the hot spot to go if you want a tropical getaway. It gets over 3,200 hours of sunshine a year, making it one of the top places to...Read more »
We offer the most comprehensive selection of hostels on the internet with over 33,000 great places to stay in 170 countries. The ultimate online resource for hostels everywhere.Find great value hostels »