Variable gain circuit, high frequency switch, and transistor circuit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11271534-B2
Application number	US-202016892657-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2020
Priority date	Jun 4, 2019
Publication date	Mar 8, 2022
Grant date	Mar 8, 2022

Abstract

A variable gain circuit includes: input/output terminals P1 and P2 configured to input/output a high frequency signal; a transistor having a signal terminal “a” connected to the input/output terminal P1, a signal terminal “b” connected to the input/output terminal P2, and a control terminal; bias terminals B1, B2 and B3, and a reference voltage terminal respectively set to a first variable voltage, a second variable voltage, a third variable voltage, and a fixed voltage that are independent of one another; an impedance element connected between the bias terminal B1 and the signal terminal a; an impedance element connected between the bias terminal B2 and the signal terminal b; an impedance element connected between the bias terminal B3 and the control terminal; and a first switch configured to switch between connecting and not connecting the reference voltage terminal and the control terminal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A variable gain circuit comprising:
a first input/output terminal and a second input/output terminal configured to input/output a high frequency signal;
a transistor having a first signal terminal connected to the first input/output terminal, a second signal terminal connected to the second input/output terminal, and a control terminal;
a first bias terminal having a first variable voltage, a second bias terminal having a second variable voltage, a third bias terminal having a third variable voltage, and a reference voltage terminal having a fixed voltage, the first, second, and third variable voltages and the fixed voltage being independent of each other;
a first impedance element connected between the first bias terminal and the first signal terminal;
a second impedance element connected between the second bias terminal and the second signal terminal;
a third impedance element connected between the third bias terminal and the control terminal; and
a first switch configured to selectively connect the reference voltage terminal to the control terminal.

2. The variable gain circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first capacitor connected between the first input/output terminal and the first signal terminal;
a second capacitor connected between the second input/output terminal and the second signal terminal; and
a first series circuit comprising a third capacitor and a second switch connected in series,
wherein the first series circuit is connected in parallel with the first capacitor or the second capacitor.

3. The variable gain circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the first impedance element or the second impedance element is an inductor.

4. The variable gain circuit according to claim 3 , wherein the inductor is a variable inductor.

5. The variable gain circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second series circuit comprising a fourth capacitor and a third switch connected in series,
wherein the second series circuit is connected between a fixed voltage terminal, and the first signal terminal or the second signal terminal.

6. The variable gain circuit according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a second series circuit comprising a fourth capacitor and a third switch connected in series,
wherein the second series circuit is connected between a fixed voltage terminal, and the first signal terminal or the second signal terminal.

7. The variable gain circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a fifth capacitor connected between the reference voltage terminal and the first switch.

8. The variable gain circuit according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a fifth capacitor connected between the reference voltage terminal and the first switch.

9. The variable gain circuit according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a fifth capacitor connected between the reference voltage terminal and the first switch.

10. The variable gain circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the first switch is further configured to selectively connect the third bias voltage to the control terminal.

11. The variable gain circuit according to claim 2 , wherein the first switch is further configured to selectively connect the third bias voltage to the control terminal.

12. The variable gain circuit according to claim 5 , wherein the first switch is further configured to selectively connect the third bias voltage to the control terminal.

13. The variable gain circuit according to claim 7 , wherein the first switch is further configured to selectively connect the third bias voltage to the control terminal.

14. A high frequency switch comprising:
at least one variable gain circuit according to claim 1 ; and
at least two second transistors cascade-connected with the transistor of the variable gain circuit,
wherein the transistor of the variable gain circuit is not at an end of the cascading connection.

15. A high frequency switch comprising:
at least one variable gain circuit according to claim 2 ; and
at least two second transistors cascade-connected with the transistor of the variable gain circuit,
wherein the transistor of the variable gain circuit is not at an end of the cascading connection.

16. A high frequency switch comprising:
at least one variable gain circuit according to claim 5 ; and
at least two second transistors cascade-connected with the transistor of the variable gain circuit,
wherein the transistor of the variable gain circuit is not at an end of the cascading connection.

17. A high frequency switch comprising:
at least one variable gain circuit according to claim 7 ; and
at least two second transistors cascade-connected with the transistor of the variable gain circuit,
wherein the transistor of the variable gain circuit is not at an end of the cascading connection.

18. A high frequency switch comprising:
at least one variable gain circuit according to claim 10 ; and
at least two second transistors cascade-connected with the transistor of the variable gain circuit,
wherein the transistor of the variable gain circuit is not at an end of the cascading connection.

19. The variable gain circuit according to claim 1 , configured to switch and perform:
a bidirectional amplification operation,
a signal flow operation without amplification, and
a signal cut-off operation between a first input/output terminal and a second input/output terminal.

Assignees

• Murata Manufacturing Co

Inventors

• Watanabe Daisuke
• Tomita Takayuki

Classifications

• H03G3/18 Primary

  having semiconductor devices · CPC title

• H04B1/40

  Circuits · CPC title

• H03G1/0088

  using discontinuously variable devices, e.g. switch-operated · CPC title

• H04B1/0458

  Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages (matching circuits in general H03H) · CPC title

• H03F3/62 Primary

  Two-way amplifiers · CPC title