Tunable microwave devices with auto-adjusting matching circuit

• US 7,728,693 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2008
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Paratek Microwave Incorporated (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: du Toit, Cornelis Frederik, Ryan, Deirdre A
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones; Stephen E
• Application Number:
  US12/077,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20080169879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 333/32, 333/33, 333/202
• US Class Current: 333/33
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/028 between strip lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/04 with variable factor of coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/56 Modifications of input or output impedances, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/60 Amplifiers in which coupling networks have distributed constants, e.g. with waveguide resonators H03F3/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance
• 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

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising a filter; and a matching network coupled to the filter, the matching network including a plurality of voltage tunable dielectric varactors.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a filter;

an automatic adjusting a matching network coupled to said filter, said matching network including a supported by a low-loss, non-tunable dielectric substrate which in turn is supported by a first ground conductor and includes at least one conducting partial-stage supported by a low-loss voltage-tunable dielectric layer, which in turn is supported by a second ground conductor, and

an adjustable DC voltage source supplied to said filter and said matching network, wherein said adjustable DC voltage source is used to supply bias voltage to said matching network and said filter in tandem.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said filter is a tunable filter.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a load coupled to said filter, wherein the impedance of said matching network changes to maximize power transfer to and from said filter.

4. A method, comprising:

using a filter;

coupling an automatically adjusting matching network to said filter, said matching network supported by a low-loss, non-tunable dielectric substrate which in turn is a supported by a first ground conductor and includes at least one conducting partial-stage supported by a low-loss voltage-tunable dielectric layer, which in turn is supported by a second ground conductor; and

supplying an adjustable DC voltage source to said filter and said matching network, wherein said adjustable DC voltage source is used to supply bias voltage to said matching network and said filter in tandem.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said filter is a tunable filter.

6. The method of claim 4, comprising coupling a load to said filter, wherein the impedance of said matching network changes to maximize power transfer to and from said filter.