An antenna impedance tuner can include first and second nodes, a bypass path, first and second series capacitance paths, and an inductance path, with each path being implemented between the first and second nodes and including a switch configured to allow the path to couple or uncouple the first and second nodes. The tuner can further include first and second shunt paths, with each shunt path being implemented between the second node and ground and including a switch configured to allow the shunt path to couple or uncouple the second node and the ground. The tuner can further include a switchable grounding path implemented along the inductance path and configured to allow the inductance path to function as a series inductance path between the first and second nodes, or as a shunt inductance path between the ground and a node along the inductance path.

A digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) circuit is disclosed. The DCO circuit comprises a tuning circuit configured to tune an oscillation frequency of the DCO circuit based on processing an integer tuning codeword and a fractional tuning codeword associated with an input tuning codeword. In some embodiments, the tuning circuit comprises an integer tuning circuit configured to process the integer tuning codeword and a fractional tuning circuit configured to process the fractional tuning codeword, in order to implement the input tuning codeword. In some embodiments, the integer tuning codeword comprises an integer tuning range associated therewith and the fractional tuning codeword comprises a fractional tuning range associated therewith. In some embodiments, the fractional tuning range associated with the fractional tuning codeword is configured to cover more than one step of the integer tuning range associated with the integer tuning codeword.

A voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) is disclosed to provide reduced phase noise at higher operating frequencies. A buffer-first VCO configured according to an embodiment includes multiple VCO core circuits configured to provide synchronously tuned oscillator signals. Each VCO core circuit is coupled to a summing node through a buffer circuit that generates uncorrelated phase noise such that the summing node provides a summation output of the oscillator signals with reduced phase noise. A multiplexer-less VCO configured according to an embodiment includes multiple buffer-first VCO circuits configured to provide oscillator signals covering a range of frequencies. Each buffer-first VCO circuit is controlled or selected by an enable signal. Buffer circuits are configured to select one of the buffer-first VCO circuits for coupling to a transmission line during a given time period based on the enable signal. The transmission line is terminated in a matched impedance at each end of the line.

Biomedical implants in accordance with various embodiments of the invention can be implemented in many different ways. The implants can be configured to receive power and transmit data, both wirelessly and simultaneously. Such devices can be configured to receive power from an external source and transmit data, such as but not limited to recorded neural data and/or other biological data, to outside the body. In many cases, the data is transmitted to the device that delivers power to the implant. For example, the power and data transmission system can be implemented with a pair of transceivers. The implant transceiver can receive power wirelessly though an external transceiver while simultaneously transmitting data to the external transceiver. In several embodiments, both forward (power) and reverse (data) links use the same pair of inductive coils in the transceivers, one coil mounted in the implant and the other in the external unit.

A near field radio-frequency identification (RFID) probe includes a probe tip comprising a resonant coil configured to communicate with an RFID compatible device at a predetermined resonant frequency. The near field RFID probe further includes a plurality of switch capacitor networks each comprising a capacitor and an RF switch, wherein switching the plurality of switch capacitor networks changes the capacitance of the resonant coil, thereby changing the resonant frequency of the resonant coil. The near field RFID probe further includes a probe control module configured to adjust the resonant frequency of the resonant coil to maintain the predetermined resonant frequency by switching the switch capacitor networks responsive to detecting that the resonant frequency of the resonant coil has deviated from the predetermined resonant frequency.

A biasing circuit for biasing a switching transistor, wherein the switching transistor is used for switching a respective capacitor cell into/out of a capacitor array, wherein the capacitor array comprises one or more such capacitor cells, and wherein the capacitor array is coupled in parallel with a primary inductor to form an inductive/capacitive tank. The biasing circuit comprises a secondary inductor which is inductively coupled to the primary inductor, the secondary inductor configured to provide a bias signal for biasing the switching transistor.

In one embodiment, a phase detection circuit includes a current signal input to receive a current signal indicative of a current amplitude of an RF signal and a voltage signal input to receive a voltage signal indicative of a voltage amplitude of the RF signal. A high-pass filter and a low-pass filter are each configured to filter one of (i) the current signal from the current signal input or (ii) the voltage signal from the voltage signal input, wherein the high-pass filter and the low-pass filter collectively cause a substantially 90 degree offset between a phase angle of the current signal and a phase angle of the voltage signal. A phase difference circuit receives the filtered current signal and the filtered voltage signal to determine a phase angle difference between the current signal and the voltage signal.

A multiport RF switch assembly with integrated impedance tuning capability is described that provides a single RFIC solution to switch between transmit and receive paths in a communication system. Dynamic tuning is integrated into each switch sub-assembly to provide the capability to impedance match antennas or other components connected to the multiport switch. The tuning function at the switch can be used to shape the antenna response to provide better filtering at the switch/RF front-end (RFFE) interface to allow for reduced filtering requirements in the RFFE. Memory is designed into the multiport switch assembly, allowing for a look-up table or other data to reside with the switch and tuning circuit. The resident memory will result in easier integration of the tunable switch assembly into communication systems.

A near field radio-frequency identification (RFID) probe includes a probe tip comprising a resonant coil configured to communicate with an RFID compatible device at a predetermined resonant frequency. The near field RFID probe further includes a plurality of switch capacitor networks each comprising a capacitor and an RF switch, wherein switching the plurality of switch capacitor networks changes the capacitance of the resonant coil, thereby changing the resonant frequency of the resonant coil. The near field RFID probe further includes a probe control module configured to adjust the resonant frequency of the resonant coil to maintain the predetermined resonant frequency by switching the switch capacitor networks responsive to detecting that the resonant frequency of the resonant coil has deviated from the predetermined resonant frequency.

Methods and devices providing Positive Logic biasing schemes for use in a digitally tuning capacitor in an integrated circuit device are described. The described methods can be used in integrated circuits with stringent requirements in terms of switching time, power handling, noise sensitivity and power consumption. The described devices include DC blocking capacitors arranged in series with stacked switches coupled to RF nodes. The stacked FET switches receive non-negative supply voltages through their drains and gates during the ON and OFF states to adjust the capacitance between the two nodes.