Shared Spiral Inductor Layout in High-Frequency Amplifiers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional high-frequency amplifiers for mobile communication systems require large areas and high costs due to the use of multiple spiral inductors, which occupy significant space and increase production costs, especially in integrated circuits for time division duplex systems like wireless LAN, Bluetooth, and PHS.
Innovation Solution
A high-frequency amplifier design that uses a single spiral inductor as a common load for both reception and transmission signal amplifying parts, with switching control to alternate between reception and transmission modes, reducing the area and cost by integrating the inductor within the integrated circuit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple spiral inductors are used for separate reception and transmission amplifiers, then signal amplification performance is improved, but the area occupied by inductors increases and production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the load inductors for the reception signal amplifier and transmission signal amplifier into a single shared inductor. The inductor is configured to serve both amplifiers simultaneously through appropriate switching mechanisms, thereby reducing the total inductor area while maintaining the required signal amplification performance for both reception and transmission modes.
Solution Approach 2:
The single inductor is designed to perform multiple functions by serving as the load for both the reception signal amplifier and the transmission signal amplifier. Through switching control, the same inductor component is utilized in different operational modes (reception and transmission), eliminating the need for separate dedicated inductors for each function.
2Reliability
If multiple spiral inductors are used for separate reception and transmission amplifiers, then signal amplification performance is improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the previously separate inductor components into a single shared inductor that serves both reception and transmission amplifiers. This reduction in component count directly lowers production costs by reducing the number of inductors that need to be fabricated, packaged, and assembled, while maintaining signal amplification performance through proper switching control.
Solution Approach 2:
The single inductor is designed with universal functionality to serve both reception and transmission modes. This multi-functional design reduces the total component count and simplifies the manufacturing process, thereby reducing production costs while ensuring that signal amplification performance is maintained in both operational modes through appropriate switching mechanisms.
3Area of stationary object
If a single spiral inductor is used as common load, then area and cost are reduced, but switching control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic switching control mechanisms that allow the single inductor to be selectively connected to either the reception signal amplifier or the transmission signal amplifier based on the operational mode. This dynamic reconfiguration enables the system to adapt to different working conditions (reception or transmission) while utilizing the same inductor component, thereby reducing area without permanently increasing complexity through fixed multi-inductor architecture.
4Ease of manufacture
If a single spiral inductor is used as common load, then production cost is reduced, but switching control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic switching control to manage the single shared inductor, allowing it to be selectively assigned to reception or transmission amplification based on operational requirements. This approach reduces production costs by minimizing the number of inductor components while managing the associated control complexity through systematic switching mechanisms that can be integrated into the existing amplifier control architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
In a high-frequency amplifier for amplifying transmission and reception signals, an integrated circuit area is reduced to reduce production costs. A high-frequency amplifier (101) includes a reception signal amplifying part (102), a transmission signal amplifying part (103), and a spiral inductor (104). An output of the reception signal amplifying part (102) is connected with an output of the transmission signal amplifying part (103) to be an output terminal OUT of the high-frequency amplifier (101). The single spiral inductor (104) is connected to the output terminal OUT. This spiral inductor (104) is used as a load common to the reception signal amplifying part (102) and the transmission signal amplifying part (103). Thereby, the area of the integrated circuit is reduced, and the production cost is reduced.