ANTENNA SWITCH MODULES AND METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME

• US 20160093948A1
• Filed: 09/29/2015
• Published: 03/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Lehtola, Philip John
• Granted Patent: US 10,483,641 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/321 within a radiating element or between connected radiating elements

Abstract

Antenna switch modules and methods of making the same are provided. In one implementation, an antenna switch module includes a first transmit and first receive port that are respectively connected to at least one antenna series switches. The first receive and transmit port receive and transmit signals on a first frequency. In one implementation, a second transmit and second receive port are connected to the at least one antenna and transmit and receive signals on a second frequency. In this implementation, the second receive port is connected to the at least one antenna via a series switch but the second transmit port is connected to the at least one antenna via a inductive resonance circuit that provides impedance to isolate the second transmit port when the first transmit port or receive port is transmitting or receiving via the at least one antenna.

Claims

1. An antenna switch module that interconnects a transceiver and an antenna, the module comprising:

a first transmit port and a first receive port that operate at a first frequency;

a second transmit port and a second receive port that operate at a second frequency;

a plurality of switches that selectively connect the first transmit port, the first receive port, and one of the second transmit port or the second receive port to the antenna; and

a resonance impedance circuit that connects at least one of the second transmit port or the second receive port to the antenna, the resonance impedance circuit having components selected to provide a high impedance path when signals are being transmitted at the first frequency.

2. The module of claim 1 wherein the resonance impedance circuit connects the second transmit port to the antenna and one of the plurality of switches connects the second receive port to the antenna.

3. The module of claim 2 wherein each of the ports are further connected to ground through a controllable shunt switching device such that when a port is not selected to receive or transmit, the port is configured to be connected to ground to provide isolation for another of the ports that is selected to transmit or receive.

4. The module of claim 2 wherein the first frequency range includes a lower frequency range than the second frequency range.

5. The module of claim 4 wherein the first frequency range includes frequencies in the range of the 1800/1900 MHz band and the second frequency range includes frequencies in the range of the 850/900 MHz band.

6. The module of claim 5 wherein the resonance circuit includes a ¼

wave impedance transformer.

7. The module of claim 6 wherein the resonance circuit includes a parallel LC circuit component in series with an inductor.

8. The module of claim 2 wherein the resonance circuit includes a parallel LC circuit with a shunt pre-match capacitor that is positioned on the second frequency receive port to resonate out the inductive load seen on the second frequency transmit path when the second frequency receive path is enabled.

9. The module of claim 1 further comprising a third transmit and receive port that operates on a third frequency.

10. The module of claim 9 wherein either the third transmit or receive port has a first resonance circuit that resonates at the first frequency so as to isolate the third transmit or receive port at that frequency.

11. The module of claim 10 further comprising a second resonance circuit on the third transmit or receive port that resonates at the second frequency so as to isolate the third transmit or receive port at that frequency.

12. An antenna switch module for switching signals between at least one antenna and a transceiver, the module comprising:

a first transmit port and a first receive port that operate at a first frequency range and selectively connect to the antenna and the transceiver;

a second transmit port and a second receive port that operate at a second frequency range and selectively connect to the antenna and the transceiver;

a plurality of controllable switching devices respectively positioned in series between the antenna and the first transmit, first receive, and second receive ports so that the first transmit, first receive, and second receive ports are selectively connectable to or isolatable from the antenna; and

a resonance circuit connected in series between the second transmit port and the antenna and selected to resonate at the first frequency range to create an impedance sufficient to isolate the second transmit port from the antenna when the antenna is receiving or transmitting signals at the first frequency range.

13. The module of claim 12 wherein each of the ports are further connected to ground through a controllable shunt switching device such that when a port is not selected to receive or transmit, the port is configured to be connected to ground to provide isolation for another of the ports that is selected to transmit or receive.

14. The module of claim 12 wherein the first frequency range includes a lower frequency range than the second frequency range.

15. The module of claim 14 wherein the first frequency range includes frequencies in the range of the 1800/1900 MHz band and the second frequency range includes frequencies in the range of the 850/900 MHz band.

16. The module of claim 12 wherein the resonance circuit includes a ¼

wave impedance transformer.

17. The module of claim 15 wherein the resonance circuit includes a parallel LC circuit component in series with an inductor.

18. The module of claim 12 wherein the resonance circuit includes a parallel LC circuit with a pre-match shunt capacitor that is positioned on the second frequency receive port to resonate out the inductive load seen on the second frequency transmit path when the second frequency receive path is enabled.

19. A wireless device comprising:

at least one antenna;

a transceiver; and

an antenna switch module including a first transmit port and a first receive port that operate at a first frequency range and selectively connect to the antenna and the transceiver, the module further including a second transmit port and a second receive port that operate at a second frequency range and selectively connect to the antenna and the transceiver, the module further including a plurality of controllable switching devices respectively positioned in series between the antenna and the first transmit, first receive, and second receive ports so that the first transmit, first receive and second receive ports are selectively connectable to or isolatable from the antenna, and the module further including a resonance circuit that is connected in series between the second transmit port and the antenna and is selected to resonate at the first frequency range to create an impedance sufficient to isolate the second transmit port from the antenna when the antenna is operating at the first frequency range.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein each of the ports are further connected to ground through a controllable shunt switching device such that when a port is not selected to receive or transmit, the port is configured to be connected to ground to provide isolation for another of the ports that is selected to transmit or receive.

21. The device of claim 19 wherein the first frequency range includes a lower frequency range than the second frequency range.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein the first frequency range includes frequencies in the range of the 1800/1900 MHz band and the second frequency range includes frequencies in the range of the 850/900 MHz band.

23. The device of claim 19 wherein the resonance circuit includes a ¼

wave impedance transformer.

24. The device of claim 23 wherein the resonance circuit includes a parallel LC circuit component in series with an inductor.

25. The device of claim 19 wherein the resonance circuit includes a parallel LC circuit with a shunt pre-match capacitor that is positioned on the second frequency receive port to resonate out the inductive load seen on the second frequency transmit path when the second frequency receive path is enabled.

26. The device of claim 19 wherein the wireless device includes a device that provides cellular telephony communications via the device and the at least one antenna.

27. The module of claim 19 further comprising a third transmit and receive port that operates on a third frequency.

28. The module of claim 27 wherein either the third transmit or receive port has a first resonance circuit that resonates at the first frequency so as to isolate the third transmit or receive port at that frequency.

29. The module of claim 28 further comprising a second resonance circuit on the third transmit or receive port that resonates at the second frequency so as to isolate the third transmit or receive port at that frequency.