RF duplexing device

• US 9,356,643 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2012
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: RF Micro Devices Incorporated (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Inventors: Khlat, Nadim
• Primary Examiner(s): Oveissi, David
• Application Number:
  US13/718,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20130176914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/44 Transmit/receive switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/525 with means for reducing leakage of transmitter signal into the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1461 Suppression of signals in the return path, i.e. bidirectional control circuits

Abstract

Radio frequency (RF) duplexing devices and methods of operating the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, an RF duplexing device includes a transmission port, a receive port, a first duplexer, and a second duplexer. The first duplexer is coupled to the transmission port and the receive port, and is configured to provide a first phase shift from the transmission port to the receive port. The second duplexer is also coupled to the transmission port and the receive port. However, the second duplexer is configured to provide a second phase shift that is differential to the first phase shift from the transmission port to the receive port. By providing the second phase shift so that the second phase shift is differential to the first phase shift, the RF duplexing device can provide isolation through cancellation without needing to introduce significant insertion losses.

Claims

1. A radio frequency (RF) duplexing device comprising:

a transmission port;

a receive port;

a first duplexer coupled to the transmission port and the receive port, and configured to provide a first phase shift from the transmission port to the receive port, wherein the first duplexer includes a non-inverting transformer coupled to the transmission port; and

a second duplexer coupled to the transmission port and the receive port, and configured to provide a second phase shift that is differential to the first phase shift from the transmission port to the receive port, wherein the second duplexer includes an inverting transformer coupled to the transmission port and wherein the inverting transformer is configured to provide a polarity inversion such that the second phase shift is differential to the first phase shift.

2. The RF duplexing device of claim 1 wherein the second duplexer is transposed with respect to the first duplexer.

3. The RF duplexing device of claim 1 further comprising a first RF filter having a first frequency response defining a first stopband that blocks an RF receive band and a second RF filter having a second frequency response defining a second stopband that blocks an RF transmission band, wherein:

the non-inverting transformer comprises;

a first primary winding coupled to the transmission port; and

a first secondary winding coupled to the first RF filter; and

the inverting transformer comprises;

a second primary winding coupled to the transmission port; and

a second secondary winding coupled to the second RF filter.

4. The RF duplexing device of claim 1 wherein:

the first duplexer further includes a second non-inverting transformer coupled to the receive port;

the second duplexer further includes a third non-inverting transformer coupled to the receive port.

5. The RF duplexing device of claim 1 wherein:

the non-inverting transformer is coupled to the receive port; and

the inverting transformer is coupled to the receive port wherein the inverting transformer is configured to provide a polarity inversion such that the second phase shift is differential to the first phase shift.

6. The RF duplexing device of claim 1 further comprising an antenna port coupled to the first duplexer.

7. The RF duplexing device of claim 6 further comprising a tuning port coupled to the second duplexer.

8. The RF duplexing device of claim 7 wherein:

the first duplexer and the second duplexer are configured to provide a third phase shift from the antenna port to the tuning port in a first signal direction; and

the first duplexer and the second duplexer are configured to provide a fourth phase shift from the antenna port to the tuning port in a second signal direction, wherein the fourth phase shift is differential to the third phase shift from the antenna port to the transmission port.

9. The RF duplexing device of claim 8 wherein the third phase shift is substantially equal to the first phase shift and the fourth phase shift is substantially equal to the second phase shift.

10. The RF duplexing device of claim 8 wherein the third phase shift has a quadrature phase-shifting difference with the first phase shift and the fourth phase shift has a quadrature phase-shifting difference with the second phase shift.

11. The RF duplexing device of claim 7 wherein:

the first duplexer comprises;

a first RF filter coupled between the antenna port and the receive port, wherein the first RF filter has a first frequency response defining a first stopband that blocks an RF transmission band; and

a second RF filter coupled between the transmission port and the antenna port, wherein the second RF filter has a second frequency response defining a second stopband that blocks an RF receive band; and

the second duplexer comprises;

a third RF filter coupled between the tuning port and the receive port, wherein the third RF filter has a third frequency response defining a third stopband that blocks the RF receive band; and

a fourth RF filter coupled between the transmission port and the tuning port, wherein the fourth RF filter has a fourth frequency response defining a fourth stopband that blocks the RF transmission band.

12. The RF duplexing device of claim 11 wherein:

the non-inverting transformer is coupled to the transmission port; and

the inverting transformer is coupled to the transmission port, wherein the inverting transformer is configured to provide a polarity inversion such that the second phase shift is differential to the first phase shift.

13. The RF duplexing device of claim 11 wherein:

the non-inverting transformer is coupled between the receive port and the first RF filter; and

the inverting transformer is coupled between the receive port and the third RF filter, wherein the inverting transformer is configured to provide a polarity inversion such that the second phase shift is differential to the first phase shift.

14. The RF duplexing device of claim 7 wherein:

the transmission port is operable to input an RF transmission signal that operates within an RF transmission band and to input spurious transmission noise emissions outside of the RF transmission band and an RF receive band;

the receive port is operable to output an RF receive signal that operates within the RF receive band;

the first duplexer is configured to pass the RF transmission signal from the transmission port to the antenna port; and

the first duplexer and the second duplexer are operably associated so as to split the spurious transmission noise emissions into a first hybrid noise signal that propagates from the transmission port to the receive port through the first duplexer, a second hybrid noise signal that propagates from the transmission port to the receive port through the second duplexer, and a third hybrid noise signal that propagates from the transmission port to the tuning port through the second duplexer, wherein the first hybrid noise signal is outside both the RF transmission band and the RF receive band, the second hybrid noise signal is outside both the RF transmission band and the RF receive band, and the third hybrid noise signal is within the RF receive band;

wherein the first phase shift provided by the first duplexer to the first hybrid noise signal from the transmission port to the receive port and the second phase shift provided by the second duplexer to the second hybrid noise signal from the transmission port to the receive port result in the first hybrid noise signal and the second hybrid noise signal substantially cancelling at the receive port.

15. The RF duplexing device of claim 14 wherein the second duplexer further comprises a tuner coupled to the tuning port, the tuner being configured to filter the third hybrid noise signal.

16. The RF duplexing device of claim 15 further comprising a bidirectional coupler connected between the antenna port and the first duplexer, wherein the bidirectional coupler is coupled to the tuner and is operably associated with the tuner such that an impedance of the tuner is adjustable through the bidirectional coupler.

17. The RF duplexing device of claim 15 wherein the tuner is operably associated to prevent high power transmissions to the tuner.

18. The RF duplexing device of claim 1 wherein the first duplexer and the second duplexer are formed on one or more semiconductor substrates.