Couplers, RF front-end modules and terminal equipment

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of electronic technology and provides a coupler, a radio frequency front-end module, and a terminal device. The coupler includes: a dielectric board, a main transmission line, and a coupling inductor; the main transmission line and the coupling inductor are arranged on the dielectric board; the first electrode of the coupling inductor is connected to a coupling end; the second electrode of the coupling inductor is connected to a reference ground via an isolation resistor; the first electrode and the second electrode are connected via a coil inside the coupling inductor; the main transmission line includes an input end, a coupling portion, and an output end; the two ends of the coupling portion are respectively connected to the input end and the output end; the coupling portion is used to generate electromagnetic coupling with the coil when transmitting radio frequency signals. The coupler is small in size.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of electronic technology, and in particular to a coupler, a radio frequency front-end module and a terminal device. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of terminal devices, the integration of components is becoming increasingly higher, and the requirements for the size of each component are also becoming higher and higher. In addition to meeting performance requirements, components must be miniaturized as much as possible to adapt to the development of terminal devices.

[0003] For example, a terminal device typically includes an RF front-end module (RFFEM) to process RF signals. Couplers are often used within these modules to couple signal energy for power detection or antenna tuning. Common coupler types include integrated device couplers and microstrip couplers.

[0004] However, conventional couplers are relatively large in size. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present application provides a coupler, a radio frequency front-end module and a terminal device. The coupler is small in size and has the characteristics of miniaturization.

[0006] In a first aspect, a coupler is provided, comprising: a dielectric plate, a main transmission line, and a coupling inductor; the main transmission line and the coupling inductor are arranged on the dielectric plate; a first electrode of the coupling inductor is connected to a coupling end; a second electrode of the coupling inductor is connected to a reference ground via an isolation resistor; the first electrode and the second electrode are connected via a coil inside the coupling inductor; the main transmission line comprises an input end, a coupling portion, and an output end; two ends of the coupling portion are respectively connected to the input end and the output end; the coupling portion is configured to generate electromagnetic coupling with the coil when transmitting a radio frequency signal.

[0007] Optionally, the coupling portion is a straight transmission line.

[0008] Optionally, the coupling portion is a bent transmission line.

[0009] Optionally, the coupling portion is a U-shaped transmission line.

[0010] Optionally, the coupling portion is a concave-shaped transmission line.

[0011] Optionally, the coupling portion is a wavy transmission line.

[0012] Optionally, a direction from the first electrode to the second electrode is parallel to a direction from the input end to the output end.

[0013] Optionally, the direction from the first electrode to the second electrode is perpendicular to the direction from the input end to the output end.

[0014] Optionally, the input end, the output end and the coupling portion are all located on a surface layer of the dielectric plate.

[0015] Optionally, the input end and the output end are located on a surface layer of the dielectric plate; the coupling portion is located on an inner layer of the dielectric plate, and the coupling portion and the input end and the output end are connected by metallized vias.

[0016] Optionally, a projection of the coupling portion on a first surface of the dielectric plate having the largest area does not intersect with a projection of the coupling inductor on the first surface.

[0017] Optionally, a projection of the coupling portion on a first surface of the dielectric plate having the largest area intersects with a projection of the coupling inductor on the first surface.

[0018] Optionally, an angle between the opening direction of the coil and the first surface of the dielectric plate with the largest area is smaller than a preset angle threshold.

[0019] Optionally, the difference between the angle between the opening direction of the coil and the first surface of the dielectric plate with the largest area and ninety degrees is smaller than a preset angle threshold.

[0020] In a second aspect, a radio frequency front-end module is provided, comprising a coupler as described in any one of the above embodiments.

[0021] In a third aspect, a terminal device is provided, comprising a coupler as described in any one of the above embodiments.

[0022] In a fourth aspect, a terminal device is provided, comprising a radio frequency front-end module as described in any one of the above embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a terminal device 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of a coupler provided in an RF front-end module according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a microstrip coupler in traditional technology;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a basic structural diagram and equivalent schematic diagram of a coupler provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Figure 51 is a schematic structural diagram of a coupler provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the internal structure of a coupled inductor provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of an example of electric field coupling and magnetic field coupling provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 8 is a perspective view of the top of a coupler provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 9 is a perspective view of the top of another coupler provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 10 is a perspective view of the top of another coupler provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] Figure 11 is a perspective view of the top of another coupler provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] Figure 12 is a perspective view of the top of another coupler provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Figure 13 is a perspective view of the top of another coupler provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 14 is a perspective view of the top of another coupler provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 15 is a perspective view of the top of another coupler provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 16 is a perspective view of the top of another coupler provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] Figure 17 is a perspective view of the top of another coupler provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 18 is a perspective view of the top of another coupler provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 19 is a perspective view of the top of another coupler provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 20 Schematic diagram of electric field coupling and magnetic field coupling of another example of a coupler structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram of electric field coupling and magnetic field coupling of another example of a coupler structure provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0044] Reference numerals:

[0045] Medium board: 510;

[0046] Main transmission line: 520;

[0047] Input: 521;

[0048] Coupling part: 522;

[0049] Output: 523;

[0050] Coupled inductor: 530;

[0051] First electrode: 531;

[0052] Second electrode: 532;

[0053] Coil: 533;

[0054] Non-magnetic ceramics: 534;

[0055] Isolation resistance: 540; DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise specified, " / " means or, for example, A / B can mean A or B; "and / or" in this article is merely a description of the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist, for example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In addition, in the description of the embodiments of the present application, "multiple" means two or more than two.

[0057] In the following, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature specified as "first," "second," or "third" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features.

[0058] The coupler provided in the embodiments of the present application can be applied to terminal devices such as mobile phones, tablet computers, wearable devices, vehicle-mounted devices, augmented reality (AR) / virtual reality (VR) devices, laptop computers, ultra-mobile personal computers (UMPCs), netbooks, and personal digital assistants (PDAs). Specifically, it can also be applied to the radio frequency front-end modules of these terminal devices. The embodiments of the present application do not impose any restrictions on the specific types of terminal devices.

[0059] For example, Figure 1 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an example terminal device 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application. The terminal device 100 may include a processor 110, an external memory interface 120, an internal memory 121, a universal serial bus (USB) interface 130, a charging management module 140, a power management module 141, a battery 142, an antenna 1, an antenna 2, a mobile communication module 150, a wireless communication module 160, an audio module 170, a speaker 170A, a receiver 170B, a microphone 170C, an earphone interface 170D, a sensor module 180, a button 190, a motor 191, an indicator 192, a camera 193, a display 194, and a subscriber identification module (SIM) card interface 195. The sensor module 180 may include a pressure sensor 180A, a gyroscope sensor 180B, an air pressure sensor 180C, a magnetic sensor 180D, an acceleration sensor 180E, a distance sensor 180F, a proximity light sensor 180G, a fingerprint sensor 180H, a temperature sensor 180J, a touch sensor 180K, an ambient light sensor 180L, a bone conduction sensor 180M, etc.

[0060] It should be understood that the structures illustrated in the embodiments of the present application do not constitute a specific limitation on the terminal device 100. In other embodiments of the present application, the terminal device 100 may include more or fewer components than shown, or may combine or separate certain components, or arrange the components differently. The illustrated components may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0061] The processor 110 may include one or more processing units. For example, the processor 110 may include an application processor (AP), a modem processor, a graphics processing unit (GPU), an image signal processor (ISP), a controller, a memory, a video codec, a digital signal processor (DSP), a baseband processor, and / or a neural-network processing unit (NPU). The different processing units may be independent devices or integrated into one or more processors.

[0062] The controller may be the nerve center and command center of the terminal device 100. The controller may generate an operation control signal according to the instruction operation code and the timing signal to complete the control of fetching and executing instructions.

[0063] Processor 110 may also include a memory for storing instructions and data. In some embodiments, the memory in processor 110 is a cache memory. This memory can store instructions or data that have just been used or are being recycled by processor 110. If processor 110 needs to use the same instruction or data again, it can directly access the memory. This avoids duplicate accesses, reduces processor 110 latency, and thus improves system efficiency.

[0064] In some embodiments, the processor 110 may include one or more interfaces. The interfaces may include an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) interface, an inter-integrated circuit sound (I2S) interface, a pulse code modulation (PCM) interface, a universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) interface, a mobile industry processor interface (MIPI), a general-purpose input / output (GPIO) interface, a subscriber identity module (SIM) interface, and / or a universal serial bus (USB) interface.

[0065] The I2C interface is a bidirectional synchronous serial bus that includes a serial data line (SDA) and a serial clock line (SCL). In some embodiments, the processor 110 may include multiple I2C bus lines. The processor 110 may be coupled to the touch sensor 180K, the charger, the flash, the camera 193, and the like via different I2C bus interfaces. For example, the processor 110 may be coupled to the touch sensor 180K via the I2C interface, enabling communication between the processor 110 and the touch sensor 180K via the I2C bus interface, thereby implementing the touch function of the terminal device 100.

[0066] The I2S interface can be used for audio communication. In some embodiments, the processor 110 can include multiple I2S buses. The processor 110 can be coupled to the audio module 170 via the I2S bus to enable communication between the processor 110 and the audio module 170. In some embodiments, the audio module 170 can transmit audio signals to the wireless communication module 160 via the I2S interface, enabling the function of answering calls through a Bluetooth headset.

[0067] The PCM interface can also be used for audio communication, sampling, quantizing, and encoding analog signals. In some embodiments, the audio module 170 and the wireless communication module 160 can be coupled via a PCM bus interface. In some embodiments, the audio module 170 can also transmit audio signals to the wireless communication module 160 via the PCM interface, enabling the function of answering calls via a Bluetooth headset. Both the I2S interface and the PCM interface can be used for audio communication.

[0068] The UART interface is a universal serial data bus used for asynchronous communication. This bus can be a bidirectional communication bus. It converts the data to be transmitted between serial communication and parallel communication. In some embodiments, the UART interface is typically used to connect the processor 110 and the wireless communication module 160. For example, the processor 110 communicates with the Bluetooth module in the wireless communication module 160 via the UART interface to implement Bluetooth functionality. In some embodiments, the audio module 170 can transmit audio signals to the wireless communication module 160 via the UART interface, enabling the function of playing music through Bluetooth headphones.

[0069] The MIPI interface can be used to connect the processor 110 to peripheral devices such as the display 194 and the camera 193. MIPI interfaces include the camera serial interface (CSI) and the display serial interface (DSI). In some embodiments, the processor 110 and the camera 193 communicate via the CSI interface to implement the camera function of the terminal device 100. The processor 110 and the display 194 communicate via the DSI interface to implement the display function of the terminal device 100.

[0070] The GPIO interface can be configured via software. The GPIO interface can be configured as either a control signal or a data signal. In some embodiments, the GPIO interface can be used to connect the processor 110 to the camera 193, display 194, wireless communication module 160, audio module 170, sensor module 180, etc. The GPIO interface can also be configured as an I2C interface, an I2S interface, a UART interface, a MIPI interface, etc.

[0071] The USB interface 130 is an interface that complies with USB standards and may be a Mini USB interface, a Micro USB interface, a USB Type-C interface, or the like. The USB interface 130 can be used to connect a charger to charge the terminal device 100, or to transfer data between the terminal device 100 and peripheral devices. It can also be used to connect headphones to play audio. This interface can also be used to connect to other terminal devices, such as AR devices.

[0072] It is understood that the interface connection relationship between the modules illustrated in the embodiments of the present application is merely an illustrative illustration and does not constitute a structural limitation on the terminal device 100. In other embodiments of the present application, the terminal device 100 may also adopt a different interface connection method from the above embodiments, or a combination of multiple interface connection methods.

[0073] The charging management module 140 is configured to receive charging input from a charger. The charger can be either a wireless charger or a wired charger. In some wired charging embodiments, the charging management module 140 can receive charging input from the wired charger via the USB interface 130. In some wireless charging embodiments, the charging management module 140 can receive wireless charging input via the wireless charging coil of the terminal device 100. While charging the battery 142, the charging management module 140 can also provide power to the terminal device via the power management module 141.

[0074] The power management module 141 is used to connect the battery 142, the charging management module 140, and the processor 110. The power management module 141 receives input from the battery 142 and / or the charging management module 140, and provides power to the processor 110, the internal memory 121, the external memory, the display 194, the camera 193, and the wireless communication module 160. The power management module 141 can also be used to monitor parameters such as battery capacity, battery cycle count, and battery health status (leakage, impedance). In some other embodiments, the power management module 141 can also be set in the processor 110. In other embodiments, the power management module 141 and the charging management module 140 can also be set in the same device.

[0075] The wireless communication function of the terminal device 100 can be implemented through the antenna 1, the antenna 2, the mobile communication module 150, the wireless communication module 160, the modem processor and the baseband processor.

[0076] Antenna 1 and antenna 2 are used to transmit and receive electromagnetic wave signals. Figure 1 The structures of antenna 1 and antenna 2 are merely examples. Each antenna in terminal device 100 can be used to cover a single or multiple communication frequency bands. Different antennas can also be reused to improve antenna utilization. For example, antenna 1 can be reused as a diversity antenna for a wireless local area network. In other embodiments, the antennas can be used in conjunction with tuning switches.

[0077] The mobile communication module 150 can provide solutions for wireless communications including 2G / 3G / 4G / 5G applied to the terminal device 100. The mobile communication module 150 may include at least one filter, a switch, a power amplifier, a low noise amplifier (LNA), etc. The mobile communication module 150 can receive electromagnetic waves from the antenna 1, and filter, amplify, and process the received electromagnetic waves, and transmit them to the modulation and demodulation processor for demodulation. The mobile communication module 150 can also amplify the signal modulated by the modulation and demodulation processor, and convert it into electromagnetic waves for radiation through the antenna 1. In some embodiments, at least some of the functional modules of the mobile communication module 150 can be set in the processor 110. In some embodiments, at least some of the functional modules of the mobile communication module 150 can be set in the same device as at least some of the modules of the processor 110.

[0078] The modem processor may include a modulator and a demodulator. The modulator is used to modulate the low-frequency baseband signal to be transmitted into a medium-high frequency signal. The demodulator is used to demodulate the received electromagnetic wave signal into a low-frequency baseband signal. The demodulator then transmits the demodulated low-frequency baseband signal to the baseband processor for processing. After being processed by the baseband processor, the low-frequency baseband signal is passed to the application processor. The application processor outputs a sound signal through an audio device (not limited to the speaker 170A, the receiver 170B, etc.) or displays an image or video through the display screen 194. In some embodiments, the modem processor may be an independent device. In other embodiments, the modem processor may be independent of the processor 110 and be set in the same device as the mobile communication module 150 or other functional modules.

[0079] The wireless communication module 160 can provide wireless communication solutions including wireless local area networks (WLAN) (such as wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) networks), Bluetooth (BT), global navigation satellite system (GNSS), frequency modulation (FM), near field communication (NFC), infrared (IR), etc. applied to the terminal device 100. The wireless communication module 160 can be one or more devices integrating at least one communication processing module. The wireless communication module 160 receives electromagnetic waves via the antenna 2, frequency modulates and filters the electromagnetic wave signals, and sends the processed signals to the processor 110. The wireless communication module 160 can also receive the signal to be sent from the processor 110, frequency modulate it, amplify it, and convert it into electromagnetic waves for radiation through the antenna 2.

[0080] In some embodiments, the antenna 1 of the terminal device 100 is coupled to the mobile communication module 150, and the antenna 2 is coupled to the wireless communication module 160, so that the terminal device 100 can communicate with the network and other devices through wireless communication technology. The wireless communication technology may include global system for mobile communications (GSM), general packet radio service (GPRS), code division multiple access (CDMA), wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), time-division code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA), long term evolution (LTE), BT, GNSS, WLAN, NFC, FM, and / or IR technology. The GNSS may include a global positioning system (GPS), a global navigation satellite system (GLONASS), a Beidou navigation satellite system (BDS), a quasi-zenith satellite system (QZSS) and / or a satellite based augmentation system (SBAS).

[0081] The terminal device 100 implements display functions through a GPU, display screen 194, and an application processor. The GPU is a microprocessor for image processing that connects the display screen 194 and the application processor. The GPU is used to perform mathematical and geometric calculations for graphics rendering. The processor 110 may include one or more GPUs that execute program instructions to generate or modify display information.

[0082] Display screen 194 is used to display images, videos, etc. Display screen 194 includes a display panel. The display panel can be a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), an active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED), a flexible light-emitting diode (FLED), a MiniLED, a MicroLED, a Micro-oLed, or a quantum dot light-emitting diode (QLED). In some embodiments, terminal device 100 may include one or N display screens 194, where N is a positive integer greater than 1.

[0083] The terminal device 100 can realize the shooting function through the ISP, camera 193, video codec, GPU, display screen 194 and application processor.

[0084] The ISP processes data fed back by camera 193. For example, when taking a photo, the shutter is opened, and light is transmitted through the lens to the camera's photosensitive element. The light signal is converted into an electrical signal, which is then passed to the ISP for processing and converted into a visible image. The ISP can also perform algorithmic optimization on image noise, brightness, and skin tone. It can also optimize parameters such as exposure and color temperature of the captured scene. In some embodiments, the ISP can be located within camera 193.

[0085] The camera 193 is used to capture still images or videos. The object generates an optical image through the lens and projects it onto the photosensitive element. The photosensitive element can be a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) phototransistor. The photosensitive element converts the light signal into an electrical signal, and then passes the electrical signal to the ISP for conversion into a digital image signal. The ISP outputs the digital image signal to the DSP for processing. The DSP converts the digital image signal into an image signal in a standard RGB, YUV or other format. In some embodiments, the terminal device 100 may include 1 or N cameras 193, where N is a positive integer greater than 1.

[0086] The digital signal processor is used to process digital signals. In addition to processing digital image signals, it can also process other digital signals. For example, when the terminal device 100 selects a frequency point, the digital signal processor is used to perform Fourier transform on the frequency point energy.

[0087] Video codecs are used to compress or decompress digital video. Terminal device 100 may support one or more video codecs. This allows terminal device 100 to play or record videos in various encoding formats, such as Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) 1, MPEG2, MPEG3, and MPEG4.

[0088] The NPU is a neural network (NN) computing processor. Drawing on the structure of biological neural networks, such as the transmission patterns between neurons in the human brain, it rapidly processes input information and can continuously self-learn. The NPU can enable intelligent cognitive applications in the terminal device 100, such as image recognition, face recognition, speech recognition, and text comprehension.

[0089] The external memory interface 120 can be used to connect an external memory card, such as a Micro SD card, to expand the storage capacity of the terminal device 100. The external memory card communicates with the processor 110 via the external memory interface 120 to implement data storage functions. For example, files such as music and videos can be stored on the external memory card.

[0090] The internal memory 121 can be used to store computer executable program codes, which include instructions. The processor 110 executes various functional applications and data processing of the terminal device 100 by running the instructions stored in the internal memory 121. The internal memory 121 may include a program storage area and a data storage area. Among them, the program storage area can store an operating system, an application required for at least one function (such as a sound playback function, an image playback function, etc.), etc. The data storage area can store data created during the use of the terminal device 100 (such as audio data, a phone book, etc.), etc. In addition, the internal memory 121 may include a high-speed random access memory, and may also include a non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device, a flash memory device, a universal flash storage (UFS), etc.

[0091] The terminal device 100 can implement audio functions such as music playback and recording through the audio module 170, the speaker 170A, the receiver 170B, the microphone 170C, the headphone jack 170D, and the application processor.

[0092] The audio module 170 is used to convert digital audio information into analog audio signal output, and is also used to convert analog audio input into digital audio signals. The audio module 170 can also be used to encode and decode audio signals. In some embodiments, the audio module 170 can be provided in the processor 110, or some functional modules of the audio module 170 can be provided in the processor 110.

[0093] The speaker 170A, also called a "speaker", is used to convert audio electrical signals into sound signals. The terminal device 100 can listen to music or listen to hands-free calls through the speaker 170A.

[0094] The receiver 170B, also called a "handset", is used to convert audio electrical signals into sound signals. When the terminal device 100 receives a call or voice message, the user can hear the voice by placing the receiver 170B close to the ear.

[0095] Microphone 170C, also known as "microphone" or "microphone", is used to convert sound signals into electrical signals. When making a call or sending a voice message, the user can speak by putting their mouth close to the microphone 170C to input the sound signal into the microphone 170C. The terminal device 100 can be provided with at least one microphone 170C. In other embodiments, the terminal device 100 can be provided with two microphones 170C, which can not only collect sound signals but also realize noise reduction function. In other embodiments, the terminal device 100 can also be provided with three, four or more microphones 170C to realize sound signal collection, noise reduction, and can also identify the source of sound, realize directional recording function, etc.

[0096] The headphone jack 170D is used to connect a wired headphone and can be the USB interface 130 or a 3.5mm open mobile terminal platform (OMTP) standard interface or a cellular telecommunications industry association of the USA (CTIA) standard interface.

[0097] Pressure sensor 180A is used to sense pressure signals and convert them into electrical signals. In some embodiments, pressure sensor 180A can be located on display screen 194. There are many types of pressure sensors 180A, such as resistive, inductive, and capacitive. A capacitive pressure sensor can include at least two parallel plates made of conductive material. When force is applied to pressure sensor 180A, the capacitance between the electrodes changes. Terminal device 100 determines the intensity of the pressure based on this change in capacitance. When a touch operation is applied to display screen 194, terminal device 100 detects the intensity of the touch operation based on pressure sensor 180A. Terminal device 100 can also calculate the location of the touch based on the detection signal from pressure sensor 180A. In some embodiments, touch operations applied to the same touch location but with different touch operation intensities can correspond to different operation instructions. For example, when a touch operation with an intensity less than a first pressure threshold is applied to a short message application icon, an instruction to view short messages is executed. When a touch operation with an intensity greater than or equal to the first pressure threshold is applied to a short message application icon, an instruction to create a new short message is executed.

[0098] The gyroscope sensor 180B can be used to determine the motion posture of the terminal device 100. In some embodiments, the angular velocity of the terminal device 100 around three axes (i.e., x, y, and z axes) can be determined by the gyroscope sensor 180B. The gyroscope sensor 180B can be used for shooting anti-shake. For example, when the shutter is pressed, the gyroscope sensor 180B detects the angle of the terminal device 100 shaking, calculates the distance that the lens module needs to compensate based on the angle, and allows the lens to offset the shaking of the terminal device 100 through reverse movement to achieve anti-shake. The gyroscope sensor 180B can also be used for navigation and somatosensory game scenes.

[0099] The air pressure sensor 180C is used to measure air pressure. In some embodiments, the terminal device 100 calculates the altitude through the air pressure value measured by the air pressure sensor 180C to assist in positioning and navigation.

[0100] The magnetic sensor 180D includes a Hall effect sensor. The terminal device 100 can use the magnetic sensor 180D to detect the opening and closing of the flip case. In some embodiments, when the terminal device 100 is a flip phone, the terminal device 100 can detect the opening and closing of the flip cover based on the magnetic sensor 180D. Furthermore, based on the detected opening and closing status of the case or flip cover, features such as automatic unlocking of the flip cover can be configured.

[0101] Accelerometer 180E can detect the magnitude of acceleration of the terminal device 100 in all directions (generally three axes). When the terminal device 100 is stationary, it can detect the magnitude and direction of gravity. It can also be used to identify the terminal device's posture, enabling applications such as switching between landscape and portrait modes and pedometers.

[0102] The distance sensor 180F is used to measure distance. The terminal device 100 can measure distance using infrared or laser. In some embodiments, when shooting a scene, the terminal device 100 can use the distance sensor 180F to measure distance to achieve fast focusing.

[0103] The proximity light sensor 180G may include, for example, a light emitting diode (LED) and a light detector, such as a photodiode. The light emitting diode may be an infrared light emitting diode. The terminal device 100 emits infrared light outward through the light emitting diode. The terminal device 100 uses a photodiode to detect infrared reflected light from nearby objects. When sufficient reflected light is detected, it can be determined that there is an object near the terminal device 100. When insufficient reflected light is detected, the terminal device 100 can determine that there is no object near the terminal device 100. The terminal device 100 can use the proximity light sensor 180G to detect when the user holds the terminal device 100 close to the ear to talk, so as to automatically turn off the screen to save power. The proximity light sensor 180G can also be used in leather case mode and pocket mode to automatically unlock and lock the screen.

[0104] Ambient light sensor 180L is used to sense ambient light brightness. Terminal device 100 can adaptively adjust the brightness of display screen 194 based on the perceived ambient light. Ambient light sensor 180L can also be used to automatically adjust white balance when taking photos. Ambient light sensor 180L can also work with proximity light sensor 180G to detect whether terminal device 100 is in a pocket to prevent accidental touches.

[0105] The fingerprint sensor 180H is used to collect fingerprints. The terminal device 100 can use the collected fingerprint characteristics to implement fingerprint unlocking, access application locks, fingerprint photography, fingerprint call answering, etc.

[0106] The temperature sensor 180J is used to detect temperature. In some embodiments, the terminal device 100 uses the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 180J to execute a temperature processing strategy. For example, when the temperature reported by the temperature sensor 180J exceeds a threshold, the terminal device 100 reduces the performance of the processor located near the temperature sensor 180J to reduce power consumption and implement thermal protection. In other embodiments, when the temperature is lower than another threshold, the terminal device 100 heats the battery 142 to prevent the terminal device 100 from shutting down abnormally due to low temperature. In other embodiments, when the temperature is lower than another threshold, the terminal device 100 boosts the output voltage of the battery 142 to prevent abnormal shutdown due to low temperature.

[0107] The touch sensor 180K is also called a "touch panel." The touch sensor 180K can be provided on the display screen 194. The touch sensor 180K and the display screen 194 form a touch screen, also called a "touch screen." The touch sensor 180K is used to detect touch operations applied thereto or in the vicinity thereof. The touch sensor can transmit the detected touch operations to the application processor to determine the type of touch event. Visual output related to the touch operations can be provided via the display screen 194. In other embodiments, the touch sensor 180K can also be provided on the surface of the terminal device 100, at a location different from that of the display screen 194.

[0108] The bone conduction sensor 180M can obtain vibration signals. In some embodiments, the bone conduction sensor 180M can obtain vibration signals from the vibrating bones of the human body. The bone conduction sensor 180M can also contact the human pulse to receive blood pressure pulse signals. In some embodiments, the bone conduction sensor 180M can also be set in headphones to form bone conduction headphones. The audio module 170 can parse out voice signals based on the vibration signals of the vibrating bones of the human body obtained by the bone conduction sensor 180M to implement voice functions. The application processor can parse heart rate information based on the blood pressure pulse signals obtained by the bone conduction sensor 180M to implement heart rate detection functions.

[0109] The buttons 190 include a power button, a volume button, etc. The buttons 190 may be mechanical buttons or touch buttons. The terminal device 100 may receive key inputs and generate key signal inputs related to user settings and function control of the terminal device 100.

[0110] Motor 191 can generate vibration prompts. Motor 191 can be used for incoming call vibration prompts, and can also be used for touch vibration feedback. For example, touch operations acting on different applications (such as taking pictures, audio playback, etc.) can correspond to different vibration feedback effects. For touch operations acting on different areas of the display screen 194, motor 191 can also correspond to different vibration feedback effects. Different application scenarios (for example: time reminders, receiving messages, alarm clocks, games, etc.) can also correspond to different vibration feedback effects. The touch vibration feedback effect can also support customization.

[0111] The indicator 192 may be an indicator light, which may be used to indicate the charging status, power level changes, messages, missed calls, notifications, etc.

[0112] The SIM card interface 195 is used to connect a SIM card. The SIM card can be connected to and disconnected from the terminal device 100 by inserting or removing it from the SIM card interface 195. The terminal device 100 can support one or N SIM card interfaces, where N is a positive integer greater than one. The SIM card interface 195 can support Nano SIM cards, Micro SIM cards, SIM cards, and the like. Multiple cards can be inserted into the same SIM card interface 195 simultaneously. The multiple cards can be of the same or different types. The SIM card interface 195 can also be compatible with different types of SIM cards. The SIM card interface 195 can also be compatible with external memory cards. The terminal device 100 interacts with the network through the SIM card to implement functions such as calls and data communications. In some embodiments, the terminal device 100 uses an eSIM, i.e., an embedded SIM card. The eSIM card can be embedded in the terminal device 100 and cannot be separated from the terminal device 100.

[0113] The software system of the terminal device 100 can adopt a layered architecture, an event-driven architecture, a micro-kernel architecture, a micro-service architecture, or a cloud architecture. In the embodiment of the present application, the Android system with a layered architecture is used as an example to illustrate the software structure of the terminal device 100.

[0114] Figure 2 This is a simplified structural diagram of the RF front-end module in the terminal device 100, which is intended to illustrate the position and purpose of the coupler in the RF front-end module. Figure 2 After the output (not shown), it enters the power amplifier (PA) of the RF front-end module. The PA amplifies the transmit signal under the impedance tuning of the matching network, and then filters out the stray signals through the filter on the transmit path. Then it enters the antenna switch through the coupler, and finally switches to the antenna for radiation through the antenna switch. In the receiving state, the antenna receives the receive signal, and the receive signal enters the receive path after the switching of the antenna switch. After the stray signals carried by the receive signal are filtered out by the filter on the receive path, it enters the low noise amplifier (LNA) for amplification, and the amplified receive signal enters the RF chip for processing. Among them, the coupler includes an input end, an output end, a coupling end and an isolation end. The input end is used to input the RF signal, and the output end is used to output the RF signal. The coupling end can input the coupled coupled signal into the detection circuit for detection, which is used to detect whether the transmit path is intact. Of course, Figure 2 The application scenario of the coupler shown is only an example. The coupler can also be used in other scenarios where coupling signals is required. The coupled signals can be used for power detection, antenna tuning, and other purposes.

[0115] With the rapid development of terminal equipment, the integration of components is getting higher and higher, and the volume requirements for each component are also getting higher and higher. In addition to meeting performance requirements, components need to be miniaturized as much as possible to adapt to the development of terminal equipment. Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the size of the coupler directly impacts the size of the RF front-end module, thereby affecting its layout within the overall device. Common coupler types include integrated couplers, such as low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) couplers, and microstrip couplers. These common couplers occupy a large area, making them difficult to layout.

[0116] Figure 3 The schematic diagram of the structure of a common microstrip coupler is shown. The microstrip coupler realizes energy coupling through the gap between two microstrip lines close to each other. Figure 3 Figure a in the figure is a perspective view of the microstrip coupler from the top. From the perspective view, it can be seen that the two microstrip lines are intertwined. Figure 3 As can be seen from Figure b, the two microstrip lines are located in different layers, so they are not directly connected, and energy coupling can be achieved through the gap between the two microstrip lines.

[0117] In order to clearly understand the technical solution of the present application, the working principle and indicators of the coupler are first described in detail in combination with the structure of the coupler.

[0118] like Figure 4 As shown in Figure a, the coupler includes four ports: input (port 1), output (through) (port 2), coupled (port 3), and isolated (port 4). The equivalent schematic diagram of the coupler can be found in Figure 4 As shown in Figure b. Figure 4 As shown, the signal is input from port 1, and most of the signal (reflected as currents I1 and I2) is transmitted to port 2 along the main transmission line (the transmission line from port 1 to port 2); a small part of the signal (reflected as current I c1 and I c2 ) is coupled to the secondary transmission line (the transmission line from port 3 to port 4) through the gap. Coupling can include electric field coupling and magnetic field coupling, where electric field coupling is equivalent to capacitive coupling and magnetic field coupling is equivalent to inductive coupling. The current I c1 and I c2 They are transmitted to port 3 and port 4 respectively. The current I coupled to the secondary transmission line by inductance l Can only transmit to port 3. c1 and I c2 These two currents are added in the same direction at port 3, which can output signals to the outside and form a coupling terminal; Ic1 and I c2 These two currents are subtracted in opposite directions at port 4. When port 4 is grounded through a matching impedance, I c1 and I c2 These two currents cancel each other out at port 4, resulting in no output from port 4, thus forming an isolated terminal.

[0119] In general, the performance indicators of a coupler can be described by coupling, isolation, directivity, path loss, and return loss. They are as follows:

[0120] 1. Coupling degree: The ratio of the input power P1 of port 1 to the output power P3 of port 3 is the coupling degree C, which is expressed as the formula:

[0121] Among them, S 31 is the transmission coefficient from port 1 to port 3.

[0122] 2. Isolation: The ratio of the input power P1 of port 1 to the output power P4 of port 4 is the isolation I, which is expressed as the formula:

[0123] Among them, S 41 is the transmission coefficient from port 1 to port 4.

[0124] 3. Directivity: The ratio of the output power P3 of port 3 to the output power P4 of port 4 is the directivity D, which is expressed as the formula:

[0125] Among them, S 31 is the transmission coefficient from port 1 to port 3, S 41 is the transmission coefficient from port 1 to port 4.

[0126] 4. Path loss: The transmission coefficient from port 2 to port 1 is the path loss (insertion loss, IL), also known as insertion loss or insertion loss, expressed as S 12 :

[0127] 5. Return loss: The reflection coefficient of port 1 is the return loss, expressed as S 11 .

[0128] When using a coupler, we desire minimal path loss, maximum isolation, and maximum directivity. The coupling degree can be adjusted as needed. Excessive coupling results in high insertion loss, while insufficient coupling can result in a low output coupled signal, reducing the sensitivity of the detection circuit. Typically, the coupling degree of couplers used in terminal equipment is between -25dB and 30dB.

[0129] The indicators of the coupler are introduced above. Next, the structure and implementation principle of the coupler provided in the embodiment of the present application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0130] Figure 5 A coupler provided in an embodiment of the present application includes: a dielectric plate 510, a main transmission line 520 and a coupling inductor 530. The main transmission line 520 and the coupling inductor 530 are both arranged based on the dielectric plate 510. Among them, the coupling inductor 530 can be welded to the surface of the dielectric plate 510, or pasted to the surface of the dielectric plate 510 using a conductive material. The main transmission line 520 can be crimped on the dielectric plate 510 or adhered to the dielectric plate 510, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application. The dielectric plate 510 can be a circuit substrate made of a dielectric material, used to provide physical support for the circuit, and this embodiment of the present application does not limit the dielectric material used for the dielectric plate 510.

[0131] The coupled inductor 530 includes a first electrode 531 and a second electrode 532 arranged at both ends. Typically, the first electrode 531 and the second electrode 532 can also be the welding parts of the coupled inductor 530. The coupled inductor 530 can be a patch type inductor. The coupled inductor 530 can use a patch inductor with a 0201 package (2 mm × 1 mm package) or a patch inductor with a 01005 package (1 mm × 0.5 mm package), and this embodiment of the application is not limited to this. A coil 533 is also provided inside the coupled inductor 530, and the first electrode 531 and the second electrode 532 are connected through the coil 533. Figure 6 A structural perspective view of a coupled inductor 530 provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 6 As shown, the coupling inductor 530 includes a coil 533 inside, and the coil 533 is filled with non-magnetic ceramic 534. The coupling inductor 530 also includes a first electrode 531 and a second electrode 532 connected to both ends of the coil 533. The first electrode 531 is connected to the coupling end of the coupler and is used to output the coupled signal coupled from the main transmission line 520. The second electrode 532 of the coupling inductor 530 is connected to one end of the isolation resistor 540, and the other end of the isolation resistor 540 is connected to the reference ground. Optionally, the isolation resistor 540 can be a 50 ohm chip resistor.

[0132] The main transmission line 520 includes an input terminal 521, a coupling portion 522, and an output terminal 523. The coupling portion 522 is connected at both ends to the input terminal 521 and the output terminal 523, forming a complete signal path for transmitting radio frequency signals. The coupling portion 522 can be positioned near the coupling inductor 530. When an RF signal is transmitted on the main transmission line 520, it generates electromagnetic coupling with the coil 533. The electromagnetic coupling between the coupling portion 522 and the coupling inductor 530 generates a coupled signal, which is then output through the coupling terminal.

[0133] Based on the above Figure 5 For the coupler shown, the coupling path can be seen in Figure 7 When the coupling inductor 530 and the coupling portion 522 are close to a certain distance, electric field coupling and magnetic field coupling will be generated. Among them, the magnetic field coupling can be equivalent to inductive coupling. The magnetic field coupling magnetic induction line diagram can be seen in Figure 7 As shown in Figure a, the circuit between the coupling portion 522 and the coil 533 is equivalent to an inductor. The magnetic field lines generated by the RF signal transmitted on the coupling portion 522 in the coil 533 of the coupled inductor 530 pass through the coil 533, and a current is generated in the coil 533 due to magnetic field coupling. Electric field coupling can be equivalent to capacitive coupling. The schematic diagram of electric field coupling can be seen in Figure 7 As shown in FIG. 5(b), the circuit between the coupling portion 522 and the coil 533 is equivalent to a capacitor. The RF signal transmitted on the coupling portion 522 generates a current in the coil 533 of the coupling inductor 530 due to electric field coupling.

[0134] It should be noted that adjusting the inductance of the coupling inductor 530 can change the degree of coupling. A greater inductance increases the magnetic flux in the coil 533, resulting in a greater degree of coupling. A smaller inductance decreases the magnetic flux in the coil 533, resulting in a smaller degree of coupling. The coupling degree can also be adjusted by changing the spacing between the coupling portion 522 and the coupling inductor 530. A larger spacing decreases the electric field coupling and decreases the degree of coupling. A smaller spacing increases the electric field coupling and increases the degree of coupling. The coupling degree can also be changed by changing the line width of the coupling portion 522. A wider line width increases the electric field coupling and increases the degree of coupling. A narrower line width decreases the electric field coupling and decreases the degree of coupling. The coupling degree can also be changed by changing the length of the coupling portion 522. A longer coupling portion 522 increases the degree of coupling, while a shorter coupling portion 522 decreases the degree of coupling. Figure 8 Figure a is a schematic diagram of magnetic flux lines of magnetic field coupling after reducing the inductance value of the coupled inductor 530, and the dotted line indicates that the magnetic field coupling is weakened; Figure 8 Figure b is a schematic diagram of electric field coupling after reducing the line width of the coupling portion 522. The capacitance shown by the dotted line indicates that the electric field coupling is weakened. The weakening of electric field coupling and magnetic field coupling will both cause the coupling degree to decrease. It should be noted that when adjusting the strength of magnetic field coupling and electric field coupling, it is not possible to achieve the optimized index by adjusting only one aspect. For example, increasing the inductance value will increase the magnetic field coupling strength, but after the magnetic field coupling strength increases by a certain amount, the electric field coupling and magnetic field coupling will become unbalanced, resulting in a deterioration in the directionality of the coupler. Therefore, during the debugging process of the coupler, it is necessary to take into account both the electric field coupling and the magnetic field coupling to perform debugging in order to obtain good directionality.

[0135] Based on this, Figure 5In the embodiment shown, electromagnetic coupling (including electric field coupling and electric field coupling) is generated between the coupling portion 522 and the coil 533 of the coupled inductor 530, thereby forming a coupled signal at the coupled end. Compared with a microstrip line coupler of the same size, the electromagnetic coupling generated by the coil 533 in the coupled inductor 530 of this embodiment has greater coupling energy than the method of gap coupling using a microstrip line. Therefore, based on the same size, Figure 5 The coupler shown has a smaller size, a simpler structure, and is easy to manufacture.

[0136] In order to more clearly describe the structure of the embodiment of the present application, the structure of the coupler is shown below as a top perspective view of the coupler.

[0137] Optionally, the coupling portion 522 may be in a variety of different shapes. For example, it may be a straight transmission line, that is, the main transmission line 520 may be a straight transmission line. Figure 9 As shown, Figure 9 FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a coupler in which the coupling portion 522 is a straight-line coupler. Figure 9 Figure a is a schematic diagram of the coupled inductor 530 and the main transmission line 520 being placed in parallel. Figure 9 FIG. b is a schematic diagram showing a coupling inductor 530 and a main transmission line 520 arranged vertically. The direction of the coupling inductor 530 can be defined as the direction in which the first electrode 531 points to the second electrode 532. Figure 9 In the structure shown, the coupling end can be arranged in the left-right direction or in the up-down direction, and the isolation end can be arranged in the left-right direction or in the up-down direction. This embodiment does not limit the orientation of the isolation end and the coupling end, as long as they can be connected and do not cause conflicts during layout. Figure 9 It should be noted that the direction of the coupled inductor 530 can be parallel to the direction from the input end to the output end, that is, Figure 9 The setting method shown in Figure a can also be perpendicular to the direction from the input end to the output end, that is, Figure 9 The setting shown in Figure b can also be placed diagonally, that is, in a state between parallel and vertical, and this embodiment of the application does not limit this. In this structure, when the main transmission line 520 transmits a radio frequency signal, the radio frequency signal flow coupling part 522 will generate electromagnetic coupling with the coil 533 in the coupling inductor 530 to form a coupled signal. The intensity of the electromagnetic coupling generated by the coil 533 in the coupling inductor 530 of this embodiment is greater than that of the method of using a microstrip line for gap coupling, so based on the same size, the size of the coupler is smaller. And the straight-line transmission line has a simple structure, low insertion loss, and is easy to process.

[0138] Optionally, the coupling portion 522 may be a curved transmission line. Figure 10 The shape shown in FIG. 5 is a transmission line with a curved arc shape, and the present embodiment does not limit the degree of curvature and shape of the arc. The coupled inductor 530 can be as follows: Figure 10 As shown in Figures a and b in FIG, it is located in the concave direction of the arc. This embodiment does not limit the extent to which the coupling inductor 530 is within the arc, as long as it can couple energy and output a coupled signal. The direction of the coupling inductor 530 can be parallel to the direction from the input end to the output end, that is, Figure 10 The setting method shown in Figure a can also be perpendicular to the direction from the input end to the output end, that is, Figure 10 The setting method shown in Figure b in the figure; it can also be placed diagonally, that is, in a state between parallel and vertical, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application. In this structure, when the main transmission line 520 transmits a radio frequency signal, the radio frequency signal flow coupling part 522 will generate electromagnetic coupling with the coil 533 in the coupling inductor 530 to form a coupled signal. In some embodiments, the isolation end can also be connected to the second electrode 532 through the inner layer routing and metallized vias to facilitate the layout of the coupler. In this embodiment, since the size of the coupling inductor 530 and the coupling part 522 is increased, the energy of the electromagnetic coupling generated by the coil 533 in the coupling inductor 530 is greater, so the coupling degree is greater. In addition, the curved coupling part 522 can also be used for impedance matching within a wide bandwidth through the curved shape and size, and for debugging the consistency of the indicators of the coupler within the wide bandwidth.

[0139] In some embodiments, the curvature of the curve may be increased, that is, the curvature of the curve may be deepened, and the coupled inductor 530 may be located deeper within the curvature of the curved coupling portion 522, for example, see Figure 11 As shown. The deeper the coupling inductor 530 is located in the curved coupling portion 522, the longer the dimension of coupling with the coupling portion 522 is, and the stronger the electromagnetic induction is, which can improve the coupling degree of the coupler. The direction of the coupling inductor 530 can be parallel to the direction from the input end to the output end, that is, Figure 11 The setting method shown in Figure a can also be perpendicular to the direction from the input end to the output end, that is, Figure 11 The setting method shown in Figure b; it can also be placed diagonally, that is, in a state between parallel and vertical, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

[0140] Optionally, the coupling portion 522 may be a U-shaped transmission line. Figure 12 The coupled inductor 530 may be shaped as shown. Figure 12As shown in Figures a and b, the coupling inductor 530 is located inside or most of the U-shaped transmission line. The direction of the coupling inductor 530 can be parallel to the direction from the input end to the output end, that is, Figure 12 The setting method shown in Figure a can also be perpendicular to the direction from the input end to the output end, that is, Figure 12 The arrangement shown in Figure b in FIG; It can also be placed diagonally, that is, in a state between parallel and vertical, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application. In this structure, when the main transmission line 520 transmits a radio frequency signal, the coupling portion 522 will generate electromagnetic coupling with the coil 533 in the coupling inductor 530 to form a coupled signal. In some embodiments, the isolation end can also be connected to the second electrode 532 through an inner layer trace and a metallized via to facilitate the layout of the coupler. In this embodiment, since the size of the coupling portion 522 generated by the coupling inductor 530 and the coupling portion 522 is further increased, the energy of the electromagnetic coupling generated by the coil 533 in the coupling inductor 530 is greater, and therefore the degree of coupling is greater.

[0141] Optionally, the coupling portion 522 may also be a concave transmission line, that is, a rectangle with one end open, for example, see Figure 13 The coupled inductor 530 can be shaped as shown. Figure 13 As shown in Figures a and b, the coupling inductor 530 is located inside the concave transmission line or most of the coupling inductor 530 is located inside the U-shaped transmission line. The direction of the coupling inductor 530 can be parallel to the direction from the input end to the output end, that is, Figure 13 The setting method shown in Figure a can also be perpendicular to the direction from the input end to the output end, that is, Figure 13 The setting method shown in Figure b in the figure; it can also be placed diagonally, that is, in a state between parallel and vertical, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application. In this structure, when the main transmission line 520 transmits a radio frequency signal, it will generate electromagnetic coupling with the coil 533 in the coupling inductor 530 to form a coupled signal. In some embodiments, the isolation end can also be connected to the second electrode 532 through the inner layer routing and metallized vias to facilitate the layout of the coupler. In this embodiment, since the size of the coupling portion 522 generated by the coupling inductor 530 and the coupling portion 522 is further increased, the energy of the electromagnetic coupling generated by the coil 533 in the coupling inductor 530 is greater, and therefore the degree of coupling is greater.

[0142] Optionally, the coupling portion 522 may also be a wavy transmission line, for example, see Figure 14 The coupled inductor 530 may be shaped as shown. Figure 14As shown in Figures a and b, the coupling inductor 530 is located inside or most of the inwardly concave region of the wavy transmission line. The direction of the coupling inductor 530 can be parallel to the direction from the input end to the output end, that is, Figure 14 The setting method shown in Figure a can also be perpendicular to the direction from the input end to the output end, that is, Figure 14 The arrangement shown in Figure b in FIG; It can also be placed diagonally, that is, in a state between parallel and vertical, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application. In this structure, when the main transmission line 520 transmits a radio frequency signal, the coupling portion 522 will generate electromagnetic coupling with the coil 533 in the coupling inductor 530 to form a coupled signal. In some embodiments, the isolation end can also be connected to the second electrode 532 through an inner layer trace and a metallized via to facilitate the layout of the coupler. In this embodiment, the wavy coupling portion 522 can make the size of the coupling inductor 530 and the coupling portion 522 generated by the coupling portion 522 further larger, and the energy of the electromagnetic coupling generated by the coil 533 in the coupling inductor 530 is greater, so the coupling degree can be greater within a limited size.

[0143] Based on the above embodiment, the impedance tuning within a wide frequency band can be performed by adjusting the size and bending shape of the curved coupling portion 522 to achieve impedance matching within the broadband, thereby ensuring the consistency of the coupler's indicators within the broadband range.

[0144] In the above embodiments, the coupling portion 522 is located on the surface of the wiring. In some embodiments, the coupling portion 522 can also be located on the inner layer of the dielectric plate 510, that is, it can be connected to the inner layer. Optionally, the coupling portion 522 and the input terminal 521 and the output terminal 523 can be connected through metalized vias. Figure 15 For Figure 13 Based on , the coupling portion 522 is a schematic diagram of the inner layer routing. Figure 16 For Figure 14 Based on the schematic diagram of the inner layer routing, the coupling portion 522 is a schematic diagram of the inner layer routing. This implementation method can reduce the routing distribution of the surface layer and reduce the risk of damage to the surface layer routing. Optionally, Figure 15 and Figure 16 In the embodiment, the wiring connecting the isolation resistor 540 at the isolation end and the second electrode 532 can be routed on the surface layer or the inner layer. When routing on the inner layer, as long as it is not located on the same layer as the coupling portion 522 and does not conflict, this embodiment of the application does not limit this.

[0145] It should be noted that the manner in which the coupling portion 522 is located in the inner layer of the dielectric plate 510 can also be applied to the aforementioned embodiments of the coupling portion 522 in other shapes, and the realization principle and technical effects are as follows. Figure 15 and Figure 16 The embodiments are described in detail and will not be repeated here.

[0146] The coupled inductor 530 can be a miniaturized surface-mount inductor. For applications in the RF band, the coupled inductor 530 can be an inductor with a resistance of approximately 3 nH, such as 2.7 nH or 3.3 nH. The inductor's inductance can be adjusted based on frequency, the dielectric constant of the dielectric plate 510, and other factors. When the coupling portion 522 is positioned around the coupled inductor 530, the distance from the coupled inductor 530 is typically less than 0.1 mm, such as 0.05 mm or 0.06 mm. Figure 17 This is an S parameter curve obtained by simulation of an embodiment of this application. In the frequency range of 0.7-3GHz, the coupling degree is 29-41dB and the isolation degree is below -45dB. In this embodiment, the directivity is 15dB. Insertion loss (S 12 ) curve can be found in Figure 18 As shown, the insertion loss is less than 0.1 dB. This shows that the indicators of the coupler of the embodiment of the present application meet the use conditions.

[0147] The above embodiment shows a case where the projection of the coupling portion 522 on the first surface with the largest area of ​​the dielectric plate 510 and the projection of the coupling inductor 530 on the first surface do not intersect. The first surface can be the surface on the dielectric plate 510 for surface-mounting the coupling inductor 530, or other surfaces parallel to the surface. Optionally, the projection of the coupling portion 522 on the first surface with the largest area of ​​the dielectric plate 510 can also intersect with the projection of the coupling inductor 530 on the first surface. That is, the coupling portion 522 passes from below the coupling inductor 530 (below here is the direction in which the dielectric plate 510 is located with respect to the coupling inductor 530). Figure 13 Based on the embodiment shown, the coupling portion 522 is viewed from below the coupled inductor 530, and a perspective view of the top of the inner layer can be seen. Figure 19 shown.

[0148] In the above embodiment, the patch direction of the coupled inductor 530 is the angle between the opening direction of the coil 533 and the first surface with the largest area of ​​the dielectric plate 510, and the angle difference from ninety degrees is less than the preset angle threshold. That is, the opening direction of the coil 533 is close to vertical or perpendicular to the first surface, which can achieve electromagnetic coupling between the coupling part 522 and the coil 533, thereby outputting a coupled signal.

[0149] exist Figure 19Based on the embodiment of the present invention, the coupling portion 522 can also be arranged on the surface to pass through the bottom of the coupling inductor 530 (here, the bottom is the direction in which the dielectric plate 510 is located in the coupling inductor), as long as it does not conflict with the pads of the first electrode 531, the second electrode 532 and the isolation resistor 540. The implementation method of the coupling portion 522 can also be arranged on the surface to pass through the bottom of the coupling inductor 530 (here, the bottom is the direction in which the dielectric plate 510 is located in the coupling inductor), and is not limited to Figure 19 The shape of the coupling portion 522 shown may also be other shapes in the aforementioned embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.

[0150] When the coupling portion 522 passes through the bottom of the coupling inductor 530 (here, the bottom refers to the direction in which the dielectric plate 510 is located in the coupling inductor), that is, when the projection of the coupling portion 522 on the first surface of the dielectric plate 510 with the largest area intersects with the projection of the coupling inductor 530 on the first surface, under the condition of multi-layer board wiring, this method can further reduce the area of ​​the coupler.

[0151] When the coupling portion 522 passes through the bottom of the coupling inductor 530 (here, the bottom is the direction in which the dielectric plate 510 is located in the coupling inductor), the coupling inductor 530 can also change its direction to Figure 19 Taking the embodiment shown as an example, the coupling inductor 530 is adjusted so that the opening direction of the coil 533 is approximately parallel or parallel to the dielectric plate 510, that is, the angle between the opening direction of the coil 533 and the first surface of the dielectric plate 510 with the largest area is less than a preset angle threshold. It should be noted that the preset angle threshold can be a relatively small angle, such as 5 degrees, 10 degrees, etc., as long as it is within the range of the angle difference and does not affect the electromagnetic coupling between the coupling portion 522 and the coil 533. When the opening direction of the coil 533 is approximately parallel or parallel to the dielectric plate 510, the schematic diagram of the electric field coupling and magnetic field coupling of the coupler can be seen in FIG. Figure 20 As shown, the coupling portion 522 located below the coupling inductor 530 can generate electromagnetic coupling with the coil 533 to form a coupling signal. The technical effect of this method can be seen in Figure 9 The description of the embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0152] Optionally, in the above Figure 20 Based on the embodiment shown, a coupled inductor 530 with a different opening direction of the coil 533 can also be selected. Figure 21 The coupled inductor 530 shown in FIG. Figure 21 The opening direction of the coil 533 in Figure 20 The direction shown in FIG5 is close to perpendicular or perpendicular to the coupling inductor (i.e., the direction in which the first electrode 531 points to the second electrode 532) and is changed to a direction close to parallel or parallel to the coupling inductor 530. Figure 21 When the coupled inductor 533 is provided as shown, the routing of the coupling portion 522 can be as follows: Figure 21 The wiring direction of the coupling portion 522 is shown as passing through the bottom of the coupling inductor 530. Figure 20 The direction of the coupled inductor 530 is changed from being close to parallel or parallel to the coupled inductor 530 to being close to perpendicular or perpendicular to the coupled inductor 530. It should be noted that the direction of the coupled inductor is the direction from the first electrode to the second electrode. In this embodiment, the wiring of the coupling portion 522 can be routed on the inner layer. The technical effect of this method can also be seen in Figure 9 The description of the embodiment will not be repeated here. The term "nearly parallel" here refers to the angle between the opening direction of the coil 533 and the first surface of the dielectric plate 510 with the largest area being less than a preset angle threshold; and "nearly perpendicular" refers to the angle between the opening direction of the coil 533 and the first surface of the dielectric plate 510 with the largest area being less than a preset angle threshold, with a difference from 90 degrees. The description of the preset angle threshold can be found in the previous embodiment and will not be repeated here.

[0153] Figure 20 and Figure 21 The structures of the parts that are different from those of other embodiments are shown, and the parts that are the same as those of other embodiments are not shown. Please refer to the description and drawings of the previous embodiments.

[0154] The present application also provides a radio frequency front-end module, including any one of the couplers in the following embodiments:

[0155] The coupler includes: a dielectric plate 510, a main transmission line 520 and a coupling inductor 530; the main transmission line 520 and the coupling inductor 530 are arranged on the dielectric plate 510; the first electrode 531 of the coupling inductor 530 is connected to the coupling end; the second electrode 532 of the coupling inductor 530 is connected to the reference ground through an isolation resistor 540; the first electrode 531 and the second electrode 532 are connected through a coil 533 inside the coupling inductor 530; the main transmission line 520 includes an input end 521, a coupling part 522 and an output end 523; the two ends of the coupling part 522 are respectively connected to the input end 521 and the output end 523; the coupling part 522 is used to generate electromagnetic coupling with the coil 533 when transmitting radio frequency signals.

[0156] Optionally, the coupling portion 522 is a straight transmission line.

[0157] Optionally, the coupling portion 522 is a bent transmission line.

[0158] Optionally, the coupling portion 522 is a U-shaped transmission line.

[0159] Optionally, the coupling portion 522 is a concave-shaped transmission line.

[0160] Optionally, the coupling portion 522 is a wavy transmission line.

[0161] Optionally, the direction from the first electrode 531 to the second electrode 532 is parallel to the direction from the input end to the output end.

[0162] Optionally, the direction from the first electrode 531 to the second electrode 532 is perpendicular to the direction from the input end to the output end.

[0163] Optionally, the input end 521 , the output end 523 and the coupling portion 522 are all located on a surface layer of the dielectric plate 510 .

[0164] Optionally, the input end 521 and the output end 523 are located on the surface of the dielectric plate 510 ; the coupling portion 522 is located on the inner layer of the dielectric plate 510 , and the coupling portion 522 , the input end 521 and the output end 523 are connected through metallized vias.

[0165] Optionally, a projection of the coupling portion 522 on the first surface of the dielectric plate 510 having the largest area does not intersect with a projection of the coupling inductor 530 on the first surface.

[0166] Optionally, a projection of the coupling portion 522 on the first surface of the dielectric plate 510 with the largest area intersects with a projection of the coupling inductor 530 on the first surface.

[0167] Optionally, the angle between the opening direction of the coil 533 and the first surface with the largest area of ​​the dielectric plate 510 is smaller than a preset angle threshold.

[0168] Optionally, the difference between the angle between the opening direction of the coil 533 and the first surface of the dielectric plate 510 with the largest area and ninety degrees is smaller than a preset angle threshold.

[0169] The present application also provides a terminal device, including any one of the couplers in the following embodiments:

[0170] The coupler includes: a dielectric plate 510, a main transmission line 520 and a coupling inductor 530; the main transmission line 520 and the coupling inductor 530 are arranged on the dielectric plate 510; the first electrode 531 of the coupling inductor 530 is connected to the coupling end; the second electrode 532 of the coupling inductor 530 is connected to the reference ground through an isolation resistor 540; the first electrode 531 and the second electrode 532 are connected through a coil 533 inside the coupling inductor 530; the main transmission line 520 includes an input end 521, a coupling part 522 and an output end 523; the two ends of the coupling part 522 are respectively connected to the input end 521 and the output end 523; the coupling part 522 is used to generate electromagnetic coupling with the coil 533 when transmitting radio frequency signals.

[0171] Optionally, the coupling portion 522 is a straight transmission line.

[0172] Optionally, the coupling portion 522 is a bent transmission line.

[0173] Optionally, the coupling portion 522 is a U-shaped transmission line.

[0174] Optionally, the coupling portion 522 is a concave-shaped transmission line.

[0175] Optionally, the coupling portion 522 is a wavy transmission line.

[0176] Optionally, the direction from the first electrode 531 to the second electrode 532 is parallel to the direction from the input end to the output end.

[0177] Optionally, the direction from the first electrode 531 to the second electrode 532 is perpendicular to the direction from the input end to the output end.

[0178] Optionally, the input end 521 , the output end 523 and the coupling portion 522 are all located on a surface layer of the dielectric plate 510 .

[0179] Optionally, the input end 521 and the output end 523 are located on the surface of the dielectric plate 510 ; the coupling portion 522 is located on the inner layer of the dielectric plate 510 , and the coupling portion 522 , the input end 521 and the output end 523 are connected through metallized vias.

[0180] Optionally, a projection of the coupling portion 522 on the first surface of the dielectric plate 510 having the largest area does not intersect with a projection of the coupling inductor 530 on the first surface.

[0181] Optionally, a projection of the coupling portion 522 on the first surface of the dielectric plate 510 with the largest area intersects with a projection of the coupling inductor 530 on the first surface.

[0182] Optionally, the angle between the opening direction of the coil 533 and the first surface with the largest area of ​​the dielectric plate 510 is smaller than a preset angle threshold.

[0183] Optionally, the difference between the angle between the opening direction of the coil 533 and the first surface of the dielectric plate 510 with the largest area and ninety degrees is smaller than a preset angle threshold.

[0184] The present application also provides a terminal device, comprising any one of the RF front-end modules described in the above embodiments.

[0185] The above describes in detail an example of a coupler provided in this application. It is understood that, in order to implement the aforementioned functions, the corresponding terminal device RF front-end module and terminal device include hardware structures corresponding to each function. The principles and beneficial effects achieved by the aforementioned RF front-end module and terminal device can be found in the description of the aforementioned display device embodiment and will not be repeated here.

[0186] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed structures can be implemented in other ways. For example, the structural embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the division of modules or units is merely a logical function division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods, such as multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another device, or some features can be ignored or not executed. In addition, the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be an indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units through some interfaces, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0187] Units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and components shown as units may be one physical unit or multiple physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed in multiple places. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the present embodiment.

[0188] The above content is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A coupler, characterized in that: include: dielectric boards, main transmission lines, and coupled inductors; The main transmission line and the coupled inductor are arranged on the dielectric board; The first electrode of the coupling inductor is connected to the coupling end; The second electrode of the coupled inductor is connected to the reference ground via an isolation resistor; The first electrode and the second electrode are connected via a coil inside the coupled inductor; The main transmission line includes an input end, a coupling portion and an output end; Two ends of the coupling portion are connected to the input end and the output end respectively; The coupling portion is used to generate electromagnetic coupling with the coil when transmitting a radio frequency signal; The projection of the coupling portion on the first surface of the dielectric plate with the largest area intersects the projection of the coupled inductor on the first surface, and the angle between the opening direction of the coil and the first surface of the dielectric plate with the largest area is less than a preset angle threshold; or, The difference between the angle between the opening direction of the coil and the first surface of the dielectric plate with the largest area and ninety degrees is less than a preset angle threshold.

2. The coupler according to claim 1, wherein: The coupling portion is a straight-line transmission line.

3. The coupler according to claim 1, wherein: The coupling portion is a bent transmission line.

4. The coupler according to claim 3, wherein: The coupling portion is a U-shaped transmission line.

5. The coupler according to claim 3, wherein: The coupling portion is a concave-shaped transmission line.

6. The coupler according to claim 3, wherein: The coupling portion is a wavy transmission line.

7. The coupler according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that The direction from the first electrode to the second electrode is parallel to the direction from the input end to the output end.

8. The coupler according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that The direction from the first electrode to the second electrode is perpendicular to the direction from the input end to the output end.

9. The coupler according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The input end, the output end and the coupling portion are all located on the surface layer of the dielectric plate.

10. The coupler according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that The input end and the output end are located on the surface layer of the dielectric plate; The coupling portion is located on the inner layer of the dielectric plate, and the coupling portion is connected to the input end and the output end through metallized vias.

11. The coupler according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: A projection of the coupling portion on the first surface of the dielectric plate having the largest area does not intersect with a projection of the coupling inductor on the first surface.

12. A radio frequency front-end module, characterized in that: Comprising the coupler according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. A terminal device, characterized in that: Includes the coupler according to any one of claims 1 to 11; or includes the radio frequency front-end module according to claim 12.

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