Inductor Coupling Cancellation Circuit for Compact 60 GHz Transceivers
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-frequency transceivers in the 60 GHz range face performance issues due to undesirable electromagnetic coupling between inductors, which can be mitigated but not fully resolved by increasing physical distance, leading to reduced bandwidth and increased power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A cancellation circuit is introduced to compensate for magnetically induced signals between inductors, allowing for closer placement and reducing magnetic coupling, thereby maintaining performance without the need for increased distance between circuit elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the physical distance between inductors is increased to reduce magnetic coupling, then magnetic coupling is reduced, but bandwidth is reduced and power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
A cancellation inductor is introduced as an intermediary element between the coupled inductors. This cancellation inductor acts as a mediator that generates a magnetic field to counteract the unwanted coupling between the original inductors, allowing them to remain close together without excessive magnetic interference while maintaining bandwidth performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The cancellation circuit generates a compensating signal in advance that opposes the magnetic coupling effect. By applying this anti-action signal through the cancellation inductor, the harmful magnetic coupling is neutralized before it can degrade the signal, enabling close placement of inductors without sacrificing bandwidth.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the physical distance between inductors is increased to reduce magnetic coupling, then magnetic coupling is reduced, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cancellation inductor serves as a mediator that reduces the need for large spacing between inductors. By introducing this intermediary element that actively compensates for coupling, the system can maintain close component placement without excessive power consumption that would result from driving larger capacitive loads over increased distances.
Solution Approach 2:
The cancellation circuit converts the harmful magnetic coupling effect into a beneficial situation. By using the coupling effect itself and counteracting it with an equal and opposite field from the cancellation inductor, the system achieves both close placement and low power consumption, turning what was a problem into a solution mechanism.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the physical distance between inductors is increased to reduce magnetic coupling, then magnetic coupling is reduced, but silicon area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cancellation inductor acts as a mediator that enables close placement of the main inductors on the silicon die. By introducing this intermediary compensation element, the system can maintain minimal spacing between functional inductors, thereby reducing the overall silicon area required while still achieving adequate magnetic coupling isolation.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves from a spatial approach (increasing physical distance in two dimensions) to a temporal/electrical approach (using a cancellation signal in the third dimension of time-frequency space). This allows the inductors to remain close in physical space on the die while the cancellation signal operates in the electrical domain to manage coupling effects.
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 cancellation circuit effectively minimizes magnetic coupling, allowing for compact transceiver design, preserving bandwidth and reducing power consumption while maintaining uniform transfer response across frequencies.
Implementation Method 1
the electromagnetic field of an inductor can transfer these high frequency signals into other circuit components of the system design causing undesirable effects
Data Source
AI summary
This invention compensates for the unintentional magnetic coupling between a first and second inductor of two different closely spaced inductors separated by a conversion circuit. A cancellation circuit formed from transistors senses the magnetic coupling in the first inductor and feeds a current opposite to the induced magnetic coupling captured by the second inductor such that the coupled magnetic coupling can be compensated and allows the first and second inductors to behave independently with regards to the coupled magnetic coupling between the first and second inductors. This allows the distance between the first and second inductors to be minimized which saves silicon area. In addition, the performance is improved since the overall capacitance in both circuits can be decreased. This cancellation technique to reduce the magnetic coupling between two closed placed inductively loaded circuits allows the design of a more compact and faster performing circuit.