Low-noise amplifier with integrated wideband transformer-based power splitter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10122332-B2
Application number	US-201715607145-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2017
Priority date	Dec 14, 2016
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

A wireless communication device includes a first low-noise amplifier (LNA). The wireless communication device also includes a first LNA load circuit coupled to an output of the LNA. The wireless communication device further includes a power splitter switchably coupled to the first LNA load circuit. The power splitter includes a negatively coupled transformer and is switchably coupled to multiple outputs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wireless communication device, comprising:
a first low-noise amplifier (LNA);
a first LNA load circuit coupled to an output of the LNA; and
a power splitter switchably coupled to the first LNA load circuit, the power splitter comprising a negatively coupled transformer, wherein the negatively coupled transformer comprises a first inductor and a second inductor, and further wherein the first inductor is switchably coupled to a first output and the second inductor is switchably coupled to a second output.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the first inductor is tapped at a first point and negatively coupled to the second inductor tapped at a second point and the power splitter further comprises a tuning component.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 2 , in which the tuning component comprises a variable capacitor and a variable resistor.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 2 , in which the negatively coupled transformer includes at least one additional tapping point.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , in which the first LNA load circuit comprises a plurality of different tapping points, a first tapping point matched to the power splitter and a second tapping point matched to at least one of the outputs first output and the second output.

6. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , in which the first LNA load circuit comprises a variable capacitor and a transformer.

7. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one switch configured to couple the first LNA load circuit to the one or more of the outputs.

8. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second LNA; and
a second LNA load circuit coupled to an output of the second LNA and switchably coupled to the power splitter.

9. The wireless communication device of claim 8 , in which the second LNA load circuit comprises a variable capacitor and a transformer, the transformer tapped in at least two different points.

10. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one controller configured to control at least one component of the first LNA load circuit or the power splitter.

11. A method for isolating outputs in a wireless communication device, comprising:
selectively supplying an amplified signal to a power splitter, the power splitter comprising a negatively coupled transformer, wherein the negatively coupled transformer comprises a first inductor and a second inductor, and further wherein the first inductor is switchably coupled to a first output and the second inductor is switchably coupled to a second output; and
isolating the first output and the second output when the amplified signal is supplied to the power splitter.

12. The method of claim 11 , in which the selectively supplying is based at least in part on a mode of operation.

13. The method of claim 12 , in which the amplified signal is supplied to the power splitter in an intra carrier aggregation (CA) mode.

14. The method of claim 11 , in which the isolating is based at least in part on a coupling factor.

15. A wireless communication device, comprising:
means for selectively supplying an amplified signal to a power splitter, the power splitter comprising a negatively coupled transformer, wherein the negatively coupled transformer comprises a first inductor and a second inductor, and further wherein the first inductor is switchably coupled to a first output and the second inductor is switchably coupled to a second output; and
means for isolating the first output and the second output when the amplified signal is supplied to the power splitter.

16. The device of claim 15 , in which the means for selectively supplying supplies is configured to supply the amplified signal based at least in part on a mode of operation.

17. The device of claim 16 , in which the means for selectively supplying is configured to supply the amplified signal to the power splitter in an intra carrier aggregation (CA) mode.

18. The device of claim 15 , in which the means for isolating isolates the one or more outputs based at least in part on a coupling factor.

19. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , further wherein the negatively coupled transformer is configured such that a positive change in current flowing from a first terminal to a second terminal of the first inductor results in a negative change in voltage drop from a first terminal to a second terminal of the second inductor, wherein the second terminal of the first inductor is switchably connected to the first output and the second terminal of the second inductor is switchably connected to the second output.

20. The wireless communication device of claim 15 , further wherein the negatively coupled transformer is configured such that a positive change in current flowing from a first terminal to a second terminal of the first inductor results in a negative change in voltage drop from a first terminal to a second terminal of the second inductor, wherein the second terminal of the first inductor is switchably connected to the first output and the second terminal of the second inductor is switchably connected to the second output.

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Sayilir Serkan
• Wang Chuan
• Wang Kevin Hsi Huai

Classifications

• H03F3/72

  Gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal · CPC title

• H03F3/3098

  using a transformer as phase splitter · CPC title

• H04L27/2647

  Arrangements specific to the receiver only (equalisation H04L27/01) · CPC title

• H04B1/18

  Input circuits, e.g. for coupling to an antenna or a transmission line (coupling networks between antennas or lines and receivers independent of the nature of the receiver H03H) · CPC title

• H03F3/191 Primary

  Tuned amplifiers (H03F3/193, H03F3/195 take precedence) · CPC title