H03H7/487

Method to build asymmetrical transmit/receive switch with 90 degrees impedance transformation section

An apparatus includes an impedance matching network, a first switch circuit, and a second switch circuit. The impedance matching network generally comprises a first port, a second port, and a third port. The first switch circuit may be coupled between the first port and a circuit ground potential. The second switch circuit may be coupled between the second port and the circuit ground potential. The impedance matching network generally provides a first impedance value for the first port and for the third port when the second port is connected to the circuit ground potential. The impedance matching network generally provides a second impedance value for the second port and for the third port when the first port is connected to the circuit ground potential. The first impedance value and the second impedance value are asymmetrical.

Combining Power Amplifiers at Millimeter Wave Frequencies
20190229425 · 2019-07-25 ·

A system having a set of power amplifiers each having a primary inductive structure configured to provide an output signal. A secondary inductive structure is configured to inductively couple to each of the primary inductive structures. A transmission line is provided with a signal trace and a ground trace. The signal trace of the transmission line is connected to a first end of the secondary inductive structure. A return path from a second end of the secondary inductive structure is coupled via a resonant network to the ground trace of the transmission line, in which the return path is spaced away from the secondary inductive structure to minimize inductive coupling to the primary structures.

Compact Low Loss Signal Coupler
20190198964 · 2019-06-27 ·

A bi-directional coupler architecture that allows an entire radio frequency coupler to be fully integrated with other circuitry on a single IC substrate. Embodiments of the invention use a lumped component architecture instead of quarter-wave transmission lines to reduce area and limit loss on the primary signal line. In some embodiments, two directional couplers of opposite polarities are implemented at least in part using spiral secondary inductors electromagnetically coupled to a shared primary inductor signal line, thus providing a bi-directional coupler architecture.

QUADRATURE COMBINED DOHERTY AMPLIFIERS
20190165739 · 2019-05-30 ·

Apparatus and methods for quadrature combined Doherty amplifiers are provided herein. In certain embodiments, a separator is used to separate a radio frequency (RF) input signal into a plurality of input signal components that are amplified by a pair of Doherty amplifiers operating in quadrature. Additionally, a combiner is used to combine a plurality of output signal components generated by the pair of Doherty amplifiers, thereby generating an RF output signal exhibiting quadrature balancing.

Combining power amplifiers at millimeter wave frequencies

A system having a set of power amplifiers each having a primary inductive structure configured to provide an output signal. A secondary inductive structure is configured to inductively couple to each of the primary inductive structures. A transmission line is provided with a signal trace and a ground trace. The signal trace of the transmission line is connected to a first end of the secondary inductive structure. A return path from a second end of the secondary inductive structure is coupled via a resonant network to the ground trace of the transmission line, in which the return path is spaced away from the secondary inductive structure to minimize inductive coupling to the primary structures.

Transmitter matching network using a transformer
10284166 · 2019-05-07 · ·

An apparatus for a network matching switch is provided. The apparatus includes a primary winding, a first secondary winding, a second secondary winding and a plurality of matching network paths. The primary winding is configured to generate a magnetic field based on an analog input signal. The first secondary winding is configured is inductively coupled to the primary winding. The second secondary winding is inductively coupled to the primary winding. The plurality of matching network paths are coupled to the first secondary winding and the second secondary winding. An active path is selected from the plurality of matching network paths and provides power to an active load.

RADIO-FREQUENCY SIGNAL SHIELDING AND CHANNEL ISOLATION
20190089048 · 2019-03-21 ·

An apparatus include a package and a beam former circuit. The package may be configured to be mounted on an antenna array at a center of four antenna elements. The beam former circuit may (i) be disposed in the package, (ii) have a plurality of ports, (iii) be configured to generate a plurality of radio-frequency signals in the ports while in a transmit mode and (iv) be configured to receive the radio-frequency signals at the ports while in a receive mode. A plurality of ground bumps may be disposed between the beam former circuit and the package. The ground bumps may be positioned to bracket each port. Each ground bump may be electrically connected to a signal ground to create a radio-frequency shielding between neighboring ports.

SYMMETRICAL FRONT-END CHIP FOR DUAL-POLE ANTENNA ARRAY
20190089064 · 2019-03-21 ·

An apparatus includes a package and a beam former circuit. The package may be configured to be mounted on an antenna array at a center of four antenna elements. Each antenna element may include a dual-pole antenna having a vertical feed and a horizontal feed. The beam former circuit may be (i) disposed in the package, (ii) have a plurality of pairs of ports, (iii) configured to generate a plurality of radio-frequency signals in the ports while in a transmit mode and (iv) configured to receive the radio-frequency signals at the ports while in a receive mode. Each pair of the ports is configured to be directly connected to a respective one of the antenna elements. All of the ports may be spatially routed into alignment with the vertical feeds and the horizontal feeds in a single conductive plane of the antenna array.

WIDEBAND VECTOR MODULATOR AND PHASE SHIFTER
20190089308 · 2019-03-21 ·

An apparatus includes a first circuit and a plurality of second circuits. The first circuit may be configured to generate a pair of quadrature signals from a radio-frequency signal. The second circuits may each comprise a plurality of cascode amplifiers. The cascode amplifiers may be connected in parallel. The cascode amplifiers may be configured to generate a plurality of intermediate signals by modulating the quadrature signals in response to a first control signal and a second control signal. The first control signal generally switches a contribution of the cascode amplifiers in the generation of the intermediate signal. The second control signal may adjusts a total current passing through all of the cascode amplifiers.

FAST MEMORY ACCESS CONTROL FOR PHASE AND GAIN
20190089399 · 2019-03-21 ·

An apparatus includes a switching circuit and a plurality of registers. The switching circuit may be configured to generate a sequence of pulses in a plurality of control signals in response to a plurality of cycles of an enable signal. The registers may be hardwired as a plurality of subsets. Each of the subsets of the registers may be configured to (a) buffer a plurality of setting values received from a memory and (b) present the setting values from the registers to a plurality of transceiver circuits while a corresponding one of the control signals is in an active state.

The transceiver circuits may be updated with the setting values from the registers within a predetermined time.