US 2026/0121290 A1 · SWITCHED TRANSFORMER ARRAYS AND SWITCHED INDUCTOR ARRAYS CAPABLE OF USE IN BEAMFORMER INTEGRATED CIRCUITS

Abstract

A switched transformer array is provided that can be used in a beamformer integrated circuit (BFIC) or other circuits and can be configured to transmit and receive all of the frequencies of the entire 5G or 6G frequency range, or a portion thereof such as FR2 and/or FR3. For example, if designed for use in a 5G or 6G system that utilizes the FR2 range, a single switched transformer array of the present disclosure can cover the entire FR2 range (24 GHz to 71 GHz) in a BFIC that is approximately one-third of the size of current BFICs that use split architectures to cover the FR2 range. Consequently, incorporation of the switched transformer array in a BFIC allows the BFIC to be reduced in size and complexity and/or allows it to achieve ultra-broadband operations and agile and fast frequency hopping for better performance and improved security in 5G/6G networks. The BFIC may have inherent emission filtering and improved in-band image rejection.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A beamformer integrated circuit (BFIC) comprising a switched transformer array, the switched transformer array comprising:

a transformer primary side comprising at least a first transformer turn formed in a first metal layer of the BFIC and having first and second ends;
a transformer secondary side comprising at least a first transformer turn formed in a second metal layer of the BFIC and having first and second ends;
at least a first inductor strand formed in the first metal layer a first distance from the first transformer turn of the transformer primary side, the first inductor strand having first and second ends;
at least a second inductor strand formed in one of the first metal layer and the second metal layer a second distance from the first inductor strand, the second inductor strand having first and second ends;
a first switch configured to selectively interconnect the first and second ends of the first inductor strand;
and
a second switch configured to selectively interconnect the first and second ends of the second inductor strand.

4 more elements

A beamformer integrated circuit (BFIC) comprising a switched inductor array, the switched inductor array comprising:

N inductor strands formed in a first metal layer of the BFIC preselected distances from one another, where N is a positive integer that is greater than or equal to 3, each of the inductor strands having first and second ends and being substantially circularly shaped and concentrically oriented in the first metal layer;
and
at least N−1 switches interconnecting the first and second ends of N−1 of the inductor strands, respectively, the N−1 switches being configured to be activated and to be deactivated, wherein activation of one or more of the switches changes electromagnetic inductive characteristics of the switched inductor array, thereby changing an operating frequency of the first inductor array.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Switched transformer arrays and switched inductor arrays capable of use in beamformer integrated circuits

Life of this patent

Switched transformer arrays and switched inductor arrays capable of use in beamformer integrated circuits

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20