Phase shifter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10020792-B2
Application number	US-201514863746-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2015
Priority date	Sep 24, 2015
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

An interdigital capacitor low loss and high resolution phase shifter is disclosed. The phase shifter includes an input port, a first electrode connected to the input port, an output port and a second electrode connected to the output port and arranged substantially parallel to the first electrode. The phase shifter also includes a substrate disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, a first variable capacitor disposed on the first electrode and a second variable capacitor disposed on the second electrode. Adjustment of one or more of the variable capacitors causes a phase shift between the input port and the output port.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A phase shifter comprising:
an input port;
a first electrode connected to the input port;
an output port;
a second electrode connected to the output port and arranged substantially parallel to the first electrode;
a third electrode connected to the first electrode and arranged substantially parallel to the first electrode and the second electrode;
a fourth electrode connected to the second electrode and arranged substantially parallel to the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode;
a substrate disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode;
a first variable capacitor disposed on the first electrode;
a second variable capacitor disposed on the second electrode;
a third variable capacitor disposed on the third electrode; and
a fourth variable capacitor disposed on the fourth electrode,
wherein adjustment of one or more of the variable capacitors causes a phase shift between the input port and the output port.

2. The phase shifter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first inductor disposed on the first electrode in parallel with the first variable capacitor; and
a second inductor disposed on the second electrode in parallel with the second variable capacitor.

3. The phase shifter of claim 2 , wherein each variable capacitor is shunt with the corresponding inductor on the respective electrode.

4. The phase shifter of claim 1 , wherein at least one variable capacitor is a digitally adjustable variable capacitor.

5. The phase shifter of claim 1 , wherein each variable capacitor is independently adjustable in response to a change in a signal entering the input port.

6. The phase shifter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third inductor disposed on the third electrode in parallel with the third variable capacitor; and
a fourth inductor disposed on the fourth electrode in parallel with the fourth variable capacitor,
wherein each variable capacitor is shunt with the corresponding inductor on the respective electrode.

7. A system comprising:
an antenna configured to emit a signal; and
a phase shifter connected to the antenna, the phase shifter comprising:
an input port configured to receive the signal;
a first electrode connected to the input port;
an output port in communication with the antenna;
a second electrode connected to the output port and arranged substantially parallel to the first electrode;
a third electrode connected to the first electrode and arranged substantially parallel to the first electrode and the second electrode;
a fourth electrode connected to the second electrode and arranged substantially parallel to the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode;
a substrate disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode;
a first variable capacitor disposed on the first electrode;
a second variable capacitor disposed on the second electrode;
a third variable capacitor disposed on the third electrode; and
a fourth variable capacitor disposed on the fourth electrode,
wherein adjustment of one or more of the variable capacitors causes a phase shift between the input port and the output port.

8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a transceiver connected to the antenna and configured to transmit or receive the signal, wherein the transceiver comprising the phase shifter.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the phase shifter further comprises:
a first inductor disposed on the first electrode in parallel with the first variable capacitor; and
a second inductor disposed on the second electrode in parallel with the second variable capacitor.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein each variable capacitor is shunt with the corresponding inductor on the respective electrode.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein at least one variable capacitor is a digitally adjustable variable capacitor.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein each variable capacitor is independently adjustable in response to a change in the signal entering the input port.

13. The system of claim 7 , wherein the phase shifter further comprises:
a third inductor disposed on the third electrode in parallel with the third variable capacitor; and
a fourth inductor disposed on the fourth electrode in parallel with the fourth variable capacitor,
wherein each variable capacitor is shunt with the corresponding inductor on the respective electrode.

14. The system of claim 7 , wherein the adjustment of one or more of the variable capacitors causes the phase shift to be approximately between zero and 360 degrees between the input port and the output port.

15. A method comprising:
receiving a signal having a first phase at a phase shifter, the phase shifter comprising:
an input port configured to receive the signal;
a first electrode connected to the input port;
an output port;
a second electrode connected to the output port and arranged substantially parallel to the first electrode;
a third electrode connected to the first electrode and arranged substantially parallel to the first electrode and the second electrode;
a fourth electrode connected to the second electrode and arranged substantially parallel to the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode;
a substrate disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode;
a first variable capacitor disposed on the first electrode;
a second variable capacitor disposed on the second electrode;
a third variable capacitor disposed on the third electrode; and
a fourth variable capacitor disposed on the fourth electrode,
wherein adjustment of one or more of the variable capacitors causes a phase shift between the input port and the output port;

adjusting at least one of the variable capacitors; and
outputting the signal at the output port of the phase shifter, the outputted signal having a second phase.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the phase shifter further comprises:
a first inductor disposed on the first electrode in parallel with the first variable capacitor; and
a second inductor disposed on the second electrode in parallel with the second variable capacitor.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein each variable capacitor is shunt with the corresponding inductor on the respective electrode.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein at least one variable capacitor is a digitally adjustable variable capacitor.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising independently adjusting the variable capacitors.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the phase shifter further comprises:
a third inductor disposed on the third electrode in parallel with the third variable capacitor; and
a fourth inductor disposed on the fourth electrode in parallel with the fourth variable capacitor,
wherein each variable capacitor is shunt with the corresponding inductor on the respective electrode.

21. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first variable capacitor, the second variable capacitor, the third variable capacitor, and the forth variable capacitor are configured to provide a high resolution phase change.

22. The method of claim 15 , further comprising outputting the signal from the output port of the phase shifter to an antenna.

Assignees

• Google Inc
• Google Llc

Inventors

• Tabatabai Farbod
• Laursen Kirk Garrett
• Haziza Dedi David

Classifications

• H01P1/184 Primary

  Strip line phase-shifters (H01P1/181, H01P1/185, H01P1/19 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01Q1/50

  Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors · CPC title

• H01P5/187

  Broadside coupled lines · CPC title

• H01P9/04

  Interdigital lines · CPC title

• H01Q3/2694

  using also variable phase-shifters (H01Q3/2688 takes precedence) · CPC title