High throw-count RF switch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9991889-B2
Application number	US-201615019882-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 9, 2016
Priority date	Feb 9, 2016
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

A high throw-count multiple-pole FET-based RF switch architecture that provides good RF performance in terms of insertion loss, return loss, isolation, linearity, and power handling. A common port RFC is coupled along a common path to multiple ports RFn. Embodiments introduce additional common RF path branch isolation switches which are controlled by state dependent logic. The branch isolation switches help to isolate the unused branch ports RFn and the unused portion of the common path from the active portion of the common path, and thereby reduce the reactive load attributable to such branches that degrades RF performance of the ports RFn “closer” to the common port RFC. The branch isolation switches can also be used to reconfigure the switch architecture for a multiplex function as well as separate switch path banks for re-configurability of purpose, tuning, or varying switch throw counts and packaging options.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch including:
(a) a common port;
(b) at least two series-coupled sections, each section including at least one branch, each branch including at least two corresponding signal ports, each signal port coupled to the corresponding branch by an independently selectable switching element; and
(c) at least one branch isolation switch, each branch isolation switch connected between corresponding adjacent sections;
wherein when a selected signal port is coupled to the common port, any branch isolation switches between the selected signal port and the common port are configured in a conducting state and all other branch isolation switches are configured in a blocking state.

2. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 1 , wherein at least one branch isolation switch is a FET.

3. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 1 , wherein at least one branch isolation switch comprises a stack of FETs.

4. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 1 , wherein at least one branch isolation switch is selected from one of a bipolar junction transistor, a PIN diode, or a microelectromechanical system switch.

5. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 1 , wherein the common port is unconnected and the RF switch is configured to operate as a matrix switch allowing connection of a selected signal port to any of a selected group of other signal ports.

6. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 1 , wherein at least one section of branches includes a high-isolation series-shunt switching element.

7. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 6 , wherein the at least one high-isolation series-shunt switching element includes an absorptive termination circuit.

8. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 1 , further including a termination circuit operatively coupled to the common port.

9. A high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch including:
(a) at least one common path;
(b) a common port coupled to the at least one common path;
(c) at least two series-coupled sections, each section including at least one branch, each branch including at least one signal port coupled to one of the common paths through an independently selectable series-shunt switching element; and
(d) at least one branch isolation switch, each branch isolation switch connected between corresponding adjacent sections;
wherein when a selected signal port is coupled to the common port, any branch isolation switches between the selected signal port and the common port are configured in a conducting state and all other branch isolation switches are configured in a blocking state.

10. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 9 , wherein the common port is coupled between the ends of the at least one common path.

11. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 9 , wherein at least one branch isolation switch is a FET.

12. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 9 , wherein at least one branch isolation switch comprises a stack of FETs.

13. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 9 , wherein at least one branch isolation switch is selected from one of a bipolar junction transistor, a PIN diode, or a microelectromechanical system switch.

14. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 9 , wherein at least one series-shunt switching element comprises (1) a series FET coupled between a corresponding signal port and an associated common path, and (2) a shunt FET coupled between such corresponding signal port and circuit ground.

15. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 9 , wherein the common port is unconnected and the RF switch is configured to operate as a matrix switch allowing connection of a selected signal port to any of a selected group of other signal ports.

16. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 9 , wherein at least one branch includes a high-isolation series-shunt switching element.

17. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 16 , wherein the at least one high-isolation series-shunt switching element includes an absorptive termination circuit.

18. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 9 , further including a termination circuit operatively coupled to the common port.

19. A high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch including:
(a) a common port; and
(b) a plurality of sub-divisions coupled to the common port through corresponding sub-division isolation switches, each sub-division containing:
(1) a common path coupled at one end to a corresponding sub-division isolation switch;
(2) a plurality of series-coupled sections, each section containing at least one signal port coupled to such common path through an independently selectable series-shunt switching element; and
(3) at least one section isolation switch, each section isolation switch connected between corresponding adjacent sections;

wherein when a selected signal port within one section is coupled to the common port, the sub-division isolation switch for the sub-division containing such selected signal port and any section isolation switches between the selected signal port and the common port are configured to be set to a conducting state and all other sub-division isolation switches and section isolation switches are configured to be set to a blocking state.

20. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 19 , further including a plurality of cross-connection switch pairs, with at least one such cross-connection switch pair connecting to each other and to the common paths of two of the plurality of sub-divisions at an end of such common paths opposite to the end coupled to a corresponding sub-division isolation switch.

21. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 20 , further including a common connection port coupled between at least one cross-connection switch pair.

22. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 19 , wherein the common port is coupled between the ends of the common path to define at least two groups of sections.

23. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 19 , wherein at least one sub-division and section isolation switch is a FET.

24. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 19 , wherein at least one sub-division and section isolation switch comprises a stack of FETs.

25. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 19 , wherein at least one sub-division and section isolation switch is selected from one of a bipolar junction transistor, a PIN diode, or a microelectromechanical system switch.

26. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 19 , wherein at least one series-shunt switching element comprises (1) a series FET coupled between a corresponding signal port and an associated common path, and (2) a shunt FET coupled between such corresponding signal port and circuit ground.

27. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 19 , wherein the common port is unconnected and the RF switch is configured to operate as a matrix switch allowing connection of a selected signal port to any of a selected group of other signal ports.

28. The high throw-count multiple-pole RF switch of claim 19 , wherein at least one series-shunt switching element is a high-isolation series-shunt switchin

Assignees

• Psemi Corp

Inventors

• Shapiro Eric S
• Shanjani Payman

Classifications

• H03K2017/066

  Maximizing the OFF-resistance instead of minimizing the ON-resistance · CPC title

• H03K17/693 Primary

  Switching arrangements with several input- or output-terminals, e.g. multiplexers, distributors (logic circuits H03K19/00; code converters H03M5/00, H03M7/00) · CPC title

• H04B2001/485

  inhibiting unwanted transmission · CPC title

• H04B1/48

  in circuits for connecting transmitter and receiver to a common transmission path, e.g. by energy of transmitter {(H04B1/46 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