Single-Chip Phase-Arrayed Transceiver Sharing Signal Traces

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional phase-arrayed transceivers require numerous phase shifters and large-area distribution networks, leading to increased manufacture costs due to separate transmitter and receiver components.

Innovation Solution

A phase-arrayed transceiver design where transceiving elements, a signal processing block, and a distributed network are configured as a single chip, sharing signal traces between the signal processing block and antennas, thereby reducing the area of the distributed network and costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If transmitter and receiver are completely separate with different phase shifters and antennas, then ease of design and implementation is improved, but chip size and manufacture cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of design and implementationVSAvoidchip size

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines transmitter and receiver into a single transceiving element that shares common components including phase shifters, signal traces, and antennas. This merging reduces the number of discrete components and interconnections required, thereby reducing chip size while maintaining functional separation through time-division or frequency-division multiplexing of the shared resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements universal components that serve both transmitting and receiving functions. Phase shifters, signal traces, and antennas are designed as multi-functional elements that can operate in both transmit and receive modes, eliminating the need for duplicate dedicated components and reducing overall chip area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If numerous phase shifters and large-area distribution networks are used, then separate transmitter and receiver functionality is achieved, but chip size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseparate transmitter and receiver functionalityVSAvoidarea of distributed network

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines transmitter and receiver into a single transceiving element that shares common components including phase shifters, signal traces, and antennas. This merging reduces the number of discrete components and interconnections required, thereby reducing chip size while maintaining functional separation through time-division or frequency-division multiplexing of the shared resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs dynamic switching mechanisms that allow a single set of components to alternately serve transmit and receive functions. Through time-division multiplexing or frequency-division multiplexing, the system dynamically allocates shared phase shifters and signal traces to different functional modes, reducing the need for static duplicate components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9473195B2Phase-arrayed transceiver

Publication Date: 2016.10.18 MEDIATEK INC

AI summary

A phased-array transceiver includes: a plurality of antennas; a plurality of transceiving elements respectively coupled to the plurality of antennas; a signal processing block; and a first distributed network, coupled between the signal processing block and the transceiving elements, wherein the transceiving elements, the signal processing block, and the first distributed network are configured as a single chip, and a first transceiving path between one of the plurality of transceiving elements and the signal processing block and a second transceiving path between another of the plurality of transceiving elements and the signal processing block share at least partial signal traces of the first distributed network.