RX shunt switching element-based RF front-end circuit

• US 9,780,817 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2016
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Inventors: Scott, Baker, Maxim, George, Leipold, Dirk Robert Walter, Granger-Jones, Marcus
• Primary Examiner(s): AKINYEMI, AJIBOLA A
• Application Number:
  US15/240,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20160359510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 411 Days
• Field of Search: 455 78
• 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 2200/294 the amplifier being a low noise amplifier [LNA]
• 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 3/19 with semiconductor devices only
• 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 7/09 Filters comprising mutual inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/1775 Parallel LC in shunt or branch path H03H7/1791 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/46 Networks for connecting several sources or loads, working on different frequencies or frequency bands, to a common load or source for use in multiplex transmission systems H04J1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0475 with means for limiting noise, interference or distortion H04B1/0483 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1018 noise filters connected between the power supply and the receiver suppression or limitation of noise from electric apparatus H04B15/00; demodulation H03D; ripple filters H02M1/14; filters in general 95G, H03H; power supplies H04B1/1607
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1027 assessing signal quality or detecting noise/interference for the received signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/18 Input circuits, e.g. for coupling to an antenna or a transmission line coupling networks between antennas or lines and receivers independent of the nature of the receiver H03H

Abstract

RF front-end circuitry, which includes a first RF low noise amplifier (LNA) and a first reconfigurable RF filter, is disclosed. The RF front-end circuitry operates in one of a group of operating modes. The first reconfigurable RF filter, which has a first reconfigurable RF filter path, includes a first receive (RX) shunt switching element coupled between the first reconfigurable RF filter path and ground. The first reconfigurable RF filter path is coupled to an input of the first RF LNA. The group of operating modes includes a first operating mode and a second operating mode. During the first operating mode, the first RX shunt switching element is ON. During the second operating mode, the first RX shunt switching element is OFF and the first RF LNA receives and amplifies a first filtered RF receive signal from the first reconfigurable RF filter to provide a first receive signal.

Claims

1. RF front-end circuitry comprising:

a first reconfigurable RF filter having a first reconfigurable RF filter path, a first connection node, and an internal connection node, and comprising a first coupling circuit, a first resonator, a second resonator, a third resonator, and a first receive (RX) shunt switching element, wherein;

the first RX shunt switching element is coupled between the first reconfigurable RF filter path and ground; and

the first coupling circuit, the first resonator, the second resonator, and the third resonator are coupled in series between a first common connection node and the first connection node; and

a first RF low noise amplifier (LNA) having an input coupled to the first reconfigurable RF filter path, wherein;

the RF front-end circuitry has the first common connection node and is configured to operate in one of a plurality of operating modes;

the plurality of operating modes comprises a first operating mode and a second operating mode;

during the first operating mode, the first RX shunt switching element is configured to be ON; and

during the second operating mode, the first RX shunt switching element is configured to be OFF and the first RF LNA is configured to receive and amplify a first filtered RF RX signal from the first reconfigurable RF filter via the first common connection node to provide a first RX signal.

2. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of RF LNAs wherein each of the plurality of RF LNAs is configured to receive and amplify a corresponding one of a plurality of filtered RF RX signals to provide a corresponding each of a plurality of RX signals, such that the plurality of filtered RF RX signals comprises the first filtered RF RX signal, the plurality of RX signals comprises the first RX signal, and the plurality of RF LNAs comprises the first RF LNA.

3. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 2 further configured to function as an RF RX diversity module.

4. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 2 further configured to provide RX carrier aggregation (CA) by simultaneously receiving and amplifying at least two of the plurality of filtered RF RX signals.

5. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 1 further comprising a first LNA power-down switching element coupled to the first RF LNA, wherein during the first operating mode, the first LNA power-down switching element is configured to be OFF, thereby reducing power to the first RF LNA;

and during the second operating mode, the first LNA power-down switching element is configured to be ON, thereby restoring power to the first RF LNA.

6. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 1 wherein the first resonator and the second resonator form a pair of weakly coupled resonators that have a magnetic coupling coefficient that is less than 0.3.

7. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 1 wherein the first reconfigurable RF filter further comprises a second coupling circuit coupled between the first resonator and the third resonator, such that the second coupling circuit is configured to add a notch filter response to the first reconfigurable RF filter.

8. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 1 further comprising a first RF PA, wherein:

the first reconfigurable RF filter further comprises a first transmit (TX) series switching element coupled between the first RF PA and the first common connection node;

during the first operating mode, the first TX series switching element is configured to be ON and the first RF PA is configured to provide a first upstream RF transmit signal to the first reconfigurable RF filter, which is further configured to provide a filtered RF transmit signal via the first TX series switching element and the first common connection node; and

during the second operating mode, the first TX series switching element is further configured to be OFF.

9. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 8 wherein the first operating mode is a time division duplex (TDD) transmit operating mode and the second operating mode is a TDD receive operating mode.

10. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 8 further comprising a second RF PA and a second reconfigurable RF filter, wherein:

the plurality of operating modes further comprises a third operating mode;

the second reconfigurable RF filter comprises a second TX series switching element coupled between the second RF PA and the first common connection node; and

during the third operating mode, the first TX series switching element is configured to be ON;

the first RF PA is configured to provide the first upstream RF transmit signal to the first reconfigurable RF filter;

the second TX series switching element is configured to be ON; and

the second RF PA is configured to provide a second upstream RF transmit signal to the second reconfigurable RF filter.

11. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 10 further configured to provide TX carrier aggregation (CA) by simultaneously providing the first upstream RF transmit signal and the second upstream RF transmit signal.

12. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 8 wherein the first reconfigurable RF filter further comprises a first TX series capacitive element, such that the first TX series switching element and the first TX series capacitive element are coupled in series between the first RF PA and the first common connection node.

14. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 1 wherein the first coupling circuit comprises a first RX series capacitive element, such that the first RX series capacitive element, the first resonator, and the first RX shunt switching element are coupled to the internal connection node.

13. RF front-end circuitry comprising:

a first capacitive compensation switching element;

a first capacitive compensation circuit;

a first reconfigurable RF filter having a first reconfigurable RF filter path and comprising a first receive (RX) shunt switching element coupled between the first reconfigurable RF filter path and ground; and

a first RF low noise amplifier (LNA) having an input coupled to the first reconfigurable RF filter path, wherein;

the RF front-end circuitry has a first common connection node and is configured to operate in one of a plurality of operating modes;

the plurality of operating modes comprises a first operating mode and a second operating mode;

during the first operating mode, the first RX shunt switching element is configured to be ON;

during the second operating mode, the first RX shunt switching element is configured to be OFF and the first RF LNA is configured to receive and amplify a first filtered RF RX signal from the first reconfigurable RF filter via the first common connection node to provide a first RX signal; and

the first capacitive compensation switching element and the first capacitive compensation circuit are coupled in series between the first reconfigurable RF filter path and ground, wherein during the first operating mode, the first capacitive compensation switching element is configured to be OFF, and during the second operating mode, the first capacitive compensation switching element is configured to be ON, thereby at least partially compensating for loading of the first reconfigurable RF filter path by the first RX shunt switching element.

15. RF front-end circuitry comprising:

a first RF PA;

a first reconfigurable RF filter having a first reconfigurable RF filter path and comprising a first receive (RX) shunt switching element coupled between the first reconfigurable RF filter path and ground; and

a first RF low noise amplifier (LNA) having an input coupled to the first reconfigurable RF filter path, wherein;

the RF front-end circuitry has a first common connection node and is configured to operate in one of a plurality of operating modes;

the plurality of operating modes comprises a first operating mode and a second operating mode;

during the first operating mode, the first RX shunt switching element is configured to be ON;

during the second operating mode, the first RX shunt switching element is configured to be OFF and the first RF LNA is configured to receive and amplify a first filtered RF RX signal from the first reconfigurable RF filter via the first common connection node to provide a first RX signal;

the first reconfigurable RF filter further comprises a first tunable TX series capacitive circuit coupled between the first RF PA and the first common connection node;

during the first operating mode, the first tunable TX series capacitive circuit is adjusted to a first impedance and the first RF PA is configured to provide a first upstream RF transmit signal to the first reconfigurable RF filter, which is further configured to provide a filtered RF transmit signal via the first tunable TX series capacitive circuit and the first common connection node; and

during the second operating mode, the first tunable TX series capacitive circuit is further adjusted to a second impedance, which is greater than the first impedance.

16. RF front-end circuitry comprising:

a first RF PA;

a first reconfigurable RF filter having a first reconfigurable RF filter path and comprising a first receive (RX) shunt switching element coupled between the first reconfigurable RF filter path and ground; and

a first RF low noise amplifier (LNA) having an input coupled to the first reconfigurable RF filter path, wherein;

the RF front-end circuitry has a first common connection node and is configured to operate in one of a plurality of operating modes;

the plurality of operating modes comprises a first operating mode and a second operating mode;

during the first operating mode, the first RX shunt switching element is configured to be ON;

during the second operating mode, the first RX shunt switching element is configured to be OFF and the first RF LNA is configured to receive and amplify a first filtered RF RX signal from the first reconfigurable RF filter via the first common connection node to provide a first RX signal;

the first reconfigurable RF filter further comprises a first isolable TX series capacitive circuit coupled between the first RF PA and the first common connection node;

during the first operating mode, the first isolable TX series capacitive circuit is adjusted to a first impedance and the first RF PA is configured to provide a first upstream RF transmit signal to the first reconfigurable RF filter, which is further configured to provide a filtered RF transmit signal via the first isolable TX series capacitive circuit and the first common connection node; and

during the second operating mode, the first isolable TX series capacitive circuit is further adjusted to provide about an open circuit, such that a magnitude of a resistance between the first RF PA and the first common connection node is greater than 2500 ohms.

17. RF front-end circuitry having a first connection node and a second connection node, and comprising:

a first reconfigurable RF filter having a first reconfigurable RF filter path and comprising a first receive (RX) shunt switching element coupled between the first reconfigurable RF filter path and ground, a first coupling circuit, a second coupling circuit, a first resonator, a second resonator, and a third resonator;

such that the first coupling circuit, the first resonator, the second resonator, and the third resonator are coupled in series between a first common connection node and the first connection node via the first reconfigurable RF filter path;

wherein the first coupling circuit, the first resonator, the second resonator, and the second coupling circuit are coupled in series between the first common connection node and the second connection node via a first TX reconfigurable RF filter path, such that the first RX shunt switching element is coupled between the third resonator and ground; and

a first RF low noise amplifier (LNA) having an input coupled to the first reconfigurable RF filter path, wherein;

the RF front-end circuitry has a first common connection node and is configured to operate in one of a plurality of operating modes;

the plurality of operating modes comprises a first operating mode and a second operating mode;

during the first operating mode, the first RX shunt switching element is configured to be ON; and

during the second operating mode, the first RX shunt switching element is configured to be OFF and the first RF LNA is configured to receive and amplify a first filtered RF RX signal from the first reconfigurable RF filter via the first common connection node to provide a first RX signal.

18. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 17 wherein during the first operating mode, the first reconfigurable RF filter is further configured to receive and filter a first upstream RF transmit signal via the first TX reconfigurable RF filter path for transmission via the first common connection node by an RF antenna.

19. The RF front-end circuitry of claim 17 wherein the first reconfigurable RF filter further comprises a first TX shunt switching element coupled between the second connection node and ground and a first TX series switching element coupled between the second resonator and the second coupling circuit;

such that during the first operating mode, the first TX series switching element is ON, the first TX shunt switching element is OFF, and the first reconfigurable RF filter is further configured to receive and filter a first upstream RF transmit signal via the first TX reconfigurable RF filter path for transmission via the first common connection node; and

during the second operating mode, the first TX series switching element is OFF, the first TX shunt switching element is ON, and the first reconfigurable RF filter is further configured to receive and filter a corresponding RF receive signal from an RF antenna via the first common connection node.