Back to results
US 12,597,688 B2Granted
Phase shifters with low amplitude variation
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics International N.V.
InventorsDavid Ouattara, Cedric Durand, Frederic Paillardet
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a phase shifter including a plurality of digital phase shifters, each digital phase shifter of the plurality of the digital phase shifters configured to vary a phase of a phase shifter input signal by a corresponding phase shift value, and a continuous phase shifter configured to vary the phase of the phase shifter input signal with a variable phase shift value. In various embodiments, the continuous phase shifter comprises a continuous phase shifter load configured to receive a control voltage and vary the variable phase shift value using the control voltage.
Claims17
A phase shifter, comprising:
- a plurality of digital phase shifters, each digital phase shifter of the plurality of the digital phase shifters configured to vary a phase of a phase shifter input signal by a corresponding phase shift value;
- and
- a continuous phase shifter configured to vary the phase of the phase shifter input signal with a variable phase shift value,
- wherein the continuous phase shifter comprises a continuous phase shifter load configured to:
- receive a control voltage;
- and
- vary the variable phase shift value using the control voltage;
- wherein the corresponding phase shift value to each of the digital phase shifters remains at approximately a corresponding low digital phase shift value when a switch of the digital phase shifter is on and remains at approximately a corresponding high digital phase shift value when a switch of the digital phase shifter is off;
- and
- wherein the variable phase shift value varies between a minimum continuous phase shift value and a maximum continuous phase shift value, wherein the difference between the maximum and the minimum continuous phase shift value is a minimum of the corresponding phase shift values provided by the digital phase shifters.
7 more elements
A phase shifter, comprising:
- a first digital phase shifter configured to vary a phase of a phase shifter input signal by a first phase shift value;
- a second digital phase shifter configured to vary the phase of the phase shifter input signal by a second phase shift value;
- a third digital phase shifter configured to vary the phase of the phase shifter input signal by a third phase shift value;
- a fourth digital phase shifter configured to vary the phase of the phase shifter input signal by a fourth phase shift value;
- a continuous phase shifter configured to vary the phase of the phase shifter input signal with a variable phase shift value;
- and
- a continuous phase shifter load configured to:
- receive a control voltage;
- and
- vary the variable phase shift value using the control voltage;
- wherein the first phase shift value provided by the first digital phase shifter remains at approximately a first low digital phase shift value when a switch of the first digital phase shifter is on and remains at approximately a corresponding high first digital phase shift value when the switch of the first digital phase shifter is off;
- wherein the second phase shift value provided by the second digital phase shifter remains at approximately a second low digital phase shift value when a switch of the second digital phase shifter is on and remains at approximately a corresponding high second digital phase shift value when the switch of the second digital phase shifter is off;
- wherein the third phase shift value provided by the third digital phase shifter remains at approximately a third low digital phase shift value when a switch of the third digital phase shifter is on and remains at approximately a corresponding high third digital phase shift value when the switch of the third digital phase shifter is off;
- wherein the fourth phase shift value provided by the fourth digital phase shifter remains at approximately a fourth low digital phase shift value when a switch of the fourth digital phase shifter is on and remains at approximately a corresponding high fourth digital phase shift value when the switch of the fourth digital phase shifter is off;
- and
- wherein the variable phase shift value varies between about zero and a minimum of the phase shift values provided by the first, second, third, or fourth digital phase shifters.
13 more elements
A continuous phase shifter comprises a continuous phase shifter load comprising:
- a first electrical component having a capacitance, wherein the capacitance of the first electrical component is configured to vary in response to a control voltage;
- and
- a second electrical component having an inductance,
- wherein the second electrical component is electrically coupled to the first electrical component in parallel and comprises a switched inductor configured to have a first inductance and a second inductance in response to a state of a switch;
- wherein the switched inductor comprises:
- a first inductor comprising:
- a first inductive strip;
- and
- a first port, wherein a first pin of the first port is electrically coupled to the first electrical component and a second pin of the first port is electrically coupled to a circuit ground;
- and
- a second inductor comprising:
- a second inductive strip disposed in parallel to the first inductive strip;
- a second port;
- and
- the switch electrically coupled to a first pin of the second port and a second pin of the second port,
- wherein the switch is configured to create an open circuit in the second port when the switch is in an off state and create a short circuit in the second port when the switch is in an on state;
- and
- wherein an inductance of the inductor is lowered when the switch is in the on state compared to when the switch is in the off state.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.