RF power detector circuits

• US 10,230,336 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2016
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Schleicher, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khanh V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khiem
• Application Number:
  US15/359,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20180145641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 330296, 330285, 330277
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/01 in circuits having distributed constants G01R21/04, G01R21/07, G01R21/09, G01R21/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/10 by using square-law characteristics of circuit elements, e.g. diodes, to measure power absorbed by loads of known impedance G01R21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0266 by using a signal derived from the input signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/302 in bipolar transistor amplifiers H03F1/303, H03F1/305, H03F1/307 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/105 A non-specified detector of the power of a signal being used in an amplifying circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/165 A filter circuit coupled to the input of an amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/18 the bias of the gate of a FET being controlled by a control signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/387 A circuit being added at the output of an amplifier to adapt the output impedance of the amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/195 in integrated circuits

Abstract

A radio frequency (RF) power detector includes a first circuit having a first rectifying diode with a first terminal coupled to a first power supply voltage node. The first circuit also includes an input terminal coupled to a second terminal of the first rectifying diode, a first transistor having a first collector coupled to the second terminal of the first rectifying diode and a first emitter coupled to a reference voltage node, and a second transistor having a second emitter coupled to the reference voltage node and a second collector coupled to a second power supply voltage node. The first circuit further includes a low-pass filter network coupled between a first base of the first collector and a second base of the second transistor, and a first output terminal coupled to the second collector of the second transistor.

Claims

1. A radio frequency (RF) power detector comprising:

a first circuit comprising;

a first rectifying diode comprising a first terminal coupled to a first power supply voltage node;

an input terminal coupled to a second terminal of the first rectifying diode;

a first transistor comprising a first collector coupled to the second terminal of the first rectifying diode, and a first emitter coupled to a reference voltage node;

a second transistor comprising a second emitter coupled to the reference voltage node, and a second collector coupled to a second power supply voltage node;

a low-pass filter network coupled between a first base of the first transistor and a second base of the second transistor; and

a first output terminal coupled to the second collector of the second transistor.

2. The RF power detector of claim 1, wherein the first circuit further comprises a first resistor coupled between the first collector of the first transistor and the second terminal of the first rectifying diode.

3. The RF power detector of claim 2, wherein the first circuit further comprises a first capacitor coupled between the input terminal and the second terminal of the first rectifying diode.

4. The RF power detector of claim 3, wherein the low-pass filter network comprises:

a second resistor coupled between the first base of the first transistor and a first node;

a third resistor coupled between the first node and the second base of the second transistor; and

a second capacitor coupled between the first node and the reference voltage node,

wherein the first collector of the first transistor is coupled to the first node.

5. The RF power detector of claim 4, wherein the first circuit further comprises a fourth resistor coupled between the second collector of the second transistor and the second power supply voltage node.

6. The RF power detector of claim 5, wherein the first rectifying diode is a third transistor, wherein a base of the third transistor is coupled to a collector of the third transistor, wherein an emitter of the third transistor is coupled to the first capacitor.

7. The RF power detector of claim 5, further comprising a first reference circuit, wherein the first reference circuit comprises:

a second rectifying diode comprising a third terminal coupled to the first power supply voltage node;

a third transistor comprising a third collector coupled to a fourth terminal of the second rectifying diode, and a third emitter coupled to the reference voltage node;

a fourth transistor comprising a fourth emitter coupled to the reference voltage node, and a fourth collector coupled to the second power supply voltage node;

a second low-pass filter network coupled between a third base of the third transistor and a fourth base of the fourth transistor; and

a second output terminal coupled to the fourth collector of the fourth transistor,

wherein the first output terminal and the second output terminal form a pair of differential output terminals.

8. The RF power detector of claim 7, wherein the first reference circuit further comprises a fifth resistor coupled between the second rectifying diode and the third collector of the third resistor.

9. The RF power detector of claim 7, wherein second low-pass filter network comprises:

a sixth resistor coupled between the third base of the third transistor and a second node; and

a seven resistor coupled between the second node and the fourth base of the fourth transistor,

wherein the third collector of the third transistor is coupled to the second node.

10. The RF power detector of claim 9, wherein the first reference circuit further comprises an eight resistor coupled between the fourth collector of the fourth transistor and the second power supply voltage node.

11. The RF power detector of claim 10, further comprising a power supply circuit configured to provide a voltage to the first power supply voltage node, wherein the power supply circuit is configured to change the voltage in accordance with environment temperature to reduce temperature-induced variations in output voltages of the power detector.

12. A radio frequency (RF) circuit comprising:

a first circuit comprising;

a first transistor comprising a first emitter coupled to a reference voltage node, a first collector coupled to a first supply voltage node through a first resistor, and a first base coupled to an input terminal, wherein the first emitter has a same voltage as the reference voltage node, wherein a first terminal of the first resistor is coupled to and has a same voltage as the first supply voltage node, and a second terminal of the first resistor is coupled to and has a same voltage as the first collector;

a first biasing circuit coupled to the first transistor, wherein the first biasing circuit comprises;

a second transistor comprising a second collector coupled to a second supply voltage node via a second resistor, a second emitter coupled to the reference voltage node, and a second base coupled to the first base of the first transistor, wherein the second resistor is a fixed resistor, a first terminal of the second resistor is coupled to and has a same voltage as the second supply voltage node, and a second terminal of the second resistor is coupled to and has same voltage as the second collector, wherein the second collector is coupled to and has the same voltage as a first node between the first base and the second base;

a third resistor coupled between the first node and the first base;

a fourth resistor coupled between the first node and the second base; and

a first output terminal coupled to the first collector of the first transistor.

13. The RF circuit of claim 12, wherein the first circuit further comprises a first capacitor coupled between the input terminal and the first base of the first transistor.

14. The RF circuit of claim 12, wherein the first output terminal is coupled to the first collector of the first transistor via a low-pass filter network.

15. The RF circuit of claim 14, wherein the low-pass filter network comprises:

a fifth resistor coupled between the first output terminal and the first collector of the first transistor; and

a second capacitor coupled between the first output terminal and the reference voltage node.

16. The RF circuit of claim 15, further comprising a reference circuit, wherein the reference circuit comprises:

a third transistor comprising a third collector coupled to a third supply voltage node via a sixth resistor, and a third emitter coupled to the reference voltage node;

a second biasing circuit coupled to a third base of the third transistor; and

a second output terminal coupled to the third collector of the third transistor,

wherein the first output terminal and the second output terminal form a pair of differential outputs.

17. The RF circuit of claim 16, wherein the second biasing circuit comprises:

a fourth transistor comprising a fourth emitter coupled to the reference voltage node, a fourth collector coupled to a fourth supply voltage node, and a fourth base coupled to the third base of the third transistor.

18. The RF circuit of claim 17, wherein the reference circuit further comprises:

a seventh resistor coupled between the third base of the third transistor and a second node; and

an eighth resistor coupled between the second node and a fourth base of the fourth transistor,

wherein the fourth collector of the fourth transistor is coupled to the second node.

19. A method of operating a radio-frequency (RF) circuit, the method comprising:

setting a bias current of a first transistor using a first resistor, wherein the first resistor is coupled between a collector of the first transistor and a diode, wherein the diode is coupled between a first supply voltage node and the collector of the first transistor, and wherein an emitter of the first transistor is coupled to a reference voltage node;

supplying a first RF signal to a first node between the diode and the collector of the first transistor, wherein the supplying induces a current in a first conductive path between the collector of the first transistor and a second node;

filtering the current using a low-pass filter network, thereby forming a filtered current, wherein the low-pass filter network comprises;

a second resistor coupled between a base of the first transistor and the second node;

a second capacitor coupled between the second node and the reference voltage node; and

a third resistor coupled between the second node and a base of a second transistor; and

converting the filtered current into an output voltage using the second transistor, wherein an emitter of the second transistor is coupled to the reference voltage node, and a collector of the second transistor is coupled to a second supply voltage node via a fourth resistor.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the converting comprises:

amplifying the filtered current using the second transistor, thereby forming an amplified current through the fourth resistor;

causing a voltage drop across the fourth resistor due to the amplified current; and

providing an output voltage at the collector of the second transistor.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the supplying the first RF signal comprises:

supplying a second RF signal to an input port of a directional coupler;

coupling a first one of a forward-coupled port and a reverse-coupled port of the directional coupler to a first terminal of a matching circuit, wherein the matching circuit comprises a fifth resistor and a transmission line coupled in series, wherein a second terminal of the matching circuit outputs the first RF signal; and

coupling the second terminal of the matching circuit to the first node via a first capacitor.

22. A method of measuring a radio frequency (RF) signal, the method comprising:

supplying the RF signal to an input port of a coupler;

providing, by the coupler, an output signal at a coupled port or an isolated port of the coupler to an input terminal of an RF power detector, wherein a termination load is coupled between a reference voltage node and the coupled port or the isolated port, wherein the RF power detector comprises;

a first transistor comprising a first emitter coupled to the reference voltage node, a first collector coupled to a supply voltage node via a first resistor, and a first base coupled to the input terminal;

a first biasing circuit coupled to the first transistor, wherein the first biasing circuit comprises a second transistor comprising a second collector coupled to the supply voltage node via a second resistor, a second emitter coupled to the reference voltage node, and a second base coupled to the first base of the first transistor; and

an output terminal coupled to the first collector of the first transistor; and

measuring a voltage at the output terminal of the RF power detector.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the RF power detector further comprises:

a third resistor and a fourth resistor coupled in series between the first base of the first transistor and the second base of the second transistor, wherein the second collector of the second transistor is coupled to a node between the third resistor and the fourth resistor.