# US 2020/0287282 A1 · Bi-Directional Vector Modulator/Active Phase Shifter

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- Number: US 2020/0287282 A1
- Document ID: US20200287282A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/809,499
- Filed: 2020-03-04
- Published: 2020-09-10
- Earliest claimed: 2019-03-04
- Assignees: Tubis Technology INC.
- Applicants: Tubis Technology Inc.
- Inventors: Kenny Kun-Long Wu; James June-Ming Wang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200287282A1

## CPC

- H01Q 3/36: with variable phase-shifters
- H01Q 3/28: varying the amplitude
- H03C 5/00: Amplitude modulation and angle modulation produced simultaneously or at will by the same modulating signal (H03C7/00 takes precedence)
- H03H 11/20: Two-port phase shifters providing an adjustable phase shift
- H04B 1/001: {Channel filtering, i.e. selecting a frequency channel within the SDR system (multiplexing of multicarrier modulation signals being represented by different frequencies H04L5/06; multiplexing of multicarrier modulation signals H04L5/023)}
- H04B 1/44: Transmit/receive switching
- H04B 1/50: using different frequencies for the two directions of communication
- H01P 1/18: Phase-shifters (H01P1/165 takes precedence)
- H01P 5/16: Conjugate devices, i.e. devices having at least one port decoupled from one other port
- H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72)
- H03C: MODULATION (masers or lasers H01S; coding, decoding or code conversion H03M)
- H03H: IMPEDANCE NETWORKS, e.g. RESONANT CIRCUITS; RESONATORS (waveguides, resonators, lines or other devices of the waveguide type H01P)
- H04B: TRANSMISSION
- H01P: WAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE (operating at optical frequencies G02B)

## Abstract

A novel bi-directional vector modulator to be used as an active phase shifter is proposed. The advantages of the active phase shifter include: 1) Compact size—By active current combining technique, short transmission lines are used to perform signal combining rather than using area-consuming Wilkinson combiner or splitter; 2) High phase resolution and flexibility—phase interpolation can be performed by vector addition through m-path vector modulators; 3) High efficiency—no signal switch loss, only switched matching capacitor; 4) Simplified signal interconnection; 5) No passive combiner needed—eliminate large size and losses in the passive combiner); 6) Can have unequal combining and/or splitting by changing the gain of vector modulator, which is difficult to realize with passive combining and/or splitting network; and 7) Can combine different signals.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A bi-directional (BD) vector modulator, comprises:
a quadrature-phase coupler coupled to a first IC terminal and two first matching networks (MN1s), wherein the quadrature phase coupler converts an input signal to an I signal and a Q signal;
a first bi-directional variable gain amplifier (BD-VGA) that receives the I signal, wherein the first BD-VGA amplifies the I signal by a first gain value and outputs an I′ signal onto a common node;
a second BD-VGA that receives the Q signal, wherein the second BD-VGA amplifies the Q signal by a second gain value and outputs a Q′ signal onto the common node; and
a shared second matching network (MN2) coupled to the common node and a second IC terminal for outputting an output signal, wherein the first and the second BD-VGAs share the same MN2, and wherein the BD vector modulator has adjustable input impedance and output impedance that match to the BD-VGAs for both switched amplifier directions.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The BD vector modulator of claim 1, wherein input signals flow from the first IC terminal to the quadrature phase coupler, wherein output currents from the BD-VGAs are summed onto the common node, wherein MN1s become input matching networks, and wherein MN2 becomes an output matching network for the BD vector modulator.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The BD vector modulator of claim 1, wherein input signals flow from the second IC terminal to MN2, wherein an input current on the common node is shared by the BD-VGAs, wherein MN1s become output matching networks, and wherein MN2 becomes an input matching network for the BD vector modulator.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The BD vector modulator of claim 1, wherein current summing or current sharing occurs on the common node and thereby achieving active combining or splitting, for both switched amplifier directions without using passive structures.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The BD vector modulator of claim 1, wherein each BD-VGA is formed by a pair of high isolation cascode amplifiers to provide input and output isolation, wherein the pair of cascode amplifiers are connected in complementary for bi-directionality.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The BD vector modulator of claim 1, wherein each BD-VGA comprises a pair of amplifiers that provides a main gain level and a set of positive and negative gain steps to achieve variable gain levels in both switched amplifier directions.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The BD vector modulator of claim 1, wherein each BD-VGA comprises adjustable match loads with switched matching to achieve matched input and output impedance in both switched amplifier directions.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The BD vector modulator of claim 1, wherein the output signal phase is controlled by at least the amplitudes of the I′ and Q′ signals.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The BD vector modulator of claim 1, wherein the output signal phase is controlled by a set of non-uniform amplitude steps of the I′ and Q′ signals.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The BD vector modulator of claim 1, wherein each BD-VGA further comprises a polarity switch to create a four-quadrant phase shifter.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The BD vector modulator of claim 1, wherein a polyphase generator comprises the quadrature-phase coupler and two polarity switches to create four-quadrant phase signals with equal magnitude.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The BD vector modulator of claim 1, wherein the quadrature phase coupler, MN1s, and the first and the second BD-VGAs form a BD vector modulator element, and wherein the BD vector modulator comprises multiple BD vector modulator elements sharing the same MN2.

### Claim 13

A method of active phase shifting using a bi-directional (BD) vector modulator, comprising:
receiving an input signal by a quadrature phase coupler coupled to two first matching networks (MN1s), wherein the quadrature phase coupler converts the input signal to an I signal and a Q signal;
amplifying the I signal by a first gain value using a first bi-directional variable gain amplifier (BD-VGA), wherein the first BD-VGA outputs an I′ signal onto a common node;
amplifying the Q signal by a second gain value using a second BD-VGA, wherein the second BD-VGA outputs a Q′ signal onto the common node; and
performing active current summing or current sharing at the common node, wherein the common node is coupled to a shared second matching network (MN2) for outputting an output signal, wherein the first and the second BD-VGAs share the same MN2, and wherein the BD vector modulator has adjustable input impedance and output impedance that match to the BD-VGAs for both switched amplifier directions.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein input signals flow from the first IC terminal to the quadrature phase coupler, wherein output currents from the BD-VGAs are summed onto the common node, wherein MN1s become input matching networks, and wherein MN2 becomes an output matching network for the BD vector modulator.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein input signals flow from the second IC terminal to MN2, wherein an input current on the common node is shared by the BD-VGAs, wherein MN1s become output matching networks, and wherein MN2 becomes an input matching network for the BD vector modulator.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein current summing or current sharing occurs the common node and thereby achieving active combining or splitting, for both switched amplifier directions without using passive structures.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein each BD-VGA is formed by a pair of high isolation cascode amplifiers to provide input and output isolation.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein each BD-VGA comprises a pair of amplifiers that provides a main gain level and a set of positive and negative gain steps to achieve variable gain levels in both switched amplifier directions.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein each BD-VGA comprises adjustable match loads with switched matching to achieve matched input and output impedance in both switched amplifier directions.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the output signal phase is controlled by at least the amplitude of the I′ and Q′ signals.

### Claim 21 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the output signal phase is controlled by a set of non-uniform amplitude steps of the I′ and Q′ signals.

### Claim 22 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein each BD-VGA further comprises a polarity switch to create a four-quadrant phase shifter.

### Claim 23 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein a polyphase generator comprises the quadrature-phase coupler and two polarity switches to create four-quadrant phase signals with equal magnitude.

### Claim 24 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the quadrature phase coupler, MN1s, and the first and the second BD-VGAs form a BD vector modulator element, and wherein the BD vector modulator comprises multiple BD vector modulator elements sharing the same MN2.