Digital switched attenuator
AssigneeSkyworks Solutions, Inc.
InventorAdrian John Bergsma
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An attenuation cell is provided for use in a switched attenuator. The attenuation cell includes an attenuation path that has an input, a first switch, a resistive network, a second switch, and an output. The resistive network provides a desired attenuation from the input to the output. The attenuation cell also includes a bypass path in parallel with the attenuation path with a bypass switch between the input and the output. The attenuation cell also has a shunt switch coupled between the resistive network and a reference node to selectively connect the resistive network to the reference node.
Claims21
A switched attenuator comprising:
- an input to receive an input signal;
- an output to provide an attenuated signal;
- and
- a plurality of attenuation cells directly coupled in series between the input and the output, the plurality of attenuation cells including at least two attenuation cells providing different levels of attenuation, each respective attenuation cell of the plurality of attenuation cells including an attenuation path having a first switch, a resistive network, and a second switch connected in series, a bypass path in parallel with the attenuation path and having a bypass switch, and a shunt switch coupled between the resistive network and a reference node to selectively connect the resistive network to the reference node, the resistive network being formed from a plurality of resistors and having a resistance value defined by the plurality of resistors, the plurality of resistors forming the resistive network of each of the plurality of attenuation cells having substantially identical resistance values and differing only in number to provide the different levels of attenuation.
A switched attenuator comprising:
- an input to receive an input signal;
- an output to provide an attenuated signal;
- and
- a plurality of attenuation cells directly coupled in series between the input and the output, each respective attenuation cell of the plurality of attenuation cells including an attenuation path having a first switch, a resistive network, and a second switch connected in series, a bypass path in parallel with the attenuation path and having a bypass switch, and a shunt switch coupled between the resistive network and a reference node to selectively connect the resistive network to the reference node, the bypass switch of each of the plurality of attenuation cells including a plurality of switching elements, the plurality of switching elements included in the bypass switch of each of the plurality of attenuation cells being equal in number, and equal in number to a combined number of switching elements in the first switch and the second switch in each of the plurality of attenuation cells.
An attenuation cell for use in a switched attenuator, the attenuation cell comprising:
- an attenuation path having an input, a first switch, a resistive network, a second switch, and an output, the resistive network electrically disposed between the first switch and the second switch and configured to provide a desired attenuation from the input to the output, the resistive network being formed from a plurality of resistors having substantially identical resistance values;
- a bypass path in parallel with the attenuation path and having a bypass switch disposed between the input and the output;
- and
- a shunt switch coupled between the resistive network and a reference node to selectively connect the resistive network to the reference node.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.