Systems and methods are provided for millimeter-wave (MMW) communication, the system includes a transceiver chip to generate and to receive signals. An interface is used to communicate the signals between the transceiver chip and one or more active antenna modules. The signals include modulated MMW signals and control signals. The transceiver chip includes baseband circuitry, up and down conversion mixers, and RF front-end circuitry. An active antenna module receives a first modulated MMW signal from the interface for transmission via antennas and to receive a second modulated MMW signal from the antennas for transmission through the interface to the transceiver chip.

A power amplifier system includes: a base substrate; a driver stage configured to receive and amplify an RF input signal, wherein the driver stage is disposed within the base substrate and is implemented in a first substrate; and a power stage configured to receive the RF input signal amplified by the driver stage and amplify the RF input signal amplified by the driver stage, wherein the power stage is disposed outside the base substrate and is implemented in a second substrate independent from the first substrate.

A PA module includes: a multilayer substrate having a ground pattern layer connected to a ground of a power source; amplifier transistors disposed on the multilayer substrate; a bypass capacitor having one end connected to the collector of the amplifier transistor; a first wiring line connecting the emitter of the amplifier transistor and the ground pattern layer to each other; a second wiring line connecting the emitter of the amplifier transistor and the ground pattern layer to each other; a third wiring line connecting the other end of the bypass capacitor and the ground pattern layer to each other; and a fourth wiring line formed between the amplifier transistor and the ground pattern layer and between the bypass capacitor and the ground pattern layer and connecting the first wiring line and the third wiring line to each other.

The present invention relates inter alia to a transmitter arrangement (1), in particular for radio communication, comprising at least two antenna elements (31, 32), spaced apart by a defined distance and a differential output amplifier (20) with a first output (21) coupled to a first (31) of the at least two antenna elements (31, 32) and with a second inverted output (22) coupled to a second (32) of the at least two antenna elements (31, 32). A first transmission line element (50) is arranged between at least one of the first and second outputs (21, 22) and the respective one of the at least two antenna elements (31, 32) and is configured such that signals applied to respective input taps (310, 320) of the at least two antenna elements (31, 32) are substantially in-phase with each other.

A radio frequency module includes a module board, a transmission power amplifier, a first inductance element mounted on a first principal surface and connected to an output terminal of the transmission power amplifier, a reception low-noise amplifier, and a second inductance element mounted on a first principal surface connected to an input terminal of the reception low-noise amplifier. In a plan view of the module board, a conductive member mounted on the first principal surface is disposed between the first inductance element and the second inductance element.

A system includes an antenna, an impedance measurement circuit, an impedance tuning circuit, and a controller. The impedance measurement circuit can include a test current source that conveys a test current through the antenna, and a voltage sensor that measure a voltage across the antenna while the test current is conveyed through the antenna. The impedance tuning circuit can be coupled to the antenna leads and can include one or more reactive elements that can be selectively coupled to the antenna, or otherwise adjusted, to effect adjustment of the impedance connected to the antenna. The controller can: (i) use the impedance measurement circuit to obtain a measurement indicative of an impedance of the antenna; (ii) determine an adjustment to the impedance tuning circuit based on the obtained measurement; and (iii) cause the impedance tuning circuit to make the determined adjustment.

Radio frequency front-end systems with filter reuse. In certain embodiments, a front-end system includes a filter, a low noise amplifier (LNA), and a switch interposed between the filter and an input to the LNA. In a first state of the switch, the filter serves to filter a radio frequency signal that is amplified by the LNA. The front-end system further includes a power amplifier that is coupled to the switch. Additionally, in a second state of the switch, the filter serves to filter an amplified radio frequency transmit signal provided by the power amplifier. Accordingly, a filter along a receive path of the front-end system is reused for transmit.

A power amplifier module can be formed that includes metamaterial matching circuits. This power amplifier module can be included as part of a front-end module of a wireless device. The front-end module can replace a passive duplexer with an active duplexer that uses the power amplifier module in combination with a low noise amplifier circuit that can include a metamaterial matching circuit. The combination of PA and LNA circuits that utilize metamaterials can provide the functionality of a duplexer without including a stand-alone or passive duplexer. Thus, in certain cases, the front-end module can provide duplexer functionality without including a separate duplexer. Advantageously, in certain cases, the size of the front-end module can be reduced by eliminating the passive duplexer. Further, the loss introduced into the signal path by the passive duplexer is eliminated improving the performance of the communication system that includes the active duplexer.

This disclosure describes apparatuses, methods, and techniques for supporting multiple protocols with selective amplification, such as 5 GHz Wi-Fi®, 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi®, 2.4 GHz Bluetooth Classic®, 2.4 GHz BLE®, and/or 2.4 GHz IEEE 802.15.4 (e.g., Thread® or ZigBee®) protocols. In more detail, the disclosure describes a multi-protocol transceiver system that includes a front-end architecture, which enables the multi-protocol transceiver system to transmit and receive the wireless communication signals according to the multiple protocols. The multi-protocol transceiver system may utilize one or more antennas to transmit and receive the multiple protocols.

A tunable matching network is disclosed. In a particular example, the matching network includes at least one first inductor in a signal path of the matching network. The matching network includes at least one second inductor outside of the signal path. The matching network includes one or more switches coupled to the at least one second inductor. The one or more switches are configured to selectively enable mutual coupling of the at least one first inductor and the at least one second inductor.