Switching circuit

• US 5,917,362 A
• Filed: 01/21/1998
• Issued: 06/29/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kohama, Kazumasa
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DINH THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/010,041
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 327/408, 327/416, 327/407, 327/403, 327/404, 327/365, 333/103, 333/262, 370/480, 455/78
• US Class Current: 327/408
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/6871 the output circuit comprising more than one controlled field-effect transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/693 Switching arrangements with several input- or output-terminals, e.g. multiplexers, distributors logic circuits H03K19/00; code converters H03M5/00, H03M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0054 Gating switches, e.g. pass gates

Abstract

Switches are provided on the input and output side of an amplification stage in a signal switching circuit provided in a signal transmission line, and another signal is provided so that a signal can be transmitted directly. Further, a switching circuit is formed from FET elements, which are controlled to be switched on/off by control signals to assure a high isolation.

Claims

1. A signal processing unit comprising:

signal switching means including

a first input terminal group including one or more input terminals,

a first output terminal group including one or more output terminals in a one-to-one correspondence with each of the input terminals of said first input terminal group,

a second input terminal group including one or more input terminals,

a second output terminal group including one or more output terminals in a one-to-one correspondence with each of the input terminals of said second input terminal group,

a first switch for selectively connecting one or more of the input terminals of said first input terminal group and one of the output terminals of said first output terminal group,

a second switch for selectively connecting one of the input terminals of said first input terminal group and one of the output terminals of said second output terminal group, and

a third switch for selectively connecting one of the input terminals of said second input terminal group and one of the output terminals of said first output terminal group;

signal path control means for controlling on/off-states of said first, second and third switches; and

two or more signal paths, at least a first signal path having an amplifier such that the signal paths have different gains from each other, to connect one of the output terminals of said second output terminal group and one of the input terminals of said second input terminal group.

2. The signal processing circuit according to claim 1, wherein said first, second and third switches are field effect transistors.

3. The signal processing circuit according to claim 2, wherein said first, second and third switches are formed on a single semiconductor substrate.

4. The signal processing circuit according to claim 1, wherein the signal switching means, the signal path control means, and the signal paths are used to adjust a gain in a transmission circuit that transmits a signal of a high frequency.

5. The signal processing circuit according to claim 1, wherein the signal switching means, the signal path control means, and the signal paths are used to adjust a gain in a reception circuit that receives a signal of a high frequency.

6. The switching circuit according to claim 1, further comprising an attenuator disposed in at least a second signal path of said two or more signal paths.

7. A switching circuit formed as an IC, comprising:

first, second and third input/output terminals;

a first signal route including two or more switching elements connected in series between said first and second input/output terminals;

a second signal route including two or more switching elements connected in series between said first and third input/output terminals;

a first grounded switching element connected from a junction in between said switching elements of said first signal route to a common ground on the IC;

a second grounded switching element connected from said second input/output terminals to to an outside ground located outside the IC;

a third grounded switching element connected from a junction in between said switching elements of said second signal route to said second signal route and the common ground; and

a fourth grounded switching element connected between from said third input/output terminals to said third input/output terminal and the outside ground.

8. The switching circuit according to claim 7, wherein the switching elements in said first and second signal routes and said first, second, third and fourth grounded switching elements are field effect transistors of gallium arsenite.

9. The switching circuit according to claim 8, wherein the switching elements in said first and second signal paths and said first, second, third and fourth grounded switching elements are junction type field effect transistors.

10. The switching circuit according to claim 7, further comprising resistors inserted between said second and fourth grounded switching elements and the outside ground.

11. The switching circuit according to claim 8, further comprising capacitors inserted between said first, second, third and fourth grounded switching elements and one of the common ground and the outside ground.