Communication circuit for amplifying signal by using multiple amplifiers, and electronic device including same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12549205-B2
Application number	US-202218078204-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2022
Priority date	Jun 9, 2020
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

In an electronic device and an operation method of the electronic device according to various embodiments, a communication circuit of the electronic device may comprise: a first transmission chain which outputs a first transmission signal through a first antenna; a second transmission chain which outputs a second transmission signal through a second antenna; a first amplifier which is electrically connected to the first transmission chain, and amplifies the first transmission signal output from the first transmission chain; and a second amplifier which is electrically connected to the second transmission chain, and amplifies the second transmission signal output from the second transmission chain, where the second amplifier is configured to have an output end connected to an output end of the first amplifier through a transmission line, and output the second transmission signal received from the second transmission chain to the first antenna through the transmission line. Various other embodiments may be possible.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A communication circuit comprising:
a first transmission chain configured to output a first transmission signal through a first antenna; a second transmission chain configured to output a second transmission signal through a second antenna; a first amplifier connected to the first transmission chain, and configured to amplify the first transmission signal output from the first transmission chain; a second amplifier connected to the second transmission chain, and comprising a second output terminal connected to a first output terminal of the first amplifier through a transmission line, the second amplifier being configured to:
amplify the second transmission signal output from the second transmission chain, and
output the amplified second transmission signal to the first antenna through the transmission line;
a first switch configured to connect the first transmission chain or a first reception chain to the first antenna; and a first impedance matching circuit connected between the first switch and the first output terminal of the first amplifier, and configured to prevent a signal output from the second amplifier from being transmitted to the first amplifier while the first amplifier is inactive.

2 . The communication circuit of claim 1 , wherein the communication circuit further comprises a voltage control circuit configured to control a bias voltage applied to at least one of the first amplifier and the second amplifier, and
wherein at least one of the first amplifier and the second amplifier is configured to operate in a first operation mode or a second operation mode having an output lower than that of the first operation mode, based on at least one of a strength of the first transmission signal and a strength of the second transmission signal.

3 . The communication circuit of claim 2 , wherein the first operation mode corresponds to an operation mode in which an amplification gain of the first amplifier is greater than an amplification gain of the second amplifier.

4 . The communication circuit of claim 3 , wherein the first amplifier is in a class-C operation mode, and
wherein the second amplifier is in a class-AB operation mode.

5 . The communication circuit of claim 2 , wherein the second operation mode corresponds to an operation mode in which the first amplifier is in an inactive state and the second amplifier is in an active state.

6 . The communication circuit of claim 5 , wherein the second amplifier is in a class-AB operation mode.

7 . The communication circuit of claim 1 , wherein the transmission line has a length of ¼ of a wavelength of a signal transmitted through the transmission line.

8 . The communication circuit of claim 1 ,
wherein the first reception chain is configured to receive a signal through the first antenna.

9 . The communication circuit of claim 1 , wherein the communication circuit further comprises:
a second reception chain configured to receive a signal through the second antenna; a second switch configured to connect the second transmission chain or the second reception chain to the second antenna; and a second impedance matching circuit connected between the second switch and the second output terminal of the second amplifier, and configured to prevent a signal output from the second amplifier from being transmitted to the second switch in a state in which the second transmission chain is not connected to the second antenna by the second switch.

10 . The communication circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first output terminal of first amplifier is connected to the second output terminal of the second amplifier through the transmission line, and
wherein the first amplifier is further configured to output the first transmission signal received from the first transmission chain to the second antenna through the transmission line.

11 . An electronic device comprising:
a communication processor; and a communication circuit connected to the communication processor, wherein the communication circuit comprises:
a first substrate comprising:
a first surface on which at least one first antenna is implemented, and
a second surface oriented in a direction opposite to the first surface; and

a second antenna provided on the first substrate, wherein the second surface comprises:
an integrated circuit comprising a first transmission chain configured to output a first transmission signal through the at least one first antenna and a second transmission chain configured to output a second transmission signal through the second antenna;
a first amplifier connected to the first transmission chain, and configured to amplify the first transmission signal output from the first transmission chain; and
a second amplifier connected to the second transmission chain, and comprising a second output terminal connected to a first output terminal of the first amplifier through a transmission line, the second amplifier being configured to:
amplify the second transmission signal output from the second transmission chain, and
output the amplified second transmission signal to the at least one first antenna through the transmission line;

a first switch configured to connect the first transmission chain or a first reception chain to the first antenna; and
a first impedance matching circuit connected between the first switch and the first output terminal of the first amplifier, and configured to prevent a signal output from the second amplifier from being transmitted to the first amplifier while the first amplifier is inactive.

12 . The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the communication circuit further comprises a voltage control circuit configured to control a bias voltage applied to at least one of the first amplifier and the second amplifier, and
wherein at least one of the first amplifier and the second amplifier is configured to operate in a first operation mode or a second operation mode having an output lower than that of the first operation mode, based on at least one of a strength of the first transmission signal and a strength of the second transmission signal.

13 . The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the first operation mode corresponds to an operation mode in which an amplification gain of the first amplifier is greater than an amplification gain of the second amplifier.

14 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the first amplifier is in a class-C operation mode, and
wherein the second amplifier is in a class-AB operation mode.

15 . The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the second operation mode corresponds to an operation mode in which the first amplifier is in an inactive state and the second amplifier is in an active state.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cho Namjun
• Choi Hyunseok

Classifications

• H04B2001/045

  with means for improving efficiency · CPC title

• H04B2001/0416

  having gain or transmission power control · CPC title

• H04B1/44

  Transmit/receive switching · CPC title

• H04B1/0064

  with separate antennas for the more than one band (H04B1/0053 takes precedence) · 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