This disclosure relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to electronic devices with wireless communications circuitry.
Electronic devices are often provided with wireless communications capabilities. An electronic device with wireless communications capabilities has wireless communications circuitry with radio-frequency components that include one or more antennas. Wireless transceiver circuitry in the wireless communications circuitry uses the antennas to transmit and receive radio-frequency signals.
It can be challenging to form satisfactory radio-frequency wireless communications circuitry for an electronic device. If care is not taken, the radio-frequency components in the wireless communications circuitry can occupy an excessive amount of space and can exhibit unsatisfactory levels of radio-frequency performance.
An electronic device may include wireless circuitry for performing wireless communications. The wireless circuitry may include a transceiver, at least first and second antennas, and a passive radio-frequency power distribution circuit such as a Wilkinson power splitter/combiner. The distribution circuit may have at least a first port coupled to the transceiver, a second port coupled to the first antenna, and a third port coupled to the second antenna. The second and third ports may be coupled to the first and second antennas through respective phase and magnitude controllers and/or other passive radio-frequency power distribution circuits. The distribution circuit may include a transformer coupled between the ports. The transformer may have at least two intertwined inductors formed from conductive traces on a dielectric substrate. The intertwined inductors may be concentric about a common point. The intertwined inductors may extend from the common point to the second and third ports. The intertwined inductors may have a coil or spiral shape and may wind around the common point at least once. Intertwining the inductors may serve to minimize the lateral footprint of the distribution circuit in the device.
An aspect of the disclosure provides an electronic device. The electronic device can have a dielectric substrate. The electronic device can have a passive radio-frequency power distribution circuit. The passive radio-frequency power distribution circuit can have a first port, a second port, a third port, and a transformer. The transformer can couple the first port to the second and third ports. The transformer can include a first inductor coupled between the first and second ports. The transformer can include a second inductor coupled between the first and third ports. The second inductor can be intertwined with the first inductor on the dielectric substrate.
An aspect of the disclosure provides a passive radio-frequency power splitter. The passive radio-frequency power splitter can distribute power from an input port onto first and second output ports. The passive radio-frequency power splitter can have a dielectric substrate. The passive radio-frequency power splitter can have first conductive traces on the dielectric substrate. The first conductive traces can extend from a feed point to the first output port. The first conductive traces can have a coil shape that winds at least once around the feed point. The passive radio-frequency power splitter can have second conductive traces on the dielectric substrate. The second conductive traces can extend from the feed point to the second output port. The second conductive traces can have a coil shape that winds at least once around the feed point. The passive radio-frequency power splitter can have a feed trace on the dielectric substrate. The feed trace can couple the input port to the feed point.
An aspect of the disclosure provides a passive radio-frequency power combiner. The passive radio-frequency power combiner can combine radio-frequency power from first and second input ports onto an output port. The passive radio-frequency power combiner can have a dielectric substrate. The passive radio-frequency power combiner can have first conductive traces on the dielectric substrate. The first conductive traces can extend from the first input port to a feed point. The first conductive traces can have a spiral shape that winds at least once around the feed point. The passive radio-frequency power combiner can have second conductive traces on the dielectric substrate. The second conductive traces can extend from the second input port to the feed point. The second conductive traces can have a spiral shape that winds at least once around the feed point. The passive radio-frequency power combiner can have a feed trace on the dielectric substrate. The feed trace can couple the feed point to the output port.
An electronic device such as electronic device 10 of
Electronic device 10 of
As shown in the schematic diagram
Device 10 may include control circuitry 14. Control circuitry 14 may include storage such as storage circuitry 16. Storage circuitry 16 may include hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form a solid-state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Storage circuitry 16 may include storage that is integrated within device 10 and/or removable storage media.
Control circuitry 14 may include processing circuitry such as processing circuitry 18. Processing circuitry 18 may be used to control the operation of device 10. Processing circuitry 18 may include on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, host processors, baseband processor integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits, central processing units (CPUs), etc. Control circuitry 14 may be configured to perform operations in device 10 using hardware (e.g., dedicated hardware or circuitry), firmware, and/or software. Software code for performing operations in device 10 may be stored on storage circuitry 16 (e.g., storage circuitry 16 may include non-transitory (tangible) computer readable storage media that stores the software code). The software code may sometimes be referred to as program instructions, software, data, instructions, or code. Software code stored on storage circuitry 16 may be executed by processing circuitry 18.
Control circuitry 14 may be used to run software on device 10 such as satellite navigation applications, internet browsing applications, voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) telephone call applications, email applications, media playback applications, operating system functions, etc. To support interactions with external equipment, control circuitry 14 may be used in implementing communications protocols. Communications protocols that may be implemented using control circuitry 14 include internet protocols, wireless local area network (WLAN) protocols (e.g., IEEE 802.11 protocols—sometimes referred to as Wi-Fi®), protocols for other short-range wireless communications links such as the Bluetooth® protocol or other wireless personal area network (WPAN) protocols, IEEE 802.11ad protocols (e.g., ultra-wideband protocols), cellular telephone protocols (e.g., 3G protocols, 4G (LTE) protocols, 5G protocols, etc.), antenna diversity protocols, satellite navigation system protocols (e.g., global positioning system (GPS) protocols, global navigation satellite system (GLONASS) protocols, etc.), antenna-based spatial ranging protocols (e.g., radio detection and ranging (RADAR) protocols or other desired range detection protocols for signals conveyed at millimeter and centimeter wave frequencies), or any other desired communications protocols. Each communications protocol may be associated with a corresponding radio access technology (RAT) that specifies the physical connection methodology used in implementing the protocol.
Device 10 may include input-output circuitry 20. Input-output circuitry 20 may include input-output devices 22. Input-output devices 22 may be used to allow data to be supplied to device 10 and to allow data to be provided from device 10 to external devices. Input-output devices 22 may include user interface devices, data port devices, and other input-output components. For example, input-output devices 22 may include touch sensors, displays, light-emitting components such as displays without touch sensor capabilities, buttons (mechanical, capacitive, optical, etc.), scrolling wheels, touch pads, key pads, keyboards, microphones, cameras, buttons, speakers, status indicators, audio jacks and other audio port components, digital data port devices, motion sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes, and/or compasses that detect motion), capacitance sensors, proximity sensors, magnetic sensors, force sensors (e.g., force sensors coupled to a display to detect pressure applied to the display), etc. In some configurations, keyboards, headphones, displays, pointing devices such as trackpads, mice, and joysticks, and other input-output devices may be coupled to device 10 using wired or wireless connections (e.g., some of input-output devices 22 may be peripherals that are coupled to a main processing unit or other portion of device 10 via a wired or wireless link).
Input-output circuitry 20 may include wireless circuitry 24 to support wireless communications. Wireless circuitry 24 (sometimes referred to herein as wireless communications circuitry 24) may include a baseband processor such as baseband processor 26, radio-frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry such as transceiver 30, radio-frequency front end circuitry such as front end circuitry 36, and one or more antennas 40. In one embodiment that is described herein as an example, wireless circuitry 24 may include multiple antennas 40 that are arranged into a phased antenna array 42. Baseband processor 26 may be coupled to transceiver 30 over baseband path 28. Transceiver 30 may be coupled to antennas 40 over at least one radio-frequency transmission line path 32. Front end circuitry 36 may be interposed on radio-frequency transmission line path 32 between transceiver 30 and antennas 40.
Wireless circuitry 24 may include a passive radio-frequency power distribution network such as passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34. Passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 may be interposed on radio-frequency transmission line path 32 between antennas 40 and transceiver 30 (e.g., between front end circuitry 36 and transceiver 30). Passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 may include passive radio-frequency components that help to distribute radio-frequency power (e.g., transmitted and/or received radio-frequency signals) between transceiver 30 and antennas 40. As an example, passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 may include one or more stages of passive radio-frequency power distribution components. The passive radio-frequency power distribution components may include radio-frequency power splitter/combiners. The radio-frequency power splitter/combiners may include Wilkinson power splitter/combiners, for example.
In the example of
Radio-frequency transmission line path 32 may be coupled to antenna feeds on one or more antenna 40. Each antenna feed may, for example, include a positive antenna feed terminal and a ground antenna feed terminal. Radio-frequency transmission line path 32 may have a positive transmission line signal path that is coupled to the positive antenna feed terminal and may have a ground transmission line signal path that is coupled to the ground antenna feed terminal. This example is merely illustrative and, in general, antennas 40 may be fed using any desired antenna feeding scheme.
Radio-frequency transmission line path 32 may include transmission lines that are used to route radio-frequency antenna signals within device 10. Transmission lines in device 10 may include coaxial cables, microstrip transmission lines, stripline transmission lines, edge-coupled microstrip transmission lines, edge-coupled stripline transmission lines, transmission lines formed from combinations of transmission lines of these types, etc. Transmission lines in device 10 such as transmission lines in radio-frequency transmission line path 32 may be integrated into rigid and/or flexible printed circuit boards. In one embodiment, radio-frequency transmission line paths such as radio-frequency transmission line path 32 may also include transmission line conductors integrated within multilayer laminated structures (e.g., layers of a conductive material such as copper and a dielectric material such as a resin that are laminated together without intervening adhesive). The multilayer laminated structures may, if desired, be folded or bent in multiple dimensions (e.g., two or three dimensions) and may maintain a bent or folded shape after bending (e.g., the multilayer laminated structures may be folded into a particular three-dimensional shape to route around other device components and may be rigid enough to hold its shape after folding without being held in place by stiffeners or other structures). All of the multiple layers of the laminated structures may be batch laminated together (e.g., in a single pressing process) without adhesive (e.g., as opposed to performing multiple pressing processes to laminate multiple layers together with adhesive).
In performing wireless transmission, baseband processor 26 may provide baseband signals to transceiver 30 over baseband path 28. Transceiver 30 may include circuitry for converting the baseband signals received from baseband processor 26 into corresponding radio-frequency signals. For example, transceiver 30 may include mixer circuitry for up-converting the baseband signals to radio-frequencies prior to transmission over antennas 40. Transceiver 30 may also include digital to analog converter (DAC) and/or analog to digital converter (ADC) circuitry for converting signals between digital and analog domains. Transceiver 30 may transmit the radio-frequency signals over antennas 40 via radio-frequency transmission line path 32, front end circuitry 36, and passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34. Antennas 40 may transmit the radio-frequency signals to external wireless equipment by radiating the radio-frequency signals into free space.
In performing wireless reception, antennas 40 may receive radio-frequency signals from the external wireless equipment. The received radio-frequency signals may be conveyed to transceiver 30 via radio-frequency transmission line path 32, front end circuitry 36, and passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34. Transceiver 30 may include circuitry for converting the received radio-frequency signals into corresponding baseband signals. For example, transceiver 30 may include mixer circuitry for down-converting the received radio-frequency signals to baseband frequencies prior to conveying the baseband signals to baseband processor 26 over baseband path 28.
Front end circuitry 36 may include radio-frequency front end components that operate on radio-frequency signals conveyed over radio-frequency transmission line path 32. If desired, the radio-frequency front end components may be formed within one or more radio-frequency front end modules (FEMs). Each FEM may include a common substrate such as a printed circuit board substrate for each of the radio-frequency front end components in the FEM. In these scenarios, passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 may be formed on the FEM or may be located external to the FEM. If desired, passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 may be formed as a part of transceiver 30 or may be located external to the transceiver. The radio-frequency front end components in front end circuitry 36 may include switching circuitry (e.g., one or more radio-frequency switches), radio-frequency filter circuitry (e.g., low pass filters, high pass filters, notch filters, band pass filters, multiplexing circuitry, duplexer circuitry, diplexer circuitry, triplexer circuitry, etc.), impedance matching circuitry (e.g., circuitry that helps to match the impedance of antennas 40 to the impedance of radio-frequency transmission line path 32), antenna tuning circuitry (e.g., networks of capacitors, resistors, inductors, and/or switches that adjust the frequency response of antennas 40), radio-frequency amplifier circuitry (e.g., power amplifier circuitry and/or low-noise amplifier circuitry), radio-frequency coupler circuitry, charge pump circuitry, power management circuitry, digital control and interface circuitry, and/or any other desired circuitry that operates on the radio-frequency signals transmitted and/or received by antennas 40.
While control circuitry 14 is shown separately from wireless circuitry 24 in the example of
Transceiver 30 may include wireless local area network transceiver circuitry that handles WLAN communications bands (e.g., Wi-Fi® (IEEE 802.11) or other WLAN communications bands) such as a 2.4 GHz WLAN band (e.g., from 2400 to 2480 MHz), a 5 GHz WLAN band (e.g., from 5180 to 5825 MHz), a Wi-Fi® 6E band (e.g., from 5925-7125 MHz), and/or other Wi-Fi® bands (e.g., from 1875-5160 MHz), wireless personal area network transceiver circuitry that handles the 2.4 GHz Bluetooth® band or other WPAN communications bands, cellular telephone transceiver circuitry that handles cellular telephone bands (e.g., bands from about 600 MHz to about 5 GHz, 3G bands, 4G LTE bands, 5G New Radio Frequency Range 1 (FR1) bands below 10 GHz, 5G New Radio Frequency Range 2 (FR2) bands between 20 and 60 GHz, etc.), near-field communications (NFC) transceiver circuitry that handles near-field communications bands (e.g., at 13.56 MHz), satellite navigation receiver circuitry that handles satellite navigation bands (e.g., a GPS band from 1565 to 1610 MHz, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) band, a BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) band, etc.), ultra-wideband (UWB) transceiver circuitry that handles communications using the IEEE 802.15.4 protocol and/or other ultra-wideband communications protocols, and/or any other desired radio-frequency transceiver circuitry for covering any other desired communications bands of interest. In scenarios where device 10 handles NFC communications bands, device 10 may form an NFC tag (e.g., a passive or active NFC tag having a smart leakage management engine as described herein), may include an NFC tag integrated into a larger device or structure, or may be a different type of device that handles NFC communications, as examples. Communications bands may sometimes be referred to herein as frequency bands or simply as “bands” and may span corresponding ranges of frequencies.
Antennas 40 may be formed using any desired antenna structures. For example, antennas 40 may include antennas with resonating elements that are formed from loop antenna structures, patch antenna structures, inverted-F antenna structures, slot antenna structures, planar inverted-F antenna structures, helical antenna structures, monopole antennas, dipoles, hybrids of these designs, etc. Parasitic elements may be included in antennas 40 to adjust antenna performance.
Filter circuitry, switching circuitry, impedance matching circuitry, and other circuitry may be interposed within radio-frequency transmission line path 32, may be incorporated into front end circuitry 36, and/or may be incorporated into antennas 40 (e.g., to support antenna tuning, to support operation in desired frequency bands, etc.). These components, sometimes referred to herein as antenna tuning components, may be adjusted (e.g., using control circuitry 14) to adjust the frequency response and wireless performance of antennas 40 over time.
In general, transceiver 30 may cover (handle) any suitable communications (frequency) bands of interest. The transceiver may convey radio-frequency signals using antennas 40 (e.g., antennas 40 may convey the radio-frequency signals for the transceiver circuitry). The term “convey radio-frequency signals” as used herein means the transmission and/or reception of the radio-frequency signals (e.g., for performing unidirectional and/or bidirectional wireless communications with external wireless communications equipment). Antennas 40 may transmit the radio-frequency signals by radiating the radio-frequency signals into free space (or to freespace through intervening device structures such as a dielectric cover layer). Antennas 40 may additionally or alternatively receive the radio-frequency signals from free space (e.g., through intervening devices structures such as a dielectric cover layer). The transmission and reception of radio-frequency signals by antennas 40 each involve the excitation or resonance of antenna currents on an antenna resonating element in the antenna by the radio-frequency signals within the frequency band(s) of operation of the antennas.
In one embodiment that is sometimes described herein as an example, multiple antennas 40 may be arranged in a phased antenna array such as phased antenna array 42. In this scenario, each antenna 40 may form a respective antenna element of phased antenna array 42. Phased antenna array 42 may also sometimes be referred to herein as a phased array antenna having antenna elements, where each antenna 40 forms a respective one of the antenna elements. Conveying radio-frequency signals using phased antenna array 42 may allow for greater peak signal gain relative to scenarios where individual antennas 40 are used to convey radio-frequency signals.
In satellite navigation system links, cellular telephone links, and other long-range links, radio-frequency signals are typically used to convey data over thousands of feet or miles. In Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® links at 2.4 and 5 GHz and other short-range wireless links, radio-frequency signals are typically used to convey data over tens or hundreds of feet. In scenarios where millimeter or centimeter wave frequencies are used to convey radio-frequency signals, phased antenna array 42 may convey radio-frequency signals over short distances that travel over a line-of-sight path. To enhance signal reception for millimeter and centimeter wave communications, phased antenna arrays such as phased antenna array 42 may convey radio-frequency signals using beam steering techniques (e.g., schemes in which antenna signal phase and/or magnitude for each antenna in an array are adjusted to perform beam steering).
For example, each antenna 40 in phased antenna array 42 may be coupled to a corresponding phase and magnitude controller 38 in front end circuitry 36. Phase and magnitude controllers 38 may adjust the relative phases and/or magnitudes of the radio-frequency signals that are conveyed by each of the antennas 40 in phased antenna array 42. The wireless signals that are transmitted or received by phased antenna array 42 in a particular direction may collectively form a corresponding signal beam. The signal beam may exhibit a peak gain that is oriented in a particular pointing direction at a corresponding pointing angle (e.g., based on constructive and destructive interference from the combination of signals from each antenna in the phased antenna array). Control circuitry 14 may adjust phase and magnitude controllers 38 to change the direction of the signal beam over time (e.g., to allow device 10 to continue to communicate with external equipment even if the external equipment moves relative to device 10 over time). This example is merely illustrative and, in general, antennas 40 need not be arranged in a phased antenna array.
Passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 may be used to distribute radio-frequency power (e.g., radio-frequency signals) between transceiver 30 and antennas 40 via phase and magnitude controllers 38 (or between transceiver 30 and other front end components in front end circuitry 36 in scenarios were antennas 40 are not arranged in a phased antenna array). Passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 may, for example, allow a single port on transceiver 30 to provide radio-frequency signals to multiple antennas 40 in phased antenna array 42.
Upstream radio-frequency port 50 may be coupled to transceiver 30 over a first portion of radio-frequency transmission line path 32 (
The passive radio-frequency power distribution components in stages 48 may include passive radio-frequency power splitter/combiners. The power splitter/combiners may include one or more four-port power splitter/combiners 44 (sometimes referred to herein as 1:3 power splitter/combiners 44) and/or may include one or more three-port power/splitter combiners 46 (sometimes referred to herein as 1:2 power splitter/combiners 46). In one embodiment that is sometimes described herein as an example, the power splitter/combiners in passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 are Wilkinson power splitter/combiners (e.g., 1:3 power splitter/combiners 44 may be 1:3 Wilkinson power splitter/combiners and 1:2 power splitter/combiners 46 may be 1:2 Wilkinson power splitter/combiners). In the example of
In the example of
This example is merely illustrative. In general, each stage 48 may include any desired number of 1:3 power splitter/combiners 44 and any desired number of 1:2 power splitter/combiners 46. Passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 may include any desired number of stages 48. Passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 may include any desired number of downstream radio-frequency ports 52 (e.g., a respective downstream radio-frequency port 52 for each antenna 40 in phased antenna array 42 of
Passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 may be used to convey radio-frequency signals from upstream radio-frequency port 50 to downstream radio-frequency ports 52 (e.g., for transmission by phased antenna array 42) and/or may be used to convey radio-frequency signals from downstream radio-frequency ports 52 to upstream radio-frequency port 50 (e.g., radio-frequency signals received by phased antenna array 42 from external communications equipment). Because 1:3 power splitter/combiner 44 and 1:2 power splitter/combiners 46 are passive circuits, passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 may be used to equivalently convey radio-frequency signals in either direction between antennas 40 and transceiver 30.
In scenarios where passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 is used to convey radio-frequency signals from upstream radio-frequency port 50 to downstream radio-frequency ports 52 (e.g., in an uplink direction), each 1:3 power splitter/combiner 44 may serve as a 1:3 power splitter. Similarly, each 1:2 power splitter/combiner 46 may serve as a 1:2 power splitter (e.g., passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 may serve as a power splitter or divider that distributes radio-frequency power from upstream radio-frequency port 50 across each downstream radio-frequency port 52). In these scenarios where passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 is being used to transmit radio-frequency signals over antennas 40, the 1:3 power splitter/combiners 44 and the 1:2 power splitter/combiners 46 in passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 may sometimes be referred to as power splitters, radio-frequency power splitters, power dividers, radio-frequency power dividers, Wilkinson power dividers, or Wilkinson power splitters.
In scenarios where passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 is used to convey radio-frequency signals from downstream radio-frequency ports 52 to upstream radio-frequency port 50 (e.g., in a downlink direction), each 1:3 power splitter/combiner 44 may serve as a 1:3 power combiner. Similarly, each 1:2 power splitter/combiner 46 may serve as a 1:2 power combiner (e.g., passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 may serve as a power combiner that combines radio-frequency power from downstream radio-frequency ports 52 onto upstream radio-frequency port 50). In these scenarios where passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 is being used to receive radio-frequency signals from antennas 40, the 1:3 power splitter/combiners 44 and the 1:2 power splitter/combiners 46 in passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 may sometimes be referred to as power combiners, radio-frequency power combiners, or Wilkinson power combiners.
1:3 power splitter/combiners 44 and the 1:2 power splitter/combiners 46 may be dedicated power combiners in scenarios where passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 is used only to receive radio-frequency signals from antennas 40. 1:3 power splitter/combiners 44 and the 1:2 power splitter/combiners 46 may be dedicated power splitters in scenarios where passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 is used only to transmit radio-frequency signals over antennas 40. However, because 1:2 power splitter/combiners 46 and 1:3 power splitter/combiners 44 are passive components, 1:2 power splitter/combiners 46 and 1:3 power splitter/combiners 44 may serve as power splitters when passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 is transmitting radio-frequency signals over antennas 40 and may serve as power combiners when passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 is receiving radio-frequency signals from antennas 40. 1:3 power splitter/combiners 44 and the 1:2 power splitter/combiners 46 in passive radio-frequency power distribution circuitry 34 may sometimes be referred to collectively herein as power splitter/combiners, radio-frequency power splitter/combiners, radio-frequency power distribution circuits, passive radio-frequency power distribution circuits, passive radio-frequency power splitter/combiners, Wilkinson power splitter/combiners, Wilkinson circuits, or Wilkinson power distribution circuits.
1:2 power splitter/combiner 46 may also have two downstream radio-frequency ports such as downstream ports 56 (e.g., a first downstream port 56-1 and a second downstream port 56-2). Downstream ports 56 may sometimes be referred to herein as downstream terminals 56. Each downstream port 56 may be coupled to a respective component in wireless circuitry 24 that is downstream from 1:2 power splitter/combiner 46. For example, downstream port 56-1 may be coupled to a first antenna 40 in phased antenna array 42 (e.g., via a first phase and magnitude controller 38 of
In scenarios where 1:2 power splitter/combiner 46 is being used to transmit radio-frequency signals over antennas 40 (e.g., where 1:2 power splitter/combiner 46 is a 1:2 power splitter), upstream port 54 forms an input port and downstream ports 56 form output ports of 1:2 power splitter/combiner 46. In scenarios where 1:2 power splitter/combiner 46 is being used to receive radio-frequency signals from antennas 40 (e.g., where 1:2 power splitter/combiner 46 is a 1:2 power combiner), upstream port 54 forms an output port and downstream ports 56 form input ports of 1:2 power splitter/combiner 46.
1:2 power splitter/combiner 46 may include a transformer such as transformer 58. Transformer 58 may be coupled between upstream port 54 and downstream ports 56. Transformer 58 may include a set of inductors 60 coupled in parallel between upstream port 54 and downstream ports 56. For example, as shown in
1:2 power splitter/combiner 46 may include a capacitor such as capacitor 72. Capacitor 72 may be coupled between downstream ports 56-1 and 56-2. 1:2 power splitter/combiner 46 may also include capacitors such as capacitors 64, 66, 68, and/or 70. Capacitor 66 may be coupled between upstream port 54 and reference potential 62 at the upstream side of inductor 60-1. Reference potential 62 may be a ground potential or another reference potential in device 10. Capacitor 64 may be coupled between downstream port 56-1 and reference potential 62 at the downstream side of inductor 60-1. Capacitor 70 may be coupled between downstream port 56-2 and reference potential 62 at the downstream side of inductor 60-2. Capacitor 68 may be coupled between upstream port 54 and reference potential 62 at the upstream side of inductor 60-2.
In one embodiment that is described herein as an example, capacitors 66, 68, 64, 70, and 72 are distributed capacitors that exhibit distributed capacitances between conductive traces in 1:2 power splitter/combiner 46. This is merely illustrative and, if desired, one or more of capacitors 66, 68, 64, 70, and 72 may be discrete capacitors (e.g., surface mount technology (SMT) capacitors). Transformer 58 and capacitors 66, 68, 64, 70, and 72 may serve to distribute radio-frequency power at upstream port 54 across downstream ports 56-1 and 56-2 (e.g., in scenarios where 1:2 power splitter/combiner 46 is transmitting radio-frequency signals over antennas 40) and/or to combine radio-frequency power at downstream ports 56-1 and 56-2 onto upstream port 54.
In some scenarios, inductors 60-1 and 60-2 in transformer 58 are formed from two laterally-separated inductive coils on an underlying substrate. However, forming inductors 60-1 and 60-2 from two laterally-separated inductive coils may cause transformer 58 to occupy an excessively large lateral footprint in device 10, thereby minimizing the amount of space in device 10 that can be used for other components. In order to minimize the lateral footprint of transformer 58, inductors 60-1 and 60-2 may be intertwined inductors (e.g., intertwined inductors concentric about a single point).
Inductor 60-1 may be formed from conductive traces 92. Conductive traces 92 may have a planar spiral or coil shape and may wind (wrap) around feed point 88 (e.g., in a counter-clockwise direction or, as shown in the example of
Inductor 60-2 may be formed from conductive traces 90 (shown in bold in
As shown in
In the example of
As shown in
Upstream port 54 may be coupled to feed trace 106. Feed trace 106 may extend into the central portion (region) of transformer 58. Feed trace 106 may, for example, be patterned onto a first dielectric layer of dielectric substrate 94. Conductive traces 90 for inductor 60-2 and conductive traces 92 for inductor 60-1 may be patterned onto a second dielectric layer of dielectric substrate 94 (e.g., a dielectric layer that is layered over the first dielectric layer of dielectric substrate 94). One or more conductive through vias such as conductive vias 108 may couple feed trace 106 to conductive traces 92 and 90 (e.g., at and/or adjacent feed point 88). Conductive traces 90 and 92 may extend from opposing sides of feed point 88.
Conductive ground traces such as ground traces 100 may be patterned onto dielectric substrate 94. If desired, ground traces 100 may be patterned on both the first and second dielectric layers of dielectric substrate 94. In this example, conductive vias may couple the ground traces on each of the dielectric layers together. Ground traces 100 may be held at a reference potential (e.g., reference potential 62 of
Conductive traces 92 and 90 may both be intertwined as the conductive traces spiral from feed point 88 outwards to downstream ports 56-1 and 56-2 (e.g., conductive traces 92 and 90 may be interspersed or interleaved as the conductive traces wind around feed point 88). This may configure inductors 60-1 and 60-2 and thus transformer 58 to exhibit a length 96 and a width 98. Length 96 and width 98 may define the lateral footprint of transformer 58. Length 96 may be equal to width 98 or may be different from width 98. As just one example, width 98 may be between 40-70 microns whereas length 96 is between 50-80 microns. The lateral footprint of transformer 58 may be similar to the lateral footprint of just one of inductors 60-1 or 60-2, thereby minimizing the overall footprint of 1:2 power splitter/combiner 46, despite the fact that 1:2 power splitter/combiner 46 includes two separate inductors that are coupled in parallel between upstream port 54 and downstream ports 56-1 and 56-2.
As shown in
Segment 80 of conductive traces 90 may extend parallel to segment 82 of conductive traces 92. Segment 82 may be separated from segment 80 by gap 110. Similarly, segment 84 of conductive traces 92 may extend parallel to segment 86 of conductive traces 90. Segment 84 may be separated from segment 86 by gap 114. The capacitance associated with gap 110 may form capacitance 76 of
The example of
In scenarios where 1:3 power splitter/combiner 44 is being used to transmit radio-frequency signals over antennas 40 (e.g., where 1:3 power splitter/combiner 44 is a 1:3 power splitter), upstream port 54 forms an input port and downstream ports 56 form output ports of 1:3 power splitter/combiner 44. In scenarios where 1:3 power splitter/combiner 44 is being used to receive radio-frequency signals from antennas 40 (e.g., where 1:3 power splitter/combiner 44 is a 1:3 power combiner), upstream port 54 forms an output port and downstream ports 56 form input ports of 1:3 power splitter/combiner 44.
1:3 power splitter/combiner 44 may include a transformer such as transformer 118. Transformer 118 may be coupled between upstream port 54 and downstream ports 56. Transformer 118 may include a set of inductors 60 coupled in parallel between upstream port 54 and downstream ports 56. For example, as shown in
1:3 power splitter/combiner 44 may include capacitors such as capacitors 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130, 132, 134, and 136. Capacitor 132 may be coupled between downstream ports 56-1 and 56-2. Capacitor 134 may be coupled between downstream ports 56-2 and 56-3. Capacitor 136 may be coupled between downstream ports 56-1 and 56-3. Capacitor 120 may be coupled between upstream port 54 and reference potential 62 at the upstream side of inductor 60-1. Capacitor 122 may be coupled between upstream port 54 and reference potential 62 at the upstream side of inductor 60-2. Capacitor 124 may be coupled between upstream port 54 and reference potential 62 at the upstream side of inductor 60-3. Capacitor 126 may be coupled between downstream port 56-1 and reference potential 62 at the downstream side of inductor 60-1. Capacitor 128 may be coupled between downstream port 56-2 and reference potential 62 at the downstream side of inductor 60-2. Capacitor 130 may be coupled between downstream port 56-3 and reference potential 62 at the downstream side of inductor 60-3.
In one embodiment that is described herein as an example, capacitors 120-136 are distributed capacitors that exhibit distributed capacitances between conductive traces in 1:3 power splitter/combiner 44. This is merely illustrative and, if desired, one or more of these capacitors may be discrete capacitors (e.g., surface mount technology (SMT) capacitors). Transformer 118 and capacitors 120-136 may serve to distribute radio-frequency power at upstream port 54 across downstream ports 56-1, 56-2, and 56-3 (e.g., in scenarios where 1:3 power splitter/combiner 44 is transmitting radio-frequency signals over antennas 40) and/or to combine radio-frequency power at downstream ports 56-1, 56-2, and 56-3 onto upstream port 54.
In order to minimize the lateral footprint of transformer 118, inductors 60-1, 60-2, and 60-3 may be intertwined inductors (e.g., intertwined inductors that are concentric about a single point).
Inductor 60-1 may be formed from conductive traces 92 and inductor 60-2 may be formed from conductive traces 90, similar to as described above in connection with
As shown in
In other words, conductive traces 92 (inductor 60-1), conductive traces 90 (inductor 60-2), and conductive traces 140 (inductor 60-3) may be arranged in a common centroid configuration in which the conductive traces and inductors are concentric about a common point or axis (e.g., feed point 88 or an axis running through feed point 88 parallel to the Z-axis of
In the example of
As shown in
Conductive traces 92 may include segment 148. Conductive traces 140 may include segment 86. Segments 86 and 84 may form respective capacitor electrodes for capacitor 136. Conductive traces 92 may also include segment 150. Conductive traces 90 may include segment 152. Segments 150 and 152 may form respective capacitor electrodes for capacitor 132. Conductive traces 140 may include segment 144. Conductive traces 90 may include segment 142. Segments 142 and 144 may form respective capacitor electrodes for capacitor 134.
Conductive traces 92, 90, and 140 may intertwined as the conductive traces spiral from feed point 88 outwards to downstream ports 56-1, 56-2, and 56-3 (e.g., conductive traces 92, 90, and 140 may be interspersed or interleaved as the conductive traces wind around feed point 88). This may configure inductors 60-1, 60-2, and 60-3 and thus transformer 58 to exhibit a length 158 and a width 156. Length 158 and width 156 may define the lateral footprint of transformer 118. Length 158 may be equal to width 156 or may be different from width 156. As just one example, width 156 may be between 40-90 microns whereas length 158 is between 50-100 microns. The lateral footprint of transformer 118 may be similar to the lateral footprint of just one of inductors 60-1, 60-2, or 60-3, thereby minimizing the overall footprint of 1:3 power splitter/combiner 44, despite the fact that 1:3 power splitter/combiner 44 includes three separate inductors that are coupled in parallel between upstream port 54 and downstream ports 56-1, 56-2, and 56-3.
As shown in
Segment 152 of conductive traces 90 may extend parallel to segment 150 of conductive traces 92. Segment 152 may be separated from segment 150 by gap 160. Segment 144 of conductive traces 140 may extend parallel to segment 142 of conductive traces 90. Segment 144 may be separated from segment 142 by gap 168. Segment 148 of conductive traces 92 may extend parallel to segment 146 of conductive traces 140. Segment 148 may be separated from segment 146 by gap 166. The capacitance associated with gap 166 may form capacitor 136, the capacitance associated with gap 168 may form capacitor 134, and the capacitance associated with gap 160 may form capacitor 132 of
The example of
1:2 power splitter/combiner 46 and 1:3 power splitter/combiner 44 may still exhibit satisfactory radio-frequency performance despite the superposition of inductors 60-1, 60-2, and 60-3 within the same lateral footprint on dielectric substrate 94. The power splitter/combiner may, for example, exhibit satisfactory impedance matching at each upstream port and each downstream port in the frequency bands handled by antennas 40. The power splitter/combiner may also exhibit sufficiently low insertion loss and a satisfactory phase response between each combination of the upstream/downstream ports in the frequency bands handled by antennas 40. In addition, the power splitter/combiner may exhibit satisfactory radio-frequency isolation between each of the upstream/downstream ports.
The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.