Selectable capacitance circuit

• US 7,657,242 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2005
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Floyd, Philip D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Nhan T
• Application Number:
  US11/134,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20060067028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,719 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/574, 455/256, 455/257, 455/258, 455/262, 343/700.MS, 250/336.1, 348/14.02, 359/578, 361/277
• US Class Current: 455/262
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/001 based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/06 Passive matrix structure, i.e. with direct application of both column and row voltages to the light emitting or modulating elements, other than LCD or OLED
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/346 based on modulation of the reflection angle, e.g. micromirrors micromirrors devices per se G02B26/0833
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3466 based on interferometric effect
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3473 based on light coupled out of a light guide, e.g. due to scattering, by contracting the light guide with external means
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 5/18 due to change in inclination, e.g. by flexing, by spiral wrapping
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 5/40 Structural combinations of variable capacitors with other electric elements not covered by this subclass, the structure mainly consisting of a capacitor, e.g. RC combinations

Abstract

A voltage-controlled capacitor and methods for forming the same are described. A mechanical conductor membrane of the voltage-controlled capacitor is movable to and from a first position and a second position. An amount of capacitance can vary with the movement of the mechanical conductor membrane. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) voltage-controlled capacitor can be used in a variety of applications, such as, but not limited to, RF switches and RF attenuators.

Claims

1. An RF device, comprising:

a conductive line configured to carry an RF signal, wherein the conductive line carries a control signal; and

a deformable membrane having at least two actuatable positions for selectively capacitively filtering the RF signal, wherein the deformable membrane is capable of movement based on the control signal, wherein the deformable membrane comprises two or more separate membranes, wherein the RF device is configured such that at least one of the membranes comprises two or more portions, wherein the two or more portions are independently actuatable.

2. The RF device as defined in claim 1, wherein the RF device is configured such that the two or more separate membranes are independently actuatable.

3. The RF device as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a display;

a processor that is in electrical communication with said display, said processor being configured to process image data;

a memory device in electrical communication with said processor.

4. The RF device as defined in claim 3, further comprising:

a first controller configured to send at least one signal to said display; and

a second controller configured to send at least a portion of said image data to said first controller.

5. The RF device as defined in claim 3, further comprising an image source module configured to send said image data to said processor.

6. The RF device as defined in claim 5, wherein said image source module comprises at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.

7. The RF device as defined in claim 3, further comprising an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate said input data to said processor.