# US 12,119,533 B2 · Beamformer integrated circuits with multiple-stage hybrid splitter/combiner circuits

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- Number: US 12,119,533 B2
- Document ID: US12119533B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/457,472
- Filed: 2021-12-15
- Published: 2023-06-15
- Granted: 2024-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2021-12-15
- Assignees: Npx B.V.
- Applicants: NXP B.V.
- Inventors: Jasper Pijl; Mark Pieter van der Heijden
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12119533B2

## CPC

- H01P 5/16: Conjugate devices, i.e. devices having at least one port decoupled from one other port
- H01Q 3/38: the phase-shifters being digital
- H01Q 21/0075: {Stripline fed arrays (H01Q21/065 takes precedence)}
- H04B 1/40: Circuits
- H01P: WAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE (operating at optical frequencies G02B)
- H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72)
- H04B: TRANSMISSION

## Abstract

A multiple-stage splitter/combiner circuit includes first and second splitter/combiner circuits coupled together. The first splitter/combiner circuit has first, second, and third input/output (I/O) ports, a first quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the first I/O port and a second end coupled to the second I/O port, a second quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the first I/O port and a second end coupled to the third I/O port, and a first resistor with first and second terminals coupled to the second and third I/O ports, respectively. The second splitter/combiner circuit has fourth, fifth, and sixth I/O ports, and a ring of multiple quarter wave lines, which includes third and fourth quarter wave lines. The third and fourth quarter wave lines each extend from the fourth I/O port in different directions from each other to the fifth and sixth I/O ports, respectively.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A multiple-stage splitter/combiner circuit comprising:
a first splitter/combiner circuit with a first input/output (I/O) port, a second I/O port, a third I/O port, a first quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the first I/O port and a second end coupled to the second I/O port, a second quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the first I/O port and a second end coupled to the third I/O port, and a first resistor with a first terminal coupled to the second I/O port and a second terminal coupled to the third I/O port; and
a second splitter/combiner circuit coupled to the first splitter/combiner circuit, wherein the second splitter/combiner circuit includes a fourth I/O port connected to the second I/O port, a fifth I/O port, a sixth I/O port, and a ring of multiple quarter wave lines that includes a third quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the fourth I/O port and a second end coupled to the fifth I/O port, a fourth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the fourth I/O port and a second end coupled to the sixth I/O port, a fifth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the fifth I/O port, and a sixth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the sixth I/O port and a second end coupled to a second end of the fifth quarter wave line, wherein the third quarter wave line and the fourth quarter wave line extend from the fourth I/O port in different directions from each other.

### Claim 2

A multiple-stage splitter/combiner circuit comprising:
a first splitter/combiner circuit with a first input/output (I/O) port, a second I/O port, a third I/O port, a first quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the first I/O port and a second end coupled to the second I/O port, a second quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the first I/O port and a second end coupled to the third I/O port, and a first resistor with a first terminal coupled to the second I/O port and a second terminal coupled to the third I/O port; and
a second splitter/combiner circuit coupled to the first splitter/combiner circuit, wherein the second splitter/combiner circuit includes a fourth I/O port, a fifth I/O port, a sixth I/O port, and a ring of multiple quarter wave lines that includes a third quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the fourth I/O port and a second end coupled to the fifth I/O port, a fourth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the fourth I/O port and a second end coupled to the sixth I/O port, a fifth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the fifth I/O port, and a sixth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the sixth I/O port and a second end coupled to a second end of the fifth quarter wave line, wherein the third quarter wave line and the fourth quarter wave line extend from the fourth I/O port in different directions from each other, and wherein the first and second quarter wave lines extend in parallel with each other so that the second I/O port and the third I/O port are physically separated by a distance of about a width of the first resistor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The multiple-stage splitter/combiner circuit of claim 1, wherein the third quarter wave line and the fourth quarter wave line extend from the fourth I/O port in opposite directions from each other so that the fifth I/O port and the sixth I/O port are physically separated by a distance equal to a combined length of the third and fourth quarter wave lines.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The multiple-stage splitter/combiner circuit of claim 1, wherein:
the first splitter/combiner circuit is a first-stage splitter/combiner circuit;
the second splitter/combiner circuit is a second-stage splitter/combiner circuit; and
the second I/O port is coupled to the fourth I/O port.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The multiple-stage splitter/combiner circuit of claim 4, further comprising:
a third splitter/combiner circuit coupled to the first splitter/combiner circuit, wherein the third splitter/combiner circuit includes a seventh I/O port, an eighth I/O port, a ninth I/O port, and a second ring of multiple quarter wave lines that includes a seventh quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the seventh I/O port and a second end coupled to the eighth I/O port, an eighth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the seventh I/O port and a second end coupled to the ninth I/O port, a ninth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the eighth I/O port, and a tenth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the ninth I/O port and a second end coupled to a second end of the ninth quarter wave line, wherein the seventh quarter wave line and the eighth quarter wave line extend from the seventh I/O port in different directions from each other.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The multiple-stage splitter/combiner circuit of claim 1, wherein:
the second splitter/combiner circuit is a first-stage splitter/combiner circuit;
the first splitter/combiner circuit is a second-stage splitter/combiner circuit; and
the first I/O port is coupled to the fifth I/O port.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The multiple-stage splitter/combiner circuit of claim 6, further comprising:
a third splitter/combiner circuit coupled to the second splitter/combiner circuit, wherein the third splitter/combiner circuit includes a seventh I/O port, an eighth I/O port, a ninth I/O port, a seventh quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the seventh I/O port and a second end coupled to the eighth I/O port, an eighth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the seventh I/O port and a second end coupled to the ninth I/O port, and a second resistor with a first terminal coupled to the seventh I/O port and a second terminal coupled to the eighth I/O port.

### Claim 8

A multiple-stage splitter/combiner circuit comprising:
a first splitter/combiner circuit with a first input/output (I/O) port, a second I/O port, a third I/O port, a first quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the first I/O port and a second end coupled to the second I/O port, a second quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the first I/O port and a second end coupled to the third I/O port, and a first resistor with a first terminal coupled to the second I/O port and a second terminal coupled to the third I/O port; and
a second splitter/combiner circuit coupled to the first splitter/combiner circuit, wherein the second splitter/combiner circuit includes a fourth I/O port, a fifth I/O port, a sixth I/O port, and a ring of multiple quarter wave lines that includes a third quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the fourth I/O port and a second end coupled to the fifth I/O port, a fourth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the fourth I/O port and a second end coupled to the sixth I/O port, a fifth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the fifth I/O port, and a sixth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the sixth I/O port and a second end coupled to a second end of the fifth quarter wave line, wherein the third quarter wave line and the fourth quarter wave line extend from the fourth I/O port in different directions from each other, and wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth quarter wave lines each include an unbalanced transmission line.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The multiple-stage splitter/combiner circuit of claim 8, wherein the second splitter/combiner circuit further comprises:
a first port coupled to the second end of the fifth quarter wave line;
a second port coupled to the second end of the sixth quarter wave line;
a seventh quarter wave line coupled between the first port and a conductive node;
an eighth quarter wave line coupled between the second port and the conductive node;
a second resistor coupled between the first port and a ground reference; and
a third resistor coupled between the second port and the ground reference.

### Claim 10

A multiple-stage splitter/combiner circuit comprising:
a first splitter/combiner circuit with a first input/output (I/O) port, a second I/O port, a third I/O port, a first quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the first I/O port and a second end coupled to the second I/O port, a second quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the first I/O port and a second end coupled to the third I/O port, and a first resistor with a first terminal coupled to the second I/O port and a second terminal coupled to the third I/O port; and
a second splitter/combiner circuit coupled to the first splitter/combiner circuit, wherein the second splitter/combiner circuit includes a fourth I/O port, a fifth I/O port, a sixth I/O port, and a ring of multiple quarter wave lines that includes a third quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the fourth I/O port and a second end coupled to the fifth I/O port, a fourth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the fourth I/O port and a second end coupled to the sixth I/O port, a fifth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the fifth I/O port, and a sixth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the sixth I/O port and a second end coupled to a second end of the fifth quarter wave line, wherein the third quarter wave line and the fourth quarter wave line extend from the fourth I/O port in different directions from each other, and wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth quarter wave lines each include a balanced transmission line.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The multiple-stage splitter/combiner circuit of claim 10, wherein the second splitter/combiner circuit further comprises:
a first differential conductive node coupled to the second end of the fifth quarter wave line;
a second differential conductive node coupled to the second end of the sixth quarter wave line;
a seventh quarter wave line coupled between the first differential conductive node and a third differential conductive node;
an eighth quarter wave line coupled between the second differential conductive node and the third differential conductive node;
a second resistor coupled across the first differential conductive node; and
a third resistor coupled across the second differential conductive node.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The multiple-stage splitter/combiner circuit of claim 10, wherein the second splitter/combiner circuit further comprises:
a differential conductive node cross-coupled to the second end of the fifth quarter wave line and to the second end of the sixth quarter wave line; and
a second resistor coupled across the differential conductive node.

### Claim 13

A beamformer integrated circuit comprising:
a first system-side radio frequency (RF) input/output (I/O) terminal;
N first antenna-side RF I/O terminals;
N first transceiver channels electrically coupled to the N first antenna-side RF I/O terminals; and
a first multiple-stage splitter/combiner circuit electrically coupled between the first system- side RF I/O terminal and the N first transceiver channels, wherein the first multiple-stage splitter/combiner circuit includes a first splitter/combiner circuit with a first I/O port, a second I/O port, a third I/O port, a first quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the first I/O port and a second end coupled to the second I/O port, a second quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the first I/O port and a second end coupled to the third I/O port, and a first resistor with a first terminal coupled to the second I/O port and a second terminal coupled to the third I/O port, and
a second splitter/combiner circuit coupled to the first splitter/combiner circuit, wherein the second splitter/combiner circuit includes a fourth I/O port, a fifth I/O port, a sixth I/O port, and a ring of multiple quarter wave lines that includes a third quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the fourth I/O port and a second end coupled to the fifth I/O port, a fourth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the fourth I/O port and a second end coupled to the sixth I/O port, a fifth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the fifth I/O port, and a sixth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the sixth I/O port and a second end coupled to a second end of the fifth quarter wave line, wherein the third quarter wave line and the fourth quarter wave line extend from the fourth I/O port in different directions from each other.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The beamformer integrated circuit of claim 13, further comprising:
N first antenna elements, wherein each of the N first antenna elements includes a first connection point associated with a first polarization, and the N first antenna-side RF I/O terminals each are coupled to the first connection point of a different one of the N first antenna elements.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The beamformer integrated circuit of claim 13, wherein:
the first splitter/combiner circuit is a first-stage splitter/combiner circuit;
the second splitter/combiner circuit is a second-stage splitter/combiner circuit;
the second I/O port is coupled to the fourth I/O port; and
the multiple-stage splitter/combiner circuit further includes
a third splitter/combiner circuit coupled to the first splitter/combiner circuit, wherein the third splitter/combiner circuit includes a seventh I/O port, an eighth I/O port, a ninth I/O port, and a second ring of multiple quarter wave lines that includes a seventh quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the seventh I/O port and a second end coupled to the eighth I/O port, an eighth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the seventh I/O port and a second end coupled to the ninth I/O port, a ninth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the eighth I/O port, and a tenth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the ninth I/O port and a second end coupled to a second end of the ninth quarter wave line, wherein the seventh quarter wave line and the eighth quarter wave line extend from the seventh I/O port in different directions from each other.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The beamformer integrated circuit of claim 13, wherein:
the second splitter/combiner circuit is a first-stage splitter/combiner circuit;
the first splitter/combiner circuit is a second-stage splitter/combiner circuit;
the first I/O port is coupled to the fifth I/O port; and
the multiple-stage splitter/combiner circuit further includes
a third splitter/combiner circuit coupled to the second splitter/combiner circuit, wherein the third splitter/combiner circuit includes a seventh I/O port, an eighth I/O port, a ninth I/O port, a seventh quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the seventh I/O port and a second end coupled to the eighth I/O port, an eighth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the seventh I/O port and a second end coupled to the ninth I/O port, and a second resistor with a first terminal coupled to the seventh I/O port and a second terminal coupled to the eighth I/O port.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The beamformer integrated circuit of claim 13, wherein:
the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth quarter wave lines are differential quarter wave lines; and
the second splitter/combiner circuit further includes
a differential conductive node cross-coupled to the second end of the fifth quarter wave line and to the second end of the sixth quarter wave line, and
a second resistor coupled across the differential conductive node.

### Claim 18

A communication system comprising:
a beamformer that includes
a first system-side radio frequency (RF) input/output (I/O) terminal,
N first antenna-side RF I/O terminals,
N first transceiver channels electrically coupled to the N first antenna-side RF I/O terminals, and
a first multiple-stage splitter/combiner circuit electrically coupled between the first system-side RF I/O terminal and the N first transceiver channels, wherein the first multiple-stage splitter/combiner circuit includes
a first splitter/combiner circuit with a first I/O port, a second I/O port, a third I/O port, a first quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the first I/O port and a second end coupled to the second I/O port, a second quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the first I/O port and a second end coupled to the third I/O port, and a first resistor with a first terminal coupled to the second I/O port and a second terminal coupled to the third I/O port, and
a second splitter/combiner circuit coupled to the first splitter/combiner circuit, wherein the second splitter/combiner circuit includes a fourth I/O port, a fifth I/O port, a sixth I/O port, and a first ring of multiple quarter wave lines that includes a third quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the fourth I/O port and a second end coupled to the fifth I/O port, a fourth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the fourth I/O port and a second end coupled to the sixth I/O port, a fifth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the fifth I/O port, and a sixth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the sixth I/O port and a second end coupled to a second end of the fifth quarter wave line, wherein the third quarter wave line and the fourth quarter wave line extend from the fourth I/O port in different directions from each other; and
N first antenna elements, wherein each of the N first antenna elements includes a first connection point associated with a first polarization, and the N first antenna-side RF I/O terminals each are coupled to the first connection point of a different one of the N first antenna elements.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The communication system of claim 18, wherein:
each of the N first antenna elements also includes a second connection point associated with a second polarization that is different from the first polarization; and
the beamformer further comprises
a second system-side RF I/O terminal,
N second antenna-side RF I/O terminals,
N second transceiver channels electrically coupled to the N second antenna-side RF I/O terminals, and
a second multiple-stage splitter/combiner circuit electrically coupled between the second system-side RF I/O terminal and the N second transceiver channels, wherein the second multiple-stage splitter/combiner circuit includes
a third splitter/combiner circuit with a seventh I/O port, an eighth I/O port, a ninth I/O port, a seventh quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the seventh I/O port and a second end coupled to the eighth I/O port, an eighth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the seventh I/O port and a second end coupled to the ninth I/O port, and a second resistor with a first terminal coupled to the eighth I/O port and a second terminal coupled to the ninth I/O port, and
a fourth splitter/combiner circuit coupled to the first splitter/combiner circuit, wherein the second splitter/combiner circuit includes a tenth I/O port, an eleventh I/O port, a twelfth I/O port, and a second ring of multiple quarter wave lines that includes a ninth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the tenth I/O port and a second end coupled to the eleventh I/O port, a tenth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the tenth I/O port and a second end coupled to the twelfth I/O port, an eleventh quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the tenth I/O port, and a twelfth quarter wave line with a first end coupled to the eleventh I/O port and a second end coupled to a second end of the eleventh quarter wave line, wherein the ninth quarter wave line and the tenth quarter wave line extend from the tenth I/O port in different directions from each other; and
the N second antenna-side RF I/O terminals each are coupled to the second connection point of a different one of the N first antenna elements.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The communication system of claim 18, wherein N equals 4.