Programmable inductor

• US 8,044,756 B2
• Filed: 07/04/2007
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: ST-Ericcson SA (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Fahs, Bassem
• Primary Examiner(s): MAI, ANH T
• Application Number:
  US12/306,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20100066473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,574 Days
• Field of Search: 336/200, 336/223, 336/232
• US Class Current: 336/200
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0006 Printed inductances printed coils for dynamo-electric machines H02K3/26; printed circuits H05K
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2017/0046 with a conductive path having a bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2017/0073 with a special conductive pattern, e.g. flat spiral
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2021/125 Printed variable inductor with taps, e.g. for VCO
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 21/12 discontinuously variable, e.g. tapped
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/346 Preventing or reducing leakage fields using magnetic shields H01F27/36; using auxiliary windings H01F27/38
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/40 Structural association with built-in electric component, e.g. fuse
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5227 Inductive arrangements or effects of, or between, wiring layers other inductive arrangements H01L23/645
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/08 including only semiconductor components of a single kind
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 Electromagnet, transformer or inductor

Abstract

The present invention provides a programmable integrated inductor having a compact design, having a dual turn and a parallel programmable impedance. In particular, the impedance value of the programmable changes, like a variable, programmable, as its range may be set to an unlimited number of values. The invention, thus, provides a wider range of programmable values without compromising space, at a constant equivalent given inductor area.

Claims

1. A programmable integrated inductor comprising:

a dual-turn inductor comprising at least one inner turn and at least one outer turn, wherein a current generated by the at least one inner and a current generated by the at least one outer turn have a same direction; and

at least one parallel programmable impedance located at an opposite end of the programmable integrated inductor from an input thereof configured to change an impedance value and an inductance value of the inductor, wherein the impedance value is a variable based as a function of a digital or an analog signal and the inductance value is programmable so that its range may be set to an unlimited number of values, and wherein the programmable impedance is coupled between a first inner turn to outer turn transition and a second inner turn to outer turn transition.

2. The programmable inductor of claim 1, wherein the current in the at least one inner turn is configured to generate a magnetic field B1 and the current in the at least one outer turn is configured to generate a magnetic field B2.

3. The programmable inductor of claim 1, wherein the range of values of the programmable inductor is configured to increase without increasing inductor dimensions.

4. The programmable inductor of claim 1, wherein the variable impedance may be implemented using a programmable trans-conductance or impedance device.

5. The programmable inductor of claim 1, wherein the variable impedance may be implemented using a Varicap block in parallel, providing an AC parallel path as a function of a tune voltage signal.

6. The programmable inductor of claim 1, wherein the dual-turn inductor comprises N number of turns.

7. The programmable inductor of claim 1, wherein the dual-turn inductor comprises a “

figure eight”

shape and further comprises at least one lower dual-turn and at least one upper dual-turn.

8. The programmable inductor of claim 1 further comprising a NMOS transistor configured as the parallel impedance and an inductor control pad, wherein its impedance control is made with a voltage potential applied directly on a gate.

9. A method of manufacturing a programmable integrated inductor, comprising:

forming a dual-turn inductor comprising at least one inner turn and at least one outer turn, wherein a current generated by the at least one inner and a current generated by the at least one outer turn have a same direction; and

forming at least one parallel programmable impedance located at an opposite end of the programmable integrated inductor from an input thereof configured to change an impedance value and an inductance value of the inductor, and wherein the impedance value is a variable based as a function of a digital or an analog signal and the inductance value is programmable so that its range may be set to an unlimited number of values, and wherein the programmable impedance is coupled between a first inner turn to outer turn transition and a second inner turn to outer turn transition.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the current in the at least one inner turn generates a magnetic field B1 and the current in the at least one outer generates a magnetic field B2.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising using a programmable trans-conductance or impedance device to implement the variable impedance.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the dual-turn inductor comprises N number of turns.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the dual-turn inductor comprises a “

figure eight”

shape and further comprises at least one lower dual-turn and at least one upper dual-turn.

14. A wireless communication device comprising a programmable integrated inductor comprising:

a dual-turn inductor comprising at least one inner turn and at least one outer turn, wherein a current generated by the at least one inner and a current generated by the at least one outer turn have a same direction; and

at least one parallel programmable impedance configured to change an impedance value and an inductance value of the inductor, wherein the impedance value is a variable based as a function of a digital or an analog signal and the inductance value is programmable so that its range may be set to an unlimited number of values, and wherein the programmable impedance is located at an opposite end of the programmable integrated inductor from an input thereof, and wherein the programmable impedance is coupled between a first inner turn to outer turn transition and a second inner turn to outer turn transition.

15. The programmable inductor of claim 14, wherein the range of values of the programmable inductor is configured to increase without increasing inductor dimensions.

16. The programmable inductor of claim 14, wherein the variable impedance may be implemented using a programmable trans-conductance or impedance device.