Phase shifter circuit

• US 7,446,630 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2007
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National Taiwan University (Government of The Republic of China)
• Original Assignee: National Taiwan University (Government of The Republic of China)
• Inventors: Kiang, Jean-Fu, Chan, Chia-Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Don P
• Application Number:
  US11/798,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20080180190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 333/138, 333165-167, 333/172
• US Class Current: 333/138
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/16 Networks for phase shifting
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/245 using field-effect transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/18 Networks for phase shifting
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/25 comprising an element controlled by an electric or magnetic variable H03H7/27 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/48 Networks for connecting several sources or loads, working on the same frequency or frequency band, to a common load or source phase shifters providing two or more output signals H03H7/21

Abstract

A full range phase shifter circuit includes a power divider, a hybrid coupler, a differential phase shifter, a power combiner and switched attenuators. The power divider, hybrid coupler, differential phase shifter and power combiner comprise lumped elements and can be integrated in semiconductor processes, decreasing the circuit size of the full range phase shifter.

Claims

1. A phase shifter circuit, comprising:

a power divider comprising a plurality of first lumped capacitors and a plurality of first lumped inductors, and coupled to a signal input terminal for receiving an input signal and dividing the power of the input signal to a first output terminal and a second output terminal;

a first switched attenuator coupled to the first output terminal for attenuating the signal received from the first output terminal and outputting a first attenuated signal;

a second switched attenuator coupled to the second output terminal for attenuating the signal received from the second output terminal and outputting a second attenuated signal;

a hybrid coupler comprising a plurality of second lumped capacitors and a plurality of second lumped inductors, and coupled to the first switched attenuator and the second switched attenuator for distributing the power of the first attenuated signal and the second attenuated signal and outputting a first coupled signal and a second coupled signal, wherein there is a first phase difference between the first coupled signal and the second coupled signal;

a differential phase shifter comprising a plurality of third lumped capacitors and a plurality of third lumped inductors, and coupled to the hybrid coupler for receiving the first coupled signal and the second coupled signal and outputting a first phase shifted signal and a second phase shifted signal, wherein there are a second phase difference between the first coupled signal and the first phase shifted signal, a third phase difference between the second coupled signal and the second phase shifted signal, and a fourth phase difference between the second phase difference and the third phase difference;

a third switched attenuator attenuating the first phase shifted signal and outputting a third attenuated signal;

a fourth switched attenuator attenuating the second phase shifted signal and outputting a fourth attenuated signal; and

a power combiner comprising a plurality of fourth lumped capacitors and a plurality of fourth lumped inductors, and coupled to the third switched attenuator and the fourth switched attenuator for combining the third attenuated signal and the fourth attenuated signal into an output signal and outputting the output signal from an signal output terminal, wherein there is a fifth phase difference between the output signal and the input signal.

2. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power divider comprises:

a first inductor coupled between the signal input terminal and the first output terminal;

a second inductor coupled between the signal input terminal and the second output terminal;

a first capacitor coupled between the first output terminal and a ground node;

a second capacitor coupled between the second output terminal and the ground node;

a third capacitor coupled between the signal input terminal and the ground node; and

a first resistor coupled between the first output terminal and the second output terminal.

3. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first switched attenuator and the second switched attenuator respectively comprises:

a first attenuated circuit;

a second attenuated circuit;

a first switch selectively connecting one of the first attenuated circuit and the second attenuated circuit to the power combiner; and

a second switch selectively connecting one of the first attenuated circuit and the second attenuated circuit to the hybrid coupler.

4. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second attenuated circuit comprises:

a second resistor coupled to the first switch;

a third resistor coupled between the second resistor and the second switch; and

a fourth resistor coupled between a ground node and a first connection point of the second resistor and the third resistor.

5. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the third switched attenuator and the fourth switched attenuator respectively comprises:

a third attenuated circuit;

a fourth attenuated circuit;

a third switch selectively connecting one of the third attenuated circuit and the fourth attenuated circuit to the differential phase shifter; and

a fourth switch selectively connecting one of the third attenuated circuit and the fourth attenuated circuit to the power combiner.

6. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 5, wherein the fourth attenuated circuit comprises:

a fifth resistor coupled to the third switch;

a sixth resistor coupled between the fifth resistor and the third switch; and

a seventh resistor coupled between a ground node and a second connection point of the fifth resistor and the sixth resistor.

7. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first attenuated circuit, the third attenuated circuit, the first switch, the second switch, the third switch and the fourth switch each are selected from the group consisting of a metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor, a bi-polar junction transistor, a pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor and a heterojunction bipolar transistor, and wherein the second attenuated circuit and the fourth attenuated circuit each are selected from the group consisting of a π

-resistor network and a T-resistor network.

8. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hybrid coupler comprises:

a fourth capacitor coupled to the first switched attenuator;

a fifth capacitor coupled between the second switched attenuator and the fourth capacitor;

a third inductor coupled between a ground node and a third connection point of the fourth capacitor and the fifth capacitor;

a fourth inductor coupled between the fourth capacitor and the ground node;

a fifth inductor coupled between the fifth capacitor and the ground node;

a sixth capacitor coupled to the fourth inductor;

a seventh capacitor coupled between the differential phase shifter and the sixth capacitor;

a sixth inductor coupled between the ground node and a fourth connection point of the sixth capacitor and the seventh capacitor;

an eighth capacitor coupled to the fifth inductor;

a ninth capacitor coupled between the differential phase shifter and the eighth capacitor;

a seventh inductor coupled between the ground node and a fifth connection point of the eighth capacitor and the ninth capacitor;

an eighth inductor coupled between the seventh capacitor and the ground node;

a ninth inductor coupled between the ninth capacitor and the ground node;

a tenth capacitor coupled to the eight inductor;

an eleventh capacitor coupled between the ninth inductor and the tenth capacitor; and

a tenth inductor coupled between the ground node and a sixth connection point of the tenth capacitor and the eleventh capacitor.

9. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the differential phase shifter comprises:

an eleventh inductor coupled to the hybrid coupler;

a twelfth capacitor coupled between the eleventh inductor and a ground node;

a twelfth inductor coupled between the eleventh inductor and the third switched attenuator;

a thirteenth capacitor coupled between the ground node and a seventh connection point of the eleventh inductor and the twelfth inductor;

a fourteenth capacitor coupled between the ground node and the twelfth inductor;

a fifteenth capacitor coupled to the hybrid coupler;

a thirteenth inductor coupled between the fifteenth capacitor and the ground node;

a sixteenth capacitor coupled between the fifteenth capacitor and the fourth switched attenuator;

a fourteenth inductor coupled between the ground node and an eighth connection point of the fifteenth capacitor and the sixteenth capacitor; and

a fifteenth inductor coupled between the sixteenth capacitor and the ground node.

10. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power combiner comprising:

an eighth resistor coupled between the third switched attenuator and the fourth switched attenuator;

a seventeenth capacitor coupled between the eighth resistor and a ground node;

an eighteenth capacitor coupled between the eighth resistor and the ground node;

a sixteenth inductor coupled between the seventeenth capacitor and the signal output terminal;

a seventeenth inductor coupled between the eighteenth capacitor and the signal output terminal; and

a nineteenth capacitor coupled between the signal output terminal and the ground node.

11. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an active all-pass phase shifter coupled to the signal output terminal to adjust a phase of the output signal using a variable capacitor and amplifying the power of the output signal.

12. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 11, wherein the phase shifter circuit is integrated into a semiconductor process.

13. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an analog phase shifter coupled to the signal output terminal to adjust a phase of the output signal, wherein a range of the adjusted phase of the output signal by the analog phase shifter exceeds 45 degrees.

14. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 13, wherein the analog phase shifter is selected from the group consisting of a reflective load phase shifter, a transmission line load phase shifter and an inductor and capacitor phase shifter.

15. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power divider and the power combiner are Wilkinson power dividers.

16. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gains of the first switched attenuator, the second switched attenuator, the third switched attenuator and the fourth switched attenuator are switched between a high state and a low state.

17. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hybrid coupler is 90 degrees hybrid coupler and the fourth phase difference is 180 degrees.

18. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hybrid coupler is 180 degrees hybrid coupler and the fourth phase difference is 90 degrees.

19. A phase shifter circuit comprising:

a power divider coupled to an signal input terminal for receiving an input signal and dividing the power of the input signal to a first output terminal and a second output terminal;

a first switched attenuator coupled to the first output terminal for attenuating the signal received from the first output terminal and outputting a first attenuated signal;

a second switched attenuator coupled to the second output terminal for attenuating the signal received from the second output terminal and outputting a second attenuated signal;

a hybrid coupler coupled to the first switched attenuator and the second switched attenuator for distributing the power of the first attenuated signal and the second attenuated signal and outputting a first coupled signal and a second coupled signal, wherein there is a first phase difference between the first coupled signal and the second coupled signal;

a differential phase shifter coupled to the hybrid coupler for receiving the first coupled signal and the second coupled signal and outputting the first phase shifted signal and the second phase shifted signal, wherein there are a second phase difference between the first coupled signal and the first phase shifted signal, a third phase difference between the second coupled signal and the second phase shifted signal, and a fourth phase difference between the second phase difference and the third phase difference;

a third switched attenuator attenuating the first phase shifted signal and outputting a third attenuated signal;

a fourth switched attenuator attenuating the second phase shifted signal and outputting a fourth attenuated signal; and

a power combiner coupled to the third switched attenuator and the fourth switched attenuator for combining the third attenuated signal and the fourth attenuated signal into a combined signal and outputting the combined signal from a third output terminal, wherein there is a fifth phase difference between the combined signal and the input signal;

an active all-pass phase shifter coupled between the power combiner and a fourth output terminal, wherein the active all-pass phase shifter adjusts a phase of the output signal using a variable capacitor and amplifies the power of the output signal.

20. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 19, wherein the power divider comprises:

a first inductor coupled between the signal input terminal and the first output terminal;

a second inductor coupled between the signal input terminal and the second output terminal;

a first capacitor coupled between the first output terminal and a ground node;

a second capacitor coupled between the second output terminal and the ground node;

a third capacitor coupled between the signal input terminal and the ground node;

and

a first resistor coupled between the first output terminal and the second output terminal.

21. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first switched attenuator and the second switched attenuator respectively comprises:

a first attenuated circuit;

a second attenuated circuit;

a first switch selectively connecting one of the first attenuated circuit and the second attenuated circuit to the power combiner; and

a second switch selectively connecting one of the first attenuated circuit and the second attenuated circuit to the hybrid coupler.

22. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 21, wherein the second attenuated circuit comprises:

a second resistor coupled to the first switch;

a third resistor coupled between the second resistor and the second switch; and

a fourth resistor coupled between a ground node and a first connection point of the second resistor and the third resistor.

23. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 21, wherein the third switched attenuator and the fourth switched attenuator respectively comprises:

a third attenuated circuit;

a fourth attenuated circuit;

a third switch selectively connecting one of the third attenuated circuit and the fourth attenuated circuit to the differential phase shifter; and

a fourth switch selectively connecting one of the third attenuated circuit and the fourth attenuated circuit to the power combiner.

24. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 23, wherein the fourth attenuated circuit comprises:

a fifth resistor coupled to the third switch;

a sixth resistor coupled between the fifth resistor and the third switch; and

a seventh resistor coupled between a ground node and a second connection point of the fifth resistor and the sixth resistor.

25. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 23, wherein the first attenuated circuit, the third attenuated circuit, the first switch, the second switch, the third switch and the fourth switch each are selected from the group consisting of a metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor, a bi-polar junction transistor, a pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor and a heterojunction bipolar transistor, and wherein the second attenuated circuit and the fourth attenuated circuit are each selected from the group consisting of a π

-resistor network and a T-resistor network.

26. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 19, wherein the hybrid coupler comprises:

a fourth capacitor coupled to the first switched attenuator;

a fifth capacitor coupled between the second switched attenuator and the fourth capacitor;

a third inductor coupled between a ground node and a third connection point of the fourth capacitor and the fifth capacitor;

a fourth inductor coupled between the fourth capacitor and the ground node;

a fifth inductor coupled between the fifth capacitor and the ground node;

a sixth capacitor coupled to the fourth inductor;

a seventh capacitor coupled between the differential phase shifter and the sixth capacitor;

a sixth inductor coupled between the ground node and a fourth connection point of the sixth capacitor and the seventh capacitor;

an eighth capacitor coupled to the fifth inductor;

a ninth capacitor coupled between the differential phase shifter and the eighth capacitor;

a seventh inductor coupled between the ground node and a fifth connection point of the eighth capacitor and the ninth capacitor;

an eight inductor coupled between the seventh capacitor and the ground node;

a ninth inductor coupled between the ninth capacitor and the ground node;

a tenth capacitor coupled to the eight inductor;

an eleventh capacitor coupled between the ninth inductor and the tenth capacitor; and

a tenth inductor coupled between the ground node and a sixth connection point of the tenth-capacitor and the eleventh capacitor.;

27. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 19, wherein the differential phase shifter comprises:

an eleventh inductor coupled to the hybrid coupler;

a twelfth capacitor coupled between the eleventh inductor and a ground node;

a twelfth inductor coupled between the eleventh inductor and the third switched attenuator;

a thirteenth capacitor coupled between the ground node and a seventh connection point of the eleventh inductor and the twelfth inductor;

a fourteenth capacitor coupled between the ground node and the twelfth inductor;

a fifteenth capacitor coupled to the hybrid coupler;

a thirteenth inductor coupled between the fifteenth capacitor and the ground node;

a sixteenth capacitor coupled between the fifteenth capacitor and the fourth switched attenuator;

a fourteenth inductor coupled between the ground node and an eighth connection point of the fifteenth capacitor and the sixteenth capacitor; and

a fifteenth inductor coupled between the sixteenth capacitor and the ground node.

28. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 19, wherein the power combiner comprises:

an eighth resistor coupled between the third switched attenuator and the fourth switched attenuator;

a seventeenth capacitor coupled between the eighth resistor and a ground node;

an eighteenth capacitor coupled between the eighth resistor and the ground node;

a sixteenth inductor coupled between the seventeenth capacitor and the third output terminal;

a seventeenth inductor coupled between the eighteenth capacitor and the third output terminal; and

a nineteenth capacitor coupled between the third output terminal and the ground node.

29. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 19, wherein the phase shifter circuit is integrated into a semiconductor process.

30. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 19, wherein the power divider and the power combiner are Wilkinson power dividers.

31. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 19, wherein the gains of the first switched attenuator, the second switched attenuator, the third switched attenuator and the fourth switched attenuator are switched between a high state and a low state.

32. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 19, wherein the hybrid coupler is 90 degrees hybrid coupler and the fourth phase difference is 180 degrees.

33. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 19, wherein the hybrid coupler is 180 degrees hybrid coupler and the fourth phase difference is 90 degrees.

34. The phase shifter circuit as claimed in claim 19, wherein the power divider, the hybrid coupler, the differential phase shifter and the power combiner comprise a plurality of lumped capacitors and a plurality of lumped inductors.