Integrated tunable inductance network and method

An integrated, tunable inductance network, comprising:

• a plurality of inductors, and
• a switching network which is operable to interconnect selectable ones of said inductors to form an inductance network having an inductance value that depends upon the selected inductors, said inductance network having an input and output, said switching network including a respective pair of switches for each of said inductors, each inductor connected in series between its respective switch pair, said pairs of switches operable to completely isolate their respective inductors from said inductance network, each of said pairs of switches implemented with a single double-throw micro-electromechanical switch,
• said switching network integrated with said inductors on a common substrate.

A low noise amplifier (LNA) front end, comprising:

• an active device, and
• an integrated tunable inductance network which forms a resonant circuit which is connected to said active device, said inductance network comprising a plurality of fixed inductors and a switching network, said switching network operable to interconnect selectable ones of said fixed inductors to form an inductance network having an inductance value that depends upon the selected fixed inductors, said switching network, said active device, and said fixed inductors integrated together on a common substrate, said switching network comprising a plurality of micro-electromechanical (MEM) switches, each of said MEM switches switching in response to a respective control signal, said active device and inductance network forming an LNA front end having a frequency response which peaks at a frequency which depends on the inductance value of said inductance network.

A tunable oscillator, comprising:

• an amplifier, and
• an integrated tunable inductance network which forms a resonant circuit connected to said amplifier, said inductance network comprising a plurality of fixed inductors and a switching network, said switching network operable to interconnect selectable ones of said fixed inductors to form an inductance network having an inductance value that depends upon the selected fixed inductors, said switching network comprising a plurality of micro-electromechanical (MEM) switches, each of said MEM switches switching in response to a respective control signal, said switching network integrated with said fixed inductors on a common substrate to form a tunable oscillator that produces an output signal having a frequency which varies with the inductance value of said inductance network.

A method of providing a precise inductance value, comprising the steps of:

• determining a desired inductance value, and
• electrically operating an integrated switching network to interconnect a plurality of integrated inductors into an inductance network having an inductance about equal to said desired inductance value, said switching network and said inductors integrated together on a common substrate, said switching network comprising a plurality of micro-electromechanical (MEM) switches, each of said MEM switches switching in response to a respective control signal to set the inductance of said network to one of a plurality of levels.