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 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.

A resistor-capacitor (RC) sensor circuit of an electronic device is driven to a drive voltage using a representative copy of a current that drives an electronic circuit line of the electronic device. The RC sensor circuit is to sample voltages that are indicative of an RC time constant of the electronic circuit line. A first sample voltage is determined by sampling a first representative voltage generated at the RC sensor circuit by driving the RC sensor circuit with the representative copy of the current over a first time period. A second sample voltage is determined by sampling a second representative voltage generated at the RC sensor circuit by driving the RC sensor circuit with the representative copy of the current over a second time period. A ratio of the first sample voltage and the second sample voltage is indicative of the RC time constant of the electronic circuit line.

A resonator element for use in a filter is provided. The resonator element includes a first resonator acoustically coupled to a second or third resonator or both. The first resonator has terminals for incorporation in a filter structure. A tuning circuit is coupled to the second or third resonator or both to enable tuning of the resonator element. The tuning circuit includes a variable capacitor and an inductor.

In accordance with an embodiment, an RF system includes a transmit path having a transmit RF filter and an adjustable transmit phase shifter/matching network coupled between the transmit RF filter and a transmit antenna port, where the adjustable transmit phase shifter/matching network is configured to transform an impedance of the transmit RF filter at a receive frequency from a first lower impedance to a first higher impedance at the transmit antenna port; and a receive path having a receive RF filter and an adjustable receive phase shifter/matching network coupled between the receive RF filter and a receive antenna port, where the adjustable receive phase shifter/matching network is configured to transform an impedance of the receive RF filter at a transmit frequency from a second lower impedance to a second higher impedance at the receive antenna port.

A notch filter includes an inductor coupled between an input node and an output node, and a dual-resonator structure coupled between the input node, the output node, and ground.

A bandpass filter includes a capacitor coupled between an input node and an output node, and a dual-resonator structure coupled between the input node, the output node, and ground.

In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating an RF system includes generating a first RF signal having a first frequency; filtering the generated first RF signal to form a first filtered transmitted signal; producing a first coupled signal and a first transmitted signal from the first filtered transmitted signal; transmitting the first transmitted signal; transmitting a second RF signal having a second frequency; bandpass filtering the first coupled signal to form a first tunable bandpass filtered signal; and measuring a parameter of the first tunable bandpass filtered signal.

A tunable filter is provided. The tunable filter includes: a filter input; a filter output; at least one feedback loop coupled between the filter output and the filter input, where the at least one feedback loop includes at least one tunable feedback capacitance which is configured to tune a cut-off frequency of the tunable filter; and an active element, coupled between the filter input and the filter output and configured to drive the at least one tunable feedback capacitance, the active element having a transfer function with a primary pole and at least one secondary pole, where the active element includes a first stabilization element that is coupled to a first internal node of the active element.

A resonator element for use in a filter is provided. The resonator element includes a first resonator acoustically coupled to a second or third resonator or both. The first resonator has terminals for incorporation in a filter structure. A tuning circuit is coupled to the second or third resonator or both to enable tuning of the resonator element. The tuning circuit includes a variable capacitor and an inductor.