Switchable inductor network
First Claim
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1. An apparatus providing a selectable inductance across a pair of nodes, the apparatus comprising a switchable inductor network comprising:
- a first coil having terminals directly connected to first and second nodes, the first coil comprising multiple turns, wherein the first coil comprises a first inductor and a second inductor, wherein the first inductor is coupled in series with the second inductor, and wherein a differential ground is between the first inductor and the second inductor;
a second coil nested entirely within a region defined by the multiple turns of the first coil and comprising first and second segments, wherein a first terminal of the first segment is directly connected to the first node and a first terminal of the second segment is directly connected to the second node, wherein the first and the second segments comprise multiple turns and at least one turn of the first segment overlaps at least one turn of the second segment without direct electrical contact; and
a switch connected between a second terminal of the first segment and a second terminal of the second segment and configured to selectively couple or decouple the first segment to the second segment in response to a control signal, the switch coupling the first and second segments to differential ground on closing the switch.
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Abstract
Techniques for providing a switchable inductor network having configurable inductance in response to a control signal. The switchable inductor network may adopt a fully symmetric architecture to reduce the effects of parasitic elements in differential mode operation. The switchable inductor network is particularly suitable for multi-mode communications circuitry applications, e.g., in the design of a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) or an amplifier or buffer in such circuitry.
36 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus providing a selectable inductance across a pair of nodes, the apparatus comprising a switchable inductor network comprising:
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a first coil having terminals directly connected to first and second nodes, the first coil comprising multiple turns, wherein the first coil comprises a first inductor and a second inductor, wherein the first inductor is coupled in series with the second inductor, and wherein a differential ground is between the first inductor and the second inductor; a second coil nested entirely within a region defined by the multiple turns of the first coil and comprising first and second segments, wherein a first terminal of the first segment is directly connected to the first node and a first terminal of the second segment is directly connected to the second node, wherein the first and the second segments comprise multiple turns and at least one turn of the first segment overlaps at least one turn of the second segment without direct electrical contact; and a switch connected between a second terminal of the first segment and a second terminal of the second segment and configured to selectively couple or decouple the first segment to the second segment in response to a control signal, the switch coupling the first and second segments to differential ground on closing the switch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for providing a selectable inductance across first and second nodes in a switchable inductor network, the switchable inductor network comprising a first coil having terminals directly connected to the first and second nodes, wherein the first coil comprises a first inductor and a second inductor, wherein the first inductor is coupled in series with the second inductor, and wherein a differential ground is between the first inductor and the second inductor, the first coil comprising multiple turns, the switchable inductor network further comprising a second coil nested entirely within a region defined by the multiple turns of the first coil and comprising first and second segments, wherein a first terminal of the first segment is directly connected to the first node and wherein a first terminal of the second segment is directly connected to the second node, the first and the second segments comprising multiple turns and at least one turn of the first segment overlapping at least one turn of the second segment without direct electrical contact, the method comprising:
selectively coupling or decoupling a second terminal of the first segment to a second terminal of the second segment in response to a control signal using a switch, the switch coupling the first and second segments to differential ground on closing the switch. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A device for wireless communications, the device comprising:
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a local oscillator (LO) signal generator, the LO signal generator comprising a switchable inductor network to provide selectable inductance across first and second nodes, the switchable inductor network comprising; a first coil having terminals directly connected to the first and second nodes, the first coil comprising multiple turns, wherein the first coil comprises a first inductor and a second inductor, wherein the first inductor is coupled in series with the second inductor, and wherein a differential ground is between the first inductor and the second inductor; a second coil nested entirely within a region defined by multiple turns of the first coil and comprising first and second segments, wherein a first terminal of the first segment is directly connected to the first node and wherein a first terminal of the second segment is directly connected to the second node, wherein the first and the second segments comprise multiple turns and at least one turn of the first segment overlaps at least one turn of the second segment without direct electrical contact; and a switch connected between a second terminal of the first segment and a second terminal of the second segment and configured to selectively couple or decouple the first segment to the second segment in response to a control signal to provide the selectable inductance, the switch coupling the first and second segments to differential ground on closing the switch.
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19. An apparatus providing a selectable inductance across a pair of nodes, the apparatus comprising:
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means for a first inductance directly connected to first and second nodes, wherein the means for the first inductance comprises multiple turns, wherein the first inductance comprises a first inductor and a second inductor, wherein the first inductor is coupled in series with the second inductor, and wherein a differential ground is between the first inductor and the second inductor; means for a second inductance, wherein a first terminal of the second inductance is directly connected to the first node; means for a third inductance, wherein a first terminal of the third inductance is directly connected to the second node, wherein the means for the second inductance and the means for the third inductance are nested entirely within a region defined by the multiple turns of the means for the first inductance, and wherein the means for the second inductance and the means for the third inductance comprise multiple turns and at least one turn of the means for the second inductance overlaps at least one turn of the means for the third inductance without direct electrical contact; and means for selectively coupling or decoupling a second terminal of the means for the second inductance to a second terminal of the means for the third inductance in response to a control signal, the means for selectively coupling or decoupling couples the means for the second inductance and the means for third inductance to differential ground on coupling the second terminal of the means for the second inductance to the second terminal of the means for the third inductance. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification