Programmable Radio Transceiver Bondwire Inductor Tuning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication devices face challenges in being cost-effective, compact, and flexible to support multiple frequency bands and protocols due to the limitations of spiral inductors and existing frequency synthesis methods, which are inflexible and require high component counts.
Innovation Solution
A programmable mixed-signal radio transceiver with a low-cost RFIC that uses a tunable resonant circuit with bondwire transmission lines, switchable capacitors, and varactor diodes to achieve wideband tuning, eliminating the need for spiral inductors and incorporating a built-in test and evaluation module for dynamic parameter adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If spiral inductors are used in resonant circuits, then magnetic energy can be stored, but conductor losses increase and quality factor decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the inductor from the integrated circuit substrate and implements it using bondwires that connect the chip to the external circuit. This removes the inductor element that causes conductor losses and low quality factor from the IC fabrication process, allowing the use of high-quality external inductors instead.
Solution Approach 2:
The bondwires serve as intermediaries that provide both electrical connection and inductance. The patent uses the bondwires as both interconnect elements and as the inductive element in the resonant circuit, eliminating the need for separate spiral inductors on the chip.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If spiral inductors are used in resonant circuits, then magnetic energy can be stored, but electromagnetic field diffusion and radiation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the inductor from the integrated circuit substrate and implements it using bondwires that connect the chip to the external circuit. This removes the inductor element that causes conductor losses and low quality factor from the IC fabrication process, allowing the use of high-quality external inductors instead.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple chipsets are integrated to support multiple frequency bands and protocols, then device functionality increases, but device size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal resonant circuit architecture using bondwires that can be tuned to operate across multiple frequency bands and protocols. The programmable capacitor array allows the same physical circuit to be reconfigured for different standards (GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, LTE), eliminating the need for separate dedicated circuits for each frequency band or protocol.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses programmable capacitor arrays that can be dynamically reconfigured via control signals to change the resonant frequency of the circuit. This dynamic reconfigurability allows a single static circuit structure to adapt to multiple frequency bands and protocols, providing multi-functionality without increasing physical size.
4Productivity
If technology node size is reduced to 130 nm and below, then device scaling improves, but inductive element dimensions remain the same
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the inductor from the integrated circuit substrate and implements it using bondwires that connect the chip to the external circuit. This removes the inductor element that causes conductor losses and low quality factor from the IC fabrication process, allowing the use of high-quality external inductors instead.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables a compact, cost-effective radio transceiver that can connect to multiple networks and standards, providing flexible frequency and protocol agnosticism, while improving scalability and reducing noise interference.
Implementation Method 1
at least one transmission line having an inductance
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of switchable capacitors configured to be switched into and out of the tunable resonant circuit
Implementation Method 3
a center resonant frequency of the resonant circuit is electronically tunable
Data Source
AI summary
A fully integrated, programmable mixed-signal radio transceiver comprising a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) which is frequency and protocol agnostic with digital inputs and outputs, the radio transceiver being programmable and configurable for multiple radio frequency bands and standards and being capable of connecting to many networks and service providers. The RFIC includes a tunable resonant circuit that includes a transmission line having an inductance, a plurality of switchable capacitors configured to be switched into and out of the tunable resonant circuit in response to a first control signal, and at least one variable capacitor that can be varied in response to a second control signal, wherein a center resonant frequency of the resonant circuit is electronically tunable responsive to the first and second control signals that control a first capacitance value of the plurality of switchable capacitors and a second capacitance value of the at least one variable capacitor.