Power divider supporting different numbers of outputs

Abstract

The invention relates to a power divider supporting different numbers of outputs. An apparatus configured to support different numbers of outputs is disclosed. The apparatus includes an input port configured to receive an input signal. The apparatus also includes a first transmission line characterized by a first characteristic impedance and coupled to a first output port. A switch is configured to connect or disconnect the first transmission line with the input port. The apparatus also includes a second transmission line characterized by a second characteristic impedance and coupled between the input port and the second output port. A controller is configured to activate the first switch to set a dual output mode, or to deactivate the first switch to set a single output mode. The second characteristic impedance is configured to be the same as the first characteristic impedance in the dual output mode, or configured to be reduced to 1 / square root of 2 of the first characteristic impedance in the single output mode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present technology relates to a device in a wireless signal communication system. Background Art

[0002] Power dividers for RF (radio frequency) signal communication are essential components in RF and microwave systems, which are designed to split an incoming RF signal into multiple equal or proportional parts while maintaining certain electrical characteristics such as impedance matching, phase balance, and isolation between output ports. These devices play a crucial role in various applications, including telecommunications, radar systems, wireless networks, etc. In some applications, the RF power divider is designed to operate within a specific frequency band from RF to microwave frequencies, covering a wide range of applications. The choice of the frequency range depends on the intended use and application requirements. Moreover, depending on the design and application needs, the power divider can have two, three, four, or more output ports. Common configurations include 2-way, 3-way, and 4-way dividers. In the field of wireless signal communication, there is a need to make the power divider reconfigurable to support different numbers of outputs associated with coexistence of multiple standards in the same frequency band. For example, an RF signal receiver can be designed to have different modes to support both WiFi and cellular standards. There is a need for a power divider that can support different modes for flexibly splitting the signal power to different outputs with different signal standards respectively. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a device comprising: an input port configured to receive an input signal; a first output port; a second output port; a first transmission line characterized by a first characteristic impedance and coupled to the first output port; a first switch configured to connect or disconnect the first transmission line from the input port; a second transmission line characterized by a second characteristic impedance and coupled between the input port and the second output port; and a controller configured to set a single-output mode or a dual-output mode, wherein in the dual-output mode, when the first switch is activated and the second characteristic impedance is configured to be equal to the first characteristic impedance, the power of the input signal is distributed between the first output port and the second output port; in the single-output mode, when the first switch is deactivated and the second characteristic impedance is configured to be reduced , all of the power of the input signal is directed to the second output port.

[0004] On the other hand, the present disclosure relates to a circuit for distributing signal power to different numbers of outputs, comprising: an input port coupled to a source associated with a source impedance; a first output port having a first load impedance; a second output port having a second load impedance equal to the first load impedance; a first transmission line configured to have a first characteristic impedance and coupled to the first output port; a first switch coupled between the input port and the first transmission line; a second transmission line configured to have a second characteristic impedance and coupled to the second output port; and a controller configured to activate or deactivate the first switch; wherein, if the first switch is activated, then the first transmission line and the second transmission line are configured to have the second characteristic impedance equal to the first characteristic impedance, and maintain conjugate matching with the source impedance at the input port and conjugate matching with the first load impedance at each of the first output port and the second output port; wherein, if the first switch is deactivated, then the first transmission line and the second transmission line are configured to change the second characteristic impedance to and maintain conjugate matching with the source impedance at the input port and conjugate matching with the first load impedance at the second output port. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] A further understanding of the nature and advantages of particular embodiments may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like components. In some instances, sub-labels are associated with the reference numerals to denote one of a plurality of like components. When referring to the reference numerals without specifying an existing sub-label, it is intended to refer to all such plurality of like components.

[0006] Figure 1 Depicts a power divider configurable to support different numbers of outputs in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology.

[0007] Figure 2 Shows two operating modes of the power divider in a particular embodiment of the present technology.

[0008] Figure 3 Shows a power divider configurable to support different numbers of outputs in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology.

[0009] Figure 4 Shows a power divider configurable to support different numbers of outputs in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present technology. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010] The present technology provides a power divider device configured to support different numbers of outputs. In an embodiment, the device includes a first transmission line characterized by a first characteristic impedance and coupled to a first output port. A switch is configured to connect or disconnect the first transmission line from the input port. The device also includes a second transmission line characterized by a second characteristic impedance and coupled between the input port and a second output port. The second characteristic impedance is configured to be the same as the first characteristic impedance in a dual-output mode to distribute the input signal, or is configured to be 1 / √2 of the first characteristic impedance in a single-output mode to deliver the input signal entirely to the second output port. There are also other embodiments.

[0011] The following description is presented to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and to incorporate it into a particular application context. Various modifications and multiple uses in different applications will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be applied to a wide range of embodiments. Thus, the invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments presented, but should be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0012] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be practiced without being limited to these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form rather than in detail to avoid obscuring the invention.

[0013] The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents that are filed with and open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference. All features disclosed in this specification (including any appended claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent, or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each disclosed feature is only an example of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

[0014] Furthermore, any element that does not explicitly state a “means” for performing the specified function or a “step” for performing a particular function in the claims should not be construed as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in paragraph 6 of Section 112 of Title 35 of the United States Code. In particular, the use of “step of...” or “act of...” in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of paragraph 6 of Section 112 of Title 35 of the United States Code.

[0015] When an element is referred to herein as being "connected" or "coupled" to another element, it is to be understood that the element can be directly connected to the other element or can have intervening elements therebetween. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another element, it is to be understood that there are no intervening elements in the "direct" connection between the elements. However, the existence of a direct connection does not exclude other connections in which intervening elements may be present.

[0016] When an element is referred to herein as being "disposed" in some manner relative to another element (e.g., disposed on another element, between another element, under another element, disposed adjacent to another element, or disposed in some other relative manner), it is to be understood that the element can be disposed directly relative to the other element (e.g., directly disposed on another element) or that intervening elements can be present between the elements. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly disposed" relative to another element, it is to be understood that there are no intervening elements in the "direct" instance. However, the existence of a direct disposition does not exclude other instances in which intervening elements may be present.

[0017] Similarly, when an element is referred to herein as being "joined" to another element, it is to be understood that the element can be directly joined to the other element (without any intervening elements) or that intervening elements can be present between the joined elements. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly joined" to another element, it is to be understood that there are no intervening elements in the "direct" joining between the elements. However, the existence of a direct joining does not exclude other forms of joining in which intervening elements may be present.

[0018] Likewise, when an element is referred to herein as a "layer", it is to be understood that the layer can be a single layer or can comprise multiple layers. For example, a conductive layer can include a variety of different conductive materials or multiple layers of different conductive materials, and a dielectric layer can include a variety of dielectric materials or multiple layers of dielectric materials. When a layer is described as being coupled or connected to another layer, it is to be understood that the coupled or connected layers can include intervening elements therebetween. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly" connected or coupled to another layer, it is to be understood that there are no intervening elements between the layers. However, the existence of a directly coupled or connected layer does not exclude other connections in which intervening elements may be present.

[0019] In addition, the terms left, right, front, back, top, bottom, forward, backward, clockwise, and counterclockwise are for explanatory purposes only and are not limited to any fixed direction or orientation. Rather, they are merely used to indicate the relative position and / or orientation between various parts of an object and / or component.

[0020] In addition, for ease of description, the methods and processes described herein may be described in a specific order. However, it should be understood that, unless the context otherwise requires, intermediate processes may occur before and / or after any part of the described processes, and according to various embodiments, further various processes may be reordered, added, and / or omitted.

[0021] Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers used herein to express quantities, dimensions, etc. should be understood to be modified by the term "about" in all instances. In this application, unless specifically stated otherwise, the use of the singular includes the plural, and unless otherwise indicated, the use of the terms "and" and "or" means "and / or". In addition, the use of the terms "including" and "having" and other forms (such as "includes", "included", "has", "have", and "had") should be regarded as non-exclusive. Moreover, terms such as "element" or "component" cover both elements and components that include one unit and elements and components that include more than one unit, unless specifically stated otherwise.

[0022] As used herein, the phrase "at least one of" after a series of items (where the terms "and" or "or" are used to separate any of the items) modifies the entire list, rather than each member of the list (i.e., each item). The phrase "at least one of" does not require the selection of at least one of each of the listed items; rather, the phrase allows the meaning of including at least one of any one of the items and / or at least one of any combination of the items. For example, the phrase "at least one of A, B, and C" or "at least one of A, B, or C" each refers to only A, only B, or only C and / or any combination of A, B, and C. In an example where it is intended to select "at least one of each of A, B, and C" or alternatively "at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C", it is described explicitly as such.

[0023] One general aspect of the present disclosure includes a power divider device in RF and microwave systems. The device includes an input port configured to receive an input signal. The device further includes a first output port. The device further includes a second output port. The device further includes a first transmission line characterized by a first characteristic impedance and coupled to the first output port. The device further includes a first switch configured to connect or disconnect the first transmission line from the input port. The device further includes a second transmission line characterized by a second characteristic impedance and coupled between the input port and the second output port. The device further includes a controller configured to set a single-output mode or a dual-output mode. In the dual-output mode, when the first switch is activated and the second characteristic impedance is configured to be equal to the first characteristic impedance, the power of the input signal is divided between the first output port and the second output port. In the single-output mode, when the first switch is deactivated and the second characteristic impedance is configured to be reduced , the power of the input signal is all directed to the second output port.

[0024] Embodiments may include one or more of the following features. Each of the first output port and the second output port is associated with a load impedance. The device, wherein the input port is configured to receive an input signal from an analog RF source associated with a source impedance. The dual-output mode supports the first output port delivering a first output signal for cellular applications and supports the second output port delivering a second output signal for WiFi applications. The first transmission line may include: at least two first capacitors, each first capacitor having a first capacitance C, coupled in series configuration; and at least one inductor having a first inductance L, coupled in shunt configuration to a node between the two capacitors, wherein the values of L and C are selected based on conjugate impedance matching at each of the input port, the first output port, and the second output port. The second transmission line may include: at least two variable capacitors, each variable capacitor having a second capacitance, coupled in series configuration; and at least one variable inductor having a second inductance, coupled in shunt configuration to a node between the two variable capacitors. The second capacitance is configured to have a value of the first capacitance C when the first switch is activated and to change to a value when the first switch is deactivated. The second inductance is configured to have a value of the first inductance L when the first switch is activated and to change to The variable capacitor may include a second capacitor having a third capacitance, the second capacitor being coupled in parallel to a switched capacitor pair. This switched capacitor pair includes a second switch coupled in series with a third capacitor having a fourth capacitance. The third capacitance is equal to the first capacitance C, and the fourth capacitance is equal to the first capacitance C multiplied by The second switch is configured to connect to a third capacitor when the first switch is deactivated in the single output mode and to disconnect from the third capacitor when the first switch is activated in the dual output mode. The apparatus may further include a pair of switching resistors coupled between the first output port and the second output port. The pair of switching resistors may include a third switch serially coupled to an isolation resistor, where the third switch is configured to be deactivated when the first switch is deactivated and to be activated when the first switch is activated. The first transmission line and the second transmission line are configured to ensure conjugate matching with the source impedance at the input port and conjugate matching with the load impedance at each of the first output port and the second output port in the dual output mode. The second transmission line is configured to ensure conjugate matching with the source impedance at the input port and conjugate matching with the load impedance at the second output port in the single output mode. The input port is configured to receive an input signal from an analog RF source associated with the source impedance. The apparatus, wherein the dual output mode supports delivering a first output signal for cellular applications at the first output port and supports delivering a second output signal for WiFi applications at the second output port.

[0025] Another general aspect of the present disclosure includes a circuit for distributing signal power to a different number of outputs. The circuit includes an input port coupled to a source associated with a source impedance. The circuit also includes a first output having a first load impedance. The circuit also includes a second output port having a second load impedance equal to the first load impedance. The circuit also includes a first transmission line configured with a first characteristic impedance and coupled to the first output port. The circuit also includes a first switch coupled between the input port and the first transmission line. The circuit also includes a second transmission line configured with a second characteristic impedance and coupled to the second output port. The circuit also includes a controller configured to activate or deactivate the first switch. The circuit also includes: wherein, if the first switch is activated, then the first transmission line and the second transmission line are configured to have a second characteristic impedance equal to the first characteristic impedance and to maintain conjugate matching with the source impedance at the input port and conjugate matching with the first load impedance at each of the first output port and the second output port. The circuit also includes: wherein, if the first switch is deactivated, then the first transmission line and the second transmission line are configured to change the second characteristic impedance to 1 / √2 of the first characteristic impedance and to maintain conjugate matching with the source impedance at the input port and conjugate matching with the first load impedance at the second output port.

[0026] An embodiment may include one or more of the following features. The first transmission line may include: two first capacitors, each first capacitor having a first capacitance C, coupled in a series configuration; and at least one inductor having a first inductance L, coupled in a shunt configuration to a node between the two capacitors, wherein the values of L and C are selected based on conjugate impedance matching at each of the input port, the first output port, and the second output port. The second transmission line may include: two variable capacitors, each variable capacitor having a second capacitance, coupled in a series configuration; and at least one variable inductor having a second inductance, coupled in a shunt configuration to a node between the two variable capacitors, wherein the second capacitance is configured to vary from the first capacitance C when the first switch is activated to √2C when the first switch is deactivated, and wherein the second inductance is configured to be equal to the first inductance L when the first switch is activated and to vary to L / √2 when the first switch is deactivated. The variable capacitor may include a second capacitor having a third capacitance, the second capacitance being coupled in parallel to a switched capacitor pair that includes a second switch coupled in series to a third capacitor having a fourth capacitance. The third capacitance is equal to the first capacitance C, and the fourth capacitance is equal to C(√2 - 1). The second switch is configured to connect to the third capacitor when the first switch is deactivated and to disconnect from the third capacitor when the first switch is activated. The apparatus may further include a pair of switched resistors coupled between the first output port and the second output port. The pair of switched resistors may include a third switch coupled in series to a first resistor. The third switch is configured to disconnect from the first resistor when the first switch is deactivated and to connect to the first resistor when the first switch is activated. The first output port is configured to output a first signal of a first standard at half the power of an input signal from a source, and the second output port is configured to output a second signal of a second standard at half the power of the input signal when the first switch is activated. The second output port is configured to output the second signal of the second standard at the full power of the input signal when the first switch is deactivated.

[0027] A power divider is a passive RF component designed to efficiently distribute an incoming RF signal to multiple output ports. It operates based on the signal distribution principle, where an input RF signal is split into two or more output signals, each output signal having a fraction of the original power. In various wireless communication systems, signals are power-divided by a power divider to accommodate two independent down-conversion / demodulation paths. For some applications, a power divider that can support different numbers of output paths is required. For example, a power divider may be implemented in a front-end module that supports both WiFi and cellular signal standards in the same frequency band. The receiver in the front-end module distributes signals between two outputs in a dual-output mode, one for each standard; or alternatively, the receiver should turn off the cellular output and direct all signals to the WiFi output in a single-output mode.

[0028] This document describes examples related to power dividers with multiple desired features, including reconfigurability to support different numbers of outputs that support the coexistence of multiple standards (e.g., WiFi and cellular) in the same frequency band. Figure 1 A power divider 100 is depicted that can be configured to support different numbers of outputs according to some embodiments of the present technology. In some embodiments, such a power divider device 100 may include three ports: an input port 101, a first output port 102, and a second output port 103, where a signal to be divided can be provided at the input port 101, and two split signals can be output at the first output port 102 and the second output port 103. The power divider 100 may include a power splitting network 110 that distributes the input signal into multiple output signals and delivers them to (two) different paths respectively. In some embodiments, the design of this network can vary and may include components such as resistive elements, transformers, transmission lines, or couplers, depending on the type of power divider (e.g., Wilkinson, resistive, ferrite). To ensure proper impedance matching between the input port and the output ports, the power divider 100 also includes impedance matching components 120 and 130 in the respective paths. These impedance matching components can be provided by baluns, transformers, or transmission line-based matching networks. Impedance matching can be established for each signal path, and particularly at the input port 101 and each output port (102, 103). This helps to minimize signal reflections and optimize power transfer. Depending on the design and application, the power divider 100 may include isolation components 140, such as isolation resistors, transformers, or filters, to reduce signal leakage or interference between the output ports. Specifically for the feature of supporting different numbers of outputs, the power divider 100 may include a controller 150 for configuring different operating modes. For example, one mode corresponds to the normal mode, such that the power divider 100 splits the input power to the first output port and the second output port 103 respectively, while another mode corresponds to the single output mode, such that the power divider 100 delivers the input power only to one (e.g., the second) output port 103. The controller provides the power divider 100 with the feature of being self-reconfigurable between the two operating modes.

[0029] Figure 2Shows two operating modes of the power divider in a particular embodiment of the present technology. For the normal mode (e.g., dual-output mode), the power divider has passive components for splitting signals between WiFi and cellular outputs in a simple instance of a Wilkinson power divider. In this instance, the input port 201 is coupled to the source 20 to receive an input signal. The source 20 is characterized by a source impedance Rs. In its simplest form, the two arms of the Wilkinson divider, which are characterized by two equal-value outputs, are configured as two quarter-wavelength transmission lines, each transmission line terminated with a resistor R L . The characteristic impedance of each quarter-wavelength transmission line is Thus, all three ports (input port 201, first output port 202, and second output port 203) are impedance-matched, and the power of the input signal received at the input port 201 is split equally between the first output port 202 and the second output port 203. The isolation resistor R 1 can be used to couple between the first output port 202 and the second output port 203 to prevent signal interference between the two paths. In a specific implementation, the terminating resistor R L is assumed to be 50 Ω, the matching source impedance is also 50 Ω, and the isolation resistor R 1 = 2 × 50 = 100 Ω.

[0030] For the single-output mode, the data path terminating at the first output port 202 (e.g., for cellular) must be cut off. However, disconnecting this branch disrupts the impedance matching at the input port 201. To address this issue, the remaining transmission line terminating at the output port 203' (e.g., for WiFi) should have a different characteristic impedance. To match the impedance of the WiFi line at the output port 203', a different characteristic impedance Based on the demonstration of the two operating modes of this simplified instance, shows ways to improve the reconfiguration of a 1:2 power divider to support both dual-output mode and single-output mode, especially for applications where the source impedance may not be limited to just a non-source source and may not generally be simply equal to the terminating impedance.

[0031] Figure 3Disclosed is a power divider 300 configured to support different numbers of outputs according to some embodiments of the present technology. In an embodiment, the power divider 300 is configured to equally distribute the power of the input signal at the input port 301 to the first output port 302 and the second output port 303 respectively in a dual-output mode. Additionally, in a single-output mode, the path from the input port 301 to the first output port 302 can be turned off, and the input signal is transmitted to the second output port 303 only at full power. Optionally, the first output port 302 and the second output port 303 are designed to output a cellular signal and a WiFi signal respectively in the dual-output mode. Optionally, the second output port 303 is designed to output only a WiFi signal in the single-output mode. As Figure 3 shown, the input port 301 receives an input signal from a source 30 characterized by a source impedance Rs. Each of the first output port 302 and the second output port 303 is terminated with a load impedance R L . One design criterion is conjugate matching at the input port 301, that is, the input impedance of the divider 300 needs to be conjugate-matched to the source impedance. Moreover, the output impedance of the power divider 300 also needs to be matched to the load impedance at each output port. Here, the input impedance, the source impedance Rs, and the load impedance R L are all complex numbers, each containing a real resistance part and an imaginary reactance part.

[0032] In an embodiment, the power splitting network (e.g., Figure 1 110 in Figure 1 ) and the impedance matching components (e.g., 120 and 130 in ) of the power divider 300 are effectively combined and represented by corresponding transmission lines (310, 330) in each data path. In a specific embodiment, the first transmission line 310 for the data path from the input port 301 to the first output port 302 is implemented by an LC circuit. The LC circuit generally includes at least two capacitors 311 and 312 coupled in series configuration via an intermediate node 305 and at least one inductor 315 coupled in a shunt configuration (i.e., the inductor 315 is coupled between the node 305 and ground). In an embodiment, the two capacitors 311 and 312 are assigned the same first capacitance C, and the inductor 315 is assigned a first inductance L. This LC circuit has a characteristic resonant frequency Based on this, the peak shape can be tuned by selecting appropriate values of the capacitance and inductance associated with the capacitors and inductors in the LC circuit. Basically, L and C are selected by matching with the source impedance and the terminating resistance, which can be achieved by setting the characteristic impedance of the LC circuit in the first transmission line 310 to .

[0033] The power divider 300 further includes a switch SW1 320 coupled between the input port 301 and one end of the first transmission line 310, and the other end of the first transmission line 310 is coupled to the first output port 302. The switch SW1 320 is configured to be activated to connect the input port 301 and the first transmission line 310, or deactivated to disconnect the first transmission line 310 from the input port 301. Activation of the switch SW1 320 of course enables the signal path represented by the first transmission line 310 for setting the dual-output mode. Deactivation of SW1 320 closes the data path 310 for setting the single-output mode.

[0034] In an embodiment, the power divider 300 includes a second transmission line 330 between the input port 301 and the second output port 303 to enable a second signal path. Specifically, the second transmission line 330 may also be implemented via an LC circuit. This LC circuit includes at least two variable capacitors 331 and 332 coupled in series between the input port 301 and the second output port 303, and at least one variable inductor 335 coupled in shunt between an intermediate node 306 (between the two variable capacitors) and ground. In a specific embodiment, the two variable capacitors are configured to have the same capacitance C v , which is adjustable or variable to allow reconfiguration of the impedance of the second transmission line 330. Moreover, the variable inductor has an inductance L v , which can be adjusted together with the adjustment of the variable capacitance C v to achieve the desired impedance result of the second transmission line 330. Similar to the first transmission line 310, the LC circuit of the second transmission line 330 is characterized by a resonant frequency and a characteristic impedance . The shape of the transmission spectrum peak is also related to the values of L v and C v in the resonant frequency. Additionally, depending on whether the power divider 300 is in the dual-output mode or the single-output mode, L v and C v are selected by the impedance matching condition.

[0035] As Figure 3 shown, to implement the dual-output mode of the power divider 300, the switch SW1 320 is activated in the on state to enable the first transmission line 310 between the input port 301 and the first output port 302. The second transmission line 330 between the input port 301 and the second output port 303 is always enabled. The first transmission line 310 is made up of two capacitors 311 and 312 and an inductor 315, and each of the capacitors 311 and 312 has a first capacitance C in a series configuration, and the inductor 315 has a first inductance L in a shunt configuration, which is characterized by a characteristic impedance The second transmission line 330 has a capacitance C v The two variable capacitors 331 and 332 and the inductor L v The variable inductor 335 is made of a characteristic impedance It is necessary to change the capacitance C of the two variable capacitors 331 and 332 v is set to be equal to the first capacitor C and the inductance L of the variable inductor 335 needs to be v is set equal to the first inductance L. Therefore, Z 0 '=Z 0 In addition, L and C are selected to satisfy conjugate matching at all three ports (301, 302, and 303). At input port 301, the source impedance Rs needs to match the conjugate of the input impedance seen downstream from the input port. At each of the first / second output ports 302 / 303, the output impedance of the corresponding transmission line (seen upstream from the output port) needs to match the load impedance R L * is the conjugate of. To achieve these impedance matching, the characteristic impedance Z of each path 0 Set to This will allow the power of the input signal to be equally distributed to the first and second output ports.

[0036] To achieve the single output mode, the switch SW1 320 is deactivated in the off state to disconnect the first transmission line 310 from the input port 301. The power divider 300 now has only the second transmission line 330 connected between the input port 301 and the second output port 303, which has a characteristic impedance In order to maintain a conjugate match at both the input port 301 and the (second) output port 303 for this single transmission line 330, Z 0 'Need to be set to The variable capacitors 331 and 332 and the variable inductor 332 need to be adjusted accordingly. In an embodiment, the capacitances C of the two variable capacitors 331 and 332 are set to v Adjust from C to The inductance L of the variable inductor 335 is v Adjust from L to Generate a new characteristic impedance for the new second transmission line 330. These adjustments will automatically maintain conjugate matching at both the input port 301 and the second output port 303 in single output mode.

[0037] In some embodiments, each of the two transmission lines (310 and 330) is not limited to being configured to a quarter-wavelength transmission line. In general, conjugate matching can be performed at an input port having a source impedance Rs and a corresponding termination impedance R L At each output port. Rs and RL can be plural for both the passive terms and the passive terms. Accordingly, the selection of the capacitance C (C v ) and the inductance L (L v ) of the LC circuits in the corresponding two transmission lines is still determined by conjugate matching. Assuming that the characteristic impedance Z 0 has been determined to achieve conjugate matching for the dual-output mode, then the characteristic impedance of the remaining transmission line needs to be adjusted to to maintain conjugate matching for the single-output mode.

[0038] In an embodiment, the power divider 300 may include a controller 350 to adjust both L v and C v . These adjustments are performed according to the deactivation of the switch SW1 320. Although there is no specific timing limit, the dual-output mode should be set by the on state of SW1 in association with setting C v = C and L v = L, and the single-output mode should be set by the off state of SW1 in association with setting and . Optionally, the controller 350 may be implemented by hardware separate from the power divider itself, or implemented in software or firmware associated with the power splitting network.

[0039] Figure 4 FIG. shows a power divider 400 configured to support different numbers of outputs according to another embodiment of the present technology. In an embodiment, the power divider 400 is configured to equally distribute the power of the input signal at the input port 401 to the first output port 402 and the second output port 403 respectively in the dual-output mode, and additionally, the path from the input port 401 to the first output port 402 can be closed in the single-output mode, and the input signal is transmitted to the second output port 403 only at full power. Optionally, the first output port 402 and the second output port 403 are designed to output a cellular signal and a WiFi signal respectively in the dual-output mode. Optionally, the second output port 403 is designed to output only the WiFi signal in the single-output mode. The first transmission line 410 of the power divider 400 is configured to have two capacitors 411 and 412 each having a first capacitance C coupled in series configuration and an inductor 415 having a first inductance L coupled to the intermediate node 405 between the two capacitors in a shunt configuration, which is substantially the same as the first transmission line 310 of the power divider 300. It also includes a first switch SW1 420, similar to the switch 320 in Figure 3 , to control the connection or disconnection of the first transmission line 410 to the input port 401. The input port 401 is coupled to a source 40 having a source impedance Rs. Each transmission line (410 or 430) is terminated with a load impedance R L。

[0040] However, the second transmission line 430 is configured to have variable capacitors (331 and 332) reconfigured by a combination of capacitors and switches. As Figure 4 shown, the second transmission line 430 of the power divider 400 includes two capacitors 431 and 432, each capacitor having a second capacitance C', serially coupled between the input port 401 and the second output port 403 via an intermediate node 406. Additionally, each capacitor 431 (or 432) is coupled in parallel to a switched capacitor pair between the input port 401 and the intermediate node 406 (or between the intermediate node 406 and the second output port 403). The switched capacitor pair includes a second switch SW2 433 (or 434) coupled to a capacitor 437 (or 438). The capacitor 437 (or 438) has a third capacitance C". The second transmission line 430 also includes a variable inductor 435 having an adjustable inductance L v coupled to the intermediate node 406 in a shunt configuration. The techniques implemented to achieve the variable inductor 435 are outside the scope of the present disclosure and will be the subject of another patent application of the applicant. In an embodiment, the second capacitance C' is selected to be equal to the first capacitance C, and the third capacitance C" is selected to be equal to C multiplied by

[0041] To configure the power divider 400 to support a different number of outputs, both the first switch SW1 and the two second switches SW2 are used to set the operating mode. To set the dual-output mode of the power divider 400, the first switch SW1 needs to be activated to the on state to connect the first transmission line 410 to the input port 401, to connect the first signal path from the input port 401 to the first output port 402. As Figure 4 visible, the first transmission line 410 is designed to have two capacitors coupled in series having a capacitance C and an inductor 415 having an inductance L coupled in a shunt configuration (to the node 405 between the two capacitors). Now, if the second switches SW2 (433 and 434) are deactivated and the variable inductor 435 has its inductance value L v set to L, then the second transmission line 430 can be configured to have the same characteristic impedance such that the second signal path includes the same LC circuit as the first transmission line 410. The values of L and C can be selected to satisfy the source impedance Rs and the load impedance R included in the design LConjugate matching at all three ports (input and two outputs). The same LC configuration ensures an equal split of the signal power from the input port 401 to the first output port 402 and the second output port 403. At the same time, the conjugate matching of the impedances at the three ports ensures maximum power transfer and minimum reflection loss. For a mobile module designed for RF cellular signal communication and WiFi signal communication, the proposed power divider can be implemented to use the first output port 402 for outputting cellular signals and the second output port 403 for outputting WiFi signals in a dual-output mode.

[0042] Alternatively, to configure the power divider in a single-output mode, both the first switch SW1 and the two second switches SW2 are used to reconfigure the power divider 400. When the first switch SW1 is deactivated, i.e., in the off state, the first signal path is closed, and only the second signal path is maintained. At the same time, the two second switches SW2 are required to reconfigure the impedance of the second transmission line 430 to maintain conjugate matching at both the input port 401 and the remaining second output port 403. Specifically, when the first switch SW1 is open in the single-output mode, the two second switches SW2 are activated. This changes the capacitor configuration in the second transmission line 430 from two parallel combined capacitors in a series configuration. The capacitance of each parallel combined capacitor is the sum of these two capacitors, i.e., In addition, the inductance value of the variable inductor 435 needs to be reset to By setting this LC circuit design under the conditions given by SW1 and SW2, the power divider 400 supports only one output port, i.e., the second output port 403, where all conjugate matching conditions are maintained with the source impedance Rs at the input port 401 and with the load impedance R L matched. The power divider 400 implemented by a mobile module that supports both cellular and WiFi standards can output only WiFi signals in this single-output mode.

[0043] In an embodiment, the power divider 400 may include a controller 450 configured to control the operation of the first switch SW1 420 and the two second switches SW2 (433 and 434) such that a mode setting scheme can be implemented according to application requirements. The controller 450 may also control the operation of the variable inductor 435. Optionally, the controller 450 is implemented together with the power divider 400, or may be implemented separately in a system controller. Optionally, the controller 450 may be implemented via software or firmware within the power divider or an associated system.

[0044] In an alternative embodiment, the power divider 400 may further include a switched resistor pair as an isolation component 440 coupled between the first output port 402 and the second output port 403. This switched resistor pair includes a third switch SW3 441 serially coupled to a resistor 442. The third switch SW3 may also need to be part of the overall mode setting operation for reconfiguring the power divider 400. Specifically, to set the power divider to support the dual output mode, the switch settings include SW1: on, SW2: off, SW3: on. In the dual output mode, the isolation component 440 effectively uses the resistor 442 to absorb possible interference across the two transmission lines within the operating band of the power divider 400. In the single output mode, the switch settings may include SW1: off, SW2: on, SW3: off, as only one transmission line is retained to carry the input signal.

[0045] Although the foregoing is a complete description of specific embodiments, various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be used. Accordingly, the above description and illustration should not be regarded as limiting the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A device comprising: an input port configured to receive an input signal; a first output port; A second output port; a first transmission line characterized by a first characteristic impedance and coupled to the first output port; a first switch configured to connect or disconnect the first transmission line from the input port; a second transmission line characterized by a second characteristic impedance and coupled between the input port and the second output port; and A controller configured to set a single output mode or a dual output mode, wherein in the dual output mode, when the first switch is activated and the second characteristic impedance is configured to be equal to the first characteristic impedance, the power of the input signal is distributed between the first output port and the second output port; in the single output mode, when the first switch is deactivated and the second characteristic impedance is configured to be reduced by When the power of the input signal is completely directed to the second output port.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the first output port and the second output port is associated with a load impedance.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the input port is configured to receive the input signal from an analog RF source associated with a source impedance. 4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the dual output mode enables the first output port to deliver a first output signal for a cellular application and enables the second output port to deliver a second output signal for a WiFi application.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first transmission line comprises: at least two first capacitors, each having a first capacitance C, coupled in a series configuration; and at least one inductor having a first inductance L coupled to a node between the two capacitors in a shunt configuration, wherein values ​​of L and C are selected based on conjugate impedance matching at each of the input port, the first output port, and the second output port.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second transmission line comprises: at least two variable capacitors, each variable capacitor having a second capacitance, coupled in a series configuration; and at least one variable inductor having a second inductance coupled to a node between the two variable capacitors in a shunt configuration, wherein the second capacitance is configured to have a value of the first capacitance C when the first switch is activated and to change to a value of , wherein the second inductance is configured to have the value of the first inductance L when the first switch is activated and to change to when the first switch is deactivated.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the variable capacitor comprises a second capacitor having a third capacitance, the second capacitance coupled in parallel to a switched capacitor pair, the switched capacitor pair comprising a second switch coupled in series with a third capacitor having a fourth capacitance.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the third capacitance is equal to the first capacitance C, and the fourth capacitance is equal to the first capacitance C multiplied by 9. The device of claim 7, wherein the second switch is configured to connect to the third capacitor when the first switch is deactivated in the single-output mode, and to disconnect from the third capacitor when the first switch is activated in the dual-output mode.

10. The device of claim 3, further comprising a switch resistor pair coupled between the first output port and the second output port, the switch resistor pair comprising a third switch coupled in series to an isolation resistor, wherein the third switch is configured to be deactivated when the first switch is deactivated and to be activated when the first switch is activated.

11. The device of claim 3, wherein the first transmission line and the second transmission line are configured to ensure a conjugate match with the source impedance at the input port and a conjugate match with the load impedance at each of the first output port and the second output port in the dual output mode.

12. The device of claim 3, wherein the second transmission line is configured to respectively ensure a conjugate match with the source impedance at the input port and a conjugate match with the load impedance at the second output port in the single output mode.

13. A circuit for distributing signal power to different numbers of outputs, comprising: an input port coupled to a source associated with a source impedance; a first output port having a first load impedance; a second output port having a second load impedance equal to the first load impedance; a first transmission line configured to have a first characteristic impedance and coupled to the first output port; a first switch coupled between the input port and the first transmission line; a second transmission line configured to have a second characteristic impedance and coupled to the second output port; and a controller configured to activate or deactivate the first switch; wherein, if the first switch is activated, the first transmission line and the second transmission line are configured to have the second characteristic impedance equal to the first characteristic impedance and maintain a conjugate match with the source impedance at the input port and a conjugate match with the first load impedance at each of the first output port and the second output port; Wherein, if the first switch is deactivated, the first transmission line and the second transmission line are configured to change the second characteristic impedance to a value less than the first characteristic impedance. And maintaining a conjugate match with the source impedance at the input port and a conjugate match with the first load impedance at the second output port.

14. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the first transmission line comprises: two first capacitors, each having a first capacitance C, coupled in a series configuration; and at least one inductor having a first inductance L coupled to a node between the two first capacitors in a shunt configuration, wherein values ​​of L and C are selected based on the conjugate impedance matching at each of the input port, the first output port, and the second output port.

15. The circuit of claim 14, wherein the second transmission line comprises: two variable capacitors, each variable capacitor having a second capacitance, coupled in a series configuration; and at least one variable inductor having a second inductance coupled to a node between the two variable capacitors in a shunt configuration, wherein the second capacitance is configured to be equal to the first capacitance C when the first switch is activated and to change to when the first switch is deactivated. The second inductance is configured to be equal to the first inductance L when the first switch is activated and to change to 16. The circuit of claim 15, wherein the variable capacitor comprises a second capacitor having a third capacitance coupled in parallel to a switched capacitor pair including a second switch coupled in series to a third capacitor having a fourth capacitance.

17. The circuit of claim 16, wherein the third capacitance is equal to the first capacitance C, and the fourth capacitance is equal to 18. The circuit of claim 16, wherein the second switch is configured to be connected to the third capacitor when the first switch is deactivated, and to be disconnected from the third capacitor when the first switch is activated.

19. The circuit of claim 13, further comprising a switch resistor pair coupled between the first output port and the second output port, the switch resistor pair comprising a third switch coupled in series to a first resistor, wherein the third switch is configured to be disconnected from the first resistor when the first switch is deactivated and to be connected to the first resistor when the first switch is activated.

20. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the first output port is configured to output a first signal of a first standard at half the power of an input signal from the source, and the second output port is configured to output a second signal of a second standard at half the power of the input signal when the first switch is activated; and the second output port is configured to output a second signal of the second standard at full power of the input signal when the first switch is deactivated.

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