Tunable duplexer architecture

• US 9,048,805 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2012
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: RF Micro Devices Incorporated (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Inventors: Granger-Jones, Marcus, Khlat, Nadim
• Primary Examiner(s): Sam, Phirin
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASEFA, DEBEBE A
• Application Number:
  US13/633,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20130083703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 370254-350, 709201-213
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/211 Waffle-iron filters; Corrugated structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/2138 using hollow waveguide filters H01P1/2131 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/19 of the junction type
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/01 Frequency selective two-port networks
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/1758 Series LC in shunt or branch path H03H7/1791 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/1766 Parallel LC in series path H03H7/1783 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/1775 Parallel LC in shunt or branch path H03H7/1791 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/463 Duplexers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/525 with means for reducing leakage of transmitter signal into the receiver

Abstract

A tunable radio frequency (RF) duplexer and duplexing methods are disclosed. The tunable RF duplexer includes a first hybrid coupler, a second hybrid coupler, and an RF filter circuit. The first hybrid coupler is operable to split the RF transmission input signal into first and second RF quadrature hybrid transmission signals (QHTSs). The second hybrid coupler is operable to split the RF receive input signal into first and second RF quadrature hybrid receive signals (QHRSs). The RF filter circuit is operable to pass the first and second RF QHTSs to the second hybrid coupler and to reflect the first and second RF QHRSs back to the second hybrid coupler. Additionally, the second hybrid coupler is configured to combine the first and second RF QHTSs into an RF transmission output signal and to combine the first and second RF QHRSs into an RF receive output signal.

Claims

1. A tunable radio frequency (RF) duplexer comprising:

a first hybrid coupler operable to split an RF transmission input signal into a first RF quadrature hybrid transmission signal (QHTS) and a second RF QHTS;

a second hybrid coupler operable to split an RF receive input signal into a first RF quadrature hybrid receive signal (QHRS) and a second RF QHRS;

an RF filter circuit operable to pass the first RF QHTS and the second RF QHTS to the second hybrid coupler and to reflect the first RF QHRS and the second RF QHRS back to the second hybrid coupler; and

wherein the second hybrid coupler is configured to combine the first RF QHTS and the second RF QHTS into an RF transmission output signal and to combine the first RF QHRS and the second RF QHRS into an RF receive output signal.

2. The tunable RF duplexer of claim 1, further comprising a tuning circuit wherein:

the RF filter circuit has a frequency response that defines a passband;

the RF filter circuit is tunable to shift the passband; and

the tuning circuit is configured to tune the frequency response so that a signal bandwidth of the first RF QHTS and a signal bandwidth of the second RF QHTS are each within the passband.

3. The tunable RF duplexer of claim 1, further comprising a tuning circuit wherein:

the RF filter circuit has a frequency response that defines a stopband;

the RF filter circuit is tunable to shift the stopband; and

the tuning circuit is configured to tune the frequency response so that a signal bandwidth of the first RF QHRS and a signal bandwidth of the second RF QHRS are each within the stopband.

4. The tunable RF duplexer of claim 1, further comprising a tuning circuit wherein:

the RF filter circuit has a frequency response that defines a passband and a stopband;

the RF filter circuit is tunable to shift the passband and shift the stopband; and

the tuning circuit is configured to tune the frequency response so as to shift the passband so that a signal bandwidth of the first RF QHTS and a signal bandwidth of the second RF QHTS are each within the passband, and to shift the stopband so that a signal bandwidth of the first RF QHRS and a signal bandwidth of the second RF QHRS are each within the stopband.

5. The tunable RF duplexer of claim 4 wherein the frequency response defines the stopband as a notch.

6. The tunable RF duplexer of claim 4, further comprising a second RF filter circuit having a second frequency response that defines a second passband, wherein:

the second RF filter circuit is operably associated with the second hybrid coupler so as to receive the RF receive output signal;

the second RF filter circuit is tunable to shift the second passband; and

the tuning circuit is configured to tune the second frequency response so that a signal bandwidth of the RF receive output signal is within the second passband.

7. The tunable RF duplexer of claim 1, further comprising a tuning circuit wherein:

the first hybrid coupler is configured to receive the RF transmission input signal as operating in an RF communication band, whereby the first RF QHTS, the second RF QHTS, and the RF transmission output signal each operate in the RF communication band;

the second hybrid coupler is configured to receive the RF receive input signal as operating within the RF communication band, whereby the first RF QHTS, the second RF QHTS, and the RF receive output signal each operate in the RF communication band;

the RF filter circuit has a frequency response that defines a passband and a stopband, wherein the RF filter circuit is tunable so as to shift the passband and to shift the stopband; and

the tuning circuit is configured to tune the frequency response so as to shift the passband within the RF communication band such that the first RF QHTS and the second RF QHTS operating in the RF communication band are passed to the second hybrid coupler, and to shift the stopband in the RF communication band such that the first RF QHRS and the second RF QHRS operating in the RF communication band are reflected back to the second hybrid coupler.

8. The tunable RF duplexer of claim 7, wherein:

the RF communication band has an RF receive band and an RF transmission band;

the RF receive input signal, the first RF QHRS, the second RF QHRS, and the RF receive output signal each operate in the RF receive band;

the RF transmission input signal, the first RF QHTS, the second RF QHTS, and the RF transmission output signal each operate in the RF transmission band; and

the tuning circuit is configured to shift the passband into the RF transmission band and to shift the stopband into the RF receive band.

9. The tunable RF duplexer of claim 8, wherein:

the second hybrid coupler is configured to receive a second RF receive signal operating in a second RF receive band within another RF communication band, wherein the second hybrid coupler is configured to split the second RF receive signal into a third RF QHRS and a fourth RF QHRS, whereby each of the third RF QHRS and the fourth RF QHRS operates in the second RF receive band;

the RF filter circuit having the frequency response that further defines a second stopband and being tunable so as to shift the second stopband;

the tuning circuit being further configured to tune the frequency response so as to shift the second stopband in the second RF receive band such that the third RF QHRS and the fourth RF QHRS are reflected back to the second hybrid coupler; and

wherein the second hybrid coupler is configured to combine the third RF QHRS and the fourth RF QHRS into a second RF receive output signal that operates in the second RF receive band.

10. The tunable RF duplexer of claim 8, further comprising:

a third hybrid coupler configured to receive a second RF receive input signal operating in a second RF receive band within another RF communication band, wherein the third hybrid coupler is configured to split the second RF receive input signal into a third RF QHRS and a fourth RF QHRS, whereby each of the third RF QHRS and the fourth RF QHRS operate in the second RF receive band;

a second RF filter circuit having a second frequency response that defines a second passband and a second stopband, wherein the second RF filter circuit is tunable to shift the second passband and shift the second stopband;

the tuning circuit is further configured to tune the second frequency response such that the second passband is shifted in the RF transmission band so that the second RF filter circuit passes the first RF QHTS and the second RF QHTS and such that the second stopband is shifted in the second RF receive band so that the second RF filter circuit reflects the third RF QHRS and the fourth RF QHRS back to the third hybrid coupler; and

wherein the third hybrid coupler is configured to combine the third RF QHRS and the fourth RF QHRS into a second RF receive output signal that operates in the second RF receive band, and to combine the first RF QHTS and the second RF QHTS into a second RF transmission output signal that operates in the RF transmission band.

11. The tunable RF duplexer of claim 10, wherein:

the first hybrid coupler is further configured to;

output the first RF QHTS at a half power spectral density; and

output the second RF QHTS with a half power spectral density; and

the RF filter circuit and the second RF filter circuit are operably associated such that;

the first RF QHTS is received by the RF filter circuit at a quarter power spectral density;

the second RF QHTS is received by the RF filter circuit at a quarter power spectral density;

the first RF QHTS is received by the second RF filter circuit at a quarter power spectral density;

the second RF QHTS is received by the second RF filter circuit at a quarter power spectral density; and

the RF transmission output signal and the second RF transmission output signal are combined into an aggregated RF transmission output signal.

12. The tunable RF duplexer of claim 7, wherein:

the RF filter circuit is tunable so that the RF communication band can be switched to be any one of a plurality of different RF communication bands; and

the tuning circuit is operable to tune the frequency response of the RF filter circuit such that the passband is shifted to pass the first RF QHTS and the second RF QHTS in response to the RF communication band being switched to a different one of the plurality of different RF communication bands, and the stopband is shifted to reflect the first RF QHRS and the second RF QHRS in response to the RF communication band being switched to the different one of the plurality of different RF communication bands.

13. The tunable RF duplexer of claim 1 wherein the second hybrid coupler has a port, the port being configured to simultaneously receive the RF receive input signal and output the RF transmission output signal.

14. The tunable RF duplexer of claim 1 further comprising a tuning circuit and wherein:

the RF filter circuit has a frequency response that defines a passband and is tunable so as to shift a stopband;

the tuning circuit is configured to tune the RF filter circuit so that a signal bandwidth of the RF transmission input signal is within the passband and so that a signal bandwidth of the RF receive input signal is within the stopband;

the first hybrid coupler has a first port, wherein the first hybrid coupler is configured to receive the RF transmission input signal at the first port; and

the second hybrid coupler has a second port and a third port, wherein the second hybrid coupler is configured to;

receive the RF receive input signal at the second port;

output the RF transmission output signal from the second port; and

output the RF receive output signal from the third port.

15. The tunable RF duplexer of claim 14 further comprising:

a second RF filter circuit coupled to the third port so that the second RF filter circuit is configured to receive the RF receive output signal, wherein the second RF filter circuit has a second frequency response that defines a second passband, the second RF filter circuit being tunable to shift the second passband; and

the tuning circuit further configured to tune the second RF filter circuit so that a signal bandwidth of the RF receive output signal is within the second passband.

16. The tunable RF duplexer of claim 14 wherein, to combine the first RF QHTS and the second RF QHTS into the RF transmission output signal, the second hybrid coupler is further configured to:

pass the second RF QHTS to the second port; and

pass the first RF QHTS to the second port, wherein the second hybrid coupler provides a quadrature phase shift to the first RF QHTS at the second port such that the first RF QHTS is provided substantially as a duplicate of the second RF QHTS at the second port, and the first RF QHTS and the second RF QHTS constructively interfere at the second port to output the RF transmission output signal from the second port.

17. The tunable RF duplexer of claim 16 wherein, to combine the first RF QHRS and the second RF QHRS into the RF receive output signal, the second hybrid coupler is further configured to:

pass the second RF QHRS to the third port;

pass the first RF QHRS to the third port, wherein the second hybrid coupler provides a quadrature phase shift to the first RF QHRS at the third port such that the first RF QHRS is provided substantially as a duplicate of the second RF QHRS at the third port, and the first RF QHRS and the second RF QHRS constructively interfere at the third port to output the RF receive output signal from the third port.

18. The tunable RF duplexer of claim 17 wherein the second hybrid coupler is further configured such that the quadrature phase shift at the second port results in destructive interference between the first RF QHRS and the second RF QHRS, wherein the first RF QHRS and the second RF QHRS are substantially cancelled at the second port, and such that the quadrature phase shift at the third port results in destructive interference between the first RF QHTS and the second RF QHTS at the third port, wherein the first RF QHTS and the second RF QHTS are substantially cancelled at the third port.

19. The tunable RF duplexer of claim 18, further comprising a second RF filter circuit wherein the second RF filter circuit is operable to define a passband and the second RF filter circuit is operably associated with the third port so as to pass the RF receive output signal within the passband to a receiver chain.

20. The tunable RF duplexer of claim 1 wherein:

the first hybrid coupler comprises a first port configured to receive the RF transmission input signal, a second port, and a third port, wherein the first hybrid coupler is configured to;

output the first RF QHTS from the second port in response to the RF transmission input signal being received at the first port; and

output the second RF QHTS from the third port in response to the RF transmission input signal being received at the first port; and

the second hybrid coupler comprises a fourth port configured to receive the first RF QHTS from the RF filter circuit and the second RF QHRS reflected back by the RF filter circuit, a fifth port configured to receive the second RF QHTS from the RF filter circuit and the first RF QHRS reflected back by the RF filter circuit, a sixth port, and a seventh port configured to receive the RF receive input signal, wherein the second hybrid coupler is configured to;

output the RF receive output signal from the sixth port in response to the second RF QHRS being reflected back by the RF filter circuit to the fourth port and the first RF QHRS being reflected back by the RF filter circuit to the fifth port; and

output the RF transmission output signal from the seventh port in response to the second RF QHTS being received from the RF filter circuit at the fourth port and the first RF QHTS being received from the RF filter circuit at the fifth port.

21. The tunable RF duplexer of claim 20 wherein the first hybrid coupler further comprises an eighth port, wherein the first hybrid coupler is configured such that the eighth port is substantially isolated from the first port.

22. The tunable RF duplexer of claim 20 further comprising:

an antenna;

an antenna impedance tuner coupled between the antenna and the seventh port, wherein the antenna impedance tuner is tunable so as to reduce reflections from the antenna to the seventh port.

23. A method of providing RF duplexing, comprising:

splitting an RF transmission input signal into a first RF quadrature hybrid transmission signal (QHTS) and a second RF QHTS;

splitting an RF receive input signal into a first RF quadrature hybrid receive signal (QHRS) and a second RF QHRS;

filtering the first RF QHTS and the second RF QHTS to pass the first RF QHTS and the second RF QHTS within a passband;

filtering the first RF QHRS and the second RF QHRS to reflect the first RF QHRS and the second RF QHTS within a stopband;

combining the first RF QHTS and the second RF QHTS within the passband into an RF transmission output signal; and

combining the first RF QHRS and the second RF QHRS within the stopband into an RF receive output signal.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving the RF receive input signal at a port; and

while the RF receive input signal is being received at the port, outputting the RF transmission output signal from the port.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

tuning the passband to pass the first RF QHTS and the second RF QHTS within the passband; and

tuning the stopband to reflect the first RF QHRS and the second RF QHTS within the stopband.