Phase shifters with switched transmission line loads

Abstract

This document provides apparatus and methods for a phase shifter having a switched transmission line load. In some embodiments, a phase shifter includes: a first port; a first controllable reflective load; a second port; a second controllable reflective load; and a pair of coupling lines electromagnetically coupled to each other. The pair of coupling lines includes a first conductive line located between the first port and the first controllable reflective load and a second conductive line located between the second controllable reflective load and the second port. At least one of the first controllable reflective load or the second controllable reflective load includes a switched transmission line load.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present invention relate to electronic systems, and more specifically, to radio frequency (RF) electronic devices. Prior Technology

[0002] In RF communication systems, phase shifters are used to control the phase of RF signals that are wirelessly transmitted or received via an antenna.

[0003] Examples of RF communication systems with one or more phase shifters include (but are not limited to) mobile phones, tablets, base stations, network access points, customer premises equipment (CPE), laptops, and wearable electronic devices. For example, in wireless devices using a cellular standard, a wireless local area network (WLAN) standard, and / or any other suitable communication standard, a power amplifier can be used to amplify the RF signal. An RF signal may have a frequency in the range of approximately 30 kHz to 300 GHz, such as in the range of approximately 410 MHz to approximately 7.125 GHz for fifth-generation (5G) communication using frequency range 1 (FR1), or in the range of approximately 24.25 GHz to 52.6 GHz for 5G communication using frequency range 2 (FR2). Summary of the Invention

[0004] In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a phase shifter. The phase shifter includes: a first port; a second port; a first controllable reflective load including a first transmission line and a first plurality of shunt switches connected along the first transmission line; a second controllable reflective load; and a pair of coupling lines electromagnetically coupled to each other. The pair of coupling lines includes a first conductive line connected between the first port and the first controllable reflective load, and a second conductive line connected between the second controllable reflective load and the second port.

[0005] In some embodiments, the first controllable reflective load further includes a first ground conductor located on a first side of one of the first transmission lines and a second ground conductor located on a second side of one of the first transmission lines. According to several embodiments, each of the first plurality of shunt switches is implemented as a pair of field-effect transistors, each including a first field-effect transistor connected between the first transmission line and the first ground conductor and a second field-effect transistor connected between the first transmission line and the second ground conductor.

[0006] In several embodiments, one or more of the first plurality of shunt switches are closed based on a phase shift setting of one of the phase shifters.

[0007] In various embodiments, the first port receives a radio frequency input signal and the second port provides a phase-shifted radio frequency output signal.

[0008] In some embodiments, the second port receives an RF input signal and the first port provides a phase-shifted RF output signal.

[0009] In several embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches are connected to the first transmission line at a plurality of points that are evenly spaced from each other.

[0010] In various embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches are connected to the first transmission line at a plurality of points having non-uniform distances from each other. According to several embodiments, the distance between adjacent pairs of the plurality of points gradually decreases along one length of the first transmission line.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches each have a common size.

[0012] In several embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches each have a different size. According to several embodiments, the size of the first plurality of shunt transistors gradually increases along one length of the first transmission line.

[0013] In various embodiments, the first transmission line includes a plurality of meandering segments. According to some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of meandering segments includes a loop.

[0014] In several embodiments, the second controllable reflective load includes a second transmission line and a second plurality of shunt switches connected along the second transmission line.

[0015] In some embodiments, the phase shifter further includes a hybrid coupler that includes the pair of coupling lines.

[0016] In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a wireless device. The wireless device includes a transceiver and a front-end system coupled to the transceiver. The front-end system includes a phase shifter comprising: a first port; a second port; a first controllable reflective load including a first transmission line and a first plurality of shunt switches connected along the first transmission line; a second controllable reflective load; and a pair of coupling lines electromagnetically coupled to each other. The pair of coupling lines includes a first conductive line connected between the first port and the first controllable reflective load, and a second conductive line connected between the second controllable reflective load and the second port.

[0017] In various embodiments, the first controllable reflective load further includes a first ground conductor located on a first side of one of the first transmission lines and a second ground conductor located on a second side of one of the first transmission lines. According to several embodiments, each of the first plurality of shunt switches is implemented as a pair of field-effect transistors, each including a first field-effect transistor connected between the first transmission line and the first ground conductor and a second field-effect transistor connected between the first transmission line and the second ground conductor.

[0018] In several embodiments, one or more of the first plurality of shunt switches are closed based on a phase shift setting of one of the phase shifters.

[0019] In some embodiments, the first port receives an RF input signal and the second port provides a phase-shifted RF output signal.

[0020] In various embodiments, the second port receives a radio frequency input signal and the first port provides a phase-shifted radio frequency output signal.

[0021] In several embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches are connected to the first transmission line at a plurality of points that are evenly spaced from each other.

[0022] In some embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches are connected to the first transmission line at a plurality of points having a non-uniform distance from each other. According to several embodiments, the distance between adjacent pairs of the plurality of points gradually decreases along one length of the first transmission line.

[0023] In various embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches each have a common size.

[0024] In several embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches each have a different size. According to several embodiments, the size of the first plurality of shunt transistors gradually increases along one length of the first transmission line.

[0025] In some embodiments, the first transmission line includes a plurality of meandering segments. According to various embodiments, at least one of the plurality of meandering segments includes a loop.

[0026] In several embodiments, the second controllable reflective load includes a second transmission line and a second plurality of shunt switches connected along the second transmission line.

[0027] In various embodiments, the phase shifter further includes a hybrid coupler that includes the pair of coupling lines.

[0028] In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a phase-shifting method. The method includes: receiving a radio frequency input signal at a first port. The method further includes: controlling a first controllable reflective load and a second controllable reflective load to control a phase shift of a radio frequency output signal at a second port, the first controllable reflective load including a first transmission line and a first plurality of shunt switches connected along the first transmission line. The method further includes: providing coupling between a first conductive line and a second conductive line of a pair of coupling lines, the first conductive line being connected between the first port and the first controllable reflective load, and the second conductive line being connected between the second controllable reflective load and the second port.

[0029] In various embodiments, the first controllable reflective load further includes a first ground conductor located on a first side of one of the first transmission lines and a second ground conductor located on a second side of one of the first transmission lines. According to several embodiments, each of the first plurality of shunt switches is implemented as a pair of field-effect transistors, each including a first field-effect transistor connected between the first transmission line and the first ground conductor and a second field-effect transistor connected between the first transmission line and the second ground conductor.

[0030] In several embodiments, the method further includes closing one or more of the first plurality of shunt switches based on a phase shift setting of one of the phase shifters.

[0031] In several embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches are connected to the first transmission line at a plurality of points that are evenly spaced from each other.

[0032] In various embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches are connected to the first transmission line at a plurality of points having non-uniform distances from each other. According to several embodiments, the distance between adjacent pairs of the plurality of points gradually decreases along one length of the first transmission line.

[0033] In several embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches each have a common size.

[0034] In some embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches each have a different size. According to various embodiments, the size of the first plurality of shunt transistors gradually increases along the length of one of the first transmission lines.

[0035] In several embodiments, the first transmission line includes a plurality of meandering segments. According to several embodiments, at least one of the plurality of meandering segments includes a loop.

[0036] In various embodiments, the second controllable reflective load includes a second transmission line and a second plurality of shunt switches connected along the second transmission line.

[0037] In some embodiments, the phase shifter further includes a hybrid coupler that includes the pair of coupling lines.

[0038] In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a phase shifter. The phase shifter includes a coupler comprising: an input terminal; a through terminal; a first coupling line connected between the input terminal and the through terminal; an isolation terminal; a coupling terminal; and a second coupling line connected between the isolation terminal and the coupling terminal. The phase shifter further includes: an input port connected to the input terminal of the coupler and configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) input signal; an output port connected to the coupling terminal of the coupler and configured to output an RF output signal having a phase shift relative to the RF input signal; and a first controllable reflective load connected to the through terminal of the coupler. The first controllable reflective load includes a transmission line and a plurality of shunt switches connected between a ground voltage and a different point along the transmission line, the plurality of shunt switches being selectable to control the phase shift.

[0039] In various embodiments, the first controllable reflective load further includes a first ground conductor located on a first side of the transmission line and a second ground conductor located on a second side of the transmission line. According to several embodiments, each of the plurality of shunt switches is implemented as a pair of field-effect transistors, each including a first field-effect transistor connected between the transmission line and the first ground conductor and a second field-effect transistor connected between the transmission line and the second ground conductor.

[0040] In several embodiments, the plurality of shunt switches are connected to the transmission line at a plurality of unevenly spaced points. According to several embodiments, the distance between adjacent pairs of these points gradually decreases along a length of the transmission line.

[0041] In various embodiments, the plurality of shunt switches each have a different size. According to several embodiments, the size of the plurality of shunt transistors gradually increases along one of the lengths of the first transmission line.

[0042] In some embodiments, the transmission line includes a plurality of meandering segments. According to some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of meandering segments includes a loop.

[0043] In several embodiments, the phase shifter further includes a second controllable reflective load connected to one of the isolation terminals of the coupler.

[0044] In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a wireless device. The wireless device includes a transceiver and a front-end system coupled to the transceiver. The front-end system includes a phase shifter comprising a coupler having one of the following: an input terminal configured to receive a radio frequency input signal; a through terminal; a first coupling line connected between the input terminal and the through terminal; an isolation terminal; a coupling terminal configured to output a radio frequency output signal having a phase shift relative to the radio frequency input signal; and a second coupling line connected between the isolation terminal and the coupling terminal. The phase shifter further includes a first controllable reflective load connected to the through terminal of the coupler and including a transmission line and a plurality of shunt switches connected between a ground voltage and a different point along the transmission line, the plurality of shunt switches being selectable to control the phase shift.

[0045] In some embodiments, the first controllable reflective load further includes a first ground conductor located on a first side of the transmission line and a second ground conductor located on a second side of the transmission line. According to several embodiments, each of the plurality of shunt switches is implemented as a pair of field-effect transistors, each including a first field-effect transistor connected between the transmission line and the first ground conductor and a second field-effect transistor connected between the transmission line and the second ground conductor.

[0046] In various embodiments, the plurality of shunt switches are connected to the transmission line at a plurality of unevenly spaced points. According to some embodiments, a distance between adjacent pairs of these points gradually decreases along one length of the transmission line.

[0047] In several embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches each have a different size. According to several embodiments, the size of the plurality of shunt transistors gradually increases along one length of the first transmission line.

[0048] In some embodiments, the mobile device further includes a second controllable reflective load connected to one of the isolation terminals of the coupler.

[0049] In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a phase-shifting method. The method includes: receiving a radio frequency (RF) input signal at an input terminal of a coupler. The method further includes: providing coupling from a first coupling line of the coupler to a second coupling line of the coupler, the first coupling line connecting the input terminal of the coupler to a through terminal of the coupler, and the second coupling line connecting an isolation terminal of the coupler to a coupling terminal of the coupler. The method further includes: providing an RF output signal from the coupling terminal of the coupler, the RF output signal having a phase shift relative to the RF input signal. The method further includes: controlling the phase shift using a first controllable reflective load connected to a through terminal of the coupler, including selecting one or more of a plurality of shunt switches of the first controllable reflective load, each of the plurality of shunt switches being connected between a ground voltage and a different point along a transmission line of the first controllable reflective load.

[0050] In some embodiments, the method further includes: controlling a second controllable reflective load connected to one of the isolation terminals of the coupler.

[0051] In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a phase shifter. The phase shifter includes: a first port; a second port; a first controllable reflective load; and a second controllable reflective load, which includes a first transmission line and a first plurality of shunt switches connected along the first transmission line. The phase shifter further includes a pair of coupling lines electromagnetically coupled to each other. The pair of coupling lines includes a first conductive line connected between the first port and the first controllable reflective load, and a second conductive line connected between the second controllable reflective load and the second port.

[0052] In various embodiments, the second controllable reflective load further includes a first ground conductor located on a first side of one of the first transmission lines and a second ground conductor located on a second side of one of the first transmission lines. According to several embodiments, each of the first plurality of shunt switches is implemented as a pair of field-effect transistors, each including a first field-effect transistor connected between the first transmission line and the first ground conductor and a second field-effect transistor connected between the first transmission line and the second ground conductor.

[0053] In several embodiments, one or more of the first plurality of shunt switches are closed based on a phase shift setting of the phase shifter.

[0054] In some embodiments, the first port receives an RF input signal and the second port provides a phase-shifted RF output signal.

[0055] In several embodiments, the second port receives a radio frequency input signal and the first port provides a phase-shifted radio frequency output signal.

[0056] In various embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches are connected to the first transmission line at a plurality of points that are evenly spaced from each other.

[0057] In some embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches are connected to the first transmission line at a plurality of points having a non-uniform distance from each other. According to several embodiments, the distance between adjacent pairs of the plurality of points gradually decreases along one length of the first transmission line.

[0058] In several embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches each have a common size.

[0059] In several embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches each have a different size. According to several embodiments, the size of the first plurality of shunt transistors gradually increases along one length of the first transmission line.

[0060] In various embodiments, the first transmission line includes a plurality of meandering segments. According to several embodiments, at least one of the plurality of meandering segments includes a loop.

[0061] In several embodiments, the first controllable reflective load includes a second transmission line and a second plurality of shunt switches connected along the second transmission line.

[0062] In some embodiments, the phase shifter further includes a hybrid coupler that includes the pair of coupling lines.

[0063] In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a wireless device. The wireless device includes a transceiver and a front-end system coupled to the transceiver. The front-end system includes a phase shifter comprising: a first port; a second port; a first controllable reflective load; and a second controllable reflective load, which includes a first transmission line and a first plurality of shunt switches connected along the first transmission line. The phase shifter further includes a pair of coupling lines electromagnetically coupled to each other. The pair of coupling lines includes a first conductive line connected between the first port and the first controllable reflective load, and a second conductive line connected between the second controllable reflective load and the second port.

[0064] In various embodiments, the second controllable reflective load further includes a first ground conductor located on a first side of one of the first transmission lines and a second ground conductor located on a second side of one of the first transmission lines. According to several embodiments, each of the first plurality of shunt switches is implemented as a pair of field-effect transistors, each including a first field-effect transistor connected between the first transmission line and the first ground conductor and a second field-effect transistor connected between the first transmission line and the second ground conductor.

[0065] In several embodiments, one or more of the first plurality of shunt switches are closed based on a phase shift setting of one of the phase shifters.

[0066] In various embodiments, the first port receives a radio frequency input signal and the second port provides a phase-shifted radio frequency output signal.

[0067] In some embodiments, the second port receives an RF input signal and the first port provides a phase-shifted RF output signal.

[0068] In several embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches are connected to the first transmission line at a plurality of points that are evenly spaced from each other.

[0069] In several embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches are connected to the first transmission line at a plurality of points at which they are not uniformly spaced from each other. According to several embodiments, the distance between adjacent pairs of these points gradually decreases along one length of the first transmission line.

[0070] In various embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches each have a common size.

[0071] In several embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches each have a different size. According to some embodiments, the size of the first plurality of shunt transistors gradually increases along the length of one of the first transmission lines.

[0072] In several embodiments, the first transmission line includes a plurality of meandering segments. According to various embodiments, at least one of the plurality of meandering segments includes a loop.

[0073] In some embodiments, the first controllable reflective load includes a second transmission line and a second plurality of shunt switches connected along the second transmission line.

[0074] In several embodiments, the phase shifter further includes a hybrid coupler that includes the pair of coupling lines.

[0075] In some embodiments, a phase-shifting method is provided. The method includes: receiving a radio frequency input signal at a first port. The method further includes: controlling a first controllable reflective load and a second controllable reflective load to control a phase shift of a radio frequency output signal at a second port, the first controllable reflective load including a first transmission line and a first plurality of shunt switches connected along the first transmission line. The method further includes: providing coupling between a first conductive line and a second conductive line of a pair of coupling lines, the first conductive line being connected between the first port and the first controllable reflective load, and the second conductive line being connected between the second controllable reflective load and the second port.

[0076] In several embodiments, the second controllable reflective load further includes a first ground conductor located on a first side of one of the first transmission lines and a second ground conductor located on a second side of one of the first transmission lines. According to some embodiments, each of the first plurality of shunt switches is implemented as a pair of field-effect transistors, each including a first field-effect transistor connected between the first transmission line and the first ground conductor and a second field-effect transistor connected between the first transmission line and the second ground conductor.

[0077] In several embodiments, the method further includes closing one or more of the first plurality of shunt switches based on a phase shift setting of one of the phase shifters.

[0078] In various embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches are connected to the first transmission line at a plurality of points that are evenly spaced from each other.

[0079] In several embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches are connected to the first transmission line at a plurality of points at which they are not uniformly spaced from each other. According to several embodiments, the distance between adjacent pairs of these points gradually decreases along one length of the first transmission line.

[0080] In various embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches each have a common size.

[0081] In some embodiments, the first plurality of shunt switches each have a different size. According to several embodiments, the size of the first plurality of shunt transistors gradually increases along one of the lengths of the first transmission line.

[0082] In several embodiments, the first transmission line includes a plurality of meandering segments. According to several embodiments, at least one of the plurality of meandering segments includes a loop.

[0083] In various embodiments, the first controllable reflective load includes a second transmission line and a second plurality of shunt switches connected along the second transmission line.

[0084] In some embodiments, the phase shifter further includes a hybrid coupler that includes the pair of coupling lines. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0085] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of non-limiting examples with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0086] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of one example of a communication network.

[0087] Figure 2A is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a communication system using beamforming operation.

[0088] Figure 2B is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of beamforming for providing a transmission beam.

[0089] Figure 2C is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of beamforming for providing a receiving beam.

[0090] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of one phase shifter according to one embodiment.

[0091] Figure 4A is a schematic diagram of switching one of the transmission lines according to one embodiment.

[0092] Figure 4B is a schematic diagram of switching one of the transmission lines according to another embodiment.

[0093] Figure 5A is a schematic diagram of switching one of the transmission lines according to another embodiment.

[0094] Figure 5B is a schematic diagram of switching one of the transmission lines according to another embodiment.

[0095] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of switching one of the transmission lines according to another embodiment.

[0096] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of switching one of the transmission lines according to another embodiment.

[0097] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a mobile device.

[0098] Figure 9A is a schematic diagram of one of the RF channels according to one embodiment.

[0099] Figure 9B is a schematic diagram of one of the RF channels according to another embodiment.

[0100] Figure 10A is a perspective view of one embodiment of a beamforming module.

[0101] Figure 10B is a cross-section of the module in Figure 10A obtained along line 10B-10B. Implementation

[0102] The following detailed description of certain embodiments presents various descriptions of particular embodiments. However, the innovations described herein can be embodied in a number of different ways, such as as defined and covered by the claims. In this description, references to the same element symbols may indicate the same or functionally similar elements in the drawings. It should be understood that the elements drawn in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Furthermore, it should be understood that some embodiments may include more elements than are drawn in the drawings and / or a subset of the elements drawn in one drawing. In addition, some embodiments may incorporate any suitable combination of features from two or more drawings.

[0103] The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) responsible for global issues concerning information and communication technologies, including the global sharing of radio spectrum.

[0104] The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is a collaboration among groups of telecommunications standards bodies around the world, such as the Radio Industry and Commerce Association (ARIB), the Telecommunication Technology Committee (TTC), the China Communications Standards Association (CCSA), the Telecommunication Industry Solutions Alliance (ATIS), the Telecommunication Technology Association (TTA), the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), and the Telecommunication Standards Development Institute of India (TSDSI).

[0105] Within the ITU framework, 3GPP develops and maintains technical specifications for various mobile communication technologies, including, for example, second-generation (2G) technologies (e.g., Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Enhanced Data Rate GSM Evolution (EDGE)), third-generation (3G) technologies (e.g., Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) and High Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA)) and fourth-generation (4G) technologies (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE) and Advanced LTE).

[0106] The technical specifications controlled by 3GPP can be expanded and revised through specification versions, which can span multiple years and specify new features and evolutions.

[0107] In one instance, 3GPP introduced carrier aggregation (CA) for LTE in Release 10. While initially introducing two downlink carriers, 3GPP expanded carrier aggregation in Release 14 to include up to five downlink carriers and up to three uplink carriers. Other examples of new features and evolutions provided by 3GPP releases include (but are not limited to) Licensed Assisted Access (LAA), Enhanced LAA (eLAA), Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X), and High Power User Equipment (HPUE).

[0108] 3GPP introduced Phase 1 of fifth-generation (5G) technology in Release 15 and Phase 2 of 5G technology in Release 16. Subsequent 3GPP releases will further evolve and expand 5G technology. In this document, 5G technology is also referred to as 5G New Radio (NR).

[0109] 5G NR supports or plans to support various features such as millimeter-wave spectrum communication, beamforming capabilities, high spectral efficiency waveforms, low-latency communication, multiple radio digitizations, and / or non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA). While these RF features provide network flexibility and enhance user data rates, supporting these features may present several technical challenges.

[0110] The teachings in this document are applicable to a variety of communication systems, including (but not limited to) those using advanced cellular technologies such as Advanced LTE, Advanced LTE Pro, and / or 5G NR.

[0111] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of one example of a communication network 10. The communication network 10 includes various examples of a large cell base station 1, a small cell base station 3, and user equipment (UE), including a first mobile device 2a, a wirelessly connected car 2b, a laptop computer 2c, a fixed wireless device 2d, a wirelessly connected train 2e, a second mobile device 2f, and a third mobile device 2g.

[0112] Although Figure 1 illustrates a specific example of base stations and user equipment, a communication network may include various types and / or numbers of base stations and user equipment.

[0113] For example, in the illustrated example, communication network 10 includes a large cell base station 1 and a small cell base station 3. Compared to the large cell base station 1, the small cell base station 3 can be operated with relatively lower power, shorter distance, and / or fewer concurrent users. The small cell base station 3 may also refer to an ultramicrocell, a picocell, or a microcell. Although communication network 10 is illustrated as including two base stations, communication network 10 can be implemented to include more or fewer base stations and / or other types of base stations.

[0114] While various examples of user devices are shown, the teachings herein are applicable to a wide range of user devices, including (but not limited to) mobile phones, tablets, laptops, IoT devices, wearable electronics, customer premises equipment (CPE), wirelessly connected vehicles, wireless repeaters, and / or various other communication devices. Furthermore, user devices include not only currently available communication devices operating in a cellular network, but also communication devices that will be subsequently developed for implementation using the systems, programs, methods, and apparatus of the present invention as described and claimed herein.

[0115] The communication network 10 illustrated in Figure 1 supports communication using various cellular technologies, including, for example, 4G LTE and 5G NR. In some implementations, the communication network 10 is further adapted to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN), such as WiFi. Although various examples of communication technologies have been provided, the communication network 10 can be adapted to support a variety of communication technologies.

[0116] Figure 1 illustrates various communication links of the communication network 10. These communication links can be duplexed in various ways, including, for example, using Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and / or Time Division Duplex (TDD). FDD is a radio frequency communication that uses different frequencies to transmit and receive signals. FDD offers several advantages, such as high data rates and low latency. In contrast, TDD is a radio frequency communication that uses approximately the same frequency to transmit and receive signals, with time-separated transmission and reception. TDD offers several advantages, such as efficient use of spectrum and variable allocation of output between the transmission and reception directions.

[0117] In some implementations, user equipment may use one or more of 4G LTE, 5G NR, and WiFi technologies to communicate with a base station. In some implementations, enhanced licensed assisted access (eLAA) is used to aggregate one or more licensed frequency carriers (e.g., licensed 4G LTE and / or 5G NR frequencies) with one or more unlicensed carriers (e.g., unlicensed WiFi frequencies).

[0118] As shown in Figure 1, the communication link includes not only the communication link between the UE and the base station, but also UE-to-UE communication and base station-to-base station communication. For example, the communication network 10 may be implemented to support self-fronthaul and / or self-backhaul (e.g., between mobile device 2g and mobile device 2f).

[0119] The communication link can operate across a variety of frequencies. In some implementations, 5G NR technology is used to support communication in one or more frequency bands below 6 GHz and / or one or more frequency bands above 6 GHz. For example, the communication link may serve frequency range 1 (FR1), frequency range 2 (FR2), or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, one or more mobile devices support an HPUE power class specification.

[0120] In some implementations, a base station and / or user equipment uses beamforming communication. For example, beamforming can be used to focus signal strength to overcome path loss, such as the high loss associated with communication at high signal frequencies. In some embodiments, user equipment (such as one or more mobile phones) communicates using millimeter-wave bands in the range of 30 GHz to 300 GHz and / or centimeter-wave frequencies above the range of 6 GHz to 30 GHz or (more specifically) 24 GHz to 30 GHz.

[0121] Different users of communication network 10 can share available network resources, such as available spectrum, in various ways.

[0122] In one instance, Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) is used to divide a frequency band into multiple frequency carriers. Additionally, one or more carriers are assigned to a specific user. Examples of FDMA include (but are not limited to) Single-Carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA) and Orthogonal FDMA (OFDMA). OFDMA is a multi-carrier technique that subdivides the available bandwidth into multiple mutually orthogonal narrow-band subcarriers that can be individually assigned to different users.

[0123] Other examples of shared access include (but are not limited to): Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), where a specific time slot of a frequency resource is allocated to a user; Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), where a frequency resource is shared among different users by assigning each user a unique code; Spatial Division Multiple Access (SDMA), where beamforming is used to provide shared access through spatial division; and Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA), where the power domain is used for multiple access. For example, NOMA can be used to serve multiple users with different power levels according to the same frequency, time, and / or code.

[0124] Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) refers to technologies used to increase the system capacity of LTE networks. For example, eMBB can refer to communication with a peak data rate of at least 10 Gbps and a minimum data rate of 100 Mbps for each user. Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (uRLLC) refers to communication technologies with very low latency (e.g., less than 2 milliseconds). uRLLC can be used for mission-critical communications, such as autonomous driving and / or remote surgery applications. Massive Machine-Type Communication (mMTC) refers to low-cost, low-data-rate communication associated with wireless connectivity to everyday objects, such as communications associated with Internet of Things (IoT) applications.

[0125] The communication network 10 in Figure 1 can be used to support various advanced communication features, including (but not limited to) eMBB, uRLLC and / or mMTC.

[0126] Figure 2A is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a communication system 110 using beamforming operation. The communication system 110 includes a transceiver 105, signal conditioning circuits 104a1, 104a2…104an, 104b1, 104b2…104bn, 104m1, 104m2…104mn, and an antenna array 102 including antenna elements 103a1, 103a2…103an, 103b1, 103b2…103bn, 103m1, 103m2…103mn.

[0127] Communication systems using millimeter-wave carriers, centimeter-wave carriers, and / or other frequency carriers may employ antenna arrays such as antenna array 102 to provide beamforming and directivity for signal transmission and / or reception.

[0128] For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the communication system 110 includes an array 102 of m×n antenna elements, each of which is coupled to a separate signal conditioning circuit. As indicated by the ellipsis, the communication system 110 can be implemented with any suitable number of antenna elements and signal conditioning circuitry.

[0129] In terms of signal transmission, the signal conditioning circuits 104a1, 104a2…104an, 104b1, 104b2…104bn, 104m1, 104m2…104mn can provide the transmission signal to the antenna array 102 so that the signals radiated from the antenna elements are combined using constructive and destructive interference to produce a converged transmission signal exhibiting beam-like quality, which has greater signal strength and propagates in a given direction away from the antenna array 102.

[0130] In the signal reception section, signal conditioning circuits 104a1, 104a2…104an, 104b1, 104b2…104bn, 104m1, 104m2…104mn process the received signal (e.g., by individually controlling the phase of the received signal) so that more signal energy is received when the signal arrives at the antenna array 102 from a specific direction. Therefore, the communication system 110 also provides directionality for signal reception.

[0131] The relative concentration of signal energy to a transmit or receive beam can be enhanced by increasing the size of the array. For example, as more signal energy is focused into a transmit beam, the signal can propagate over a longer range while providing a sufficient signal level for RF communication. For instance, a signal with a large proportion of signal energy focused into the transmit beam can exhibit high effective in-directional radiated power (EIRP).

[0132] In the illustrated embodiment, transceiver 105 provides transmission signals to signal conditioning circuits 104a1, 104a2…104an, 104b1, 104b2…104bn, 104m1, 104m2…104mn and processes the signals received from the signal conditioning circuits.

[0133] As shown in Figure 2A, transceiver 105 generates control signals for signal conditioning circuits 104a1, 104a2…104an, 104b1, 104b2…104bn, 104m1, 104m2…104mn. These control signals can be used for various functions, such as controlling the gain and phase of the transmitted and / or received signals to control beamforming. For example, each of the signal conditioning circuits 104a1, 104a2…104an, 104b1, 104b2…104bn, 104m1, 104m2…104mn may include a phase shifter implemented according to the teachings herein.

[0134] Figure 2B is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of beamforming for providing a transmission beam. Figure 2B illustrates a part of a communication system, which includes a first signal conditioning circuit 114a, a second signal conditioning circuit 114b, a first antenna element 113a, and a second antenna element 113b.

[0135] Although illustrated as including two antenna elements and two signal conditioning circuits, a communication system may include additional antenna elements and / or signal conditioning circuits. For example, Figure 2B illustrates one embodiment of a portion of the communication system 110 of Figure 2A.

[0136] The first signal conditioning circuit 114a includes a first phase shifter 130a, a first power amplifier 131a, a first low-noise amplifier (LNA) 132a, and a switch for selecting either the power amplifier 130a or the LNA 132a. The second signal conditioning circuit 114b includes a second phase shifter 130b, a second power amplifier 131b, a second LNA 132b, and a switch for selecting either the power amplifier 130b or the LNA 132b. The first phase shifter 130a and the second phase shifter 130b may be implemented according to any of the embodiments described herein.

[0137] Although one embodiment of the signal conditioning circuit is shown, other implementations of the signal conditioning circuit are possible. For example, in one instance, a signal conditioning circuit includes one or more band filters, duplexers, in-phase duplexers, and / or other components.

[0138] In the illustrated embodiment, the first antenna element 113a and the second antenna element 113b are separated by a distance d. Additionally, Figure 2B is labeled with an angle θ, which in this example has a value of approximately 90° when the transmit beam direction is substantially perpendicular to a plane of the antenna array and a value of approximately 0° when the transmit beam direction is substantially parallel to the plane of the antenna array.

[0139] By controlling the relative phase of the transmitted signals supplied to antenna elements 113a and 113b, a desired transmission beam angle θ can be achieved. For example, when the first phase shifter 130a has a reference value of 0°, the second phase shifter 130b can be controlled to provide a phase shift of approximately -2πf(d / ν)cosθ radians, where f is the fundamental frequency of the transmitted signal, d is the distance between the antenna elements, ν is the velocity of the radiated wave, and π is a mathematical constant pi.

[0140] In some embodiments, the distance d is implemented as approximately ½λ, where λ is the wavelength of the fundamental component of the transmitted signal. In these embodiments, the second phase shifter 130b can be controlled to provide a phase shift of approximately -πcosθ radians to achieve a transmission beam angle θ.

[0141] Therefore, the relative phase of phase shifters 130a and 130b can be controlled to provide transmission beamforming. In some embodiments, a transceiver (e.g., transceiver 105 of FIG. 2A) controls the phase values ​​of one or more phase shifters to control beamforming.

[0142] Figure 2C is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of beamforming for providing a receiving beam. Figure 2C is similar to Figure 2B, except that Figure 2C illustrates beamforming in the context of a receiving beam rather than a transmitting beam.

[0143] As shown in Figure 2C, a relative phase difference between the first phase shifter 130a and the second phase shifter 130b can be selected to be approximately equal to -2πf(d / ν)cosθ radians to achieve a desired received beam angle θ. In an embodiment where the distance d corresponds to approximately ½λ, the phase difference can be selected to be approximately equal to -πcosθ radians to achieve a received beam angle θ.

[0144] Although various equations have been provided for providing phase values ​​for beamforming, other phase selection values ​​are feasible, such as phase values ​​based on antenna array implementations, signal conditioning circuit implementations, and / or a radio environment selection. Phase shifter with switching transmission line load

[0145] A phase shifter is used in a radio frequency (RF) system to provide a controllable phase adjustment to an RF signal.

[0146] This document provides a phase shifter with a switched transmission line load. In some embodiments, a phase shifter includes a first port, a first controllable reflective load, a second port, a second controllable reflective load, and a pair of coupling lines electromagnetically coupled to each other. The pair of coupling lines includes a first conductive line connected between the first port and the first controllable reflective load, and a second conductive line connected between the second controllable reflective load and the second port. At least one of the first or second controllable reflective load includes a switched transmission line load.

[0147] By implementing the phase shifter in this manner, high frequency performance is achieved (e.g., operation in FR2 within the 24 GHz to 30 GHz range). Furthermore, good return loss can be achieved, and / or the return loss remains relatively constant across the phase shifter's phase setting range. In addition, the group delay of the phase shifter hardly changes with frequency, and therefore does not distort broadband signals.

[0148] The first and second controllable reflective loads are controlled based on a selected phase setting of one of the phase shifters. In some embodiments, a switching transmission line load is used to implement each controllable reflective load. Such a switching transmission line load may include a transmission line and a shunt switch (e.g., a field-effect transistor or FET) connected between the transmission line and a reference voltage (such as ground). By selecting the combination of switches that are turned on, the effective electrical length of one of the transmission lines can be controlled. When the effective electrical length changes, the phase shift provided by the phase shifter also changes.

[0149] Even-mode impedance, odd-mode impedance, and the length of the coupled line pair can be adjusted during design to achieve the desired performance characteristics. In some implementations, the coupled line pair is implemented as a coupler, such as a 3-dB 90° / 90° coupler (also referred to herein as a hybrid coupler). The hybrid coupler operates in conjunction with a controllable reflective load to achieve the desired performance.

[0150] The phase shifter described herein can be used in a variety of applications, including (but not limited to) providing phase shifting in RF signal conditioning circuits for beamforming applications.

[0151] In some embodiments described herein, a phase shifter is configured to provide a phase shift to one of the RF signals in the 5G frequency range 2 (FR2) (such as 24.25 GHz to 52.6 GHz). However, the phase shifter described herein can handle other RF signal frequencies.

[0152] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a phase shifter 210 according to one embodiment. The phase shifter 210 includes a pair of coupling lines 200 (corresponding to a hybrid coupler in this embodiment), a first controllable reflective load 201 (also referred to herein as a variable reflective load), a second controllable reflective load 202, an input port IN, and an output port OUT. The coupling lines 200 include a first conductive line 203 and a second conductive line 204 that are electromagnetically coupled to each other.

[0153] In the illustrated embodiment, a first end 207a of the first conductive line 203 is connected to the input port IN, and a second end 207b of the first conductive line 203 is connected to the first controllable reflective load 201. Additionally, a first end 208a of the second conductive line 204 is connected to the second controllable reflective load 202, and a second end 208b of the second conductive line 204 is connected to the output port OUT. The first ends 207a and 208a of the first conductive line 203 and the second ends 208a of the second conductive line 204 are located on a first side of the coupling line 200, while the second ends 207b and 208b of the first conductive line 203 and the second ends 208b of the second conductive line 204 are located on a second or opposite side of the coupling line 200.

[0154] In this embodiment, the coupling line pair 200 is implemented as a hybrid coupler. Additionally, the first end 207a corresponds to one input terminal (IN) of the coupler, the second end 207b corresponds to one through terminal (0°) of the coupler, the first end 208a corresponds to one isolation terminal (ISO) of the coupler, and the second end 208b corresponds to one coupling terminal (90°) of the coupler.

[0155] According to the teachings herein, a switching transmission line is used to implement at least one of the first controllable reflective load 201 or the second controllable reflective load 202.

[0156] By implementing the phase shifter 210 in this manner, high frequency performance with cross-phase setting, good return loss, and / or constant return loss can be achieved. In addition, the group delay of the phase shifter 210 hardly changes with frequency, and therefore does not distort broadband signals.

[0157] In some implementations, the first controllable reflective load 201 and the second controllable reflective load 202 are controlled based on a selected phase setting of one of the phase shifters 210, thereby changing the electrical length of the transmission lines of the reflective loads. For example, the first controllable reflective load 201 and the second controllable reflective load 202 may each be implemented as a switching transmission line controlled by a common control signal.

[0158] The even-mode impedance, odd-mode impedance, and length of coupling line 200 can be adjusted during the design phase to achieve the desired performance characteristics. Coupling line 200 operates in conjunction with controllable reflective loads 201 / 202 to achieve the desired performance.

[0159] Figure 4A is a schematic diagram of a switching transmission line 230 according to one embodiment. The switching transmission line 230 includes a transmission line 221, an RF input RF IN to the transmission line 221, shunt switches 222a, 222b, 222c, ... 222n, and a control circuit 223. Therefore, it includes n shunt switches, where n is an integer of 2 or greater or (more preferably) 4 or greater.

[0160] Figure 4A shows a switching transmission line 230 illustrating one embodiment of a controllable reflective load according to the teachings herein.

[0161] In the illustrated embodiment, control circuit 223 opens or closes shunt switches 222a, 222b, 222c, ... 222n based on a selected phase shift setting φ. The shunt switches 222a, 222b, 222c, ... 222n are connected to different locations along transmission line 221. The shunt switches 222a, 222b, 222c, ... 222n selectively connect transmission line 221 to ground.

[0162] The electrical length of transmission line 221 is changed by altering which shunt switches 222a, 222b, 222c, ... 222n are turned on and which are turned off. This, in turn, causes the overall phase shift of one of the reflective phase shifters in transmission line 230 to be incorporated into the switching process.

[0163] In some implementations, control circuit 223 turns on all switches (or at least the shunt switch 222a closest to RF IN) to provide the shortest electrical length for transmission line 221. When starting with all shunt switches closed, the gradually increasing electrical length can be provided by sequentially opening (closing) the shunt switches (starting with the switch 222a closest to RF IN).

[0164] Figure 4B is a schematic diagram of switching transmission line 230' according to another embodiment.

[0165] The switching transmission line 230' in Figure 4B is similar to the switching transmission line 230 in Figure 4A, except that the switching transmission line 230' in Figure 4B includes a control circuit 223', which includes a thermometer decoder 224.

[0166] In some embodiments described herein, a switching transmission line includes a shunt switch controlled using thermometer coding.

[0167] Figure 5A is a schematic diagram of a switching transmission line 240 according to another embodiment. The switching transmission line 240 includes a transmission line 231, a first ground conductor 233a, a second ground conductor 233b, and FET switch pairs 232a1 / 232a2, 232b1 / 232b2, 232c1 / 232c2, ..., 232n1 / 232n2. Therefore, it includes n pairs of shunt switches, where n is an integer of 2 or greater or (more preferably) 4 or greater.

[0168] Compared to the switching transmission line 230 of FIG4A, the switching transmission line 240 of FIG5A uses a pair of FET switches to implement each shunt switch. Furthermore, each pair of FET switches includes one FET switch (e.g., FET switch 232a1) connected between transmission line 231 and the first ground conductor 233a, and another FET switch (e.g., FET switch 232a2) connected between transmission line 231 and the second ground conductor 233b. In some embodiments, each pair of FET switches is jointly controlled by a corresponding control signal (e.g., n control signals, one for each pair generated by a control circuit (such as control circuit 223 of FIG4A)).

[0169] Enhanced performance (especially at high frequencies) is achieved by using FETs to implement shunt switching as described.

[0170] Figure 5B is a schematic diagram of a switching transmission line 250 according to another embodiment. The switching transmission line 250 includes a transmission line 231, a first ground conductor 233a, a second ground conductor 233b, and FET switch pairs 242a1 / 242a2, 242b1 / 242b2, 242c1 / 242c2, ... 242n1 / 242n2.

[0171] The switching transmission line 250 in Figure 5B is similar to the switching transmission line 240 in Figure 5A, except that the switching transmission line in Figure 5B contains shunt switches of different sizes (and thus varying on-state resistance and off-state capacitance) and at different distances or gaps from each other.

[0172] Implementing the switching transmission line 250 in this manner provides several advantages.

[0173] For example, the on-state resistance (Ron) of a shunt switch can be individually selected to maintain a substantially constant reflection coefficient (|ΓL|) in the switching state (which corresponds to the phase shift setting). In some implementations, Ron can decrease as the phase shift increases, and therefore switches closer to the RF input of the transmission line can be smaller than switches farther from the RF input (for higher on-state resistances).

[0174] In another example, the length (d1, d2, ... dn) of the transmission line 231 between the switches is selected to control a phase step between adjacent phase settings.

[0175] For example, a phase step of 11.25° at a center frequency of 27 GHz can be achieved by appropriately selecting the distance between the switches.

[0176] When implementing the switching transmission line 250, the off-state capacitance (Coff) should be considered in relation to its impact on the characteristic impedance and propagation constant of the transmission line 231. For example, the switch and transmission line can be designed simultaneously and iteratively.

[0177] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a switching transmission line 260 according to another embodiment. The switching transmission line 260 includes a transmission line 251, an RF input RF IN to the transmission line 251, shunt switches 222a, 222b, 222c, ... 222n and a control circuit 223.

[0178] The switching transmission line 260 in Figure 6 is similar to the switching transmission line 230 in Figure 4A, except that the transmission line 251 shown in Figure 6 includes segments 255a, 255b, ... 255n that meander to achieve the desired phase and / or amplitude response while maintaining a compact layout.

[0179] The meandering of a transmission line can also be applied to configurations using FET switch pairs coupled to a pair of ground lines. For example, transmission line 231 in the embodiments of Figures 5A and 5B can be meandered according to the teachings herein.

[0180] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a switching transmission line 310 according to another embodiment. The switching transmission line 310 includes a transmission line 301, a first ground conductor 302a, a second ground conductor 302b, a first pair of switches 304a to 304b, and a second pair of switches 305a to 305b. Additional switch pairs may be included, as indicated by ellipses.

[0181] In the example of Figure 7, transmission line 301 includes a first segment 305a that meanders into a small loop and a second segment 305b that meanders but does not have a loop. The embodiment of Figure 7 depicts another example of meandering to achieve the desired phase and / or amplitude response while maintaining a compact layout.

[0182] Various performance results can be achieved using a reflective phase shifter implemented according to the teachings in this document.

[0183] Table 1 below shows an example result of using a phase shifter for switching transmission line loads according to one embodiment of Figure 5B. Table 1 Total phase range (degrees) Phase RMS error (degrees) Insertion loss RMS error (dB) Difference in insertion loss (dB) between the two states in the worst-case scenario Average insertion loss (dB) Poor return loss (dB) at both ports 24 GHz 170 0.9 0.14 0.5 4.8 18 27 GHz 191 1.1 0.2 0.65 4.9 twenty four 30 GHz 215 1.6 0.28 0.9 5.1 18

[0184] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a mobile device 800. The mobile device 800 includes a baseband system 801, a transceiver 802, a front-end system 803, an antenna 804, a power management system 805, a memory 806, a user interface 807, and a battery 808.

[0185] Mobile device 800 can be used to communicate using a variety of communication technologies, including (but not limited to) 2G, 3G, 4G (including LTE, Advanced LTE, and Advanced LTE Pro), 5G NR, WLAN (e.g., Wi-Fi), WPAN (e.g., Bluetooth and ZigBee), WMAN (e.g., WiMax) and / or GPS technology.

[0186] Transceiver 802 generates RF signals for transmission and processes incoming RF signals received from antenna 804. It should be understood that various functions associated with the transmission and reception of RF signals can be uniformly represented in Figure 8 as achieved by one or more components of transceiver 802. In one instance, individual components (e.g., individual circuits or chips) may be provided for processing certain types of RF signals.

[0187] The front-end system 803 helps to regulate signals transmitted to and / or received from the antenna 804. In the illustrated embodiment, the front-end system 803 includes a phase shifter 810, a power amplifier (PA) 811, a low-noise amplifier (LNA) 812, a filter 813, a switch 814, and a duplexer 815.

[0188] Phase shifter 810 can be implemented according to any of the embodiments described herein. However, the phase shifter disclosed herein can be used in other configurations of electronic systems.

[0189] The front-end system 803 can provide a number of functions, including (but not limited to) amplifying signals for transmission, amplifying received signals, filtering signals, switching between different frequency bands, switching between different power modes, switching between transmission and reception modes, duplex signals, multiplex signals (e.g., in-direction duplex or triplex), or some combination thereof.

[0190] Mobile device 800 operates using beamforming. For example, front-end system 803 includes a phase shifter 810 with a variable phase controlled by transceiver 802. In some embodiments, transceiver 802 controls the phase of phase shifter 810 based on data received from processor 801.

[0191] Phase shifter 810 is controlled to provide beamforming and directivity for the transmission and / or reception of signals using antenna 804. For example, in the context of signal transmission, the phase of the transmitted signal provided to an antenna array for transmission is controlled such that the radiated signal uses a combination of constructive and destructive interference to produce a converged transmitted signal exhibiting beam-like qualities, which has greater signal strength and propagates in a given direction. In the context of signal reception, the phase is controlled such that more signal energy is received when the signal arrives at the antenna array from a specific direction.

[0192] In some implementations, the mobile device 800 supports carrier aggregation, thereby providing flexibility to increase peak data rates. Carrier aggregation can be used for both frequency division duplex (FDD) and time division duplex (TDD), and can be used to aggregate multiple carriers or channels. Carrier aggregation includes contiguous aggregation, in which consecutive carriers within the same operating frequency band are aggregated. Carrier aggregation can also be discontinuous and can include frequency-separated carriers within a common frequency band or carriers in different frequency bands.

[0193] Antenna 804 may include antennas for various types of communication. For example, antenna 804 may include antennas for transmitting and / or receiving signals associated with various frequencies and communication standards.

[0194] In some implementations, antenna 804 supports MIMO communication and / or switching diversity communication. For example, MIMO communication uses multiple antennas to transmit multiple data streams over a single radio frequency channel. MIMO communication benefits from higher signal-to-noise ratios, improved coding, and / or reduced signal interference due to the spatial multiplexing differences in the radio environment. Switching diversity refers to the selection of a specific antenna for communication to operate at a specific time. For example, a switch can be used to select a specific antenna from a set of antennas based on various factors, such as an observed bit error rate and / or a signal strength indicator.

[0195] In some implementations, antenna 804 includes one or more arrays of antenna elements to enhance beamforming.

[0196] The baseband system 801 is coupled to the user interface 807 to facilitate the processing of various user inputs and outputs (I / O) (such as voice and data). The baseband system 801 provides a digital representation of the transmitted signals to the transceiver 802, which is processed by the transceiver 802 to generate RF signals for transmission. The baseband system 801 also processes the digital representation of the received signals provided by the transceiver 802. As shown in Figure 8, the baseband system 801 is coupled to memory 806 to facilitate the operation of the mobile device 800.

[0197] Memory 806 can be used for various purposes, such as storing data and / or instructions to facilitate the operation of mobile device 800 and / or providing storage of user information.

[0198] The power management system 805 provides several power management functions for the mobile device 800. In some embodiments, the power management system 805 includes PA supply control circuitry that controls one of the supply voltages to the power amplifier 811. For example, the power management system 805 can be configured to change the supply voltage(s) supplied to one or more of the power amplifiers 811 to improve efficiency, such as power-added efficiency (PAE).

[0199] As shown in Figure 8, the power management system 805 receives a battery voltage from the battery 808. The battery 808 can be any suitable battery for the mobile device 800, including, for example, a lithium-ion battery.

[0200] Figure 9A is a schematic diagram of an RF channel 910 according to one embodiment. The RF channel 910 includes an RF beam splitter / combiner 901, phase shifters 902a, 902b, ... 902z, a first group of transmit / receive (T / R) switches 903a, 903b, ... 903z, power amplifiers 904a, 904b, ... 904z, low noise amplifiers (LNAs) 905a, 905b, ... 905z, a second group of T / R switches 906a, 906b, ... 906z, and antennas 907a, 907b, ... 907z.

[0201] In the illustrated embodiment, the T / R switch is used to select either the power amplifier for transmission or the LNA for reception. Therefore, the RF channel 910 is suitable for time-division duplexing (TDD). Furthermore, the RF beam splitter / combiner 901 is shared in both the transmission and reception directions, thus reducing RF signal routing.

[0202] Although one embodiment of an RF channel is described, the teachings herein can be applied to RF channels implemented in various ways. Therefore, other implementations are feasible.

[0203] Figure 9B is a schematic diagram of an RF channel 920 according to another embodiment. The RF channel 920 includes an RF beam splitter 911a, an RF combiner 911b, a first group of phase shifters 912a, 912b, ... 912z, a second group of phase shifters 913a, 913b, ... 913z, power amplifiers 904a, 904b, ... 904z, LNAs 905a, 905b, ... 905z, T / R switches 906a, 906b, ... 906z, and antennas 907a, 907b, ... 907z.

[0204] RF channel 920 illustrates another embodiment of an RF channel. However, the teachings herein can be applied to RF channels implemented in various ways. Therefore, other implementations are feasible.

[0205] Figure 10A is a perspective view of one embodiment of a module 1140 using beamforming operation. Figure 10B is a cross-section of the module 1140 of Figure 10A taken along line 10B-10B.

[0206] Module 1140 includes a laminated substrate or multilayer board 1141, a semiconductor die or IC 1142 (not visible in FIG. 10A), a surface mount device (SMD) 1143 (not visible in FIG. 10A), and an antenna array, which includes antenna elements 1151a1, 1151a2, 1151a3…1151an, 1151b1, 1151b2, 1151b3…1151bn, 1151c1, 1151c2, 1151c3…1151cn, 1151m1, 1151m2, 1151m3…1151mn.

[0207] Although Figures 10A and 10B illustrate one embodiment of a module, the teachings herein can be applied to modules implemented in various ways. For example, a module may include a different configuration and / or number of antenna elements, chips, and / or surface mount devices. Additionally, module 1140 may include additional structures and components, such as (but not limited to) encapsulation structures, shielding structures, and / or lead connections.

[0208] Antenna elements 1151a1, 1151a2, 1151a3…1151an, 1151b1, 1151b2, 1151b3…1151bn, 1151c1, 1151c2, 1151c3…1151cn, 1151m1, 1151m2, 1151m3…1151mn are formed on one of the first surfaces of the laminate 1141 and can be used to receive and / or transmit signals depending on the embodiment. Although a 4x4 array of antenna elements is shown, more or fewer antenna elements are possible, as indicated by ellipses. Furthermore, the antenna elements can be arranged in other patterns or configurations, including, for example, arrays using non-uniform configurations of antenna elements. In addition, in another embodiment, multiple antenna arrays are provided, such as separate antenna arrays for transmission and reception and / or for different communication frequency bands.

[0209] In the illustrated embodiment, IC 1142 is located on a second surface of the laminate 1141 opposite the first surface. However, other embodiments are possible. In one example, IC 1142 is internally integrated into the laminate 1141.

[0210] In some embodiments, IC 142 includes signal conditioning circuitry associated with antenna elements 1151a1, 1151a2, 1151a3…1151an, 1151b1, 1151b2, 1151b3…1151bn, 1151c1, 1151c2, 1151c3…1151cn, 1151m1, 1151m2, 1151m3…1151mn. This signal conditioning circuitry may include one or more phase shifters 1145 according to the teachings herein.

[0211] In one embodiment, IC 1142 includes a series of interfaces, such as a Mobile Industry Processor Interface Radio Front-End (MIPI RFFE) bus and / or an Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) bus, which receive data to control signal conditioning circuitry (such as a phase shift provided by phase shifter 1145). In another embodiment, IC 142 further includes an integrated transceiver.

[0212] The multilayer board 1141 may include various structures, including, for example, conductive layers, dielectric layers, and / or solder masks. The number of layers, layer thickness, and materials used to form the layers can be selected based on various factors and may vary depending on the application and / or implementation. The multilayer board 1141 may include vias for providing electrical connections to signal feeds and / or ground feeds to antenna elements. For example, in some implementations, vias may facilitate providing electrical connections between the signal conditioning circuitry of IC 1142 and the corresponding antenna element.

[0213] Antenna elements 1151a1, 1151a2, 1151a3…1151an, 1151b1, 1151b2, 1151b3…1151bn, 1151c1, 1151c2, 1151c3…1151cn, 1151m1, 1151m2, 1151m3…1151mn may correspond to antenna elements implemented in various ways. In one example, the antenna element array includes patch antenna elements formed from a patterned conductive layer on a first side of the laminate 1141, wherein a ground plane is formed using a conductive layer on the opposite side of the laminate 1141 or within the laminate 1141. Other examples of antenna elements include (but are not limited to) dipole antenna elements, ceramic resonators, stamped metal antennas, and / or laser-formed antennas.

[0214] Module 1140 may be included in a communication system (such as a mobile phone or base station). In one example, module 1140 is attached to a telephone board of a mobile phone. application

[0215] The principles and advantages of the embodiments described herein can be applied to a variety of applications.

[0216] For example, phase shifters can be incorporated into various electronic devices, including (but not limited to) consumer electronics, components of consumer electronics, electronic testing equipment, etc. Examples of electronic devices include (but are not limited to) a base station, a wireless network access point, a mobile phone (e.g., a smartphone), a tablet computer, a television, a computer monitor, a computer, a handheld computer, a digital assistant (PDA), a microwave oven, a refrigerator, a car, a stereo system, a disk drive, a digital camera, a portable memory chip, a washer, a dryer, a photocopier, a fax machine, a scanner, a multi-functional peripheral device, a watch, a clock, etc. Furthermore, electronic devices may include semi-finished products. in conclusion

[0217] Unless otherwise expressly required herein, throughout the description and scope of the patent application, the terms "comprise" and similar terms shall be understood as encompassing, not as exclusive or exhaustive; that is, they shall be understood as "including, but not limited to." As generally used herein, the term "coupled" refers to two or more elements that can be directly connected or connected by one or more intermediate elements. Similarly, as generally used herein, the term "connected" refers to two or more elements that can be directly connected or connected by one or more intermediate elements. Furthermore, the terms "this article," "above," "below," and similar terms, when used in this application, shall refer to the entirety of this application and not any particular part thereof. Where the context permits, singular or plural terms used in the above detailed description may also include plural or singular terms respectively. The word "or" refers to one of two or more items in a list, and the word covers all of the following interpretations: any item in the list, all items in the list, or any combination of items in the list.

[0218] Furthermore, unless otherwise expressly stated or otherwise customarily understood in the text, the conditional language used herein, especially words such as "may," "possibly," "can," "able," "for example," "likely," and the like, is generally intended to express that certain embodiments include (but not others) certain features, elements, and / or states. Therefore, this conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and / or states are required in any way according to one or more embodiments, or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for determining whether such features, elements, and / or states are included or performed in any particular embodiment, with or without author input or prompts.

[0219] The above detailed description of embodiments of the present invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed above. Although specific embodiments and examples of the invention have been described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art. For example, although programs or blocks are presented in a given order, alternative embodiments may execute routines with steps or employ systems with blocks in a different order, and some programs or blocks may be deleted, moved, added, subdivided, combined, and / or modified. Various programs or blocks may be implemented in different ways. Furthermore, although programs or blocks are sometimes presented as executing sequentially, such programs or blocks may alternatively be executed in parallel or at different times.

[0220] The teachings of the present invention provided herein can be applied to other systems, not necessarily those described above. The elements and actions of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments.

[0221] Although certain embodiments of the invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. In fact, the novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in various other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, and changes may be made to the form of the methods and systems described herein without departing from the spirit of the invention. The appended claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications that fall within the scope and spirit of the invention.

[0222] 1: Large-scale community base station 2a: First Action Device 2b: Wireless connection to cars 2c: Laptop 2d: Fixed wireless device 2e: Wireless connection to trains 2f: Second Action Device 2g: Third Action Device 3: Small-scale community base station 10: Communication Network 102: Antenna Array 103a1 to 103an: Antenna elements 103b1 to 103bn: Antenna elements 103m1 to 103mn: Antenna elements 104a1 to 104an: Signal conditioning circuit 104b1 to 104bn: Signal conditioning circuit 104m1 to 104mn: Signal conditioning circuit 105: Transceiver 113a: First antenna element 113b: Second antenna element 114a: First signal conditioning circuit 114b: Second signal conditioning circuit 130a: First phase shifter 130b: Second phase shifter 131a: First power amplifier 131b: Second power amplifier 132a: First Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) 132b: Second LNA 200: Coupled line 201: First Controllable Reflective Load 202: Second Controllable Reflective Load 203: First conductive line 204: Second conductive wire 207a: First end 207b: Second end 208a: First end 208b: Second end 210: Phase shifter 221: Transmission line 222a: Shunt switch 222b: Shunt switch 222c: Shunt switch 222n: Shunt switch 223: Control Circuit 223': Control circuit 224: Thermometer Decoder 230: Switch transmission line 230': Switch transmission line 231: Transmission line 232a1 / 232a2: FET switch pair 232b1 / 232b2: FET switch pair 232c1 / 232c2: FET switch pair 232n1 / 232n2: FET switch pair 233a: First grounding conductor 233b: Second grounding conductor 240: Switch transmission line 250: Switch transmission line 251: Transmission line 255a: Section 255b: Section 255n: Section 260: Switch transmission line 301: Transmission Line 302a: First grounding conductor 302b: Second grounding conductor 304a to 304b: First pair of switches 305a to 305b: Second pair of switches 310: Switch transmission line 800: Mobile Device 801: Baseband System 802: Transceiver 803: Front-end System 804: Antenna 805: Power Management System 806: Memory 807: User Interface 808: Battery 810: Phase Shifter 811: Power Amplifier (PA) 812: Low-noise amplifier (LNA) 813: Filter 814: Switch 815: Duplexer 901: RF beam splitter / combiner 902a: Phase shifter 902b: Phase Shifter 902z: Phase Shifter 903a: Transmit / Receive (T / R) Switch 903b: Transmit / Receive (T / R) Switch 903z: Transmit / Receive (T / R) Switch 904a: Power Amplifier 904b: Power Amplifier 904z: Power Amplifier 905a: Low-noise amplifier (LNA) 905b: Low-noise amplifier (LNA) 905z: Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) 906a: T / R switch 906b: T / R switch 906z:T / R switch 907a: Antenna 907b: Antenna 907z: Antenna 910: RF channel 911a: RF beam splitter 911b: RF Combiner 912a: Phase shifter 912b: Phase Shifter 912z: Phase shifter 913a: Phase shifter 913b: Phase shifter 913z: Phase shifter 920: RF channel 1151a1 to 1151an: Antenna elements 1151b1 to 1151bn: Antenna elements 1151c1 to 1151cn: Antenna elements 1151m1 to 1151mn: Antenna elements 1140: Module 1141: Laminated substrate / Laminated board 1142: Semiconductor die or IC 1143: Surface Mount Device (SMD) 1145: Phase shifter d: distance d1 to dn: Length IN: Input Port OUT: Output port RF IN: RF input θ: Transmission beam angle

Claims

1. A phase shifter comprising: A first port and a second port; a first controllable reflective load comprising a first transmission line and four or more adjacent shunt switches connected to the first transmission line at a plurality of points, the distance between adjacent pairs of the plurality of points decreasing along a length of the first transmission line; a second controllable reflective load; and a pair of coupling lines electromagnetically coupled to each other, the pair of coupling lines comprising a first conductive line connected between the first port and the first controllable reflective load and a second conductive line connected between the second controllable reflective load and the second port.

2. The phase shifter of claim 1, wherein the first controllable reflective load further includes a first ground conductor located on a first side of one of the first transmission lines and a second ground conductor located on a second side of one of the first transmission lines.

3. The phase shifter of claim 2, wherein each of the four or more adjacent shunt switches is implemented as a pair of field-effect transistors, including a first field-effect transistor connected between the first transmission line and the first ground conductor and a second field-effect transistor connected between the first transmission line and the second ground conductor.

4. The phase shifter of claim 1, wherein one or more of the four or more adjacent shunt switches are closed based on a phase shift setting of the phase shifter.

5. The phase shifter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first port receives an RF input signal and the second port provides a phase-shifted RF output signal.

6. The phase shifter of claim 1, wherein the second port receives an RF input signal and the first port provides a phase-shifted RF output signal.

7. The phase shifter as requested in item 1, wherein the four or more adjacent shunt switches each have a different size.

8. The phase shifter of claim 7, wherein the size of the four or more adjacent shunt switches increases along the length of the first transmission line.

9. The phase shifter of claim 1, wherein the first transmission line comprises a plurality of meandering segments.

10. The phase shifter of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of meandering segments comprises a loop.

11. The phase shifter of claim 1, wherein the second controllable reflective load comprises a second transmission line and a plurality of adjacent shunt switches connected along the second transmission line.

12. The phase shifter of claim 1, wherein the four or more adjacent shunt switches include a first shunt switch, a second shunt switch and a third shunt switch, wherein there is no intervening switch between the first shunt switch and the second shunt switch, and there is no intervening switch between the second shunt switch and the third shunt switch.

13. A wireless device comprising: One transceiver; And a front-end system coupled to the transceiver, the front-end system including a phase shifter, the phase shifter including: a first port; A second port; a first controllable reflective load comprising a first transmission line and four or more adjacent shunt switches connected to the first transmission line at a plurality of points, the distance between adjacent pairs of the plurality of points decreasing along a length of the first transmission line; a second controllable reflective load; and a pair of coupling lines electromagnetically coupled to each other, the pair of coupling lines comprising a first conductive line connected between the first port and the first controllable reflective load and a second conductive line connected between the second controllable reflective load and the second port.

14. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein the first controllable reflective load further includes a first ground conductor located on a first side of one of the first transmission lines and a second ground conductor located on a second side of one of the first transmission lines.

15. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein each of the four or more adjacent shunt switches is implemented as a pair of field-effect transistors, including a first field-effect transistor connected between the first transmission line and the first ground conductor and a second field-effect transistor connected between the first transmission line and the second ground conductor.

16. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein one or more of the four or more adjacent shunt switches are closed based on a phase shift setting of the phase shifter.

17. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein the four or more adjacent shunt switches each have a different size.

18. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein the size of the four or more adjacent shunt switches increases along the length of the first transmission line.

19. A phase-shifting method, the method comprising: Receives an RF input signal at a first port; controls a first controllable reflective load and a second controllable reflective load to control a phase shift of an RF output signal at a second port, the first controllable reflective load including a first transmission line and four or more adjacent shunt switches connected to the first transmission line at a plurality of points, the distance between adjacent pairs of the plurality of points decreasing along a length of the first transmission line; and provides coupling between a first conductive line and a second conductive line of a pair of coupling lines, the first conductive line being connected between the first port and the first controllable reflective load, and the second conductive line being connected between the second controllable reflective load and the second port.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the four or more adjacent shunt switches each have a different size.

21. A phase shifter comprising: A coupler comprising an input terminal, a through terminal, a first coupling line connecting the input terminal and the through terminal, an isolation terminal, a coupling terminal, and a second coupling line connecting the isolation terminal and the coupling terminal; an input port connected to the input terminal of the coupler and configured to receive a radio frequency input signal; an output port connected to the coupling terminal of the coupler and configured to output a radio frequency output signal having a phase shift relative to the radio frequency input signal; and a first controllable reflective load connected to the through terminal of the coupler and comprising a transmission line and a plurality of shunt switches connected between a ground voltage and a different point along the transmission line, the plurality of shunt switches being selectable to control the phase shift, the plurality of shunt switches being connected to the transmission line at a plurality of non-uniformly spaced points.

22. The phase shifter of claim 21, wherein the first controllable reflective load further includes a first ground conductor located on a first side of the transmission line and a second ground conductor located on a second side of the transmission line.

23. The phase shifter of claim 22, wherein each of the first plurality of shunt switches is implemented as a pair of field-effect transistors, including a first field-effect transistor connected between the transmission line and the first ground conductor and a second field-effect transistor connected between the transmission line and the second ground conductor.

24. The phase shifter of claim 21, wherein a distance between adjacent pairs of the plurality of points gradually decreases along a length of the transmission line.

25. The phase shifter of claim 21, wherein the plurality of shunt switches each have a different size.

26. The phase shifter of claim 25, wherein the size of the plurality of shunt switches gradually increases along one of the lengths of the transmission line.

27. The phase shifter of claim 21, wherein the transmission line comprises a plurality of meandering segments.

28. The phase shifter of claim 27, wherein at least one of the plurality of meandering segments comprises a loop.

29. The phase shifter of claim 21, further comprising a second controllable reflective load connected to one of the isolation terminals of the coupler.

30. A wireless device comprising: One transceiver; The transceiver includes a front-end system coupled to the transceiver. The front-end system includes a phase shifter, which includes a coupler having: an input terminal configured to receive an RF input signal; a through terminal; a first coupling line connected between the input terminal and the through terminal; an isolation terminal; a coupling terminal configured to output an RF output signal having a phase shift relative to the RF input signal; and a second coupling line connected between the isolation terminal and the coupling terminal. The phase shifter further includes a transmission line connected to the through terminal of the coupler and including a first controllable reflective load of a plurality of shunt switches connected between a ground voltage and a different point along the transmission line. The plurality of shunt switches are selectable to control the phase shift and are connected to the transmission line at a plurality of non-uniformly spaced points.

31. The wireless device of claim 30, wherein the first controllable reflective load further includes a first ground conductor located on a first side of the transmission line and a second ground conductor located on a second side of the transmission line.

32. The wireless device of claim 31, wherein each of the plurality of shunt switches is implemented as a pair of field-effect transistors, including a first field-effect transistor connected between the transmission line and the first ground conductor and a second field-effect transistor connected between the transmission line and the second ground conductor.

33. The wireless device of claim 30, wherein a distance between adjacent pairs of the plurality of points gradually decreases along a length of the transmission line.

34. The wireless device of claim 30, wherein the plurality of shunt switches each have a different size.

35. The wireless device of claim 34, wherein the size of a plurality of shunt switches gradually increases along the length of one of the first transmission lines.

36. The wireless device of claim 30, wherein the phase shifter further includes a second controllable reflective load connected to one of the isolation terminals of the coupler.

37. A phase-shifting method, the method comprising: A radio frequency (RF) input signal is received at one input terminal of a coupler; coupling is provided between a first coupling line of the coupler and a second coupling line of the coupler, the first coupling line being connected between the input terminal of the coupler and a through terminal of the coupler, and the second coupling line being connected between an isolation terminal of the coupler and a coupling terminal of the coupler; an RF output signal is provided from the coupling terminal of the coupler, the RF output signal having a phase shift relative to the RF input signal; and the phase shift is controlled using a first controllable reflective load connected to one of the through terminals of the coupler, including selecting one or more of a plurality of shunt switches of the first controllable reflective load, each of the plurality of shunt switches being connected between a ground voltage and a different point along a transmission line of the first controllable reflective load, the plurality of shunt switches being connected to the transmission line at a plurality of non-uniformly spaced points.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising controlling a second controllable reflective load connected to one of the isolation terminals of the coupler.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein a distance between adjacent pairs of the plurality of points gradually decreases along a length of the transmission line.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the plurality of shunt switches each has a different size, the size of the plurality of shunt switches gradually increasing along one length of the transmission line.

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