A radio frequency front-end module and a method of adjusting inductance value

Abstract

The purpose of the embodiments of the present application is to provide a radio frequency front end module and a method for adjusting inductance value in the radio frequency front end module. The radio frequency front end module of the embodiments of the present application comprises a switch assembly, a substrate, an inductance assembly and a filter group; the switch assembly and the filter group are arranged on the substrate, the inductance assembly is arranged in the substrate, the inductance assembly comprises one or more shared inductances, and the shared inductances are configured to be shared by filters corresponding to multiple receiving frequency bands working at different times; the switch assembly comprises a radio frequency switch and a control register integrated in the radio frequency switch, and by writing different control register values, one or more inductances in the shared inductances are accessed to provide different total inductance values to match the receiving frequency bands corresponding to different filters. The embodiments of the present application significantly reduce the number of buried inductances by inductance sharing or segmented multiplexing, and realize the reduction of the number of substrate layers and the thinning of the product thickness.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of radio frequency front-end technology, and more particularly to a radio frequency front-end module and a method for adjusting the inductance value in the radio frequency front-end module. Background Technology

[0002] In existing RF front-end modules such as Diversity Front-End Modules (DiFEMs) or Low-band Diversity FEMs (L-DiFEMs), each receiving frequency band is typically configured with at least one embedded inductor on the substrate to achieve impedance matching between the filter and the switch, ensuring minimal RF signal reflection. Because inductors for different frequency bands are not shared, and the number of inductors corresponds one-to-one with the number of frequency bands, the inductors occupy a large substrate area.

[0003] For example, Figure 1 An exemplary existing radio frequency front-end module is shown. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the RF front-end module includes a switch, a substrate, and multiple filters (F1, F2…Fn) disposed on the substrate. Multiple wire-wound inductors (L1, L2…Ln) are embedded within the substrate, with each receiving frequency band (Rx1, Rx2…Rxn) corresponding to an independent wire-wound inductor. The switch switches the RF signal path by writing different values ​​(e.g., 0x01, 0x02) to a control register: when 0x01 is written, the antenna (ANT) is connected to Rx1, and the signal is transmitted through the wire-wound inductor L1 and filter F1 within the substrate; when 0x02 is written, the antenna is connected to Rx2, and the signal is transmitted through the wire-wound inductor L2 and filter F2 within the substrate. In this structure, each receiving frequency band requires at least one independent substrate wire-wound inductor to achieve impedance matching between the filter and the switch. Inductors are not shared between different frequency bands, resulting in a one-to-one correspondence between the number of inductors and the number of frequency bands, occupying a large amount of substrate area. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a radio frequency front-end module and a method for adjusting the inductor value in the radio frequency front-end module. The aim is to achieve inductor sharing or segmented multiplexing by switching internally, thereby reducing the number of buried inductors on the substrate, compressing the area occupied by inductors, and miniaturizing the size of the module substrate and the overall module size.

[0005] This application provides an RF front-end module, including a switching assembly, a substrate, an inductor assembly, and a filter bank. The switching assembly and filter bank are disposed on the substrate, and the inductor assembly is disposed within the substrate. The inductor assembly includes one or more shared inductors, which are configured to be shared by filters corresponding to multiple receiving frequency bands that do not operate simultaneously. The switching assembly includes an RF switch and a control register integrated inside the RF switch. By writing different control register values, one or more segments of the shared inductor are connected to provide different total inductance values ​​to match the receiving frequency bands corresponding to different filters.

[0006] According to one embodiment, two filters in a filter bank reuse a shared inductor, and the two filters require different inductance values. The shared inductor comprises two inductors connected in series, namely a first inductor and a second inductor.

[0007] According to one embodiment, the switch can be used to select whether to connect only one inductor or to connect both the first inductor and the second inductor simultaneously, thereby providing two different inductance values ​​for the two filters.

[0008] According to one embodiment, two filters in a filter bank reuse a shared inductor, and the two filters require the same inductance value, wherein the shared inductor comprises a segment of inductance.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the switching component switches two filters to the same inductor at different times, providing the same inductance value to the two filters respectively.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the radio frequency switch has a plurality of bumps, which are respectively connected to both ends of each segment of a shared inductor and to the inter-segment connection node.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the switching component is an on-chip integrated single die containing multiple controllable paths, and the inductor selection and receiving frequency band switching are achieved by writing different control register values.

[0012] This application provides a method for adjusting the inductance value in a radio frequency front-end module according to this application embodiment, the method comprising:

[0013] Determine the target inductance value that matches the current target receiving frequency band; write the corresponding coded value to the control register of the switch according to the target inductance value; control the switch assembly to select one or more segments of the shared inductor to provide the required target inductance value according to the written register coded value.

[0014] According to one embodiment, determining the target inductance value that matches the currently required target receiving frequency band includes: determining the register code value corresponding to the target inductance value based on the pre-configured correspondence between inductance values ​​and register code values.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the embodiments of this application have the following advantages: The embodiments of this application significantly reduce the number of buried inductors by sharing or segmenting inductors, and achieve a reduction in the number of substrate layers and a thinner product thickness; By reconstructing the single switch die and internal bump connection method, the inductor switching function is realized, and the increase in switch area is much smaller than the saved inductor area, achieving significant area benefits at a small switching cost; By adopting a fixed register binding mechanism, the control logic is simplified, so that no complex dynamic configuration is required externally, and the coordinated switching of frequency band and inductor is realized through simple register writing. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0017] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a radio frequency front-end module according to the prior art is shown;

[0018] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a radio frequency front-end module according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0019] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an exemplary radio frequency front-end module according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0020] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of an exemplary radio frequency front-end module according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0021] Figure 5 A flowchart is shown of a method for adjusting the inductance value in a radio frequency front-end module according to an embodiment of this application.

[0022] The same or similar reference numerals in the accompanying drawings represent the same or similar parts. Detailed Implementation

[0023] Before discussing the exemplary embodiments in more detail, it should be noted that some exemplary embodiments are described as processes or methods depicted as flowcharts. Although the flowcharts describe the operations as sequential processes, many of these operations can be performed in parallel, concurrently, or simultaneously. Furthermore, the order of the operations can be rearranged. The process can be terminated when its operation is completed, but may also have additional steps not included in the figures. The process can correspond to a method, function, procedure, subroutine, subroutine, etc.

[0024] The specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are merely representative and are intended to describe exemplary embodiments of this application. However, this application may be implemented in many alternative forms and should not be construed as being limited solely to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0025] It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," etc., may be used herein to describe various units, these units should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used merely to distinguish one unit from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the exemplary embodiments, a first unit may be referred to as a second unit, and similarly, a second unit may be referred to as a first unit. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0026] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “a” and “an” as used herein are also intended to include the plural. It should also be understood that the terms “comprising” and / or “including” as used herein specify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, units, and / or components, without excluding the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, units, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0027] It should also be mentioned that in some alternative implementations, the functions / actions mentioned may occur in a different order than those shown in the figures. For example, depending on the functions / actions involved, the two figures shown successively may actually be executed substantially simultaneously or sometimes in reverse order.

[0028] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a radio frequency front-end module according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0030] The radio frequency front-end module in this application embodiment may be included in a diversity radio frequency front-end module (DiFEM) or a low-frequency diversity radio frequency front-end module (L-DiFEM), or it may be included in a mobile communication device such as a mobile phone or a tablet computer.

[0031] Reference Figure 2 The radio frequency front-end module includes a switch assembly 101, a substrate 102, an inductor assembly 103, and a filter group 104.

[0032] The switching assembly 101 and the filter group 104 are disposed on the substrate.

[0033] Optionally, the substrate 102 has a multilayer structure and can be made of various materials such as ceramic or organic materials to support the switching components and filter banks and provide electrical interconnection. Different substrate materials may result in differences in the inductance value of the wire-wound inductor. The specific parameters of the wire-wound inductor in the substrate (such as line width, line spacing, and number of turns) can be adaptively adjusted without changing the overall design structure.

[0034] The filter bank 104 includes multiple filters, each including multiple bandpass filters corresponding to different receiving frequency bands, used to filter the radio frequency signals of each receiving frequency band. Optionally, the filters are surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters, bulk acoustic wave (BAW) filters, or integrated passive device (IPD) filters, mounted on the surface of the substrate using surface mount technology (SMT) or disposed on the substrate 102 using flip-chip bonding.

[0035] Optionally, the plurality of filters are mounted on the surface of the substrate 102, the switch assembly 101 is flip-chip mounted on the substrate via bumps, and the inductor assembly 103 is formed by internal wiring of the substrate. Optionally, the substrate 102 has a wiring layer inside, and the inductor assembly 103 is a buried wire inductor embedded in the wiring layer of the substrate, formed by winding wires, and the inductor assembly is arranged to avoid the filter area to prevent electromagnetic coupling.

[0036] The inductor assembly 103 is disposed within the substrate 102. The inductor assembly 103 includes one or more shared inductors, which are configured to be shared by filters corresponding to multiple receiving frequency bands that do not operate simultaneously.

[0037] In this embodiment, the multiple receiving frequency bands are non-carrier aggregation (CA) combinations, ensuring that the multiple receiving frequency bands operate in a time-division multiplexing manner without being activated simultaneously, thus providing a physical basis for sharing the same inductor component. Optionally, each receiving frequency band corresponds to a filter.

[0038] According to one embodiment, two filters in a filter bank reuse a shared inductor, and the two filters require different inductance values. The shared inductor comprises two inductors connected in series, namely a first inductor and a second inductor.

[0039] The first inductor and the second inductor have a fixed inductance value ratio, which is determined based on the matching inductance values ​​required for the two non-CA combined receiving frequency bands. For example, if the first receiving frequency band requires a first matching inductance value and the second receiving frequency band requires a second matching inductance value (the second matching inductance value is greater than the first matching inductance value), then the first inductor is set to the first matching inductance value, and the second inductor is set to the difference between the two inductance values ​​(i.e., the difference between the second matching inductance value and the first matching inductance value), so that the inductance value ratio of the two inductors is fixedly adapted to the two receiving frequency bands.

[0040] In this embodiment, the switch allows for the selection of connecting only one inductor (either the first inductor or the second inductor), or connecting both the first inductor and the second inductor simultaneously, thereby providing two different inductance values ​​for the two filters.

[0041] Optionally, the first inductor and the second inductor are connected in series after being routed independently, forming an asymmetrical two-segment structure.

[0042] In this embodiment, the appropriate inductor is selected based on the control register value in the switch. For example, when writing the first register value, only the first inductor is connected; when writing the second register value, a series combination of the first and second inductors is connected. An exemplary structural description of this embodiment is provided below. Figure 3 The example mentioned above.

[0043] According to one embodiment, two filters in a filter bank reuse a shared inductor, and the two filters require the same inductance value, wherein the shared inductor comprises a segment of inductance.

[0044] In this embodiment, the switching component allows two filters to connect to the same inductor at different times, providing the same inductance value to both filters.

[0045] In this embodiment, the control register of the switching component is configured with different register values ​​corresponding to the two receiving frequency bands. Both register values ​​select the same shared inductor segment, achieving frequency band switching by distinguishing the RF signal path rather than changing the inductor connection state. An exemplary structural description of this embodiment is provided below. Figure 4 The example mentioned above.

[0046] It should be noted that this application can be extended to situations where two or more filters reuse a single shared inductor. In this case, the shared inductor may include three or more inductor segments connected in series, providing various combinations of inductance values ​​by selecting and connecting appropriate numbers of inductor segments. Those skilled in the art should understand that as the number of inductor segments increases, the required number of stages and bumps in the switching assembly also increases, potentially introducing greater insertion loss and exacerbating the risk of impedance mismatch. Therefore, this application's embodiments employ a two-segment structure to significantly reduce the area of ​​the wound inductor while maintaining low switching complexity and signal loss.

[0047] By using the shared inductor method described in the embodiments of this application for two or more filters, the number of buried inductors on the substrate can be reduced by about half. For example, for products that typically require 5 to 8 inductors, adopting a design where each pair of filters shares one inductor can save the equivalent of 3 to 4 independent inductors' worth of substrate area. This freed-up area can support more frequency bands, reduce module size, or reduce the number of substrate layers without increasing product thickness.

[0048] The switching assembly 101 includes a radio frequency switch and a control register integrated inside the radio frequency switch.

[0049] In this process, one or more segments of the shared inductor are connected by writing different control register values ​​to provide different total inductance values ​​to match the frequency bands corresponding to different filters.

[0050] Optionally, the switching component 101 is an on-chip integrated single die containing multiple controllable paths. Inductor selection and frequency band switching are achieved by writing different control register values. The switch and inductor are coplanarly arranged, forming a unique structure distinct from conventional switching. Here, a single die refers to a single bare die (or chip) cut from a semiconductor wafer, containing complete integrated circuit functionality, with all internal circuit elements formed on the same semiconductor substrate. In this embodiment, the single die integrates multiple controllable paths, enabling inductor selection and frequency band switching through on-chip control register configuration, eliminating the need for multiple independent chips or external packaging interconnection.

[0051] Optionally, the switch and the inductor are arranged in a coplanar layout on the same substrate layer to reduce trace length and parasitic effects.

[0052] The RF switch has multiple bumps, which are respectively connected to both ends of each segment of the shared inductor and to the inter-segment connection nodes. The bumps are metal connection terminals disposed on the surface of the die, used to achieve flip-chip bonding electrical connection between the RF switch and the substrate.

[0053] The control register is a control logic unit embedded inside the radio frequency switch, and its register code value corresponds to the inductance value.

[0054] Optionally, the register encoding logic of the switch is implemented by the internal controller of the module, forming a collaborative mechanism of frequency band, inductance value and switching timing. The external baseband chip only needs to call the preset driver to write the register value according to the usage, without the need for complex dynamic configuration.

[0055] By writing different register values ​​to the control register, the RF switch is configured to select and connect a corresponding number of inductor segments (such as connecting the first segment, or connecting the first segment and the second segment in series, or connecting more segments in series) to provide different total inductance values ​​to match the frequency bands corresponding to different filters. This enables the multiplexing of the shared inductor when switching between multiple receiving frequency bands that operate at different times. The RF switch and the inductor assembly are coplanarly arranged on the same substrate layer.

[0056] The following is combined Figure 3 and Figure 4 The radio frequency front-end module of the present application embodiment will be described. Figure 3 and Figure 4 Schematic diagrams of an exemplary radio frequency front-end module according to embodiments of this application are shown.

[0057] Figure 3 and Figure 4 The components appearing in the text include:

[0058] Switch: The switch is responsible for selecting different Rx band paths and switching inductor segments. The switch is a single, on-chip integrated die containing multiple controllable paths. The selection of the connected inductor is achieved by writing different control register values ​​(e.g., 0x01, 0x02, 0x04, 0x10, 0x20, etc.). The switch and inductor are coplanar, forming a unique structure distinct from conventional switching.

[0059] Substrate: The substrate is the basic platform that supports all components and traces, and it contains wire-wound inductors. The number of layers on the substrate directly affects the product thickness and cost. In traditional solutions, due to the large area occupied by inductors, a multi-layer three-dimensional wire-wound design is often required.

[0060] Filters (denoted as F1, F2...Fn): These are multi-band bandpass filters, approximately 500×700 micrometers in size, used to filter signals in each of the Rx frequency bands. Each filter corresponds to one Rx frequency band, forming a complete signal path in conjunction with switches and inductors. Filter fabrication costs are relatively low, and they can be custom-designed for use with general-purpose switching products.

[0061] Wire-wound inductors (denoted as L1, L2...Ln): Wire-wound inductors are key passive components for impedance matching between filters and switches. In traditional schemes, at least one inductor is configured independently for each Rx frequency band. This example designs the inductors in a reusable form.

[0062] Antenna Port (ANT): The antenna port is the input interface for radio frequency signals. It connects to the common terminal of the switch and connects to different Rx band paths through the switch to achieve diversity reception. After the signal is input from the antenna port, it passes through the switch to select the corresponding filter and inductor path, and finally reaches the corresponding receiver output terminal.

[0063] Receiver output terminals (denoted as Rx1, Rx2...Rxn): These are the signal output interfaces for each of the Rx frequency bands, corresponding to different operating frequency bands. Each output terminal is connected to the antenna port through an independent switching path and filter.

[0064] Example 1: Two-stage multiplexing with different inductance values;

[0065] Reference Figure 3 In Embodiment 1, it is assumed that the first receiving frequency band Rx1 requires a matching inductance value L1, and the second receiving frequency band Rx2 requires a matching inductance value L2, where L2 = L1 + ΔL. The shared inductors in this embodiment include the first inductor L1 and the second inductor ΔL. Furthermore, in this embodiment, inductors L1 and ΔL are connected in series after being routed independently. Specifically, inductors L1 and ΔL are independently wound in different regions or the same region of the substrate, forming two physically distinguishable inductor segments, which are electrically connected through specific nodes.

[0066] The switch is a single die with four bumps, designated bump 1 to bump 4. The connections of bumps 1 to bump 4 are as follows: bump 1 is connected to the second bump 2 via an inductor L1; bump 3 is grounded; and bump 4 is connected to ground via an inductor ΔL. These four bump structures allow the switch to select different signal paths via an internal transistor array.

[0067] The switch is equipped with a control register. The encoding logic of the register is implemented internally by the module. The values ​​of each state register of the switch are defined as follows: A. 0x01 is written to the control register; B. 0x02 is written to the control register; C. 0x04 is written to the control register; D. 0x10 is written to the control register; E. 0x20 is written to the control register.

[0068] The signal path configured based on the above register values ​​is as follows: When ANT is turned on to Rx1, the control register is written with 0x23 (i.e., A+B+E), inductor L1 is selected to obtain the total inductance value L1, and the F1 filter is used accordingly. The signal direction is shown in red in the figure. When ANT is turned on to Rx2, the control register is written with 0x15 (i.e., A+C+D), inductor L1+ΔL is selected to obtain the total inductance value L1+ΔL, and the F2 filter is used accordingly. The signal direction is shown in purple in the figure.

[0069] Traditional solutions require two independent inductors, Rx1 and Rx2 respectively. However, in this embodiment, the two-stage structure described above allows for the provision of two different inductance values ​​simply by switching between them, thus saving the space occupied by a separate inductor.

[0070] The register encoding logic of the switch is implemented by the internal controller of the module. The external baseband chip only needs to send a simple switching command according to the currently used frequency band, and the internal controller will automatically map it to the corresponding register value to control the switch to complete the selection and switching of the inductor segment.

[0071] and Figure 1 Compared to the structure shown which requires two independent inductors (L1 and L2) to correspond to Rx1 and Rx2 respectively, this embodiment only requires a single physical inductor component consisting of L1 and ΔL. By switching the inductance between the two components, L1 and L2 (i.e., L1 + ΔL), both inductance values ​​can be provided. This structure fundamentally reduces the area occupied by an independent inductor, significantly compressing the substrate area while maintaining impedance matching performance.

[0072] Example 2: Inductors with the same inductance value are reused;

[0073] The structures of the switches, filters, and other components in the embodiments are similar to those in Example 1, and will not be described again here.

[0074] Reference Figure 4 Unlike Example 1, in Example 2, the required matching inductance values ​​for the two receiving frequency bands (Rx1 and Rx2) are equal. Assuming both bands require inductance value L1, the inductance L1 is shared by Rx1 and Rx2 through a switch. The design of the switch register value can be simplified accordingly. Figure 4 The values ​​of each status register of the switch are defined as follows: A. Write 0x01 to the control register; B. Write 0x02 to the control register; C. Write 0x04 to the control register.

[0075] The signal path based on the above register configuration is as follows: When ANT is turned on Rx1, the control register is written with 0x03 (i.e., A+B), inductor L1 is selected, and filter F1 is used accordingly. The signal direction is shown in red in the figure. When ANT is turned on Rx2, the control register is written with 0x05 (i.e., A+C), inductor L1 is still selected, and filter F2 is used accordingly. The signal direction is shown in purple in the figure.

[0076] and Figure 1 Compared to the existing technology where two independent inductors (L1 and L2) are required even if the inductance values ​​are the same, this embodiment only needs to retain one segment of inductor L1, and Rx1 and Rx2 can share the same segment of inductor by switching the switch.

[0077] In summary, Figure 3 and Figure 4 The exemplary RF front-end module, through a unique combination of a switching structure and an asymmetrical two-stage inductor, coupled with a fixed register binding mechanism, achieves efficient inductor reuse in the CA-free combined receiving frequency band, significantly saving substrate area and reducing module size and cost.

[0078] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this invention.

[0079] The solution in this application significantly reduces the number of buried inductors by sharing or segmenting inductors, and achieves a reduction in the number of substrate layers and a thinner product thickness. By reconstructing the connection method of a single switch die and internal bumps, the inductor switching function is realized, and the increase in switch area is much smaller than the saved inductor area, achieving significant area benefits with a small switching cost. By adopting a fixed register binding mechanism, the control logic is simplified, eliminating the need for complex external dynamic configuration, and achieving coordinated switching of frequency bands and inductors through simple register writing.

[0080] Figure 5 A flowchart is shown of a method for adjusting the inductance value in an RF front-end module according to an embodiment of this application. The method includes steps S1 to S3.

[0081] The radio frequency front-end module includes a switching assembly, a substrate, a filter bank, and an inductor assembly. The inductor assembly includes one or more shared inductors, which are configured to be shared by multiple receiving frequency bands that do not operate simultaneously.

[0082] The switching assembly includes a radio frequency switch and a control register integrated inside the radio frequency switch.

[0083] In this configuration, at least two inductor segments are connected in series after being independently routed. The switch has multiple bumps, which are respectively connected to the two ends of each inductor segment and the inter-segment connection node. By selecting and connecting a corresponding number of inductor segments, multiple receiving frequency bands that do not operate simultaneously can share the inductor component.

[0084] The structures of the switching components, substrate, filter bank, and inductor components have been described above and will not be repeated here.

[0085] Referring to the figure, in step S1, a target inductance value that matches the currently desired target receiving frequency band is determined.

[0086] The operation of step S1 can be triggered in a variety of situations: for example, performing a frequency band switch (such as switching from the currently operating first receiving frequency band to the second receiving frequency band), frequency band selection during power-on initialization, frequency band reselection triggered by changes in signal quality, or changes in non-carrier aggregation frequency band configuration issued by the network.

[0087] In step S2, the corresponding control register encoding value is written to the switch according to the target inductance value.

[0088] Specifically, based on the pre-configured correspondence between inductance values ​​and register encoding values, a register encoding value corresponding to the target inductance value is determined. This correspondence is solidified in the internal controller during the module design phase, forming a dedicated mapping relationship between frequency band requirements and inductance configuration. For each receiving frequency band requiring different matching inductance values, corresponding register values ​​are configured respectively, so that the bit definition of the register value corresponds one-to-one with the conduction state of each controllable path inside the switch.

[0089] In step S3, based on the written register encoding value, the switching component is controlled to select one or more segments of the shared inductor to provide the required target inductance value.

[0090] The switch has multiple bumps, which are respectively connected to the two ends of each segment of the inductor and the connection nodes between segments.

[0091] According to one embodiment, two filters in the RF front-end module reuse a shared inductor, and the two filters require different inductance values. The shared inductor comprises two inductor segments connected in series, namely a first inductor and a second inductor. In step S2, a register encoding value corresponding to the target inductance value is written to the switch. In step S3, the switch assembly selects whether to connect only one inductor segment or both the first and second inductors simultaneously, thus providing two different inductance values ​​for the two filters. For example, in... Figure 3In the example shown, when the target frequency band requires a first inductance value, a first register value (e.g., 0x23) is written, and the first inductor is connected only through the path between the first and second convex points of the switch; when the target frequency band requires a second inductance value, a second register value (e.g., 0x15) is written, and the series combination of the first and second inductors is connected simultaneously through the path between the first convex point, the second convex point, the fourth convex point, and the ground terminal.

[0092] According to one embodiment, two filters in a filter bank reuse a shared inductor, and the two filters require the same inductance value. In step S2, different register values ​​are written to the switch. In step S3, the switch assembly switches the two filters to access the same inductor segment at different times, providing the same inductance value to the two filters respectively. The difference in the register values ​​is only used to distinguish different radio frequency signal paths rather than to change the accessed inductor segment.

[0093] Through the above steps, when switching between multiple receiving frequency bands without CA combination, only the register value needs to be changed to dynamically adjust the number and combination of connected inductor segments, realize the time division multiplexing of the shared inductor between different receiving frequency bands, and significantly reduce the number of buried inductors in the substrate.

[0094] According to the method of the embodiments of this application, the number of buried inductors is significantly reduced by sharing or segmenting inductors, and the number of substrate layers and the thickness of the product are reduced. By adopting a fixed register binding mechanism, the control logic is simplified, so that no complex dynamic configuration is required externally, and the coordinated switching of frequency band and inductor is achieved through simple register writing.

[0095] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

[0096] Furthermore, it is clear that the word "comprising" does not exclude other units or steps, and the singular does not exclude the plural. Multiple units or devices described in the embodiments of this application may also be implemented by a single unit or device through software or hardware. Terms such as "first," "second," etc., are used to indicate names and do not indicate any specific order.

Claims

1. A radio frequency front-end module, comprising a switching assembly, a substrate, an inductor assembly, and a filter bank, characterized in that: The switching assembly and filter bank are disposed on the substrate, and the inductor assembly is disposed within the substrate. The inductor assembly includes one or more shared inductors, which are configured to be shared by filters corresponding to multiple receiving frequency bands that do not operate simultaneously. The switching assembly includes a radio frequency switch and a control register integrated inside the radio frequency switch. By writing different control register values, one or more segments of the shared inductor can be connected to provide different total inductance values ​​to match the receiving frequency bands corresponding to different filters. If two filters in a filter bank reuse a shared inductor, and the two filters require different inductance values, the shared inductor comprises two inductor segments connected in series, namely a first inductor and a second inductor. The switch selects whether to connect only one segment of the inductor or to connect both the first and second inductors simultaneously, thereby providing two different inductance values ​​for the two filters. If two filters in a filter bank reuse a shared inductor, and the two filters require the same inductance value, the shared inductor comprises one segment of the inductor. The switch assembly switches the connection of the two filters to the same segment of the inductor at different times, thereby providing the same inductance value for the two filters.

2. The radio frequency front-end module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The radio frequency switch has multiple bumps, which are respectively connected to the two ends of each segment of the shared inductor and the inter-segment connection node.

3. The radio frequency front-end module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The switching component is a single die integrated on-chip, containing multiple controllable paths. Inductor selection and switching of receiving frequency bands are achieved by writing different control register values.

4. A method for adjusting the inductance value in an RF front-end module as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The method includes: Determine the target inductance value that matches the desired target receiving frequency band. Based on the target inductance value, write the corresponding coded value to the control register of the switch; Based on the written register encoding value, the switching component is controlled to select one or more segments of the shared inductor to provide the required target inductance value.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, Determining the target inductance value that matches the currently required target receiving frequency band includes: Based on the pre-configured correspondence between inductance values ​​and register encoding values, the register encoding value corresponding to the target inductance value is determined.

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