Antenna interface unit

• US 7,509,100 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2006
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Wireless Corporation (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Toncich, Stanley S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Nhan T
• Application Number:
  US11/538,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20070207748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 455 80- 82, 455/107, 455/120, 455/121, 455/124, 455/125, 455/129, 455/170, 455/178.1, 455/191.1, 455/193.1, 455/281, 455/282, 333/17.1, 333/17.3, 333/124, 330/302
• US Class Current: 455/107
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/2694 Measuring dielectric loss, e.g. loss angle, loss factor or power factor
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 7/06 having a dielectric selected for the variation of its permittivity with applied voltage, i.e. ferroelectric capacitors electrets H01G7/02
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0808 Varactor diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/203 Strip line filters
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/20336 Comb or interdigital filters
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/20363 Linear resonators
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/20381 Special shape resonators
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/2039 Galvanic coupling between Input/Output
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/2056 Comb filters or interdigital filters with metallised resonator holes in a dielectric block
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/213 combining or separating two or more different frequencies H01P1/215 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/04 with variable factor of coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/04 Modifications of generator to compensate for variations in physical values, e.g. power supply, load, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/124 the means comprising a voltage dependent capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/1262 the means comprising switched elements
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/1293 having means for achieving a desired tuning characteristic, e.g. linearising the frequency characteristic across the tuning voltage range
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/1841 the frequency-determining element being a strip line resonator H03B5/1805, H03B5/1817, H03B5/1864 and H03B5/1882 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/362 the amplifier being a single transistor H03B5/364 - H03B5/368 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/56 Modifications of input or output impedances, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/111 the amplifier being a dual or triple band amplifier, e.g. 900 and 1800 MHz, e.g. switched or not switched, simultaneously or not
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/294 the amplifier being a low noise amplifier [LNA]
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/372 : Noise reduction and elimination in amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/191 : Tuned amplifiers H03F3/193, H03F3/195 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/0123 : comprising distributed impedance elements together with lumped impedance elements
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/12 : Bandpass or bandstop filters with adjustable bandwidth and fixed centre frequency H03H7/09 takes precedence; automatic control of bandwidth in amplifiers H03G5/16
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/20 : Two-port phase shifters providing an adjustable phase shift
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 5/246 : using electronic means H03J5/244 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 1/022 : by indirect stabilisation, i.e. by generating an electrical correction signal which is a function of the temperature H03L1/021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/18 : using a frequency divider or counter in the loop H03L7/20, H03L7/22 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0053 : with common antenna for more than one band
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0458 : Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages matching circuits in general H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/30 : for homodyne or synchrodyne receivers demodulator circuits H03D1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 : Circuits

Abstract

A ferro-electric (FE) tunable antenna matching circuit is provided for a multi-band antenna. The tunable matching circuit is integrated with a diplexer on one substrate. The tunable matching circuit has a first and second inductor coupled to the antenna. The second inductor is couple to a first capacitor and a second capacitor. One side of the second capacitor forms an input/output port for connection to a duplexer. One or more of the matching circuit elements is a ferro-electric (FE) tunable component.

Claims

1. An antenna interface unit, comprising:

a multi-band antenna for communicating a plurality of communication bands;

a band pass filter for separating at least one band from the plurality of communication bands;

an antenna matching circuit connected between the multi-band antenna and the band pass filter, comprising;

a first connection point connected to the multi-band antenna;

a first inductor connected between the first connection point and a ground;

a second inductor connected to the first connection point and a second connection point;

a first capacitor connected between the second connection point and the ground;

a second capacitor connected between the second connection point and the band pass filter;

wherein at least one of the first inductor, the second inductor, the first capacitor and the second capacitor is a first tunable ferroelectric (FE) component comprising;

an FE material; and

a control signal source electrically connected to the FE material for transmitting a control signal to the FE material to adjust one of a capacitance and an inductance of the first tunable FE component.

2. The antenna interface unit of claim 1, wherein the band pass filter is a diplexer.

3. The antenna interface unit of claim 1, wherein the antenna matching circuit and the band pass filter are deposited on a substrate, and wherein the antenna matching circuit matches a 50 ohm impedance of the antenna with a natural input impedance of the band pass filter.

4. The antenna interface unit of claim 1, further comprising a duplexer connected to the band pass filter.

5. The antenna interface unit of claim 4, wherein the antenna matching circuit and the band pass filter are deposited on a substrate, and wherein the duplexer is deposited on the substrate.

6. The antenna interface unit of claim 5, further comprising a second matching circuit connected between the duplexer and the band pass filter, wherein the second matching circuit comprises at least one second tunable FE component.

7. The antenna interface unit of claim 6, wherein the second matching circuit matches a natural output impedance of the band pass filter to a natural input impedance of the duplexer.

8. The antenna interface unit of claim 1, wherein the antenna matching circuit and the band pass filter are deposited on a substrate, further comprising

a first duplexer deposited on the substrate and connected by a second FE tunable matching circuit to the band pass filter, the first duplexer for communicating frequencies in a cellular band;

and

a second duplexer deposited on the substrate and connected by a third FE tunable matching circuit to the band pass filter, the second duplexer for communicating frequencies in a PCS band.

10. The antenna interface unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a first duplexer unit comprising;

a first duplexer connected to the band pass filter, the first duplexer for separating frequencies of one of a PCS and a cellular communication band;

a power amplifier (PA) electrically connected to the first duplexer; and

a duplexer to PA matching circuit connected between the first duplexer and the PA.

11. The antenna interface unit of claim 1, wherein the first duplexer unit is deposited on a second substrate, and wherein the duplexer to PA matching circuit matches a natural input impedance of the duplexer to a natural output impedance of the PA.

9. The antenna interface unit of claim B wherein the second FE tunable matching circuit matches a first duplexer natural impedance of the first duplexer to a natural impedance of the band pass filter;

and

wherein the third FE tunable matching circuit matches a second duplexer natural impedance of the second duplexer to the natural impedance of the band pass filter.

12. An antenna interface unit, comprising:

a multi-band antenna for communicating a plurality of communication bands;

a diplexer for separating at least one band from the plurality of communication bands, the diplexer deposited on a substrate;

an antenna matching circuit deposited on the substrate and connected between the multi-band antenna and the diplexer, the antenna matching circuit for matching an impedance of the antenna with a natural input impedance of the diplexer, the antenna matching circuit comprising;

a first connection point connected to the multi-band antenna;

a first inductor connected between the first connection point and a ground;

a second inductor connected to the first connection point and a second connection point;

a first capacitor connected between the second connection point and the ground;

a second capacitor connected between the second connection point and the diplexer;

wherein at least one of the first inductor, the second inductor, the first capacitor

and the second capacitor is a first tunable ferroelectric (FE) component comprising;

an FE material; and

a control signal source electrically connected to the FE material for transmitting a control signal to the FE material to adjust one of a capacitance and an inductance of the first tunable FE component.

13. The antenna interface unit of claim 12 further comprising a duplexer connected to the diplexer.

14. The antenna interface unit of claim 13, wherein the duplexer is deposited on the substrate.

15. The antenna interface unit of claim 14, further comprising a second matching circuit connected between the duplexer and the diplexer, wherein the second matching circuit comprises at least one second tunable FE component.

16. The antenna interface unit of claim 15, wherein the second matching circuit matches a natural output impedance of the diplexer to a natural input impedance of the duplexer.

17. The antenna interface unit of claim 12, further comprising

a first duplexer deposited on the substrate and connected by a second FE tunable matching circuit to the diplexer, the first duplexer for communicating frequencies in a cellular band;

and

a second duplexer deposited on the substrate and connected by a third FE tunable matching circuit to the diplexer, the second duplexer for communicating frequencies in a PCS band.

18. The antenna interface unit of claim 17 wherein the second FE tunable matching circuit matches a first duplexer natural impedance of the first duplexer to a natural output impedance of the diplexer;

and

wherein the third FE tunable matching circuit matches a second duplexer natural impedance of the second duplexer to the natural output impedance of the diplexer.

19. The antenna interface unit of claim 12, further comprising:

a first duplexer unit comprising;

a first duplexer connected to the diplexer, the first duplexer for separating frequencies of one of a PCS and a cellular communication band;

a power amplifier (PA) electrically connected to the first duplexer; and

a duplexer to PA matching circuit connected between the first duplexer and the PA.