Radio frequency complex reflection coefficient reader

• US 9,755,668 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2016
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Veesto Ltd.
• Inventors: Mandegaran, Sam, Hashemi, Hossein
• Primary Examiner(s): JACKSON, BLANE J
• Application Number:
  US15/280,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20170093441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/005 adapting radio receivers, transmitters andtransceivers for operation on two or more bands, i.e. frequency ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0458 Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages matching circuits in general H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/48 in circuits for connecting transmitter and receiver to a common transmission path, e.g. by energy of transmitter H04B1/46 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/10 of transmitters

Abstract

A radio frequency (RF) circuitry includes a device that taps a transmission line and picks up some of electromagnetic signals traveling in both directions. The RF circuitry includes a first detector, a second detector, a third detector, and a processor. The first detector measures a power of a first portion of the tapped electromagnetic signal travelling in one direction. The second detector measures a power of a first portion of the tapped electromagnetic signal travelling in the other direction. The third detector measures a power of a combined signal which includes a second portion of the tapped electromagnetic signal travelling in the one direction and a second portion of the tapped electromagnetic signal travelling in the other direction. The processor determines, based on outputs from the detectors, a relative magnitude and a relative phase of the electromagnetic signals.

Claims

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

a device configured to tap a transmission line and to pick up some of the electromagnetic signals traveling in both directions on the transmission line; and

a first detector configured to measure a power of a first portion of the tapped electromagnetic signal travelling in one direction on the transmission line;

a second detector configured to measure a power of a first portion of the tapped electromagnetic signal travelling in the other direction on the transmission line;

a third detector configured to measure a power of a first combined signal that comprises a second portion of the tapped electromagnetic signal travelling in the one direction on the transmission line and a second portion of the tapped electromagnetic signal travelling in the other direction of the transmission line;

a fourth detector configured to measure a power of a second combined signal that comprises a phase-shifted third portion of the tapped electromagnetic signal travelling in the one direction on the transmission line and a third portion of the tapped electromagnetic signal travelling in the other direction of the transmission line; and

a processor configured to determine, based on outputs from the first detector, the second detector, the third detector and the fourth detector, a relative magnitude and a relative phase of the electromagnetic signals that travel in different directions on the transmission lines.

2. The RF circuitry of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine a complex value of an impedance that is connected to one side of the transmission line.

3. The RF circuitry of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a directional coupler.

4. The RF circuitry of claim 1, comprising:

a first signal combiner configured to generate the first combined signal; and

a second signal combiner configured to generate the second combined signal is generated by a second signal combiner.

5. The RF circuitry of claim 4, wherein one or more of the first signal combiner and the second signal combiner comprise one or more power combiners.

6. The RF circuitry of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first detector, the second detector, the third detector, and the fourth detector include one or more power detectors.

7. The RF circuitry of claim 1, wherein the processor includes a digital signal processor.

8. The RF circuitry of claim 1, wherein the RF circuitry is utilized in a radar system.

9. The RF circuitry of claim 1, wherein the RF circuitry is utilized to determine settings of an antenna tuner.

10. The RF circuitry of claim 1, wherein the RF circuitry is utilized to determine settings of a circuitry that is used to improve isolation between ports of an RF duplexer or an RF multiplexer.