# US 12,009,567 B2 · Directional coupler, radio communication device, and control method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,009,567 B2 - Document ID: US12009567B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/310,978 - Filed: 2020-02-17 - Published: 2022-05-05 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-18 - Assignees: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation - Applicants: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation - Inventors: Yoshiki Sugawara; Yukihito Iida; Satoshi Suda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009567B2 ## CPC - H01P 5/184: {the guides being strip lines or microstrips} - H01P 5/02: with invariable factor of coupling (H01P5/12 takes precedence {choke joints H01P1/04, H01P1/06}) - H01P 5/185: {Edge coupled lines} - H03H 7/48: Networks for connecting several sources or loads, working on the same frequency or frequency band, to a common load or source (phase shifters providing two or more output signals H03H7/21) - H04B 1/40: Circuits - H04B 1/44: Transmit/receive switching - H01P: WAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE (operating at optical frequencies G02B) - H03H: IMPEDANCE NETWORKS, e.g. RESONANT CIRCUITS; RESONATORS (waveguides, resonators, lines or other devices of the waveguide type H01P) - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract A directional coupler is provided that includes a primary line that transmits signals from a first terminal to a second terminal; a secondary line that gets coupled with the primary line and draws some of the signals into a third terminal; a first switching unit that switches the connection destination of the third terminal between one end of the secondary line and the other end thereof; a first impedance regulating unit that is installed in between one end of the secondary line and the ground, and that changes the impedance according to the frequency of the signals; a second impedance regulating unit that is installed in between the other end of the secondary line and the ground, and changes the impedance according to the frequency of the signals; and a resonance circuit that is installed in between the first switching unit and the third terminal, and that changes the impedance of the third terminal according to the frequency of the signals. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A directional coupler, comprising: a primary line that transmits signals from a first terminal to a second terminal; a secondary line that gets coupled with the primary line and draws some of the signals into a third terminal; a first switching unit that switches connection destination of the third terminal between one end of the secondary line and other end thereof; a first impedance regulating unit that is installed in between the one end of the secondary line and ground, and that changes impedance according to frequency of the signals; a second impedance regulating unit that is installed in between the other end of the secondary line and the ground, and that changes impedance according to the frequency of the signals; and a resonance circuit that is installed in between the first switching unit and the third terminal, and that changes impedance of the third terminal according to the frequency of the signals, wherein the resonance circuit includes: a coupling planarization unit that is electrically connected in series in between the first switching unit and the third terminal, wherein the coupling planarization unit performs such adjustment that frequency dependence of coupling characteristic between the first terminal and the third terminal is planarized in a predetermined band, and a matching regulator unit that is electrically connected in parallel with the coupling planarization unit and in between the first switching unit and the third terminal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The directional coupler according to claim 1, wherein the matching regulator unit regulates impedance of the third terminal according to the frequency of the signals. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The directional coupler according to claim 1, wherein the matching regulator unit includes: a first matching regulator unit that corresponds to the signals having the frequency in a second frequency band, a second matching regulator unit that corresponds to the signals having the frequency in a third frequency band which includes higher frequencies as compared to the second frequency band, and a second switching unit that switches connection destination of the third terminal between the first matching regulator unit and the second matching regulator unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The directional coupler according to claim 3, wherein the matching regulator unit further includes a ground connecting unit that connects the third terminal to the ground. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The directional coupler according to claim 4, wherein at least either the first matching regulator unit, or the second matching regulator unit, or the ground connecting unit includes at least either a resistor, or an inductor, or a capacitor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The directional coupler according to claim 5, wherein the ground connecting unit includes an inductor and a resistor connected in series. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The directional coupler according to claim 5, wherein the ground connecting unit includes: a capacitor and a resistor connected in series, and a bypass switch that bypasses both ends of the capacitor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The directional coupler according to claim 4, wherein at least either the first matching regulator unit or the second matching regulator unit includes a resistor and a capacitor connected in series. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The directional coupler according to claim 4, wherein at least either the first matching regulator unit or the second matching regulator unit includes a resistor, a capacitor, and an inductor connected in series. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The directional coupler according to claim 4, wherein at least either the first matching regulator unit or the second matching regulator unit includes: a resistor, a capacitor, and an inductor connected in parallel, and a bypass switch that connects both ends of the resistor, the capacitor, and the inductor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The directional coupler according to claim 3, wherein the coupling planarization unit includes: a first coupling planarization unit that corresponds to the signals having the frequency in a first frequency band which includes lower frequencies as compared to the second frequency band, a second coupling planarization unit that corresponds to the signals having frequencies in the second frequency band and the third frequency band, and a third switching unit that switches destination connection of the third terminal between the first coupling planarization unit and the second coupling planarization unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The directional coupler according to claim 11, wherein at least either the first coupling planarization unit or the second coupling planarization unit includes at least either a resistor, or an inductor, or an attenuator. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The directional coupler according to claim 11, wherein each of the first impedance regulating unit and the second impedance regulating unit includes: a first regulating unit that corresponds to the signals having the frequency in the first frequency band, a second regulating unit that corresponds to the signals having frequency in the second frequency band, a third regulating unit that corresponds to the signals having frequency in the third frequency band, and a fourth switching unit that switches connection destination of either the one end or the other end of the secondary line among the first regulating unit, the second regulating unit, and the third regulating unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The directional coupler according to claim 13, wherein at least either the first regulating unit, or the second regulating unit, or the third regulating unit includes at least either a resistor, or an inductor, or a capacitor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The directional coupler according to claim 13, wherein at least either the first regulating unit, or the second regulating unit, or the third regulating unit includes at least a resistor and a capacitor connected in parallel. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The directional coupler according to claim 1, wherein each of the first impedance regulating unit and the second impedance regulating unit adjusts isolation characteristic between the third terminal and either the one end or the other end of the secondary line. ### Claim 17 A radio communication device comprising a directional coupler, wherein the directional coupler includes: a primary line that transmits signals from a first terminal to a second terminal, a secondary line that gets coupled with the primary line and draws some of the signals into a third terminal, a first switching unit that switches connection destination of the third terminal between one end of the secondary line and other end thereof, a first impedance regulating unit that is installed in between the one end of the secondary line and ground, and that changes impedance according to frequency of the signals, a second impedance regulating unit that is installed in between the other end of the secondary line and the ground, and that changes impedance according to the frequency of the signals, and a resonance circuit that is installed in between the first switching unit and the third terminal, and that changes impedance of the third terminal according to the frequency of the signals, wherein the resonance circuit includes: a coupling planarization unit that is electrically connected in series in between the first switching unit and the third terminal, wherein the coupling planarization unit performs such adjustment that frequency dependence of coupling characteristic between the first terminal and the third terminal is planarized in a predetermined band, and a matching regulator unit that is electrically connected in parallel with the coupling planarization unit and in between the first switching unit and the third terminal. ### Claim 18 A control method for a directional coupler, the control method comprising: a primary line that transmits signals from a first terminal to a second terminal, a secondary line that gets coupled with the primary line and draws some of the signals into a third terminal, a first switching unit that switches connection destination of the third terminal between one end of the secondary line and other end thereof, a first impedance regulating unit that is installed in between the one end of the secondary line and ground, and that changes impedance according to frequency of the signals, a second impedance regulating unit that is installed in between the other end of the secondary line and the ground, and that changes impedance according to the frequency of the signals, and a resonance circuit that is installed in between the first switching unit and the third terminal, and that changes impedance of the third terminal according to the frequency of the signals, wherein the resonance circuit includes: a coupling planarization unit that is electrically connected in series in between the first switching unit and the third terminal, wherein the coupling planarization unit performs such adjustment that frequency dependence of coupling characteristic between the first terminal and the third terminal is planarized in a predetermined band, and a matching regulator unit that is electrically connected in parallel with the coupling planarization unit and in between the first switching unit and the third terminal, wherein the control method regulates the first impedance regulating unit, the second impedance regulating unit, and the resonance circuit according to the frequency of the signals.