System and method for a directional coupler

• US 9,947,985 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2015
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Solomko, Valentyn, Bakalski, Winfried, Ilkov, Nikolay
• Primary Examiner(s): TAKAOKA, DEAN O
• Application Number:
  US14/804,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20170026020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 333109-112, 333116, 333 173
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/184 the guides being strip lines or microstrips
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/48 Networks for connecting several sources or loads, working on the same frequency or frequency band, to a common load or source phase shifters providing two or more output signals H03H7/21

Abstract

In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating a directional coupler includes determining a coupled power variation by applying an input signal at an input port of the directional coupler, applying a first impedance at a transmitted port of the directional coupler, measuring a first coupled power at a coupled port of the directional coupler after applying the first impedance, applying a second impedance at the transmitted port of the directional coupler, measuring a second coupled power after applying the second impedance, and determining a difference between the first coupled power and the second coupled power to form the coupled power variation.

Claims

1. A method of operating a directional coupler, the method comprising:

determining a coupled power variation by

applying an input signal at an input port of the directional coupler,

applying a first impedance at a transmitted port of the directional coupler,

measuring a first coupled power at a coupled port of the directional coupler after applying the first impedance,

applying a second impedance at the transmitted port of the directional coupler, wherein the second impedance is different from the first impedance,

measuring a second coupled power at the coupled port of the directional coupler after applying the second impedance,

determining a difference between the first coupled power and the second coupled power to form the coupled power variation, wherein the directional coupler is configured to provide to the coupled port of the directional coupler a first signal proportional to a first radio frequency (RF) signal propagating from the input port of the directional coupler to the transmitted port of the directional coupler, and is configured to provide to an isolated port of the directional coupler a second signal proportional to a second RF signal propagating from the transmitted port of the directional coupler to the input port of the directional coupler; and

adjusting a termination impedance coupled to the isolated port of the directional coupler when the coupled power variation exceeds a predetermined threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating the determining the coupled power variation and the adjusting the termination impedance until the coupled power variation does not exceed the predetermined threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the first coupled power and measuring the second coupled power comprises using a power detector circuit.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein using the power detector circuit comprises producing a voltage at an output of the power detector circuit and converting the voltage at the output of the power detector circuit to a current.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

applying the first impedance comprises open circuiting the transmitted port of the directional coupler; and

applying the second impedance comprises short circuiting the transmitted port of the directional coupler.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

applying the first impedance comprises short circuiting the transmitted port of the directional coupler; and

applying the second impedance comprises open circuiting the transmitted port of the directional coupler.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a directivity of the directional coupler based on the coupled power variation.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the directivity comprises determining the directivity according to:

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a reflected power variation by:

applying the input signal at an input port of the directional coupler,

applying the first impedance at a transmitted port of the directional coupler,

measuring a first reflected power at the isolated port of the directional coupler after applying the first impedance,

applying the second impedance at the transmitted port of the directional coupler,

measuring a second reflected power after applying the second impedance, and

determining a difference between the first reflected power and the second reflected power to form the reflected power variation.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising adjusting a termination impedance coupled to the coupled port of the directional coupler when the reflected power variation exceeds a predetermined threshold.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising repeating the determining the reflected power variation and the adjusting the termination impedance until the coupled power variation does not exceed the predetermined threshold.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying a third impedance at the transmitted port of the directional coupler; and

measuring a third coupled power after applying the second impedance.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

calculating a first directivity based on measuring the first coupled power and the second coupled power;

calculating a second directivity based on measuring the first coupled power and the third coupled power; and

determining an averaged directivity by averaging the first directivity and the second directivity.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the first impedance comprises a matched impedance;

the second impedance comprises an open circuit; and

the third impedance comprises a short circuit.

15. A directional coupler system comprising:

a directional coupler, wherein the directional coupler is configured to provide to a coupled port of the directional coupler a first signal proportional to a first radio frequency (RF) signal propagating from an input port of the directional coupler to a transmitted port of the directional coupler, and is configured to provide to an isolated port of the directional coupler a second signal proportional to a second RF signal propagating from the transmitted port of the directional coupler to the input port of the directional coupler;

a power detector coupled to the coupled port of the directional coupler;

a switchable impedance circuit operatively coupled to the transmitted port of the directional coupler, the switchable impedance circuit configured to switchably apply a first impedance to the transmitted port and a second impedance to the transmitted port according to a control input; and

an output selection switch configured to route one of a direct output of the coupled port of the directional coupler and an output of the power detector to an output pin.

16. The directional coupler system of claim 15, further comprising:

a controller coupled to the control input of the switchable impedance circuit and to an output of the power detector, the controller configured to;

apply the first impedance at the transmitted port of the directional coupler via the switchable impedance circuit,

measure a first coupled power at the coupled port of the directional coupler after applying the first impedance via the power detector,

apply the second impedance at the transmitted port of the directional coupler via the switchable impedance circuit,

measure a second coupled power after applying the second impedance via the power detector, and

determine a difference between the first coupled power and the second coupled power to form a coupled power variation.

17. The directional coupler system of claim 15, further comprising a first adjustable termination impedance coupled to the coupled port of the directional coupler.

18. The directional coupler system of claim 17, further comprising a controller coupled to the control input of the switchable impedance circuit and to an output of the power detector, the controller configured to:

determine a coupled power variation by

applying the first impedance at the transmitted port of the directional coupler via the switchable impedance circuit,

measuring a first coupled power at the coupled port of the directional coupler after applying the first impedance via the power detector,

applying the second impedance at the transmitted port of the directional coupler via the switchable impedance circuit,

measuring a second coupled power after applying the second impedance via the power detector, and

determining a difference between the first coupled power and the second coupled power to form the coupled power variation;

adjust the first adjustable termination impedance when the coupled power variation exceeds a first predetermined threshold; and

repeat the determining the coupled power variation and the adjusting the first adjustable termination impedance until the coupled power variation does not exceed the first predetermined threshold.

19. The directional coupler system of claim 15, further comprising:

a voltage to current converter coupled between the output of the power detector and the output selection switch.

20. The directional coupler of claim 15, further comprising:

a termination impedance coupled to an input of the power detector; and

a termination switch coupled between the input of the power detector and the direct output of the coupled port of the directional coupler.

21. A circuit comprising:

a first directional coupler comprising a first input port, a first transmitted port, a first isolated port and a first coupled port; and

a second directional coupler comprising a second input port coupled to the first transmitted port of the first directional coupler, a second transmitted port, a second isolated port and a second coupled port;

a switchable impedance circuit coupled to the second transmitted port of the second directional coupler, the switchable impedance circuit configured to switchably apply a first impedance to the second transmitted port and a second impedance to the second transmitted port;

a switching network configured to route one of the first isolated port, the first coupled port, the second isolated port and the second coupled port to an output of the switching network;

a power detector coupled to the output of the switching network; and

a bypass switch configured to route one of the output of the switching network and the output of the power detector to an output pin.

22. The circuit of claim 21, further comprising a first stacking switch coupled between the first transmitted port and the second input port.

23. The circuit of claim 21, further comprising at least one further directional coupler coupled between the second transmitted port and the switchable impedance circuit, wherein the switching network is further configured to route one an isolated port and a coupled port of the at least one further directional coupled to the output of the switching network.

24. The circuit of claim 21, further comprising a controller configured to:

select one of the first isolated port, the first coupled port, the second isolated port and the second coupled port via the switching network;

apply the first impedance via the switchable impedance circuit;

measure a first power at the output of the switching network via the power detector;

apply the second impedance via the switchable impedance circuit;

measure a second power at the output of the switching network via the power detector; and

determine a difference between the first power and the second power.

25. The circuit of claim 21, wherein the first directional coupler, the second directional coupler, the switchable impedance circuit, the switching network and the power detector are disposed on a same integrated circuit.

26. A directional coupler system comprising:

a directional coupler, wherein the directional coupler is configured to provide to a coupled port of the directional coupler a first signal proportional to a first radio frequency (RF) signal propagating from an input port of the directional coupler to a transmitted port of the directional coupler, and is configured to provide to an isolated port of the directional coupler a second signal proportional to a second RF signal propagating from the transmitted port of the directional coupler to the input port of the directional coupler;

a power detector coupled to the coupled port of the directional coupler;

a switchable impedance circuit operatively coupled to the transmitted port of the directional coupler, the switchable impedance circuit configured to switchably apply a first impedance to the transmitted port and a second impedance to the transmitted port according to a control input; and

a controller coupled to the directional coupler, the switchable impedance circuit and the power detector, the controller configured to

determine a coupled power variation by

applying an input signal at an input port of the directional coupler,

applying a first impedance at the transmitted port of the directional coupler via the switchable impedance circuit,

measuring a first coupled power at a coupled port of the directional coupler after applying the first impedance via the power detector,

applying a second impedance at the transmitted port of the directional coupler, wherein the second impedance is different from the first impedance via the switchable impedance circuit,

measuring a second coupled power at the coupled port of the directional coupler while after applying the second impedance via the power detector, and

determining a difference between the first coupled power and the second coupled power to form the coupled power variation, and

adjust a first termination impedance coupled to the isolated port of the directional coupler when the coupled power variation exceeds a predetermined threshold.

27. The directional coupler system of claim 26, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a reflected power variation by

applying the first impedance at the transmitted port of the directional coupler via the switchable impedance circuit,

measuring a first reflected power at the isolated port of the directional coupler after applying the first impedance via the power detector,

applying the second impedance at the transmitted port of the directional coupler via the switchable impedance circuit,

measuring a second reflected power after applying the second impedance via the power detector, and

determining a difference between the first reflected power and the second reflected power to form the reflected power variation;

adjust a second adjustable termination impedance coupled to the coupled port of the directional coupler when the reflected power variation exceeds a second predetermined threshold; and

repeat the determining the coupled power variation and the adjusting the second adjustable termination impedance until the coupled power variation does not exceed the second predetermined threshold.

28. The directional coupler system of claim 26, wherein the directional coupler, the power detector and the controller are disposed on a same integrated circuit.