Antenna port termination in absence of power supply
AssigneepSemi Corporation
InventorSivakumar Ganesan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and devices to address antenna termination in absence of power supplies within an electronic circuit including a termination circuit and a switching circuit. The devices include regular NMOS devices that decouple the antenna from the switching circuit in absence of power supplies while the antenna is coupled to a terminating impedance having a desired impedance value through a native NMOS device. The antenna is coupled with the switching circuit via the regular NMOS device during powered conditions while the antenna is decoupled from the terminating impedance.
Claims14
An electronic circuit comprising:
- a) an RF switching circuit comprising transistors having a first threshold voltage;
- b) a termination circuit configured to be connected to the RF switching circuit, the termination circuit comprising a series connection of a first switch and a termination impedance, the first switch comprising one or more transistors having the first threshold voltage, the series connection including a node configured to receive a signal;
- c) a second switch between the termination circuit and the RF switching circuit, the second switch configured to connect the termination circuit with the RF switching circuit, the second switch comprising one or more transistors with a second threshold voltage, wherein the second threshold voltage is different from the first threshold voltage;
- wherein the first and the second threshold voltages are such that:
- i) in a powered condition of the electronic circuit:
- the first switch is in an OFF state;
- and
- the second switch is in an ON state, thereby connecting the termination circuit to the RF switching circuit;
- and
- ii) in an unpowered condition of the electronic circuit:
- the first switch is in an ON state, and
- the second switch is in an OFF state, thereby decoupling the RF switching circuit from the termination circuit.
A method of terminating an antenna of an electronic circuit in absence of power supplies, the electronic circuit including a switching circuit with a terminating impedance, the method comprising:
- coupling the antenna to the terminating impedance, having a desired impedance value, through a first switch comprising one or more native NMOS transistors;
- coupling the antenna to the switching circuit through a second switch comprising one or more regular NMOS transistors;
- removing the power supplies from the electronic circuit, thereby:
- turning the first switch to an ON state, thereby terminating the antenna with the terminating impedance;
- and
- decoupling the antenna from the switching circuit through the second switch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.