Integrated circuit, wireless communication unit, and method for antenna matching

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016126618-A1
Application number	US-201414572663-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 16, 2014
Priority date	Oct 29, 2014
Publication date	May 5, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A radio frequency integrated circuit for a wireless device to an antenna, wherein the antenna is coupled to the radio frequency circuit via at least one off-chip inductor that forms a first portion of an antenna matching circuit, wherein the integrated circuit includes: a first port coupleable to the radio frequency circuit; a second port coupleable to the antenna, and a second portion of the antenna matching circuit located between the first port and second port and coupled in parallel with the at least one off-chip inductor. The second portion of the antenna matching circuit includes: at least one on-chip inductor; and at least one radio frequency switch coupled in series with the at least one on-chip inductor and arranged to selectively introduce the at least one on-chip inductor into the antenna matching circuit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A radio frequency integrated circuit for a wireless device comprising a radio frequency circuit coupled to an antenna via at least one off-chip inductor that forms a first portion of an antenna matching circuit, the radio frequency integrated circuit comprising:
a first port coupleable to the radio frequency circuit, and a second port coupleable to the antenna; and a second portion of the antenna matching circuit located between the first port and second port and coupled in parallel with the at least one off-chip inductor and comprising:
at least one on-chip inductor; and
at least one radio frequency switch coupled in series with the at least one on-chip inductor and arranged to selectively introduce the at least one on-chip inductor into the antenna matching circuit.

2 . The radio frequency integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the at least one radio frequency switch is arranged to selectively remove the at least one on-chip inductor from the antenna matching circuit that comprises the at least one off-chip inductor.

3 . The radio frequency integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the at least one on-chip inductor has an inductance value in a range of a half to a tenth of an inductance value of the at least one off-chip inductor.

4 . The radio frequency integrated circuit of claim 3 wherein the at least one on-chip inductor has an inductance value substantially of a third of the inductance value of the at least one off-chip inductor.

5 . The radio frequency integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the at least one on-chip inductor is a switched series inductor.

6 . The radio frequency integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the at least one on-chip inductor forms a part of the second portion of a PI antenna matching circuit.

7 . The radio frequency integrated circuit of claim 6 wherein the at least one on-chip inductor forms a part of the second portion of a multiple-PI antenna matching circuit

8 . The radio frequency integrated circuit of claim 7 wherein the multiple-PI antenna matching circuit is a double PI matching circuit.

9 . The radio frequency integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the at least one on-chip inductor forms a part of the second portion of a T antenna matching circuit.

10 . The radio frequency integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein the at least one on-chip inductor forms a part of the second portion of a multiple-T antenna matching circuit.

11 . The radio frequency integrated circuit of claim 10 wherein the multiple-T antenna matching circuit is a double-T matching circuit.

12 . The radio frequency integrated circuit of claim 1 further comprising at least one further switch operably coupleable to at least one shunt inductor coupled to at least one of: the first port, the second port.

13 . The radio frequency integrated circuit of claim 1 further comprising at least one third port operably coupled to the at least one radio frequency switch and arranged to provide a selective control signal thereto.

14 . A wireless communication unit comprising:
a radio frequency circuit; a controller; an antenna; and an antenna matching circuit, located between the radio frequency circuit and the antenna, and comprising:
a first portion comprised of at least one off-chip inductor; and
a second portion, located within a radio frequency integrated circuit, and coupled in parallel with the at least one off-chip inductor, and comprising:
at least one on-chip inductor; and
at least one radio frequency switch coupled in series with the at least one on-chip inductor and arranged to receive a control signal from the controller and in response thereto selectively introduce the at least one on-chip inductor into the antenna matching circuit.

15 . A method of antenna matching in a wireless communication unit comprising: a radio frequency circuit; a controller; an antenna; and an antenna matching circuit, located between the radio frequency circuit and the antenna, and comprising a first portion comprised of at least one off-chip inductor; and a second portion located within a radio frequency integrated circuit coupled in parallel with the at least one off-chip inductor, the method comprising:
determining a change in an operating frequency of the wireless communication unit; and in response thereto:
applying a control signal to at least one radio frequency switch located within the radio frequency integrated circuit; and in response thereto
selectively introducing at least one on-chip inductor coupled in series with the radio frequency switch and located in the radio frequency integrated circuit into the antenna matching circuit.

Assignees

• Mediatek Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Strange Jonathan Richard

Classifications

• H03H7/40

  Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance · CPC title

• H01Q1/50 Primary

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

• H04B1/0458 Primary

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

• H04B1/401

  for selecting or indicating operating mode · CPC title