RFIC Mixer Reuse for Antenna Impedance Tuning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic devices face challenges in optimizing antenna radiation performance due to the need for mixer detection and phase change measurement, which increases cost and reduces mounting space, especially when mixers are insufficient.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) including multiple mixers and a feedback circuit, where a processor identifies unused mixers for impedance tuning, and when all mixers are in use, it utilizes a secondary cell mixer for antenna impedance tuning, optimizing performance without additional hardware.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If closed loop antenna impedance tuning (CL-AIT) is implemented using a dedicated mixer to detect phase changes, then antenna radiation performance is optimized, but device cost increases and mounting space decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reuses an existing mixer within the RFIC that is part of the carrier aggregation functionality, making it serve dual purposes: both its original signal processing function and antenna impedance tuning. This eliminates the need for a dedicated mixer, reducing device complexity and cost while maintaining antenna performance optimization capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own existing mixer resources to perform antenna impedance tuning without requiring external or additional dedicated components. The RFIC's internal mixer is leveraged to detect phase changes and enable closed-loop tuning, allowing the system to self-serve its antenna optimization needs
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
This solution enables efficient antenna impedance tuning, enhancing radiation performance while avoiding the need for dedicated mixers, thus reducing costs and preserving mounting space, and supports carrier aggregation (CA) operations effectively.
Implementation Method 1
a coupler disposed between the RFIC and the at least one antenna to transfer a reflected signal of a transmission signal to the feedback circuit
Implementation Method 2
the electronic device needs to include a mixer capable of detecting a change in phase of the reflected signal in the RFIC to measure an I/Q value
Implementation Method 3
An electronic device such as a user equipment (UE) may provide various services to a user by performing wireless communication using an antenna
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device for supporting carrier aggregation (CA) is provided. The electronic device includes a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) including a plurality of mixers and a feedback circuit, at least one antenna, a coupler disposed between the RFIC and the at least one antenna to transfer a reflected signal of a transmission signal to the feedback circuit, and at least one processor operatively connected to the RFIC, wherein the at least one processor may identify whether there is a mixer which is not in use among the plurality of mixers, when the first mixer which is not in use among the plurality of mixers is identified, perform antenna impedance tuning through a first mixer and the feedback circuit, and when the plurality of mixers are all in use, perform the antenna impedance tuning through a second mixer assigned to a secondary cell (Scell) among the plurality of mixers and the feedback circuit.