Switch semiconductor integrated circuit and communication terminal device

• US 5,812,939 A
• Filed: 08/01/1996
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kohama, Kazumasa
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bhattacharya, Sam
• Application Number:
  US08/686,864
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 455/73, 455/78, 455/80, 455/82, 455/83, 333/101, 333/103, 333/104, 333/262, 327/408, 327/416, 327/423, 327/424, 327/427, 327/430, 327/434, 327/436, 307/111, 307/112, 307/115, 307/116, 370/278, 370/282
• US Class Current: 455/78
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/48 in circuits for connecting transmitter and receiver to a common transmission path, e.g. by energy of transmitter H04B1/46 takes precedence

Abstract

In a switch semiconductor integrated circuit, a switch for high frequency signal is constituted by four field-effect transistor stages connected in series to the first to fourth signal paths arranged in a ring shape and two field-effect transistor stages connected which are in a shunt position with respect to the signal paths such that two signal paths are positioned between two field-effect stages which are opposite to each other. At this time, the same voltage is impressed to the signal paths which are in a position opposite to each other among four signal paths, and the control voltage which are complementary to each other is impressed to the adjacent signal paths. Therefore, the number of field-effect transistor stages connected in a shunt position with respect to the signal paths and the number of control lines necessary to control the switching control can be reduced comparing to a conventional one; thus a small-sized switch semiconductor integrated circuit can be realized comparing to a conventional switch.

Claims

1. A switch semiconductor integrated circuit comprising:

a first field-effect transistor stage which is connected in series to a first signal path for communicating between a first signal terminal and a second signal terminal;

a second field-effect transistor stage which is connected in series to a second signal path for communicating between said second signal terminal and a third signal terminal;

a third field-effect transistor stage which is connected in series to a third signal path for communicating between said third signal terminal and a fourth signal terminal;

a fourth field-effect transistor stage which is connected in series to a fourth signal path for communicating between said fourth signal terminal and said first signal terminal;

a fifth field-effect transistor stage which is connected between said first signal terminal and a reference electric potential;

a sixth field-effect transistor stage which is connected between said third signal terminal and said reference electric potential;

a first control line for impressing a first control voltage to the control terminal of said first and third field-effect transistor stages;

a second control line for impressing the complementary control voltage of said first control voltage to the control terminal of said second and fourth field-effect transistor stages;

a third control line for impressing a second control voltage to the control terminal of said fifth field-effect transistor stage; and

a fourth control line for impressing the complementary control voltage of said second control voltage to the control terminal of said sixth field-effect transistor stage.

2. The switch semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 1, wherein

between said fifth and sixth field-effect transistor stages and said power source line, the direct current is not coupled respectively by the first and second capacitance.

3. The switch semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 1, wherein

high impedance devices are connected between the control terminals of said first and third field-effect transistor stages and said first control line and between the control terminals of said second and fourth field-effect transistor stages and said second-control line, respectively.

4. The switch semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 1, wherein

said field-effect transistor stages are series circuits composed of a plurality of field-effect transistors being connected in series one another.

5. The switch semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 1, wherein

each of the field-effect transistors constituting said field-effect transistor stage is multi-gate field-effect transistor.

6. The switch semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 1, wherein

each of the field-effect transistors constituting said field-effect transistor stage is a JFET.

7. The switch semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 1, wherein

each of the field-effect transistors constituting said field-effect transistor stage is an MESFET.

8. Communication terminal equipment comprising:

a switch semiconductor integrated circuit having;

a first field-effect transistor stage which is connected in series to a first signal path for communicating between a first signal terminal and a second signal terminal;

a second field-effect transistor stage which is connected in series to a second signal path for communicating between said second signal terminal and a third signal terminal;

a third field-effect transistor stage which is connected in series to a third signal path for communicating between said third signal terminal and a fourth signal terminal;

a fourth field-effect transistor stage which is connected in series to a fourth signal path for communicating between said fourth signal terminal and said first signal terminal;

a fifth field-effect transistor stage which is connected between said first signal terminal and a reference electric potential;

a sixth field-effect transistor stage which is connected between said third signal terminal and said reference electric potential;

a first control line for impressing first control voltage to the control terminals of said first and third filed-effect transistor stages;

a second control line for impressing the complementary control voltage of said first control voltage to the control terminal of said second and fourth field-effect transistor stages;

a third control line for impressing said second control voltage to the control terminal of said fifth field-effect transistor stage; and

a fourth control line for impressing the complementary control voltage of said second control voltage to the control terminal of said sixth field-effect transistor stage;

first and second antennas which are electrically connected to said first and third signal terminals;

a receiving part, connected to said second signal terminal, for inputting a high frequency signal received at said first or second antenna; and

a transmitting part, connected to said fourth signal terminal, for outputting a high frequency signal to said first or second antenna.