Radio frequency splitter and front-end module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11632094-B2
Application number	US-202016930396-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2020
Priority date	Apr 13, 2020
Publication date	Apr 18, 2023
Grant date	Apr 18, 2023

Abstract

A radio-frequency (RF) splitter is provided. The RF splitter includes a common branch node configured to transfer an RF signal, input from an input port, to at least one of first and second output ports, first and second branch nodes electrically connected between the common branch node and the first and second output ports, first and second series switches configured to control switching operations to electrically connect the common branch node and the first and second branch nodes to each other, first and second inductors electrically connected between the common branch node and the first and second branch nodes, a resistor electrically connected between the first and second branch nodes, and first and second shunt switches configured to control switching operations to electrically connect the first and second branch nodes and the resistor to each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A radio-frequency (RF) splitter comprising:
a common branch node configured to transfer an RF signal, input from an input port, to at least one of a first output port and a second output port;
a first branch node electrically connected between the common branch node and the first output port;
a second branch node electrically connected between the common branch node and the second output port, and electrically connected to the first branch node;
a first series switch configured to control a switching operation to electrically connect the common branch node and the first branch node to each other;
a second series switch configured to control a switching operation to electrically connect the common branch node and the second branch node to each other;
a first inductor electrically connected between the common branch node and the first branch node;
a second inductor electrically connected between the common branch node and the second branch node;
a resistor electrically connected between the first branch node and the second branch node;
a first shunt switch configured to control a switching operation to electrically connect the first branch node and the resistor to each other; and
a second shunt switch configured to control a switching operation to electrically connect the second branch node and the resistor to each other.

2. The RF splitter of claim 1 , wherein the first series switch and the first shunt switch are configured to operate in an ON state when the RF splitter operates in a first mode and a third mode, and are configured to operate in an OFF state when the RF splitter operates in a second mode, and
the second series switch and the second shunt switch are configured to operate in an ON state when the RF splitter operates in the second mode and the third mode, and are configured to operate in an OFF state when the RF splitter operates in the first mode.

3. The RF splitter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third shunt switch configured to control a switching operation to electrically connect a ground and a third branch node between the first branch node and the resistor to each other; and
a fourth shunt switch configured to control a switching operation to electrically connect the ground and a fourth branch node between the second branch node and the resistor to each other.

4. The RF splitter of claim 3 , further comprising:
a first capacitor electrically connected between a first end of the first inductor and the ground;
a second capacitor electrically connected between a first end of the second inductor and the ground;
a third capacitor electrically connected between a second end of the first inductor and the ground; and
a fourth capacitor electrically connected between a second end of the second inductor and the ground.

5. The RF splitter of claim 4 , wherein the first capacitor, the second capacitor, the third capacitor, and the fourth capacitor, and the first inductor and the second inductor have impedance such that the RF signal of a fundamental frequency of a band of 5.1 GHz to 7.2 GHz, is transferred to at least one of the first output port and the second output port.

6. The RF splitter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first capacitor electrically connected between the first inductor and a ground; and
a second capacitor electrically connected between the second inductor and the ground,
wherein the first inductor is connected in series between the common branch node and the first branch node, and
the second inductor is connected in series between the common branch node and the second branch node.

7. The RF splitter of claim 1 , wherein the resistor has a first resistance value when the RF splitter transfers the RF signal to only one of the first output port and the second output port, and has a second resistance value, different from the first resistance value, when the RF splitter transfers the RF signal to the first output port and the second output port.

8. A front-end module comprising:
a reception amplifier configured to amplify a received radio-frequency (RF) signal; and
an RF splitter electrically connected between an output terminal of the reception amplifier and first and second reception ports,
wherein the RF splitter comprises:
a common branch node configured to transfer one of a first RF signal of the received RF signal amplified by the reception amplifier, and a second RF signal of the received RF signal that bypasses the reception amplifier, to at least one of the first reception port and the second reception port;
a first branch node electrically connected between the common branch node and the first reception port;
a second branch node electrically connected between the common branch node and the second reception port, and electrically connected to the first branch node;
a first series switch configured to control a switching operation to electrically connect the common branch node and the first branch node to each other;
a second series switch configured to control a switching operation to electrically connect the common branch node and the second branch node to each other;
a first inductor electrically connected between the common branch node and the first branch node;
a second inductor electrically connected between the common branch node and the second branch node;
a resistor electrically connected between the first branch node and the second branch node;
a first shunt switch configured to control a switching operation to electrically connect the first branch node and the resistor to each other; and
a second shunt switch configured to control a switching operation to electrically connect the second branch node and the resistor to each other.

9. The front-end module of claim 8 , further comprising:
a third shunt switch configured to control a switching operation to electrically connect a ground and a third branch node between the first branch node and the resistor to each other; and
a fourth shunt switch configured to control a switching operation to electrically connect a ground and a fourth branch node between the second branch node and the resistor to each other.

10. The front-end module of claim 9 , further comprising:
a controller configured to operate in a selected one of a first mode, a second mode, and a third mode to control the first series switch and the second series switch, and the first shunt switch, the second shunt switch, the third shunt switch, and the fourth shunt switch,
wherein the controller, when configured to operate in the first mode, controls the first series switch and the first and fourth shunt switches in an ON state, and controls the second series switch and the second and third shunt switches in an OFF state,
the controller, when configured to operate in the second mode, controls the second series switch and the second and third shunt switches in an ON state, and controls the first series switch and the first and fourth shunt switches in an OFF state, and
the controller, when configured to operate in the third mode, controls the first and second series switches and the first and second shunt switches in an ON state and controls the third and fourth shunt switches in an OFF state.

11. The front-end module of claim 10 , wherein the resistor has a selected one of a first resistance value and a second resistance value, wherein the first resistance value is different from the second resistance value, and
the controller is configured to control the resistor such that the resistor has the first resistance value when the controller operates in the first mode and the second mode, and has the second resistance value when the controller operates in the third mode.

Assignees

• Samsung Electro Mech

Inventors

• Seong Nack Gyun
• Park Ju Young

Classifications

• H03F2200/294

  the amplifier being a low noise amplifier [LNA] · CPC title

• H04B2001/0408

  with power amplifiers · CPC title

• H04B1/16 Primary

  Circuits · 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

• H04B1/44

  Transmit/receive switching · CPC title