Control buffer circuit and radio frequency switch for dual mode operation

• US 10,454,470 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2018
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Jo, Byeong Hak, Kim, Jeong Hoon, Ha, Jong Ok
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan H
• Application Number:
  US16/106,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20190238127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/30 Structural combination of electric measuring instruments with basic electronic circuits, e.g. with amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3004 Current or voltage test
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/143 Detection of memory cassette insertion or removal; Continuity checks of supply or ground lines; Detection of supply variations, interruptions or levels G11C5/148 takes precedence; Switching between alternative supplies G11C5/141 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/51 characterised by the components used H03K17/04 - H03K17/30, H03K17/94 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/693 Switching arrangements with several input- or output-terminals, e.g. multiplexers, distributors logic circuits H03K19/00; code converters H03M5/00, H03M7/00

Abstract

A control buffer circuit includes a voltage detection circuit configured to detect whether a received voltage is a negative voltage or a ground voltage and provide a voltage detection signal based on a result of the detecting, and a buffer circuit configured to provide a switching signal based on the voltage detection signal, wherein the switching signal comprises a positive voltage as a switching-on level voltage and includes one or more of the ground voltage and the negative voltage as a switching-off level voltage.

Claims

1. A control buffer circuit comprising:

a voltage detection circuit configured to detect whether a received voltage is a negative voltage or a ground voltage and provide a voltage detection signal based on a result of the detecting; and

a buffer circuit configured to provide a switching signal based on the voltage detection signal,

wherein the switching signal comprises a positive voltage as a switching-on level voltage and includes one of the ground voltage and the negative voltage as a switching-off level voltage.

2. The control buffer circuit of claim 1, wherein the buffer circuit is configured to generate the switching signal based on the voltage detection signal and a band selection signal.

3. The control buffer circuit of claim 2, wherein the voltage detection circuit is configured to provide the voltage detection signal with a first voltage when the received voltage is the negative voltage, and provide the voltage detection signal with a second voltage having a magnitude different from a magnitude of the first voltage when the received voltage is the ground voltage.

4. The control buffer circuit of claim 3, wherein the buffer circuit comprises a first buffer circuit configured to generate a first switching signal determined according to the voltage detection signal and a first band selection signal of the band selection signal.

5. The control buffer circuit of claim 4, wherein the first buffer circuit comprises:

a negative voltage (VNEG) buffer configured to provide one of the positive voltage and the negative voltage as the switching level voltage of the switching signal based on the first band selection signal when the voltage detection signal is the first voltage, and

a ground voltage (VSS) buffer configured to provide one of the positive voltage and the ground voltage as the switching level voltage of the switching signal based on the first band selection signal when the voltage detection signal is the second voltage.

6. The control buffer circuit of claim 3, wherein the buffer circuit comprises first to n-th buffer circuits configured to generate first to n-th switching signals that are determined based on the voltage detection signal and first to n-th band selection signals of the band selection signal.

7. The control buffer circuit of claim 6, wherein the first buffer circuit comprises:

a VNEG buffer configured to provide one of the positive voltage and the negative voltage as the switching level voltage of the switching signal based on the first band selection signal when the voltage detection signal is the first voltage; and

a VSS buffer configured to provide one of the positive voltage and the ground voltage as the switching level voltage of the switching signal based on the first band selection signal when the voltage detection signal is the second voltage.

8. The control buffer circuit of claim 6, wherein the n-th buffer circuit comprises:

a VNEG buffer configured to provide one of the positive voltage and the negative voltage as the switching level voltage of the switching signal based on the n-th band selection signal when the voltage detection signal is the first voltage; and

a VSS buffer configured to provide one of the positive voltage and the ground voltage as the switching level voltage of the switching signal based on the n-th band selection signal when the voltage detection signal is the second voltage.

9. A radio frequency switch comprising:

a control buffer circuit configured to generate a switching signal based on a band selection signal and a received voltage; and

a switching circuit configured to switch at least one signal path in response to receiving the switching signal,

wherein the control buffer circuit comprises;

a voltage detection circuit configured to detect a voltage magnitude of the received voltage and provide a voltage detection signal; and

a buffer circuit configured to provide a switching signal based on the received voltage detection signal.

10. The radio frequency switch of claim 9, wherein the buffer circuit is configured to provide the switching signal based on the received voltage detection signal and the band selection signal.

11. The radio frequency switch of claim 10, wherein the voltage detection circuit is configured to provide the voltage detection signal with a first voltage when the received voltage is the negative voltage, and provide the voltage detection signal with a second voltage having a magnitude different from a magnitude of the first voltage when the received voltage is the ground voltage.

12. The radio frequency switch of claim 11, wherein the buffer circuit comprises a first buffer circuit that is configured to generate a first switching signal that is determined based on the voltage detection signal and a first band selection signal of the band selection signal.

13. The radio frequency switch of claim 12, wherein the first buffer circuit comprises:

a negative voltage (VNEG) buffer configured to provide one of the positive voltage and the negative voltage as the switching level voltage of the switching signal based on the first band selection signal when the voltage detection signal is the first voltage, and

a ground voltage (VSS) buffer configured to provide one of the positive voltage and the ground voltage as the switching level voltage of the switching signal based on the first band selection signal when the voltage detection signal is the second voltage.

14. The radio frequency switch of claim 11, wherein the buffer circuit comprises first to n-th buffer circuits that are configured to generate first to n-th switching signals determined based on the voltage detection signal and first to n-th band selection signals of the band selection signal.

15. The radio frequency switch of claim 14, wherein the first buffer circuit comprises:

a VNEG buffer configured to provide one of the positive voltage and the negative voltage as the switching level voltage of the switching signal based on the first band selection signal when the voltage detection signal is the first voltage; and

a VSS buffer configured to provide one of the positive voltage and the ground voltage as the switching level voltage of the switching signal based on the first band selection signal when the voltage detection signal is the second voltage.

16. The radio frequency switch of claim 14, wherein the n-th buffer circuit comprises:

a VNEG buffer configured to provide one of the positive voltage and the negative voltage as the switching level voltage of the switching signal based on the n-th band selection signal when the voltage detection signal is the first voltage; and

a VSS buffer configured to provide one of the positive voltage and the ground voltage as the switching level voltage of the switching signal based on the n-th band selection signal when the voltage detection signal is the second voltage.

17. A radio frequency switch comprising:

a voltage detection circuit configured to;

detect a magnitude of a voltage; and

generate a voltage detection signal based on the detected magnitude of the voltage;

a control buffer configured to generate a switching signal based on a value of the voltage detection signal; and

a switching circuit configured to perform an operation of switching one or more signal paths in response to receiving the switching signal.

18. The radio frequency switch of claim 17, wherein the detecting of the magnitude of the voltage comprises determining whether the detected voltage is a negative voltage (VNEG) or a ground voltage (VSS).

19. The radio frequency switch of claim 18, wherein the voltage detection circuit is further configured to provide the voltage detection signal with a first voltage when the detected voltage is VNEG, and provide the voltage detection signal with a second voltage having a magnitude different from a magnitude of the first voltage when the detected voltage is VSS.

20. The radio frequency switch of claim 18, wherein the control buffer is configured to generate a plurality of switching signals based on a value of the voltage detection signal, and the switching circuit is configured to perform an operation of switching a plurality of signal paths in response to receiving the switching signal.