Calibration for a tunable RF filter structure

• US 9,780,756 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2014
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Inventors: Maxim, George, Leipold, Dirk Robert Walter, Scott, Baker
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Stephen E
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, RAKESH BHASKARBHAI
• Application Number:
  US14/449,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20150035612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 333 171, 333175, 333174
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/565 using inductive elements
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/111 the amplifier being a dual or triple band amplifier, e.g. 900 and 1800 MHz, e.g. switched or not switched, simultaneously or not
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/267 A capacitor based passive circuit, e.g. filter, being used in an amplifying circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/391 the output circuit of an amplifying stage comprising an LC-network
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/7209 the gated amplifier being switched from a first band to a second band
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/193 with field-effect devices H03F3/195 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/245 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/68 Combinations of amplifiers, e.g. multi-channel amplifiers for stereophonics power amplifiers using a combination of several semiconductor amplifiers H03F3/211; combinations of amplifiers using coupling networks with distributed constants H03F3/602
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/72 Gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2210/012 Centre frequency; Cut-off frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2210/025 Capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2210/04 Filter calibration method
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/0153 Electrical filters; Controlling thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/0161 Bandpass filters H03H7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/09 Filters comprising mutual inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/1775 Parallel LC in shunt or branch path H03H7/1791 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 5/242 used exclusively for band selection

Abstract

Embodiments of radio frequency (RF) front-end circuitry are disclosed where the RF front-end circuitry includes a tunable RF filter structure and a calibration circuit. The tunable RF filter structure includes (at least) a pair of weakly coupled resonators and defines a transfer function with a passband. The calibration circuit is configured to shape the passband so that the passband defines a center frequency. Additionally, the calibration circuit is configured to detect a phase difference at the target center frequency between the pair of weakly coupled resonators and adjust the phase difference of the pair of weakly coupled resonators at the target center frequency so as to reduce a frequency displacement between the center frequency of the passband and the target center frequency. In this manner, the calibration circuit calibrates the tunable RF filter structure to correct for errors in the center frequency of the passband due to component manufacturing variations.

Claims

1. A radio frequency (RF) front-end circuitry, comprising:

a tunable RF filter structure comprising a pair of weakly coupled resonators, wherein the tunable RF filter structure is tunable to define a transfer function with a passband;

a calibration circuit comprising a replica resonator and configured to;

shape the passband so that the passband defines a center frequency near a target center frequency using the replica resonator;

detect a phase difference between the pair of weakly coupled resonators at the target center frequency; and

adjust the phase difference between the pair of weakly coupled resonators at the target center frequency so as to reduce a frequency displacement between the center frequency of the passband and the target center frequency.

2. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 1 wherein the calibration circuit is further configured to create a notch adjacent to the passband.

3. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 2 wherein:

the tunable RF filter structure comprises a first tunable RF filter path that defines the passband of the transfer function, the first tunable RF filter path comprising at least the pair of weakly coupled resonators and a coupling capacitive structure connected to the pair of weakly coupled resonators, the coupling capacitive structure having a variable capacitance;

the calibration circuit is configured to create the notch adjacent to the passband by being configured to adjust the variable capacitance of the coupling capacitive structure.

4. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 3 wherein:

the pair of weakly coupled resonators comprises;

a first resonator having a first inductor and a first capacitive structure connected to the first inductor, the first capacitive structure having a variable capacitance;

and a second resonator having a second inductor and a second capacitive structure connected to the second inductor, wherein the first inductor is weakly coupled to the second inductor and the second capacitive structure has a variable capacitance;

the calibration circuit is configured to adjust the phase difference of the pair of weakly coupled resonators at the target center frequency by being configured to adjust the variable capacitance of the first capacitive structure and the variable capacitance of the second capacitive structure.

5. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 4 wherein the coupling capacitive structure is a cross-coupling capacitive structure connected between the pair of weakly coupled resonators.

6. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 5 wherein after adjusting the phase difference of the pair of weakly coupled resonators at the target center frequency and adjusting the variable capacitance of the cross-coupling capacitive structure, the calibration circuit is further configured to readjust the variable capacitance of the first capacitive structure and variable capacitance of the second capacitive structure to compensate for a change to the center frequency of the passband resulting from the variable capacitance of the cross-coupling capacitive structure being adjusted to create the notch adjacent to the passband.

7. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 3 wherein:

the tunable RF filter structure includes a first terminal and a second terminal and the first tunable RF filter path connected between the first terminal and the second terminal; and

the coupling capacitive structure is connected between the first terminal and a first resonator of the pair of weakly coupled resonators.

8. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 7 wherein after adjusting the phase difference of the pair of weakly coupled resonators at the target center frequency and adjusting the variable capacitance of the coupling capacitive structure, the calibration circuit is further configured to adjust a variable capacitance of a first capacitive structure in one of the pair of weakly coupled resonators to compensate for a change to the center frequency of the passband resulting from the variable capacitance of the coupling capacitive structure being adjusted to create the notch adjacent to the passband.

9. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 1 wherein:

the pair of weakly coupled resonators comprises;

a first resonator having a first inductor and a first capacitive structure connected to the first inductor, the first capacitive structure having a variable capacitance;

and a second resonator having a second inductor and a second capacitive structure connected to the second inductor, wherein the first inductor is weakly coupled to the second inductor and the second capacitive structure has a variable capacitance;

the calibration circuit is configured to shape the passband so that the passband defines the center frequency by being configured to;

detect a magnitude of the transfer response from the first resonator around the target center frequency; and

detect a magnitude of the transfer response from the second resonator around the target center frequency;

adjust the variable capacitance of the first capacitive structure and the variable capacitance of the second capacitive structure based on the magnitude of the transfer response from the first resonator around the target center frequency and the magnitude of the transfer response from the second resonator around the target center frequency so that the center frequency is placed near the target center frequency.

10. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 9 wherein the calibration circuit is configured to adjust the phase difference of the pair of weakly coupled resonators after shaping the passband so that the center frequency is placed near a target of the target center frequency.

11. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 1 wherein the calibration circuit comprises:

one or more phase detectors;

a calibration computational device operably associated with the one or more phase detectors; and

a tuning control device operably associated with the tunable RF filter structure.

12. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 1 wherein the calibration circuit is configured to adjust the phase difference of the pair of weakly coupled resonators after shaping the passband so that the center frequency is placed near a target of the target center frequency using the replica resonator.

13. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 1 wherein the calibration circuit is configured to adjust the phase difference of the pair of weakly coupled resonators at the target center frequency so as to eliminate the frequency displacement between the center frequency of the passband and the target center frequency.

14. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 1 wherein the calibration circuit is configured to adjust the phase difference at the target center frequency so as to reduce a phase displacement between the phase difference at the target center frequency and a first target phase difference at the target center frequency.

15. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 1 wherein the pair of weakly coupled resonators comprises a first resonator and a second resonator weakly coupled to the first resonator and wherein the tunable RF filter structure comprises:

a first terminal;

a second terminal;

a first tunable RF filter path that is connected between the first terminal and the second terminal and that defines the passband of the transfer function, wherein the first tunable RF filter path includes the first resonator and the second resonator and;

a third resonator weakly coupled to the first resonator and the second resonator.

16. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 15 wherein:

the first tunable RF filter path further includes a first cross-coupling capacitive structure having a variable capacitance, wherein the first cross-coupling capacitive structure is connected between the first resonator and the second resonator; and

the calibration circuit is configured to adjust the phase difference of the pair of weakly coupled resonators at the target center frequency so as to reduce the frequency displacement between the center frequency of the passband and the target center frequency by being configured to adjust the variable capacitance of the first cross-coupling capacitive structure.

17. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 15 wherein the calibration circuit is further configured to:

detect a second phase difference at the target center frequency between the first resonator and the third resonator; and

detect a third phase difference at the target center frequency between the third resonator and the second resonator;

adjust the second phase difference at the target center frequency between the first resonator and the third resonator and the third phase difference at the target center frequency between the third resonator and the second resonator so that the second phase difference at the target center frequency in combination with the third phase difference at the target center frequency is constructive with the phase difference at the target center frequency between the pair of weakly coupled resonators.

18. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 17 wherein the calibration circuit is further configured to detect phase differences measured at frequencies different than a target notch frequency and have relations such that the phase differences are adjusted to create a notch at the target notch frequency.

19. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 17 wherein:

the first tunable RF filter path further includes a first cross-coupling capacitive structure having a variable capacitance, wherein the first cross-coupling capacitive structure is connected between the first resonator and the second resonator;

the tunable RF filter structure further comprises;

a second cross-coupling capacitive structure having a variable capacitance wherein the second cross-coupling capacitive structure is connected between the first resonator and the third resonator;

a third cross-coupling capacitive structure having a variable capacitance wherein the third cross-coupling capacitive structure is connected between the third resonator and the first resonator.

20. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 19 wherein the calibration circuit is configured to adjust the phase difference of the pair of weakly coupled resonators at the target center frequency so as to reduce the frequency displacement between the center frequency of the passband and the target center frequency by being configured to adjust the variable capacitance of the first cross-coupling capacitive structure and wherein the calibration circuit is further configured to adjust the second phase difference at the target center frequency between the first resonator and the third resonator and the third phase difference at the target center frequency between the third resonator and the second resonator so that the second phase difference at the target center frequency in combination with the third phase difference at the target center frequency is constructive with the phase difference at the target center frequency between the pair of weakly coupled resonators by being configured to adjust the variable capacitance of the second cross-coupling capacitive structure and the variable capacitance of the third cross-coupling capacitive structure.

21. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 17 wherein the calibration circuit is further configured to:

detect the phase difference at a target notch frequency between the pair of weakly coupled resonators;

detect the second phase difference at the target notch frequency between the first resonator and the third resonator;

detect the third phase difference at the target notch frequency between the third resonator and the second resonator; and

create a notch approximately at the target notch frequency by being configured to adjust the phase difference at the target notch frequency between the pair of weakly coupled resonators, the second phase difference at the target notch frequency between the first resonator and the third resonator and the third phase difference at the target notch frequency between the third resonator and the second resonator so that the second phase difference at the target notch frequency in combination with the third phase difference at the target notch frequency is destructive with the phase difference at the target notch frequency between the pair of weakly coupled resonators.

22. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 15 wherein the tunable RF filter structure further comprises a coupling capacitive structure connected between the first terminal and the first resonator.

23. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 22 wherein the calibration circuit is further configured to:

detect a second phase difference at a target notch frequency between the coupling capacitive structure and the first resonator;

detect a third phase difference at the target notch frequency between the first resonator and the third resonator; and

create a notch approximately at the target notch frequency by being configured to adjust the second phase difference at the target notch frequency between the coupling capacitive structure and the first resonator and the third phase difference at the target notch frequency between the first resonator and the third resonator so that the second phase difference at the target notch frequency is destructive with the third phase difference at the target notch frequency between the first resonator and the third resonator.

24. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 22 wherein the calibration circuit is further configured to:

detect a second phase difference at the target center frequency between the coupling capacitive structure and the first resonator;

detect a third phase difference at the target center frequency between the first resonator and the third resonator; and

adjust the second phase difference at the target center frequency between the coupling capacitive structure and the first resonator and the third phase difference at the target center frequency between the first resonator and the third resonator so that the second phase difference at the target center frequency is constructive with the third phase difference at the target center frequency between the first resonator and the third resonator.

25. Radio frequency (RF) front-end circuitry comprising:

a tunable RF filter structure comprising a pair of weakly coupled resonators, wherein the tunable RF filter structure is tunable to define a transfer function with a passband; and

a calibration circuit configured to;

shape the passband so that the passband defines a center frequency;

detect a phase difference between the pair of weakly coupled resonators at the target center frequency; and

adjust the phase difference between the pair of weakly coupled resonators at the target center frequency to;

reduce a frequency displacement between the center frequency of the passband and the target center frequency; and

reduce a phase displacement between the phase difference at the target center frequency and a first target phase difference at the target center frequency, wherein the first target phase difference at the target center frequency has a magnitude of 90 degrees.

26. A calibration method for a tunable radio frequency (RF) filter structure, comprising:

shaping a passband using a replica resonator so that a center frequency of the passband is near a target center frequency, wherein the tunable RF filter structure has a transfer function that defines the passband;

detecting a phase difference at the target center frequency between a pair of weakly coupled resonators in the tunable RF filter structure; and

adjusting the phase difference between the pair of weakly coupled resonators at the target center frequency so as to reduce a frequency displacement between the center frequency of the passband and the target center frequency.