Variable matching circuit and amplifier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9407222-B2
Application number	US-201414396514-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2014
Priority date	Feb 27, 2013
Publication date	Aug 2, 2016
Grant date	Aug 2, 2016

Abstract

A variable matching circuit includes a transformer which is disposed between first and second transistor circuits. A primary inductor device and a secondary inductor device are magnetically coupled in the transformer. The primary inductor device is connected between an output terminal of the first transistor circuit and a bias circuit for the first transistor circuit. The secondary inductor device is connected between an input terminal of the second transistor circuit and a bias circuit for the second transistor circuit. Connection points between the primary inductor device and the bias circuit for the first transistor circuit and between the secondary inductor device and the bias circuit for the second transistor circuit are connected to first and second capacitive elements, respectively. At least one of inductance values of the respective primary and secondary inductor devices and capacitance values of the respective first and second capacitive elements is variable.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An amplifier comprising:
a first transistor circuit which amplifies a high frequency signal;
a second transistor circuit which amplifies the high frequency signal amplified by the first transistor circuit;
a first DC potential transmission circuit which applies a DC control voltage to an input terminal of the first transistor circuit;
a second DC potential transmission circuit which applies a DC power source voltage to an output terminal of the second transistor circuit;
a transformer which is disposed between the respective first and second transistor circuits, wherein a primary inductor device and a secondary inductor device are magnetically coupled in the transformer;
a first capacitive element;
a second capacitive element; and
a choke coil which passes the DC power source voltage of the first transistor circuit between the primary inductor device and a bias circuit for the first transistor circuit, wherein
the primary inductor device is connected between an output terminal of the first transistor circuit and the bias circuit for the first transistor circuit,
the secondary inductor device is connected between an input terminal of the second transistor circuit and a bias circuit for the second transistor circuit,
a connection point between the primary inductor device and the bias circuit for the first transistor circuit is connected to the first capacitive element,
a connection point between the secondary inductor device and the bias circuit for the second transistor circuit is connected to the second capacitive element, and
at least one of inductance values of the respective primary and secondary inductor devices and capacitance values of the respective first and second capacitive elements is variable.

2. The amplifier according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a DC control voltage generating circuit which generates a plurality of different DC control voltages, wherein
the DC control voltage generating circuit outputs a DC control voltage for the first transistor circuit to the first DC potential transmission circuit, and supplies a DC control voltage different from the DC control voltage for the first transistor circuit to the second transistor circuit.

3. The amplifier according to claim 2 , wherein the DC control voltage generating circuit generates the DC control voltages for the respective first and second transistor circuits according to voltage control signals for each input DC control voltage.

4. The amplifier according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an input matching circuit which matches an input impedance of the high frequency signal; and
an output matching circuit which matches an output impedance of the high frequency signal.

5. The amplifier according to claim 4 , wherein
the input matching circuit includes a first transformer in which a first inductor and a second inductor are magnetically connected, wherein the first inductor is connected to a signal path of the high frequency signal, and the second inductor serves as the first DC potential transmission circuit for applying the DC control voltage to the input terminal of the first transistor circuit, and
the output matching circuit includes a second transformer in which a first inductor and a second inductor are magnetically coupled, wherein the first inductor serves as the second DC potential transmission circuit for applying the DC power source voltage to the output terminal of the second transistor circuit, and the second inductor is connected to a signal path of the high frequency signal.

6. A variable matching circuit comprising:
a first transistor circuit which amplifies a high frequency signal;
a second transistor circuit which amplifies the high frequency signal amplified by the first transistor circuit;
a transformer which is disposed between the first and second transistor circuits, wherein a primary inductor device and a secondary inductor device are magnetically coupled in the transformer;
a first capacitive element;
a second capacitive element;
a switch; and
a first wiring which is connected to both ends of the switch and surrounds the transformer, wherein
the primary inductor device is connected between an output terminal of the first transistor circuit and a bias circuit for the first transistor circuit,
the secondary inductor device is connected between an input terminal of the second transistor circuit and a bias circuit for the second transistor circuit,
a connection point between the primary inductor device and the bias circuit for the first transistor circuit is connected to the first capacitive element,
a connection point between the secondary inductor device and the bias circuit for the second transistor circuit is connected to the second capacitive element,
at least one of inductance values of the respective primary and secondary inductor devices and capacitance values of the respective first and second capacitive elements is variable, and
the inductance values of the respective primary and secondary inductor devices are changed according to conduction or non-conduction of the switch.

7. The variable matching circuit according to claim 6 , wherein
the respective first and second capacitive elements comprise a first capacitive unit and n sets of other capacitive units, which differ from the first capacitive unit, each of the capacitive units including a switch connected in series,
the capacitive units are connected in parallel, and
the capacitance values of the respective first and second capacitive elements are changed according to switches being turned to an “ON” state among the n switches.

8. The variable matching circuit according to claim 6 , wherein
the respective first and second capacitive elements comprise n+1 capacitive units connected in series,
nodes between the respective capacitive units are grounded through switches, and
the capacitance values of the respective first and second capacitive elements are changed according to an “ON” or “OFF” state of the n switches.

9. The variable matching circuit according to claim 6 , wherein
the respective first and second capacitive elements comprise n sets of fixed capacitive units and variable capacitive units,
each set is connected in parallel, and
the capacitance values of the respective first and second capacitive elements are changed according to a potential difference between each terminal of the n variable capacitive elements.

10. The variable matching circuit according to claim 6 , wherein
the respective primary and secondary inductor devices comprise n intermediate terminals, where n is an integer of one or more,
switches are connected in series between the respective intermediate terminals and the first or the second capacitive element, and
the inductance values of the respective primary and secondary inductor devices are changed according to an “ON” state of any one switch among the n switches.

11. The variable matching circuit according to claim 6 , wherein
second wiring for surrounding the transformer is disposed outside the first wiring, and
the second wiring is connected to a ground.

12. The variable matching circuit according to claim 6 , wherein
the bias circuit for the first transistor circuit changes a DC power source voltage of the first transistor circuit, and
the bias circuit for the second transistor circuit changes a DC control voltage of the second transistor circuit.

Assignees

• Panasonic Corp

Inventors

• Kanemaru Masaki

Classifications

• H03F2200/423

  Amplifier output adaptation especially for transmission line coupling purposes, e.g. impedance adaptation · CPC title

• H03F2200/408

  the output amplifying stage of an amplifier comprising three power stages · CPC title

• H03F3/005

  using switched capacitors, e.g. dynamic amplifiers; using switched capacitors as resistors in differential amplifiers (H03F3/45 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H03F2200/541

  Transformer coupled at the output of an amplifier · CPC title

• H03F2200/451

  the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier · CPC title