Two-pin TR switch with switched capacitor

• US 8,886,136 B1
• Filed: 04/18/2012
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Signoff, David M., Park, Jinho, Lin, Li, Chen, Yung
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH C
• Application Number:
  US13/449,979
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 455/78, 455/80, 455/82, 455/83, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 333/103, 333/104
• US Class Current: 455/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/44 Transmit/receive switching

Abstract

A two-pin transmit/receive switch design includes a switching component configured to selectively switch in elements for a transmit signal path and elements for a receive signal path. A capacitor in the transmit signal path may be switched out when receiving signals on the receive signal path. Being able to selectively switch out the capacitor allows the capacitor value to be selected for optimal operation during transmit mode. For example, insertion loss may be minimized. In addition, elements in the receive signal path may be optimized (e.g., impedance matching) without being affected by or affecting the optimization that was performed for the transmit signal path.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit (IC) device comprising:

a transmitter stage;

a receiver stage;

two interface pins configured for connection to an antenna; and

a switching component coupled to each of (i) the transmitter stage, (ii) the receiver stage, and (ii) the two interface pins,

wherein the switching component comprises a capacitor,

wherein the switching component is configured to operate in one of a first configuration and a second configuration,

wherein while the switching component operates in the first configuration, the switching component is configured to (i) transmit a transmit signal produced by the transmitter stage to at least one of the two interface pins, (ii) electrically isolate the transmitter stage from the receiver stage, and (iii) couple the capacitor between the transmitter stage and a ground node, and

wherein while the switching component operates in the second configuration, the switching component is configured to (i) transmit a receive signal from at least one of the two interface pins to the receiver stage, (ii) electrically isolate the antenna from the transmitter stage, and (iii) refrain from coupling the capacitor between the transmitter stage and the ground node.

2. The IC device of claim 1, wherein:

wherein the switching component comprises an inductor; and

while the switching component operates in the first configuration, the switching component is configured to bypass the inductor by electrically coupling each of a first end and a second end of the inductor to the ground node.

3. The IC device of claim 2, wherein:

while the switching component operates in the second configuration, the switching component is configured (i) electrically coupling the first end of the inductor to an input of the receiver stage, and (ii) electrically coupling the second end of the inductor to the ground node.

4. An integrated circuit (IC) device comprising:

a transmitter stage;

a receiver stage;

two interface pins configured for connection to an antenna; and

a switching component coupled to each of (i) the transmitter stage, (ii) the receiver stage, and (ii) the two interface pins,

wherein the switching component is configured to operate in one of a first configuration and a second configuration,

wherein while the switching component operates in the first configuration, the switching component is configured to (i) transmit a transmit signal produced by the transmitter stage to at least one of the two interface pins, and (ii) electrically isolate the transmitter stage from the receiver stage,

wherein while the switching component operates in the second configuration, the switching component is configured to (i) transmit a receive signal from at least one of the two interface pins to the receiver stage, and (ii) electrically isolate the antenna from the transmitter stage,

wherein the switching component comprises a plurality of switches,

wherein all of the plurality of switches are in a closed state while the switching component operates in the first configuration, and

wherein all of the plurality of switches are in an open state while the switching component operates in the second configuration.

5. An integrated circuit (IC) device comprising:

a transmitter stage;

a receiver stage;

two interface pins configured for connection to an antenna; and

a switching component coupled to each of (i) the transmitter stage, (ii) the receiver stage, and (ii) the two interface pins,

wherein the switching component is configured to operate in one of a first configuration and a second configuration,

wherein while the switching component operates in the first configuration, the switching component is configured to (i) transmit a transmit signal produced by the transmitter stage to at least one of the two interface pins, and (ii) electrically isolate the transmitter stage from the receiver stage,

wherein while the switching component operates in the second configuration, the switching component is configured to (i) transmit a receive signal from at least one of the two interface pins to the receiver stage, and (ii) electrically isolate the antenna from the transmitter stage,

wherein the switching component comprises an on-chip capacitor, and

wherein the value of the on-chip capacitor is determined based only on an off-chip inductor connected across two terminals of the IC device.

6. The IC device of claim 5, wherein the on-chip capacitor and the off-chip inductor define a resonant circuit having a resonant frequency substantially equal to a frequency of a carrier signal of the transmitter stage in the IC device.

7. The IC device of claim 5, wherein:

the receive circuit is an on-chip inductor; and

the value of the on-chip inductor is determined based only on the off-chip inductor and on an electrical characteristic of the receiver stage of the IC device.

8. A circuit comprising:

a transmitter stage;

a receiver stage;

a switching component coupled to the transmitter stage and the receiver stage, the switching component having a first configuration comprising a transmit circuit that couples a transmit signal produced by the transmitter stage to an antenna assembly connected to the circuit, the switching component having a second configuration comprising a receive circuit that couples a receive signal at the antenna assembly to the receiver stage,

wherein, when the switching component is in the first configuration, a signal produced by the transmitter stage of the IC device is electrically isolated from elements of the receive circuit,

wherein, when the switching component is in the second configuration, a signal received by the antenna is electrically isolated from elements of the transmit circuit,

wherein the switching component comprises a plurality of switches,

wherein all of the switches are in a closed state in the first configuration, and

wherein all of the switches are in an open state in the second configuration.

9. The circuit of claim 8, wherein the transmit circuit comprises at least one inductor or capacitor, wherein the receive circuit comprises at least one inductor or capacitor.

10. The circuit of claim 8, wherein the transmit circuit comprises an on-chip capacitor, wherein the value of the capacitor is determined based only on an off-chip inductor connected to the circuit, wherein the receive circuit is an on-chip inductor, wherein the value of the inductor is determined based only on the off-chip inductor and on an electrical characteristic of the receiver stage.

11. A method of operating an integrated circuit device, wherein the integrated circuit device comprises (i) a transmitter stage, (ii) a receiver stage, (iii) two interface pins configured for connection to an antenna, and (iv) a switching component, wherein the switching component comprises a capacitor, and wherein the method comprises:

operating the switching component in one of a first configuration and a second configuration;

while operating the switching component in the first configuration,

transmitting, by the switching component, a transmit signal from the transmitter stage to at least one of the two interface pins,

electrically isolating, by the switching component, the transmitter stage from the receiver stage, and

coupling the capacitor between the transmitter stage and a ground node; and

while operating the switching component in the first configuration,

transmitting, by the switching component, a receive signal from at least one of the two interface pins to the receiver stage to the receiver stage,

electrically isolating, by the switching component, the antenna from the transmitter stage, and

refraining from coupling the capacitor between the transmitter stage and the ground node.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the switching component comprises an inductor, and wherein the method further comprises:

while operating the switching component in the first configuration, bypassing, by the switching component, the inductor by electrically coupling each of a first end and a second end of the inductor to the ground node.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

while operating the switching component in the second configuration,

electrically coupling, by the switching component, the first end of the inductor to an input of the receiver stage, and

electrically coupling, by the switching component, the second end of the inductor to the ground node.

14. A method of operating an integrated circuit device, wherein the integrated circuit device comprises (i) a transmitter stage, (ii) a receiver stage, (iii) two interface pins configured for connection to an antenna, and (iv) a switching component, wherein the switching component comprises a plurality of switches, and wherein the method comprises:

operating the switching component in one of a first configuration and a second configuration;

while operating the switching component in the first configuration,

transmitting, by the switching component, a transmit signal from the transmitter stage to at least one of the two interface pins,

electrically isolating, by the switching component, the transmitter stage from the receiver stage, and

operating the plurality of switches such that each of the plurality of switches is in a closed state; and

while operating the switching component in the first configuration,

transmitting, by the switching component, a receive signal from at least one of the two interface pins to the receiver stage to the receiver stage,

electrically isolating, by the switching component, the antenna from the transmitter stage, and

operating the plurality of switches such that each of the plurality of switches is in an open state.