HIGH FREQUENCY SIGNAL COMBINING

• US 20110115579A1
• Filed: 01/21/2011
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza)
• Granted Patent: US 8,140,113 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 333/239
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/20372 Hairpin resonators

Abstract

An integrated circuit transmission system includes a dielectric substrate wave guide and first and second substrate antennas. A substrate transmitter is operable to produce an radio frequency (RF) signal, the RF signal having first and second components. A micro-strip resonator filter module generates a filtered RF signal by adjusting phases of the first and second components of the RF signal via selection of one of a plurality of selectable tap points. A third substrate antenna generates a beam formed signal for transmission through the dielectric substrate wave guide, wherein the beam form signal is directed, via the filtered RF signal, to either the first substrate antenna or the second substrate antenna.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit transmission system, comprising:

a dielectric substrate wave guide;

first and second substrate antennas coupled to the dielectric substrate waveguide;

a substrate transmitter operable to produce an radio frequency (RF) signal, the RF signal having first and second components;

a micro-strip resonator filter module, coupled to the substrate transmitter, that generates a filtered RF signal by adjusting phases of the first and second components of the RF signal via selection of one of a plurality of selectable tap points; and

a third substrate antenna, coupled to the micro-strip resonator filter module, that generates a beam formed signal for transmission through the dielectric substrate wave guide, wherein the beam form signal is directed, via the filtered RF signal, to one of;

the first substrate antenna and the second substrate antenna.

2. The integrated circuit transmission system of claim 1 wherein:

when the micro-strip resonator filter module selects a first tap point of the plurality of selectable tap points, the beam form signal is directed to the first substrate antenna; and

when the micro-strip resonator filter module selects a second tap point of the plurality of selectable tap points, the beam form signal is directed to the second substrate antenna.

3. The integrated circuit transmission system of claim 1 wherein the micro-strip resonator filter module adjusts the phases of the first and second components of the RF signal in a first transmission mode, to direct the beam form signal to the first substrate antenna via a standing wave between the third substrate antenna and the first substrate antenna.

4. The integrated circuit transmission system of claim 3 wherein the micro-strip resonator filter module adjusts the phases of the first and second components of the RF signal in a second transmission mode, to direct the beam form signal to the second substrate antenna via a standing wave between the third substrate antenna and the second substrate antenna.

5. The integrated circuit transmission system of claim 1 wherein the micro-strip filter module comprises:

a first micro-strip resonator filter that produces a first filtered signal component from the first component of the RF signal, the first filtered signal component having a first phase; and

a second micro-strip resonator filter module that produces a second filtered signal from the second component of the RF signal, the second filtered signal component having a second phase;

wherein the beam formed signal transmitted by the third substrate antenna results in a beam formed direction that is based upon the first phase and the second phase.

6. The integrated circuit transmission system of claim 5 wherein a resonant frequency of the first micro-strip resonator filter is at least 20 GHz.

8. The integrated circuit transmission system of claim 1 wherein the micro-strip resonator filter module comprises a plurality of resonators arranged to be electrically and magnetically coupled wherein selection of one of the plurality of selectable tap points operably changes a resonant frequency of the micro-strip resonator filter module.

9. The integrated circuit transmission system of claim 1 wherein the micro-strip resonator filter module comprises a plurality of resonator strips have a defined filter response based upon a separation distance between the plurality of resonators.

10. The integrated circuit transmission system of claim 1 wherein the micro-strip resonator filter module comprises a plurality of resonator elements that have a defined filter response based upon a separation distance between the selected one of the plurality of selectable tap points and an output of the micro-strip resonator filter module.

7. The integrated circuit transmission system of 6 wherein the resonant frequency of the first micro-strip resonator filter is in the range of 25-30 GHz or 55-65 GHz.

11. An integrated circuit transmission system, comprising:

a dielectric substrate wave guide;

first and second substrate antennas coupled to the dielectric substrate waveguide;

a substrate transmitter operable to produce an radio frequency (RF) signal, the RF signal having first and second components;

a micro-strip resonator filter module, coupled to the substrate transmitter, that generates a filtered RF signal by adjusting phases of the first and second components of the RF signal via selection of one of a plurality of selectable tap points; and

a third substrate antenna, coupled to the micro-strip resonator filter module, that generates a beam formed signal for transmission through the dielectric substrate wave guide;

wherein, when the micro-strip resonator filter module selects a first tap point of the plurality of selectable tap points, the beam form signal is directed to the first substrate antenna; and

wherein, when the micro-strip resonator filter module selects a second tap point of the plurality of selectable tap points, the beam form signal is directed to the second substrate antenna.

12. The integrated circuit transmission system of claim 11 further comprising:

control logic, coupled to the micro-strip resonator filter module, that controls the selection of one of the plurality of selectable tap points.

13. The integrated circuit transmission system of claim 11 wherein the micro-strip resonator filter module adjusts the phases of the first and second components of the RF signal in a first transmission mode, to direct the beam form signal to the first substrate antenna via a standing wave between the third substrate antenna and the first substrate antenna.

14. The integrated circuit transmission system of claim 13 wherein the micro-strip resonator filter module adjusts the phases of the first and second components of the RF signal in a second transmission mode, to direct the beam form signal to the second substrate antenna via a standing wave between the third substrate antenna and the second substrate antenna.

15. The integrated circuit transmission system of claim 11 wherein the micro-strip filter module comprises:

a first micro-strip resonator filter that produces a first filtered signal component from the first component of the RF signal, the first filtered signal component having a first phase; and

a second micro-strip resonator filter module that produces a second filtered signal from the second component of the RF signal, the second filtered signal component having a second phase;

wherein the beam formed signal transmitted by the third substrate antenna results in a beam formed direction that is based upon the first phase and the second phase.

16. The integrated circuit transmission system of claim 15 wherein a resonant frequency of the first micro-strip resonator filter is at least 20 GHz.

18. The integrated circuit transmission system of claim 11 wherein the micro-strip resonator filter module comprises a plurality of resonators arranged to be electrically and magnetically coupled wherein selection of one of the plurality of selectable tap points operably changes a resonant frequency of the micro-strip resonator filter module.

19. The integrated circuit transmission system of claim 11 wherein the micro-strip resonator filter module comprises a plurality of resonator strips have a defined filter response based upon a separation distance between the plurality of resonators.

20. The integrated circuit transmission system of claim 11 wherein the micro-strip resonator filter module comprises a plurality of resonator elements that have a defined filter response based upon a separation distance between the selected one of the plurality of selectable tap points and an output of the micro-strip resonator filter module.

17. The integrated circuit transmission system of 16 wherein the resonant frequency of the first micro-strip resonator filter is in the range of 25-30 GHz or 55-65 GHz.