The invention relates to a system and method for a phase shifter and more particularly, for a phase shifter with flexible control voltage.
Phase shifter circuits allow control of insertion phase of a network. They find application in electronic circuitry, such as for example, for shifting the phase of signals propagating on a transmission line. One application in which phase shifters are commonly found is in phased-array and active-array antenna arrangements using transmit-receive (T/R) modules. In general T/R modules include phase shifters for receiving phase shift data and for forming antennae beam patterns and varying the phase of a RF signal.
To facilitate understanding of the invention certain naming convention has been adopted. For example, as used herein, a RF signal received from synthesizing and distribution circuit 116 is called a “synthesized RF signal 1301-i.” A RF signal received from phase shifter 202 and provided to amplifier circuit 204 is called a “transmission RF signal.” A RF signal received from free space via antenna 132 and provided to amplifier circuit 204 for providing to phase shifter 202, is called a “received RF signal.”
As noted, phase shifter 202 is configured to shift the phase of transmission RF signals according to phase shift data. Amplifier circuit 204 is typically configured to amplify the transmission RF signal up to a predetermined level prior to providing the transmission RF signal to antenna 132, and to amplify received RF signals at a low noise.
A control circuit 206 for receiving a control signal 1281-N from control signal distribution circuit 120 outputs a plurality of predetermined phase setting signals (e.g. phase shift data PS1-K) to a level conversion circuit 208. Level conversion circuit 208 typically receives the phase shift data PS1-K from control circuit 206 and converts the phase shift data PS1-K to an output voltage (e.g., converted phase shift data CPS1-K) useful for driving the phase shifter 202.
Control circuit 206 is configured to output predetermined phase setting signals PS1-K in accordance with control signals 1281-K. Phase shifter 202 uses the phase setting signals PS1-K in forming antenna beam patterns.
Notably, conventional phase shifters include a number of transistors that receive the phase setting signals PS1-K to enable transistor operation and signal phase shifting. Thus, the phase setting signals PS1-K must be at a voltage level predetermined by the type of transistor used to enable transistor operation. For this purpose, phase shifter 200 may use a level conversion circuit 208 to convert phase setting signals PS1-K to the voltage level required for transistor operation. The converted phase setting signals PS1-K (shown as CPS1-K) may then be applied to the phase shifter 202 transistors as described below.
One limitation placed on conventional phase shifter design is that gate terminals 305, 307 may only be driven by a voltage polarity consistent with the type of transistor included in the phase shifter 202. For example, for an N-type FET 308, 310 the gate terminal 305, 307 can only be driven with a negative voltage to control FET 308, 310 operation. Thus, converted phase setting signals CPS1-K must have a negative polarity when applied to gate terminal 305, 307.
However, in some instances, it is desirable to provide the control signals received from control circuit 206 to T/R module circuit elements requiring a positive voltage polarity. For example, where the amplifier circuit 204 is comprised of transistors (not shown) requiring a positive voltage, it is necessary to convert the negative control voltages received from, for example, level conversion circuit 208 (e.g. CPS1-K) to voltages having a positive potential. To address this problem, prior art phased-array antenna systems ordinarily used a logic inverter to reverse the polarity of the signal provided by the level conversion circuit. U.S. Pat. No. 6,320,413 discloses exemplary prior art systems and methods for conventional level conversion circuit operable to change the polarity of the control voltages provided by, for example, control circuit 206.
One drawback with the use of logic inverters to change the polarity of the control signals is that the size and power consumption of the T/R module is increased. When overall size and power consumption is a circuit design consideration, such as when the antenna array requires plurality T/R modules operating at high frequencies, it may be desirable to find ways to reduce the number of circuit elements included in the T/R module.
The present invention addresses problems inherent in the prior art, by providing a phase shifter with a flexible control voltage. Contrary to prior art phase shifters which require either a positive or a negative control voltage for transistor operation, but typically not both, the phase shifter of the present invention may be driven with control signals having either a positive or negative control voltage. The phase shifter according to the present invention permits the control signals received by the phase shifter from a control circuit to be any polarity (negative or positive) eliminating the need for a logic inverter. That is, the phase shifter operation is not dependent upon the polarity of the control signal received.
In one aspect, the phase shifter of the present invention is constructed with transistors used as switches. Unlike conventional phase shifters which set the transistor dc reference voltage to ground, the RF grounding of the transistors used in the present invention is achieved by in-band resonant capacitors. The dc grounds of the transistors are floated and the transistors' dc reference voltage is connected to any desired voltage. The dc reference voltage may be set positive, negative, or set to ground, therefore, the control voltage provided to the transistors is flexible in that it may be connected to a positive or negative control voltage, or it may be connected to ground, or it may swing from a positive control voltage to a negative control voltage, or from a negative control voltage to a positive control voltage. The control voltage provided to the phase shifter is additionally flexible in that the control voltage may switch between a first voltage level V1 and a second voltage level V2. More particularly, the control voltage level may change from the first voltage level V1 to the second voltage level V2, and the change in voltage levels ΔV may have a suitable magnitude to ensure proper transistor operation. As such, the change in voltage levels may be chosen according to the requirements of transistors used. Consequently, the present invention eliminates the need for a logic inverter as is found in prior art phase shifters.
The accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals depict like elements, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
The invention provides a phase shifter with flexible control voltage that is useful with all RF systems requiring a phase shifting at a RF signal. The phase shifter according to the present invention comprises transistors used as switching elements. The phase shifter may be assembled using discrete elements or constructed using a semi-conductor chip such as a MIMIC. As such, one versed in the art understands that the phase shifter is not limited to the embodiment depicted and that the embodiment described is done to facilitate understanding of the invention.
Indeed, the phase shifter described represents a 1 bit phase shifter. A conventional phase shifter network comprises several bits. As such, the phase shifter topology of the present invention may be one of the several bits of a phase shifter network. Other bits in the phase shifter network may have a different topology than the topology described herein.
With reference to
Notably, although the present invention is described with respect to FETs and DPDT switches, the invention is not so limited. The invention contemplates a phase shifter with variable control voltage that is comprised of any transistor construction or transistor arrangement where the dc voltage to the transistor is floated. For example, the dc voltage may be floated by a capacitor as is described below.
As noted, the phase shifter 400 may be constructed using FETs 406, 408, 410, 412, 414, 416, 418 and 420, wherein FETs 406, 408, 410 and 412 comprise a first DPDT switch and FETs 414, 416, 418, 420 comprise a second DPDT switch. FETs 406, 408, 410 and 412 may be substantially similar in construction and FETs 414, 416, 418, 420 may be substantially similar in construction. Moreover, FETs 406, 408, 410, 412, 414, 416, 418 and 420 may be depletion mode FETs, which are selected in accordance with required insertion loss and isolation. Further still, FETs 406, 408, 410, 412, 414, 416, 418 and 420 may be any transistors capable of use as a switch.
The first DPDT switch is fed with a first control voltage VCNTL at transistor 406 and 410, and the second DPDT switch is provided the VCNTL to subscribe transistor 414 and 418 for receiving, for example, one of converted phase shifter signals CPS. The second DPDT switch is provided with a control voltage VCNTL1 at transistor 416 and 420 and the first DPDT switch is provided the VCNTL1 at transistor 408 and 412 for receiving, for example, at least one of converted phase shifter signals CPS1-K.
A reference voltage VREF is provided to the first DPDT switch at the source of transistor 406, at the source of transistor 412, at the drain of transistor 408, and at the drain of transistor 410. Similarly, reference voltage VREF is provided to the second DPDT switch at the source of transistor 414, at the source of transistor 420, at the drain of transistor 416, and at the drain of transistor 418.
VREF, VCNTL and VCNTL1 are provided to the first and second DPDT switches through resistors R. In this aspect of the invention, resistors R isolate the RF signals provided at nodes 401 and 403 from the VREF and control voltages VCNTL and VCNTL1. Similarly, the RF signals provided at nodes 401 and 403 are connected to VREF through resistors R, which insures that VREF is applied to the drain terminals at FETs 408, 410, 416 and 418 so that the FETs in series with the RF path within the first and second DPDT switch properly.
As noted, according to the invention the dc grounds of FETs 406, 412, 414 and 420 are not connected directly to ground. Instead, the dc grounds are floated. More particularly, the RF grounds are connected to ground through a capacitor C. The signal side of the capacitor C is connected to VREF through a resistor R for additional isolation of the RF signal from the VREF signal.
Capacitor C is a series resonant capacitor that provides a low impedance RF path to ground so that RF performance of the phase shifter 400 is not degraded. The values of capacitors C are chosen according to values needed to achieve series resonance to ground at the design frequency. The values of resistors R are chosen according to values needed to achieve adequate isolation between the RF signal and the dc signals. If there is not enough isolation between the RF signal and the dc signals then the RF performance can be degraded. Although the invention is not so limited, an exemplary R value may be approximately between 1 to 2 kΩ.
A high pass network 402 is connected to the first DPDT switch at the common node between FET 406 and FET 408 and to the second DPDT switch at the common node between FET 414 and FET 416. A low pass network 404 is connected to the first DPDT switch at the common node between FET 410 and FET 412 and to the second DPDT switch at the common node between FET 418 and FET 420. As such, when a RF signal is injected into phase shifter 400 at node 401 (or alternatively, node 403) the DPDT switches route the RF signal through the low pass network 404 or high pass network 402. The difference in phase shifting of the low pass network 404 and the high pass network 402 leads to a phase shifting of the RF signal as desired. Consequently, the configuration of the low pass network 404 and the high pass network 402 are chosen according to the amount of phase shift desired for the phase shifter bit and the matching impedance of the phase shifter bit.
During exemplary operation a RF signal is provided to node 401. In one of the two possible phase states the RF signal is routed through the high pass network 402. The first DPDT switch is set to have low loss between node 401 and the high pass network 402 and to have high isolation between node 401 and the low pass network 404. The second DPDT switch is set to have low loss between the high pass network 402 and node 403 and have high isolation between the low pass network 404 and node 403. This switch condition is established by turning on FET 408, FET 412, FET 416 and FET 420 and turning off FET 406, FET 410, FET 414 and FET 418. These FETs are turned on and off by setting the signals VCNTL and VCNTL1 to the appropriate voltages. If the transistors happen to be n-channel depletion mode FETs, then VCNTL1 is set to be equal to or slightly more positive than VREF to turn on FET 408, FET 412, FET 416 and FET 420, and VCNTL is set to be sufficiently more negative than VREF to turn off FET 406, FET 410, FET 414 and FET 418. The RF signal is routed to the high pass network 402 by the first DPDT switch. The second DPDT switch then receives the RF signal from the high pass network 402 and routes it to node 403. In the other of the two possible phase states the RF signal is routed through the low pass network 404. The first DPDT switch is set to have low loss between node 401 and the low pass network 404 and to have high isolation between node 401 and the high pass network 402. The second DPDT switch is set to have low loss between the low pass network 404 and node 403 and have high isolation between the high pass network 402 and node 403. This switch condition is established by turning off FET 408, FET 412, FET 416 and FET 420 and turning on FET 406, FET 410, FET 414 and FET 418. These FETs are turned on and off by setting the signals, VCNTL and VCNTL1 to the appropriate voltages. Again, if the transistors happen to be n-channel depletion mode FETs, then VCNTL1 is set to be sufficiently more negative than VREF to turn off FET 408, FET 412, FET 416 and FET 420, and VCNTL is set to be equal to or slightly more positive than VREF to turn on FET 406, FET 410, FET 414 and FET 418. The RF signal is routed to the low pass network 404 by the first DPDT switch. The second DPDT switch then receives the RF signal from the low pass network 404 and routes it to node 403.
The present invention has been described above with reference to various exemplary embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that changes and modifications may be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the various operational steps, as well as the components for carrying out the operational steps, may be implemented in alternate ways depending upon the particular application or in consideration of any number of cost functions associated with the operation of the system (e.g., various of the steps may be deleted, modified, or combined with other steps). Alternatively, additional steps (e.g., solder paste placement steps) may be added to illustrate alternate embodiments of the invention. In addition, the various circuit component systems disclosed herein may be modified or changed to accommodate additional phase shifter circuit components as may be desired. The changes and/or modifications described above are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure, as set forth in the following claims.