E-fuse switched-delay path phased array
AssigneeGlaiverf, Inc.
InventorWayne H. Woods, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A phase shifter element includes: a first signal path and a second signal path extending in parallel between an input node of the phase shifter element and an output node of the phase shifter element; at least one first signal path e-fuse in the first signal path; and at least one second signal path e-fuse in the second signal path. The phase shifter element is programmable to select one of the first signal path and the second signal path. The phase shifter element has a first phase shift when the first signal path is selected and a second phase shift, different than the first phase shift, when the second signal path is selected.
Claims20
A phase shifter element, comprising:
- a first signal path and a second signal path extending in parallel between an input node of the phase shifter element and an output node of the phase shifter element;
- at least one first signal path e-fuse in the first signal path;
- and
- at least one second signal path e-fuse in the second signal path, wherein the phase shifter element is programmable to select one of the first signal path and the second signal path;
- and
- the phase shifter element has a first phase shift when the first signal path is selected and a second phase shift, different than the first phase shift, when the second signal path is selected.
A phased array antenna system, comprising:
- plural antennas each connected to one of plural phase shifters;
- wherein each of the plural phase shifter comprises plural phase shifter elements connected in series;
- wherein each respective one of the plural phase shifter elements comprises:
- a first signal path and a second signal path extending in parallel between an input node of the respective phase shifter element and an output node of the respective phase shifter element;
- at least one first signal path e-fuse in the first signal path;
- and
- at least one second signal path e-fuse in the second signal path,
- wherein the respective phase shifter element is programmable to select one of the first signal path and the second signal path;
- and
- the respective phase shifter element has a first phase shift when the first signal path is selected and a second phase shift, different than the first phase shift, when the second signal path is selected.
A method, comprising:
- determining a desired direction of a phased array antenna;
- and
- selectively blowing e-fuses in plural phase shifter elements in plural phase shifters of the phased array antenna to set respective phase shifts in the plural phase shifters to achieve the desired direction of the phased array antenna,
- wherein each respective one of the plural phase shifter elements is programmable to select one of a first signal path and a second signal path;
- and
- the respective one of the plural phase shifter elements has a first phase shift when the first signal path is selected and a second phase shift, different than the first phase shift, when the second signal path is selected.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.