Methods and apparatuses for use in tuning reactance in a circuit device

• US 10,158,345 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2017
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: pSemi Corporation (Murata Manufacturing Co Limited)
• Original Assignee: pSemi Corporation (Murata Manufacturing Co Limited)
• Inventors: Reedy, Ronald Eugene, Nobbe, Dan William, Ranta, Tero Tapio, Liss, Cheryl V., Kovac, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Kessie, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLOUGHBY, TERRENCE RONIQUE
• Application Number:
  US15/688,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20180097509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 21/12 discontinuously variable, e.g. tapped
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/002 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 7/00 Capacitors in which the capacitance is varied by non-mechanical means; Processes of their manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5223 Capacitor integral with wiring layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0629 in combination with diodes, or resistors, or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1203 the substrate comprising an insulating body on a semiconductor body, e.g. SOI three-dimensional layout H01L27/0688
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/60 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/28 Impedance matching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/0153 Electrical filters; Controlling thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/38 Impedance-matching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 2200/10 Tuning of a resonator by means of digitally controlled capacitor bank
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 3/20 of single resonant circuit by varying inductance only or capacitance only
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/102 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/162 without feedback from the output circuit to the control circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/687 the devices being field-effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/1061 using digitally programmable trimming circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/804 with charge redistribution

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for use in tuning reactance are described. Open loop and closed loop control for tuning of reactances are also described. Tunable inductors and/or tunable capacitors may be used in filters, resonant circuits, matching networks, and phase shifters. Ability to control inductance and/or capacitance in a circuit leads to flexibility in operation of the circuit, since the circuit may be tuned to operate under a range of different operating frequencies.

Claims

1. A tunable inductor, comprising:

a first RF terminal;

a second RF terminal;

a plurality of inductive elements connected between the first RF terminal and the second RF terminal, wherein each inductive element is an inductor or a portion thereof; and

a plurality of switch arrangements coupled with the plurality of inductive elements, wherein each switch arrangement of the plurality of switch arrangements is configured to receive a control signal, and wherein the control signal controls inductance applied between the first RF terminal and the second RF terminal by turning on or off switch arrangements in the plurality of switch arrangements;

wherein;

at least one inductive element of the plurality of inductive elements is coupled across a series combination of at least two switch elements of a corresponding switch arrangement of the plurality of switch arrangements;

and

the plurality of inductive elements and the plurality of switch arrangements are integrated on a same chip or die.

2. The tunable inductor according to claim 1, wherein at least one inductive element in the plurality of inductive elements is connected in parallel with at least one switch arrangement in the plurality of switch arrangements.

3. The tunable inductor according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of inductive elements are serially connected to one another.

4. The tunable inductor according to claim 1, wherein at least one inductive element in the plurality of inductive elements is serially connected with at least one switch arrangement in the plurality of switch arrangements.

5. A system for tuning reactance to generate a target signal, the system comprising:

the tunable inductor according to claim 1, wherein the tunable inductor is configured, during operation, to receive a first signal and generate a second signal; and

a controller configured, during operation, to provide a plurality of control signals to the tunable inductor, wherein the plurality of control signals is a function of the second signal and the target signal.

6. A method for tuning reactance of a circuital arrangement to generate a target signal, the method comprising:

providing the tunable inductor according to claim 1;

applying a first signal and a plurality of control signals to the tunable inductor, wherein reactance of the tunable inductor is a function of the plurality of control signals;

generating a second signal based on the applying; and

adjusting the plurality of control signals based on the second signal and the target signal.

7. A circuital arrangement with a tunable impedance, the circuital arrangement comprising:

a first RF terminal;

a second RF terminal;

a fixed reactance, wherein the fixed reactance comprises a fixed inductor or a portion thereof and/or a fixed capacitor;

a plurality of switch arrangements connected in parallel or series with the fixed reactance, wherein each switch arrangement in the plurality of switch arrangements is configured, during operation, to receive a control signal, and

a plurality of individual reactances connected with the plurality of switch arrangements, wherein at least one individual reactance of the plurality of individual reactances is connected across a series combination of at least two switch elements of a corresponding switch arrangement of the plurality of switch arrangements;

wherein;

whether impedance of a particular individual reactance among the plurality of individual reactances contributes to impedance of the circuital arrangement is based on a control signal received, during operation, by a particular switch arrangement in the plurality of switch arrangements that is connected with the particular individual reactance, the control signal associated with the particular switch arrangement turns on or off the particular switch arrangement, and

the fixed reactance, the plurality of switch arrangements and the plurality of individual reactances are integrated on a same chip or die.

8. The circuital arrangement according to claim 7, wherein:

each individual reactance in the plurality of individual reactances is connected with at least one switch arrangement in the plurality of switch arrangements, and

the at least one switch arrangement of the plurality of switch arrangements comprises switch elements and each switch element of the at least one switch arrangement is configured, during operation, to receive the same control signal.

9. The circuital arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the at least one switch arrangement comprises a plurality of serially connected switch elements.

10. The circuital arrangement according to claim 7, wherein, when a switch arrangement connected with a particular individual reactance is turned on, impedance of the particular individual reactance contributes to impedance of the circuital arrangement.

11. The circuital arrangement according to claim 7, wherein, when a switch arrangement connected with a particular individual reactance is turned off, impedance of the particular individual reactance contributes to impedance of the circuital arrangement.

12. The circuital arrangement according to claim 7, further comprising a plurality of resistors connected with the plurality of switch arrangements.

13. The circuital arrangement according to claim 7, wherein at least one switch element is selected from the group consisting of a field effect transistor, an accumulated charge control field effect transistor, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switch, a diode, and a bipolar junction transistor.

14. The circuital arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the fixed reactance and each individual reactance in the plurality of individual reactances is either a lumped element or a distributed element.

15. The circuital arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the chip is a silicon-on-insulator chip.

16. The circuital arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the chip is a silicon-on-sapphire chip.

17. A system for tuning impedance to generate a target signal, the system comprising:

the circuital arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the circuital arrangement is configured, during operation, to receive a first signal and generate a second signal; and

a controller configured, during operation, to provide a plurality of control signals to the circuital arrangement, wherein the plurality of control signals is a function of the second signal and the target signal.

18. The circuital arrangement of claim 17, wherein the plurality of switch arrangements comprises field effect transistor (FET) switch elements.

19. A method for tuning impedance of a circuital arrangement to generate a target signal, the method comprising:

providing the circuital arrangement according to claim 7;

applying a first signal and a plurality of control signals to the circuital arrangement, wherein impedance of the circuital arrangement is a function of the plurality of control signals;

generating a second signal based on the applying; and

adjusting the plurality of control signals based on the second signal and the target signal.