Wireless communications device with an adjustable impedance matching network and associated methods

• US 8,600,320 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2013
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Muhammad, Khurram
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US13/762,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20130165056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• Field of Search: 455/107, 455/126, 333/24.R, 333/109, 343/850, 343/860
• US Class Current: 455/107
• 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

A mobile wireless communications device includes a portable housing, a transmitter carried by the portable housing and configured to modulate an input signal, and an adjustable impedance matching network coupled downstream from the transmitter. An antenna is coupled downstream from the adjustable impedance matching network, and a non-directional coupler is coupled between the adjustable impedance matching network and the antenna. A feedback receiver is coupled to the non-directional coupler to generate a feedback signal. A controller is configured to control the adjustable impedance matching network based upon the input signal and the feedback signal.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

an adjustable impedance matching network;

an antenna;

a non-directional coupler between said adjustable impedance matching network and said antenna;

a feedback receiver coupled to said non-directional coupler and configured to generate a feedback signal; and

a controller configured to control said adjustable impedance matching network based upon the feedback signal.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1 wherein said non-directional coupler comprises a signal path conductor and a feedback path conductor inductively coupled thereto.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1 wherein said non-directional coupler comprises a signal path conductor and a resistive load coupled thereto.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1 wherein said controller is configured to compare an input signal to the feedback signal in at least one iteration to determine at least one difference therebetween, and adjust an impedance of said adjustable impedance matching based upon the at least one difference.

5. The electronic device according to claim 4 wherein the at least one iteration comprises a plurality of iterations;

and wherein said controller is further configured to add a correction value to the input signal in each iteration.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5 wherein said controller is configured to calculate correction values based on a least means square (LMS) algorithm.

7. The electronic device according to claim 4 wherein said controller comprises a delay circuit configured to delay the input signal so that the input signal and the feedback signal match up in time when compared.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7 wherein said delay circuit is configured to implement a fixed delay corresponding to inherent delays of said feedback receiver, and a variable delay corresponding to variable environmental conditions.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1 wherein said adjustable impedance matching network comprises at least one variable capacitor.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1 further comprising a signal receiver coupled to said antenna.

11. The electronic device according to claim 1 further comprising a multi-frequency band transmitter upstream of said non-directional coupler.

12. An electronic device comprising:

a transmitter;

an adjustable impedance matching network downstream of said transmitter;

an antenna;

a non-directional coupler between said adjustable impedance matching network and said antenna;

a signal receiver coupled to said antenna;

a feedback receiver coupled to said non-directional coupler and configured to generate a feedback signal; and

a controller configured to control said adjustable impedance matching network based upon the feedback signal and an input signal to said transmitter.

13. The electronic device according to claim 12 wherein said non-directional coupler comprises a signal path conductor and a feedback path conductor inductively coupled thereto.

14. The electronic device according to claim 12 wherein said non-directional coupler comprises a signal path conductor and a resistive load coupled thereto.

15. The electronic device according to claim 12 wherein said controller is configured to compare the input signal to the feedback signal in at least one iteration to determine at least one difference therebetween, and adjust an impedance of said adjustable impedance matching based upon the at least one difference.

16. The electronic device according to claim 15 wherein the at least one iteration comprises a plurality of iterations;

and wherein said controller is further configured to add a correction value to the input signal in each iteration.

17. A method for operating an electronic device comprising an adjustable impedance matching network, an antenna, a non-directional coupler between the adjustable impedance matching network and the antenna, and a feedback receiver coupled to the non-directional coupler, the method comprising:

using a controller coupled to the adjustable impedance matching network and the feedback receiver to at least

control the feedback receiver to generate a feedback signal from the non-directional coupler, and

adjust the adjustable impedance matching network based upon the feedback signal.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the non-directional coupler comprises a signal path conductor and a feedback path conductor inductively coupled thereto.

19. The method according to claim 17 wherein the non-directional coupler comprises a signal path conductor and a resistive load coupled thereto.

20. The method according to claim 17 further comprising using the controller to compare an input signal to the feedback signal in at least one iteration to determine at least one difference therebetween;

and wherein the adjusting comprises adjusting an impedance of the adjustable impedance matching based upon the at least one difference.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein the at least one iteration comprises a plurality of iterations;

and further comprising using the controller to add a correction value to the input signal in each iteration.

22. The method according to claim 20 further comprising using the controller to delay the input signal so that the input signal and the feedback signal match up in time when compared.

23. The method according to claim 17 wherein the adjustable impedance matching network comprises at least one variable capacitor.

24. The method according to claim 17 wherein the electronic device comprises a signal receiver coupled to the antenna.