Provided is a variable filter circuit that can control the bandwidth and center frequency of a pass band, can realize steep attenuation characteristics in bands close to the pass band, and enables the total number of variable reactance units to be reduced. A variable filter circuit includes an inductor (Ls1) and a capacitor (Cs1), which are connected in series between a first input/output terminal (P1) and a second input/output terminal (P2), and resonators (Re_p1, Re_p2, Re_p3, Re_p4) and variable capacitors (Cc1, Cc2, Cc3, Cc4), which are connected in series between two ends of the inductor (Ls1) and the capacitor (Cs1) and ground connection terminals.

A tunable filter is described where the frequency response as well as bandwidth and transmission loss characteristics can be dynamically altered, providing improved performance for transceiver front-end tuning applications. The rate of roll-off of the frequency response can be adjusted to improve performance when used in duplexer applications. The tunable filter topology is applicable for both transmit and receive circuits. A method is described where the filter characteristics are adjusted to account for and compensate for the frequency response of the antenna used in a communication system.

A variable filter has a signal loop defined between a signal input and a signal output. A plurality of circuit elements connected in the signal loop, the plurality of circuit elements comprising a frequency tunable resonator, and an adjustable scaling block that applies a gain factor that is adjustable in a range that comprises a positive gain and a negative gain. A controller is connected to 1) tune the frequency tunable resonator; and to 2) adjust the gain factor of the adjustable scaling block between a negative gain factor to a positive gain factor providing for variable Q independent of frequency.

A variable filter for an RF circuit has a signal loop comprising a signal input port and a signal output port, and a plurality of circuit elements connected within the signal loop. The plurality of circuit elements comprise a multi-pole resonator comprising a plurality of frequency tunable resonators and an adjustable scaling block that applies a gain factor. Adjacent frequency tunable resonators within the multi-pole resonator are reciprocally coupled. A controller is connected to tune the multi-pole resonator and to adjust the gain factor of the adjustable scaling block such that the signal loop generates a desired bandpass response.

Embodiments of resonator circuits and modulating resonators and are described generally herein. One or more acoustic wave resonators may be coupled in series or parallel to generate tunable filters. One or more acoustic wave resonances may be modulated by one or more capacitors or tunable capacitors. One or more acoustic wave modules may also be switchable in a filter. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

A circuit comprises a Sallen-Key filter, which includes a source follower that implements a unity-gain amplifier; and a programmable-gain amplifier coupled to the Sallen-Key filter. The circuit enables programmable gain via adjustment to a current mirror copying ratio in the programmable-gain amplifier, which decouples the bandwidth of the circuit from its gain settings. The programmable-gain amplifier can comprise a differential voltage-to-current converter, a current mirror pair, and programmable output gain stages. The Sallen-Key filter and at least one branch in the programmable-gain amplifier can comprise transistors arranged in identical circuit configurations.

A circuit comprises a Sallen-Key filter, which includes a source follower that implements a unity-gain amplifier; and a programmable-gain amplifier coupled to the Sallen-Key filter. The circuit enables programmable gain via adjustment to a current mirror copying ratio in the programmable-gain amplifier, which decouples the bandwidth of the circuit from its gain settings. The programmable-gain amplifier can comprise a differential voltage-to-current converter, a current mirror pair, and programmable output gain stages. The Sallen-Key filter and at least one branch in the programmable-gain amplifier can comprise transistors arranged in identical circuit configurations.

A method and apparatus for modifying or controlling a resonator connected to a signal loop having an input, an output, and a closed loop frequency response. The signal loop has a primary resonator having a primary frequency response. There is at least one adjustable resonator having an adjustable frequency and a secondary Q-factor. An adjustable scaling block applies a gain factor. A controller is connected to the at least one adjustable resonator and the adjustable scaling block. The controller has instructions to adjust the closed loop frequency response toward a desired closed loop frequency response by controlling the adjustable frequency of the at least one adjustable resonator and the gain factor of the adjustable scaling block.

Tunable filter circuitry includes a series acoustic resonator between first and second nodes and a compensation circuit in parallel with the series acoustic resonator. The compensation circuit includes first and second inductors coupled in series between the first node and the second node, wherein the first inductor and the second inductor are negatively coupled with one another and a common node is provided between the first and second inductors. The compensation circuit also includes first and second shunt acoustic resonators, which are coupled in parallel with one another between the common node and a fixed voltage node. A first variable capacitor is also coupled between the common node and the fixed voltage node, wherein changing a capacitance of the first variable capacitor changes a bandwidth of a passband of the filter circuitry.

A tunable filter is a ladder circuit tunable filter including serial arm resonators and a parallel arm resonator. The serial arm resonators and the parallel arm resonator include elastic wave resonators. Variable capacitors are connected in series to the serial arm resonators, a variable capacitor is connected in parallel to the parallel arm resonator, and first inductors are connected in series to the serial arm resonators. When an impedance at a resonant frequency of the serial arm resonators is Zrs and an impedance at a resonant frequency of the parallel arm resonator is Zrp, a ratio Zrs/Zrp is not greater than 1.