Method and apparatus for adaptive impedance matching

• US 8,217,731 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2010
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Paratek Microwave Incorporated (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: McKinzie, William E. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Takaoka, Dean O
• Application Number:
  US12/722,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20100164640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 333/17.3, 333/32, 324/600
• US Class Current: 333/17.3
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/50 Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/30 Automatic matching of source impedance to load impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/38 Impedance-matching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/44 Transmit/receive switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0278 Arrangements for impedance matching
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/18 TPC being performed according to specific parameters

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a matching network having one or more controllable variable reactive elements coupled to at least one input port and at least one output port. The one or more controllable variable reactive elements can be adapted to increase power transferred from the at least one input port to the at least one output port responsive to signals generated by a controller adapted to adjust one or more reactances within the matching network according to a mode of operation of a device detected by the controller. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an RF matching network coupled to at least one RF input port and at least one RF output port and comprising one or more controllable variable reactive elements, wherein the RF matching network is coupled to a transceiver and an antenna of a communication device,

wherein said RF matching network is adapted to increase signal power transferred from said at least one input port to said at least one output port by varying signals applied to said controllable variable reactive elements,

wherein said one or more controllable variable reactive elements are coupled to a circuit adapted to map one or more control signals that are output from a controller, and wherein the controller is adapted to control said one or more controllable variable reactive elements by way of the circuit, and

wherein said controller manages one or more reactances within the matching network according to a mode of operation of the communication device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mode of operation comprises information that describes one of a mode of transmitting RF signals by the communication device, or a mode of receiving RF signals by the communication device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mode of operation comprises information describing each of one or more frequencies of signals transferred from the at least one input port to the at least one output port.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said one or more controllable variable reactive elements comprise at least one of:

one or more reactive elements controlled by one or more semiconductor devices, wherein the one or more semiconductor devices are controlled by the one or more mapped control signals generated by the circuit;

one or more reactive elements controlled by one or more micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) devices, wherein the one or more MEMS devices are controlled by the one or more mapped control signals;

or

one or more reactive elements each having a controllable reactance, wherein the reactance of each of the one or more reactive elements is controlled by one of the one or more mapped control signals.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mapped control signals generated by the circuit enable or disable one or more switches that control a variable reactance of the RF matching network.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the one or more switches correspond to one or more semiconductor switches.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the one or more switches correspond to one or more mechanical switches.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the one or more mechanical switches correspond to one or more micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) switches.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the RF matching network is adapted to reduce signal reflections at one of the at least one RF input port or the at least one RF output port.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said bias circuit is adapted to generate at least one of analog or digital signals.

11. A matching network, comprising:

one or more controllable variable reactive elements coupled to at least one input port and at least one output port,

wherein said one or more controllable variable reactive elements are adapted to increase power transferred from said at least one input port to said at least one output port responsive to one or more control signals generated by a controller that are mapped by a circuit to adjust one or more reactances within the matching network according to a mode of operation of a device detected by the controller, and

wherein the matching network is coupled to a transceiver and an antenna of the device.

12. The matching network of claim 11, wherein the device is a communication device, and wherein the controller determines the mode of operation from a mode of transmitting RF signals by the communication device.

13. The matching network of claim 11, wherein the device is a communication device, and wherein the controller determines the mode of operation from a mode of receiving RF signals by the communication device.

14. The matching network of claim 11, wherein the device is a communication device, and wherein the controller determines the mode of operation from each of one or more frequencies of signals transferred from the at least one input port to the at least one output port.

15. The matching network of claim 11, wherein the controller is adapted to adjust the one or more reactances within the matching network according to external signals supplied to the controller.

16. The matching network of claim 11, wherein said one or more controllable variable reactive elements comprise at least one of:

one or more reactive elements controlled by one or more semiconductor devices, wherein the one or more semiconductor devices are controlled by the one or more control signals;

one or more reactive elements controlled by one or more micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) devices, wherein the one or more MEMS devices are controlled by the one or more control signals;

or

one or more reactive elements each having a controllable reactance, wherein the reactance of each of the one or more reactive elements is controlled by one of the one or more control signals.

17. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions, which when executed by a controller, cause the controller to:

determine a mode of communication operation of a communication device;

generate from the controller one or more control signals according to the determined mode of operation, wherein the one or more control signals are adapted by a circuit to one or more adapted signals; and

supply said one or more adapted signals to a matching network to modify one or more reactances therein and thereby increase power transferred from at least one input port to at least one output port of said matching network, wherein the matching network is coupled to a transceiver and an antenna of a communication device.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, comprising computer instructions to determine the mode of communication operation from a mode of transmitting RF signals by the communication device.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, comprising computer instructions to determine the mode of operation from a mode of receiving RF signals by the communication device.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, comprising computer instructions to determine the mode of communication operation from a value for each of one or more frequencies of signals transferred from the at least one input port to the at least one output port.

21. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein said one or more controllable variable reactive elements comprise at least one of:

one or more reactive elements controlled by one or more semiconductor devices, wherein the one or more semiconductor devices are controlled by the one or more control signals;

one or more reactive elements controlled by one or more micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) devices, wherein the one or more MEMS devices are controlled by the one or more control signals;

or

one or more reactive elements each having a controllable reactance, wherein the reactance of each of the one or more reactive elements is controlled by one of the one or more control signals.