Self-matching phase shifter/attenuator

A self-matching phase shifter including a plurality of phase shifter elements, at least one phase shifter element including:

• (a) an input port;
• (b) an output port;
• (c) a shunt reactive component having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal coupled to the input port;
• (d) a ground switch having a first and second switch terminal and a control terminal, the first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the shunt reactive component and the second terminal coupled to ground;
• (e) a series reactive component having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal coupled to the input port and second terminal coupled to the output port;
• (f) a bypass switch having a first and second switch terminal and a control terminal, the first switch terminal coupled to the first terminal of the series reactive component and the second switch terminal coupled to the second terminal of the series reactive component;
• and
• (g) a phase shift control interface, wherein the control interface includes:
• (1) control logic for receiving a desired amount of phase shift;
• and
• (2) control signal output ports coupled to the control terminals of the switches to activate the ground switches and bypass switches within each of the phase shifter elements to impart the desired phase shift on signals applied to the phase shifter
• wherein the control logic ensures that the difference between the number of active ground switches and the number of active bypass switches is no greater than 1.

A self-impedance matching attenuator including a plurality of attenuation elements, at least one of the attenuation elements including:

• (a) an input port;
• (b) an output port;
• (c) a shunt resistive component having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal coupled to the input port;
• (d) a ground switch having a first and second switch terminal and a control terminal, the first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the shunt resistive component and the second terminal coupled to ground;
• (e) a series resistive component having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal coupled to the input port and the second terminal coupled to the output port;
• and
• (f) a bypass switch having a first and second switch terminal and a control terminal, the first switch terminal coupled to the first terminal of the series resistive component and the second switch terminal coupled to the second terminal of the series resistive component;
• wherein at least two of the attenuation elements are thermometer weighted and at least one of the attenuation elements are binary weighted with respect to the thermometer weighted attenuation elements.

A method for imparting a phase shift to a signal in discrete steps, the phase shifter having various States, each State being defined by the number of discrete steps of phase shift imparted in that State, the method including:

• (a) coupling the signal to a self-matching phase shifter;
• (b) determining a desired phase shift;
• (c) determining in which State to place the phase shifter to impart the desired phase shift;
• (d) determining which switches to activate to place the phase shifter in the desired State such that a number of ground switches are activated and a number of bypass switches are activated to impart the desired phase shift, the difference between the number of ground switches and the number of bypass switches is no greater than 1;
• and
• (e) outputting control signals to the switches to activate the switches,
• wherein a number of a State indicates the number of steps in that State and odd numbered States have one more active ground switch than bypass switch.