Method and apparatus for adapting a variable impedance network

• US 9,742,375 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2016
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Manssen, Keith, Greene, Matthew Russell
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Stephen E
• Application Number:
  US15/367,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20170085244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 263 Days
• Field of Search: 333 173, 333 32
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 5/12 with at least one voltage- or current-dependent element
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/004 Capacitive coupling circuits not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/38 Impedance-matching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/56 by the use, as active elements, of semiconductor devices using diodes H03K17/74

Abstract

The present disclosure may include, for example, a tunable capacitor having a decoder for generating a plurality of control signals, and an array of tunable switched capacitors comprising a plurality of fixed capacitors coupled to a plurality of switches. The plurality of switches can be controlled by the plurality of control signals to manage a tunable range of reactance of the array of tunable switched capacitors. Additionally, the array of tunable switched capacitors is adapted to have non-uniform quality (Q) factors. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a plurality of reactive elements on a single die, wherein the single die has a plurality of ports coupled to the plurality of reactive elements;

a switching system comprising a group of switches, wherein the switching system is coupled with the plurality of reactive elements, the plurality of reactive elements thereby configurable to any of a plurality of topologies according to switch positions of the group of switches; and

a decoder coupled to the switching system for generating decoded signals to selectively enable and disable the plurality of reactive elements,

wherein the plurality of reactive elements, the switching system and the decoder form a variable matching network, and wherein the decoder receives a control signal for tuning the variable matching network with respect to a performance parameter of the device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of reactive elements comprises capacitors, inductors, or a combination thereof.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the performance parameter comprises a transmitter power, a transmitter efficiency, a receiver sensitivity, a power consumption, a specific absorption rate of a target body, or a combination thereof.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the control signal comprises a plurality of digital signals for controlling respectively the plurality of reactive elements, thereby varying a reactance of the variable matching network.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of topologies comprises a Tee topology, a Pi topology or an L topology.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the switching system provides for a non-uniform quality (Q) factor.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one switch of the group of switches comprises a semiconductor switch.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one switch of the group of switches comprises a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) switch.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one reactive element comprises barium strontium titanate.

10. A device comprising:

a plurality of reactive elements on a single die, wherein the single die has a plurality of ports coupled to the plurality of reactive elements;

a switching system comprising a group of switches, wherein the switching system is coupled with the plurality of reactive elements, the plurality of reactive elements thereby configurable to any of a plurality of topologies according to switch positions of the group of switches; and

a decoder coupled to the switching system for generating decoded signals to selectively enable and disable the plurality of reactive elements,

wherein the decoder comprises a plurality of decoders integrated with each of the plurality of reactive elements respectively.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of reactive elements comprises capacitors, inductors, or a combination thereof.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of reactive elements, the switching system and the decoder form a variable matching network, wherein the decoder receives a control signal for tuning the variable matching network with respect to a performance parameter of the device, and wherein the performance parameter comprises a transmitter power, a transmitter efficiency, a receiver sensitivity, a power consumption, a specific absorption rate of a target body, or a combination thereof.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the decoder receives a plurality of digital signals for controlling respectively the plurality of reactive elements, thereby varying a reactance of the variable matching network.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of topologies comprises a Tee topology, a Pi topology or an L topology.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the switching system provides for a non-uniform quality (Q) factor.

16. A device comprising:

a plurality of reactive elements on a single die, wherein the single die has a plurality of ports coupled to the plurality of reactive elements;

a switching system comprising a group of switches, wherein the switching system is coupled with the plurality of reactive elements, the plurality of reactive elements thereby configurable to any of a plurality of topologies according to switch positions of the group of switches; and

a decoder coupled to the switching system for generating decoded signals to selectively enable and disable the plurality of reactive elements,

wherein the decoder comprises a plurality of decoders integrated with each of the plurality of reactive elements respectively,

wherein the plurality of reactive elements, the switching system and the decoder form a variable matching network, and wherein the decoder receives a control signal for tuning the variable matching network with respect to a performance parameter of the device.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the plurality of reactive elements comprises capacitors, inductors, or a combination thereof.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the control signal comprises a plurality of digital signals for controlling respectively the plurality of reactive elements, thereby varying a reactance of the variable matching network.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the plurality of topologies comprises a Tee topology, a Pi topology or an L topology.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein the switching system provides for a non-uniform quality (Q) factor.