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US 9,503,044 B2Granted
Reconfigurable directional coupler with a variable coupling factor
AssigneeQorvo US, Inc.
InventorsMarcus Granger-Jones, Baker Scott, Ali Tombak
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a reconfigurable directional coupler with a variable coupling factor that can be changed in value as a function of a desired transmit band of operation. The reconfigurable directional coupler includes a primary inductive segment, secondary inductive segments, and switch circuitry configured to change the total coupling capacitance formed between the primary and secondary inductive segments by selectively switching the secondary inductive segments into the secondary signal path. Simultaneously, the mutual inductance and coupling factor between the primary and the secondary inductive segments are reconfigured.
Claims29
A coupler comprising:
- a primary inductive segment;
- a first secondary inductive segment wherein a portion of the first secondary inductive segment resides over a first portion of the primary inductive segment, wherein a first coupling capacitance is formed between the portion of the first secondary inductive segment and the first portion of the primary inductive segment;
- a second secondary inductive segment wherein a portion of the second secondary inductive segment resides over a second portion of the primary inductive segment, wherein a second coupling capacitance is formed between the portion of the second secondary inductive segment and the second portion of the primary inductive segment;
- a main signal path that extends between a first RF input port and an RF output port and includes the primary inductive segment;
- a secondary signal path that extends between a coupled port and ground;
- and
- switch circuitry configured to selectively switch the first and the second secondary inductive segments into the secondary signal path, wherein the first and the second coupling capacitance are included in a total coupling capacitance when the first and the second secondary inductive segments are included in the secondary signal path and the second coupling capacitance is substantially removed from the total coupling capacitance when the first secondary inductive segment is included in the secondary signal path and the second secondary inductive segment is excluded from the secondary signal path.
4 more elements
A coupler comprising:
- a first coupler section comprising a first primary inductive segment mutually coupled with a first secondary inductive segment, wherein a portion of the first secondary inductive segment resides over the first primary inductive segment and a first coupling capacitance is formed between the portion of the first secondary inductive segment and the first primary inductive segment;
- a second coupler section comprising a second primary inductive segment mutually coupled with a second secondary inductive segment, wherein a portion of the second secondary inductive segment resides over the second primary inductive segment and a second coupling capacitance is formed between the portion of the second secondary inductive segment and the second primary inductive segment, wherein the first secondary inductive segment does not overlap the second primary inductive segment and the second secondary inductive segment does not overlap the first primary inductive segment;
- a main signal path that extends between an RF input port and an RF output port and includes the first primary inductive segment and the second primary inductive segment;
- a secondary signal path that extends between a coupled port and ground;
- and
- switch circuitry configured to selectively switch the first and the second secondary inductive segments into the secondary signal path, wherein the first and the second coupling capacitances are included in a total coupling capacitance when the first and the second secondary inductive segments are included in the secondary signal path and the second coupling capacitance is substantially removed from the total coupling capacitance when the first secondary inductive segment is included in the secondary signal path and the second secondary inductive segment is excluded from the secondary signal path.
3 more elements
A system comprising:
- control circuitry;
- and
- a coupler comprising:
- a primary inductive segment;
- a first secondary inductive segment wherein a portion of the first secondary inductive segment resides over a first portion of the primary inductive segment, wherein a first coupling capacitance is formed between the portion of the first secondary inductive segment and the first portion of the primary inductive segment;
- a second secondary inductive segment wherein a portion of the second secondary inductive segment resides over a second portion of the primary inductive segment, wherein a second coupling capacitance is formed between the portion of the second secondary inductive segment and the second portion of the primary inductive segment;
- a main signal path that extends between an RF input port and an RF output port and includes the primary inductive segment;
- a secondary signal path that extends between a coupled port and ground;
- and
- switch circuitry controlled by the control circuitry to selectively switch the first and the second secondary inductive segments into the secondary signal path based on an operating transmit band of the system, wherein the first and the second coupling capacitances are included in a total coupling capacitance by switching the first and the second secondary inductive segments into the secondary signal path when the system operates in a low frequency transmit band, and the second coupling capacitance is substantially removed from the total coupling capacitance by switching the first secondary inductive segment into the secondary signal path and switching the second secondary inductive segment out of the secondary signal path when the system operates in a high frequency transmit band.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.