Circuits and methods related to radio-frequency power couplers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9954562-B2
Application number	US-201514967715-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2015
Priority date	Oct 29, 2012
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

Abstract

Circuits and methods related to radio-frequency (RF) power couplers. In some embodiments, an RF circuit can include a first circuit having a frequency response that includes a feature within a selected frequency range, and a second circuit coupled to the first circuit such that the feature of the frequency response is at least in part due to the coupling. The RF circuit can further include an adjustment circuit configured to move the feature away from the selected frequency range. In some embodiments, such an RF circuit can be implemented in a packaged module which in turn can be included in a wireless device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A radio-frequency circuit comprising:
a first amplifier having an output, and configured to operate in a frequency range that includes a first band;
a second amplifier having an output, and configured to operate in a frequency range that includes a second band;
a power detector circuit including a first coupler implemented to detect power of an amplified signal from the first amplifier, and a second coupler connected to the first coupler and implemented to detect power of an amplified signal from the second amplifier; and
an output circuit implemented between the second amplifier and the second coupler, and configured to move a frequency response feature, resulting at least in part from the second coupler, away from the first band.

2. The radio-frequency circuit of claim 1 wherein the frequency response feature is moved to a lower frequency.

3. The radio-frequency circuit of claim 1 wherein the output circuit includes an output match network and an adjustment circuit having an inductance implemented after the output match network.

4. The radio-frequency circuit of claim 3 wherein the inductance includes an inductor.

5. The radio-frequency circuit of claim 3 wherein the adjustment circuit further includes a capacitance connected in series with the inductance.

6. The radio-frequency circuit of claim 5 wherein the capacitance includes a capacitor.

7. The radio-frequency circuit of claim 3 further comprising an output match network implemented at the output of the first amplifier, each of the output match network associated with the first amplifier and the output match network associated with the second amplifier including a matching inductance connected to the output of the corresponding amplifier, and a shunt capacitance connected to an output of the matching inductance.

8. The radio-frequency circuit of claim 1 wherein the frequency response feature includes a notch in a power spectrum associated with the second coupler.

9. The radio-frequency circuit of claim 1 wherein the first band includes or at least partially overlaps with an E-UTRA band B7, B38 or B40.

10. The radio-frequency circuit of claim 9 wherein the frequency response feature is moved to a frequency range that does not overlap with the first band.

11. The radio-frequency circuit of claim 10 wherein the frequency range to which the frequency response feature is moved includes a frequency range between E-UTRA bands B8 and B4.

12. A method for operating a radio-frequency device, the method comprising:
amplifying a signal with a first amplifier having an output and configured to operate in a frequency range that includes a first band;
providing a second amplifier having an output and configured to operate in a frequency range that includes a second band;
detecting power of the amplified signal from the first amplifier with a first coupler of a power detector circuit that further includes a second coupler connected to the first coupler and capable of detecting power of an amplified signal from the second amplifier; and
moving a frequency response feature away from the first band with an output circuit implemented between the second amplifier and the second coupler, the frequency response feature resulting at least in part from the second coupler.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the frequency response feature is moved to a lower frequency.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the output circuit includes an output match network and an adjustment circuit having an inductance implemented after the output match network.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the adjustment circuit further includes a capacitance connected in series with the inductance.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the frequency response feature includes a notch in a power spectrum associated with the second coupler.

17. A wireless device comprising:
a transceiver configured to process signals;
an antenna in communication with the transceiver and configured to facilitate transmission of an amplified signal; and
a power amplifier circuit implemented between the transceiver and the antenna, and configured to generate the amplified signal, the power amplifier circuit including a first amplifier having an output, and configured to operate in a frequency range that includes a first band; a second amplifier having an output, and configured to operate in a frequency range that includes a second band; a power detector circuit including a first coupler implemented to detect power of an amplified signal from the first amplifier, and a second coupler connected to the first coupler and implemented to detect power of an amplified signal from the second amplifier; and an output circuit implemented between the second amplifier and the second coupler, and configured to move a frequency response feature, resulting at least in part from the second coupler, away from the first band.

Assignees

• Skyworks Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Reisner Russ Alan
• Baldwin John C

Classifications

• H04B1/006 Primary

  using switches for selecting the desired band (H04B1/0057 takes precedence) · 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

• H04B1/04 Primary

  Circuits · CPC title