Tunable microwave devices with auto-adjusting matching circuit

• US 9,768,752 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2014
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: du Toit, Cornelis Frederik, Ryan, Deirdre A., Mendolia, Gregory, Martin, James, Khayo, Izz, Bachmann, Heinz, McKinzie, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Levi, Dameon E
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOTTER, DAVID E
• Application Number:
  US14/521,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20150042537A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 343861, 333 173
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/04 with variable factor of coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/50 Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/56 Modifications of input or output impedances, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/60 Amplifiers in which coupling networks have distributed constants, e.g. with waveguide resonators H03F3/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/38 Impedance-matching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance
• 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

Abstract

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides an impedance matching circuit including a matching network. The matching network includes a first port and a second port, and one or more variable reactance components. The one or more variable reactance components are operable to receive one or more variable voltage signals to cause the one or more variable reactance components to change an impedance of the matching network. At least one of the one or more variable reactance components includes a first conductor coupled to one of the first port or the second port of the matching network, a second conductor, and a tunable material positioned between the first conductor and the second conductor. Additionally, at least one of the first conductor and the second conductor are adapted to receive the one or more variable voltage signals to cause the change in the impedance of the matching network. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a matching network including a tunable reactive element, the matching network being coupled with an antenna of a mobile communication device and positioned between the antenna and a power amplifier of the mobile communication device and the matching network further coupled to a frequency filter unit and a switching device, wherein the mobile communication device is adjusted from operating according to a first communication protocol to operating according to a second communication protocol, wherein the matching network is configured to perform tuning based on the operating according to the first communication protocol during the operating according to the first communication protocol;

a controller coupled with the matching network, wherein the controller receives an incident signal according to the second communication protocol from an input port, wherein the controller converts the incident signal to a digital incident signal, processes the digital incident signal, and assigns an incident voltage value to the digital incident signal; and

a directional coupler coupled with the controller and positioned between the matching network and the power amplifier, wherein the directional coupler receives a reflected signal from a port of the matching network, provides the reflected signal to the controller, which converts the reflected signal to a digital reflected signal, and assigns a reflected voltage value to the digital reflected signal, wherein the controller makes a comparison between the incident voltage value and the reflected voltage value, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the tunable reactive element according to the comparison to perform impedance matching based on adjusting from operating according to first communication protocol to operating according to the second communication protocol and to perform impedance matching due to impedance variations of the power amplifier, frequency filter unit, switching device, and antenna.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller processes the digital incident signal and the digital reflected signal using an algorithm to produce compensatory voltages that are provided to the matching network to adjust the tunable reactive element.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the matching network is positioned between the frequency filter unit and the antenna.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the matching network is positioned between the frequency filter unit and the power amplifier.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the matching network is positioned between the switching device and the antenna.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tunable reactive element comprises a voltage tunable capacitor, and wherein the controller generates compensatory voltages to adjust the tunable reactive element according to the comparison to perform the impedance matching.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller adjusts the tunable reactive element according to the comparison to perform the impedance matching utilizing a closed loop feedback process.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the matching network comprises a “

Pi”

type network.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the “

Pi”

type network comprises a group of voltage tunable capacitors.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the matching network comprises a “

T”

type network.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the “

T”

type network comprises a group of voltage tunable capacitors.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the matching network comprises a ladder type network.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the ladder type network comprises a group of voltage tunable capacitors.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the port is an input of the matching network.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tunable reactive element comprises a semiconductor variable reactive element.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tunable reactive element comprises an inductor.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a controller including conductors for coupling with a matching network of a mobile communication device, wherein the mobile communication device is adjusted from operating according to a first communication protocol to operating according to a second communication protocol, wherein the matching network is configured to perform tuning based on the operating according to the first communication protocol during the operating according to the first communication protocol, wherein the controller receives an incident signal according to the second communication protocol from an input port, wherein the controller converts the incident signal to a digital incident signal, processes the digital incident signal, and assigns an incident voltage value to the digital incident signal; and

a directional coupler connected with the controller and positionable between the matching network and a power amplifier of the mobile communication device and matching network further coupled to a frequency filter unit, a switch device, and an antenna, wherein the directional coupler receives a reflected signal from a port of the matching network, provides the reflected signal to the controller, which converts the reflected signal to a digital reflected signal, and assigns a reflected voltage value to the digital reflected signal, wherein the controller makes a comparison between the incident voltage value and the reflected voltage value, wherein the controller produces compensatory voltages that are provided to the matching network, the matching network configured to adjust a voltage tunable reactive element to perform impedance matching based on adjusting from operating according to first communication protocol to operating according to the second communication protocol and to perform impedance matching due to impedance variations of the power amplifier, frequency filter unit, switching device, and antenna.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the matching network is positionable between the frequency filter unit and the antenna of the mobile communication device.

19. A method, comprising:

tuning, by a controller of a mobile communication device, matching network of the mobile communication device, wherein the mobile communication device is adjusted from operating according to a first communication protocol to operating according to a second communication protocol, wherein a matching network is configured for tuning based on the operating according to the first communication protocol during the operating according to the first communication protocol, wherein the controller receives an incident signal according to the second communication protocol from an input port, wherein the controller converts the incident signal to a digital incident signal, processes the digital incident signal, and assigns an incident voltage value to the digital incident signal, wherein a directional coupler receives a reflected signal from a port of the matching network, provides the reflected signal to the controller, which converts the reflected signal to a digital reflected signal, and assigns a reflected voltage value to the digital reflected signal, wherein the controller makes a comparison between the incident voltage value and the reflected voltage value, and wherein the matching network is coupled to a power amplifier, a frequency filter unit, a switching device, and an antenna; and

providing, by the controller, according to the comparison, compensatory voltages to the matching network, the matching network configured for adjusting of a voltage tunable reactive element to perform impedance matching based on adjusting from operating according to first communication protocol to operating according to the second communication protocol and to perform impedance matching due to impedance variations of the power amplifier, frequency filter unit, switching device, and antenna.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the adjusting of the voltage tunable reactive element is a closed loop feedback process.