RADIO FREQUENCY FILTERING CIRCUITRY WITH RESONATORS

• US 20160126929A1
• Filed: 11/03/2015
• Published: 05/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: RF Micro Devices Incorporated (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Inventors: Leipold, Dirk Robert Walter, Maxim, George, Granger-Jones, Marcus, Khlat, Nadim, Scott, Baker
• Granted Patent: US 9,698,751 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0006 Printed inductances printed coils for dynamo-electric machines H02K3/26; printed circuits H05K
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2017/0073 with a special conductive pattern, e.g. flat spiral
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/463 Duplexers

Abstract

RF multiplexer circuitry includes a first signal path coupled between a first intermediate node and a common node, a second signal path coupled between a second intermediate node and the common node, first resonator circuitry coupled between the first signal path and ground, and second resonator circuitry coupled between the second signal path and ground. The first resonator circuitry is configured to allow signals within a first frequency pass band to pass between the first intermediate node and the common node, while attenuating signals outside of the first frequency pass band. The first resonator circuitry includes a first LC resonator. The second resonator circuitry is configured to allow signals within a second frequency pass band to pass between the second intermediate node and the common node, while attenuating signals outside of the second frequency pass band.

Claims

1. Radio frequency (RF) multiplexer circuitry comprising:

a first signal path between a first intermediate node and a common node;

a second signal path between a second intermediate node and the common node;

first resonator circuitry connected between the first signal path and ground and configured to allow signals within a first frequency pass band to pass between the first intermediate node and the common node while attenuating signals outside of the first frequency pass band, the first resonator circuitry comprising a first LC resonator and a second LC resonator that is electromagnetically coupled with the first LC resonator such that a coupling factor between the first LC resonator and the second LC resonator is between about 1.0% and 40.0%; and

second resonator circuitry connected between the second signal path and ground and configured to allow signals within a second frequency pass band to pass between the second intermediate node and the common node while attenuating signals outside of the second frequency pass band, the second resonator circuitry comprising a third LC resonator and a fourth LC resonator that is electromagnetically coupled with the third LC resonator such that a coupling factor between the third LC resonator and the fourth LC resonator is between about 1.0% and 40.0%.

2. The RF multiplexer circuitry of claim 1 wherein a quality factor of the first resonator circuitry and the second resonator circuitry is between about 10 and 300.

3. The RF multiplexer circuitry of claim 1 wherein the first LC resonator is electromagnetically coupled to the third LC resonator such that a coupling factor between the first LC resonator and the third LC resonator is between about 1.0% and 40.0%.

4. The RF multiplexer circuitry of claim 3 wherein:

the second LC resonator is not electromagnetically coupled to the fourth LC resonator such that a coupling factor between the second LC resonator and the fourth LC resonator is less than about 1.0%; and

the first LC resonator is not electromagnetically coupled to the fourth LC resonator such that a coupling factor between the first LC resonator and the fourth LC resonator is less than about 1.0%.

5. The RF multiplexer circuitry of claim 4 wherein a quality factor of the first resonator circuitry and the second resonator circuitry is between about 10 and 300.

6. The RF multiplexer circuitry of claim 1 wherein:

the first signal path comprises;

a first coupling capacitor coupled between the common node and the first LC resonator;

a second coupling capacitor coupled between the first intermediate node and the second LC resonator; and

a third coupling capacitor coupled between the common node and the first intermediate node; and

the second signal path comprises;

a fourth coupling capacitor coupled between the common node and the third LC resonator;

a fourth coupling capacitor coupled between the second intermediate node and the fourth LC resonator; and

a sixth coupling capacitor coupled between the common node and the second intermediate node.

7. The RF multiplexer circuitry of claim 6 wherein:

the first LC resonator comprises a first resonator inductor and a first resonator capacitor coupled in parallel between the first signal path and ground;

the second LC resonator comprises a second resonator inductor and a second resonator capacitor coupled in parallel between the second signal path and ground;

the third LC resonator comprises a third resonator inductor and a third resonator capacitor coupled in parallel between the first signal path and ground; and

the fourth LC resonator comprises a fourth resonator inductor and a fourth resonator capacitor coupled in parallel between the second signal path and ground.

8. The RF multiplexer circuitry of claim 7 wherein one or more of the first coupling capacitor, the second coupling capacitor, the third coupling capacitor, the fourth coupling capacitor, the fifth coupling capacitor, the sixth coupling capacitor, the first resonator capacitor, the second resonator capacitor, the third resonator capacitor, and the fourth resonator capacitor are adjustable.

9. The RF multiplexer circuitry of claim 8 further comprising control circuitry configured to adjust a capacitance of one or more of the first coupling capacitor, the second coupling capacitor, the third coupling capacitor, the fourth coupling capacitor, the fifth coupling capacitor, the sixth coupling capacitor, the first resonator capacitor, the second resonator capacitor, the third resonator capacitor, and the fourth resonator capacitor in order to adjust one or more of the first frequency pass band and the second frequency pass band.

10. The RF multiplexer circuitry of claim 9 wherein:

in a carrier aggregation mode, the control circuitry is configured to adjust a capacitance of one or more of the first coupling capacitor, the second coupling capacitor, the third coupling capacitor, the fourth coupling capacitor, the fifth coupling capacitor, the sixth coupling capacitor, the first resonator capacitor, the second resonator capacitor, the third resonator capacitor, and the fourth resonator capacitor such that the first frequency pass band and the second frequency pass band overlap; and

in a standard mode, the control circuitry is configured to adjust a capacitance of one or more of the first coupling capacitor, the second coupling capacitor, the third coupling capacitor, the fourth coupling capacitor, the fifth coupling capacitor, the sixth coupling capacitor, the first resonator capacitor, the second resonator capacitor, the third resonator capacitor, and the fourth resonator capacitor such that there is no overlap between the first frequency pass band and the second frequency pass band.

11. Radio frequency (RF) filtering circuitry comprising:

multiplexer circuitry comprising;

a first signal path between a first intermediate node and a common node;

a second signal path between a second intermediate node and the common node;

first resonator circuitry coupled between the first signal path and ground and configured to allow signals within a first frequency pass band to pass between the first intermediate node and the common node while attenuating signals outside of the first frequency pass band, the first resonator circuitry comprising a first LC resonator and a second LC resonator that is electromagnetically coupled with the first LC resonator such that a coupling factor between the first LC resonator and the second LC resonator is between about 1.0% and 40.0%;

second resonator circuitry coupled between the second signal path and ground and configured to allow signals within a second frequency pass band to pass between the second intermediate node and the common node while attenuating signals outside of the second frequency pass band, the second resonator circuitry comprising a third LC resonator and a fourth LC resonator that is electromagnetically coupled with the third LC resonator such that a coupling factor between the third LC resonator and the fourth LC resonator is between about 1.0% and 40.0%; and

acoustic filtering circuitry coupled to the multiplexer circuitry and comprising;

a first acoustic filter coupled to the first intermediate node and configured to separate signals within the first frequency pass band into one or more of a first set of sub-bands; and

a second acoustic filter coupled to the second intermediate node and configured to separate signals within the second frequency pass band into one or more of a second set of sub-bands.

12. The RF filtering circuitry of claim 11 wherein a quality factor of the first resonator circuitry and the second resonator circuitry is between about 10 and 300.

13. The RF filtering circuitry of claim 11 wherein the first LC resonator is electromagnetically coupled to the third LC resonator such that a coupling factor between the first LC resonator and the third LC resonator is between about 1.0% and 40.0%.

14. The RF filtering circuitry of claim 13 wherein:

a coupling factor between the second LC resonator and the fourth LC resonator is less than about 1.0%; and

a coupling factor between the first LC resonator and the fourth LC resonator is less than about 1.0%.

15. The RF filtering circuitry of claim 14 wherein a quality factor of the first resonator circuitry and the second resonator circuitry is between about 10 and 300.

16. The RF filtering circuitry of claim 11 wherein:

the first signal path comprises;

a first coupling capacitor coupled between the common node and the first LC resonator;

a second coupling capacitor coupled between the first intermediate node and the second LC resonator; and

a third coupling capacitor coupled between the common node and the first intermediate node; and

the second signal path comprises;

a fourth coupling capacitor coupled between the common node and the third LC resonator;

a fifth coupling capacitor coupled between the second intermediate node and the fourth LC resonator; and

a sixth coupling capacitor coupled between the common node and the second intermediate node.

17. The RF filtering circuitry of claim 16 wherein:

the first LC resonator comprises a first resonator inductor and a first resonator capacitor coupled in parallel between the first signal path and ground;

the second LC resonator comprises a second resonator inductor and a second resonator capacitor coupled in parallel between the second signal path and ground;

the third LC resonator comprises a third resonator inductor and a third resonator capacitor coupled in parallel between the first signal path and ground; and

the fourth LC resonator comprises a fourth resonator inductor and a fourth resonator capacitor coupled in parallel between the second signal path and ground.

18. The RF filtering circuitry of claim 17 wherein one or more of the first coupling capacitor, the second coupling capacitor, the third coupling capacitor, the fourth coupling capacitor, the fifth coupling capacitor, the sixth coupling capacitor, the first resonator capacitor, the second resonator capacitor, the third resonator capacitor, and the fourth resonator capacitor are adjustable.

19. The RF filtering circuitry of claim 18 further comprising control circuitry configured to adjust a capacitance of one or more of the first coupling capacitor, the second coupling capacitor, the third coupling capacitor, the fourth coupling capacitor, the fifth coupling capacitor, the sixth coupling capacitor, the first resonator capacitor, the second resonator capacitor, the third resonator capacitor, and the fourth resonator capacitor in order to adjust one or more of the first frequency pass band and the second frequency pass band.

20. The RF filtering circuitry of claim 19 wherein:

in a carrier aggregation mode, the control circuitry is configured to adjust a capacitance of one or more of the first coupling capacitor, the second coupling capacitor, the third coupling capacitor, the fourth coupling capacitor, the fifth coupling capacitor, the sixth coupling capacitor, the first resonator capacitor, the second resonator capacitor, the third resonator capacitor, and the fourth resonator capacitor such that the first frequency pass band and the second frequency pass band overlap; and

in a standard mode, the control circuitry is configured to adjust a capacitance of one or more of the first coupling capacitor, the second coupling capacitor, the third coupling capacitor, the fourth coupling capacitor, the fifth coupling capacitor, the sixth coupling capacitor, the first resonator capacitor, the second resonator capacitor, the third resonator capacitor, and the fourth resonator capacitor such that there is no overlap between the first frequency pass band and the second frequency pass band.