High linearity RF diplexer

• US 9,608,688 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2014
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Inventors: Khlat, Nadim
• Primary Examiner(s): Gidado, Rasheed
• Application Number:
  US14/498,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20150085724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0057 using diplexing or multiplexing filters for selecting the desired band
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 15/00 Suppression or limitation of noise or interference by means associated with receiver H04B1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/08 each combination of signals in different channels being represented by a fixed frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex

Abstract

A first RF diplexer, which includes a first hybrid RF coupler, a second hybrid RF coupler, a first RF filter, and a second RF filter, is disclosed. The first hybrid RF coupler has a first main port, a first in-phase port, a first quadrature-phase port, and a first isolation port, which is coupled to a primary RF antenna. The second hybrid RF coupler has a second main port, a second in-phase port, and a second quadrature-phase port. The first RF filter is coupled between the first in-phase port and the second in-phase port. The second RF filter is coupled between the first quadrature-phase port and the second quadrature-phase port.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first hybrid RF coupler having a first main port, a first in-phase port, a first quadrature-phase port, and a first isolation port, which is coupled to a primary RF antenna, wherein the first hybrid RF coupler is configured to receive an RF transmit signal via the first main port to provide an RF antenna transmit signal via the first isolation port;

a second hybrid RF coupler having a second main port, a second in-phase port, a second quadrature-phase port, and a second isolation port;

a first RF filter coupled between the first in-phase port and the second in-phase port; and

a second RF filter coupled between the first quadrature-phase port and the second quadrature-phase port, wherein the first hybrid RF coupler, the second hybrid RF coupler, the first RF filter, and the second RF filter form a first RF diplexer, wherein;

a filter response of the first RF filter to RF signals received from the first in-phase port is approximately equal to a filter response of the first RF filter to RF signals received from the second in-phase port, such that the first RF filter has an approximately symmetrical filter response; and

a filter response of the second RF filter to RF signals received from the first quadrature-phase port is approximately equal to a filter response of the second RF filter to RF signals received from the second quadrature-phase port, such that the second RF filter has an approximately symmetrical filter response.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first RF diplexer is configured to receive, split, phase-shift, reflect, phase-shift, and combine the RF transmit signal, which is a highband RF transmit signal, via the first main port to provide the RF antenna transmit signal, which is a highband RF antenna transmit signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein:

the first hybrid RF coupler is a tunable hybrid RF coupler;

the first hybrid RF coupler is configured to receive, split, and phase-shift the highband RF transmit signal to provide a first in-phase RF transmit signal and a first quadrature-phase RF transmit signal;

the first hybrid RF coupler is configured to be tuned, such that the first quadrature-phase RF transmit signal is phase-shifted from the first in-phase RF transmit signal by approximately 90 degrees; and

the highband RF antenna transmit signal is based on the first in-phase RF transmit signal and the first quadrature-phase RF transmit signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein:

a highband RF communications band includes the highband RF transmit signal;

the first RF filter is a tunable RF bandstop filter having a first stopband with a tunable center frequency;

the first RF filter is configured to be tuned, such that the tunable center frequency of the first stopband is about equal to a center frequency of the highband RF communications band;

the second RF filter is a tunable RF bandstop filter having a second stopband with a tunable center frequency; and

the second RF filter is configured to be tuned, such that the tunable center frequency of the second stopband is about equal to the center frequency of the highband RF communications band.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein:

the first RF filter is a tunable RF lowpass and notch filter having a first tunable notch frequency;

the first RF filter is configured to be tuned, such that the first tunable notch frequency is about equal to a frequency of the highband RF transmit signal;

the second RF filter is a tunable RF lowpass and notch filter having a second tunable notch frequency; and

the second RF filter is configured to be tuned, such that the second tunable notch frequency is about equal to the frequency of the highband RF transmit signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first RF diplexer is further configured to receive, split, phase-shift, filter, phase-shift, and combine a lowband RF transmit signal via the second main port to provide a lowband RF antenna transmit signal via the first isolation port.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein:

the second hybrid RF coupler is a tunable hybrid RF coupler;

the second hybrid RF coupler is configured to receive, split, and phase-shift the lowband RF transmit signal to provide a second in-phase RF transmit signal and a second quadrature-phase RF transmit signal;

the second hybrid RF coupler is configured to be tuned, such that the second quadrature-phase RF transmit signal is phase-shifted from the second in-phase RF transmit signal by approximately 90 degrees; and

the lowband RF antenna transmit signal is based on the second in-phase RF transmit signal and the second quadrature-phase RF transmit signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the first RF diplexer is further configured to provide the lowband RF antenna transmit signal and the highband RF antenna transmit signal simultaneously, such that the lowband RF antenna transmit signal and the highband RF antenna transmit signal are Transmit Uplink Carrier Aggregation signals.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein during Transmit Uplink Carrier Aggregation, the highband RF transmit signal is substantially isolated from the second main port and the lowband RF transmit signal is substantially isolated from the first main port.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein during the Transmit Uplink Carrier Aggregation, the highband RF transmit signal is isolated from the second main port by at least 37 decibels and the lowband RF transmit signal is isolated from the first main port by at least 37 decibels.

11. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the first hybrid RF coupler and the second hybrid RF coupler are further configured to substantially reduce mixing effects produced by the first RF filter and the second RF filter.

12. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the first RF diplexer is further configured to:

receive, split, phase-shift, filter, phase-shift, and combine a lowband RF antenna receive signal via the first isolation port to provide a lowband RF receive signal via the second main port;

receive, split, phase-shift, reflect, phase-shift, and combine a highband RF antenna receive signal via the first isolation port to provide a highband RF receive signal via the first main port; and

receive the lowband RF antenna receive signal and the highband RF antenna receive signal simultaneously, such that the lowband RF antenna receive signal and the highband RF antenna receive signal are Receive Downlink Carrier Aggregation signals.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second RF diplexer, wherein:

the first isolation port is a first common port;

the second RF diplexer has a second common port, a third main port, and a fourth main port; and

the second common port is coupled to an auxiliary RF antenna.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein:

the first RF diplexer is configured to receive the RF transmit signal, which is a highband RF transmit signal via the first main port to provide the RF antenna transmit signal, which is a highband RF antenna transmit signal via the first common port;

the second RF diplexer is configured to receive a lowband RF transmit signal via the fourth main port to provide a lowband RF antenna transmit signal via the second common port; and

the lowband RF antenna transmit signal and the highband RF antenna transmit signal are Transmit Uplink Carrier Aggregation signals.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein:

the first RF diplexer is configured to receive a highband RF antenna receive signal via the first common port to provide a highband RF receive signal via the first main port;

the second RF diplexer is configured to receive a lowband RF antenna receive signal via the second common port to provide a lowband RF receive signal via the third main port; and

the lowband RF antenna receive signal and the highband RF antenna receive signal are Receive Downlink Carrier Aggregation signals.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein:

the first RF diplexer is configured to receive a highband RF antenna receive signal via the first common port to provide a highband RF receive signal via the first main port;

the second RF diplexer is configured to receive a lowband RF antenna receive signal via the second common port to provide a lowband RF receive signal via the third main port; and

the lowband RF antenna receive signal and the highband RF antenna receive signal are Receive Downlink Carrier Aggregation signals.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein:

the first RF diplexer is further configured to receive a lowband RF MIMO antenna receive signal via the first common port to provide a lowband RF MIMO receive signal via the second main port; and

the second RF diplexer is further configured to receive a highband RF MIMO antenna receive signal via the second common port to provide a highband RF MIMO receive signal via the third main port.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a first isolation port resistive element coupled between the second isolation port and ground, such that the first isolation port resistive element is configured to be adjusted to compensate for an impedance mismatch between the primary RF antenna and the first isolation port.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a first hybrid RF coupler having a first main port, a first in-phase port, a first quadrature-phase port, and a first isolation port, which is coupled to a primary RF antenna, wherein the first hybrid RF coupler is configured to receive an RF transmit signal via the first main port to provide an RF antenna transmit signal via the first isolation port;

a second hybrid RF coupler having a second main port, a second in-phase port, a second quadrature-phase port, and a second isolation port;

a first RF filter coupled between the first in-phase port and the second in-phase port; and

a second RF filter coupled between the first quadrature-phase port and the second quadrature-phase port, wherein the first hybrid RF coupler, the second hybrid RF coupler, the first RF filter, and the second RF filter form a first RF diplexer, wherein the first hybrid RF coupler and the second hybrid RF coupler are further configured to substantially reduce third order mixing effects produced by the first RF filter and the second RF filter.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a first hybrid RF coupler having a first main port, a first in-phase port, a first quadrature-phase port, and a first isolation port, which is coupled to a primary RF antenna, wherein the first hybrid RF coupler is configured to receive an RF transmit signal via the first main port to provide an RF antenna transmit signal via the first isolation port;

a second hybrid RF coupler having a second main port, a second in-phase port, a second quadrature-phase port, and a second isolation port;

a first RF filter coupled between the first in-phase port and the second in-phase port; and

a second RF filter coupled between the first quadrature-phase port and the second quadrature-phase port, wherein the first hybrid RF coupler, the second hybrid RF coupler, the first RF filter, and the second RF filter form a first RF diplexer configured to;

receive, split, phase-shift, filter, phase-shift, and combine a lowband RF antenna receive signal via the first isolation port to provide a lowband RF receive signal via the second main port;

receive, split, phase-shift, reflect, phase-shift, and combine a highband RF antenna receive signal via the first isolation port to provide a highband RF receive signal via the first main port; and

receive the lowband RF antenna receive signal and the highband RF antenna receive signal simultaneously, such that the lowband RF antenna receive signal and the highband RF antenna receive signal are Receive Downlink Carrier Aggregation signals.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the first RF diplexer is further configured to receive, split, phase-shift, filter, phase-shift, and combine the RF transmit signal, which is a lowband RF transmit signal via the second main port to provide the RF antenna transmit signal, which is a lowband RF antenna transmit signal.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein:

the first RF filter is a tunable RF lowpass and notch filter having a first tunable notch frequency;

the first RF filter is configured to be tuned, such that the first tunable notch frequency is about equal to a harmonic of a frequency of the lowband RF transmit signal;

the second RF filter is a tunable RF lowpass and notch filter having a second tunable notch frequency; and

the second RF filter is configured to be tuned, such that the second tunable notch frequency is about equal to the harmonic of the frequency of the lowband RF transmit signal.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein:

the first RF filter is a tunable RF lowpass and notch filter having a first tunable notch frequency;

the first RF filter is configured to be tuned, such that the first tunable notch frequency is about equal to a frequency of the highband RF antenna receive signal;

the second RF filter is a tunable RF lowpass and notch filter having a second tunable notch frequency; and

the second RF filter is configured to be tuned, such that the second tunable notch frequency is about equal to the frequency of the highband RF antenna receive signal.

24. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the first RF diplexer is further configured to receive, split, phase-shift, reflect, phase-shift, and combine a highband RF transmit signal via the first main port to provide a highband RF antenna transmit signal via the first isolation port.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein:

the first RF filter is a tunable RF lowpass and notch filter having a first tunable notch frequency;

the first RF filter is configured to be tuned, such that the first tunable notch frequency is about equal to a frequency of the highband RF antenna receive signal;

the second RF filter is a tunable RF lowpass and notch filter having a second tunable notch frequency; and

the second RF filter is configured to be tuned, such that the second tunable notch frequency is about equal to the frequency of the highband RF antenna receive signal.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein:

the first RF filter is a tunable RF lowpass and notch filter having a first tunable notch frequency;

the first RF filter is configured to be tuned, such that the first tunable notch frequency is about equal to a frequency of the highband RF transmit signal;

the second RF filter is a tunable RF lowpass and notch filter having a second tunable notch frequency; and

the second RF filter is configured to be tuned, such that the second tunable notch frequency is about equal to the frequency of the highband RF transmit signal.