Skyworks Solutions, Inc.

Reza Kasnavi

John G Freed

Edward James Anthony

Jianxing Ni

Roman Zbigniew Arkiszewski

Srivatsan Jayaraman

Ethan Chang

Aleksey A Lyalin

Kunal Datta

Shanshan Zhao

Yang Hou

Ying Shi

Joshua James Caron

Jeffrey Gordon Strahler

Jen-Chien Chang

Philip Howard Thompson

Yalin Jin

Kenneth Norman Warren

Omar Mustafa

Jinghang Feng

Netsanet Gebeyehu

John C Baldwin

Onder Oz

Yaxing Zhang

Shaun Bryce Chamberlain

Aspects of this disclosure relate to a front end architecture for selectively adding an external carrier aggregation band. A switch element can connect a radio frequency signal path to an antenna path through a frequency domain multiplexer, such as a diplexer, in a first mode. The switch element can connect the radio frequency path to the antenna path and bypass the frequency domain multiplexer in a second mode. The frequency domain multiplexer can be external to a front end module that include the radio frequency signal path. In the first mode, a front end system can support carrier aggregation with a band associated with circuitry implemented external to the front end module.

Front end architecture for selectively adding external carrier aggregation band

Filters and acoustic resonators for radio-frequency circuits and devices. In some embodiments, a radio-frequency circuit can include a plurality of nodes and a common node. The radio-frequency circuit can further include a signal path implemented between each of the plurality of nodes and the common node. Each corresponding signal path can include a filter having a first Q-factor value and a respective resonator having a second Q-factor value higher than the first Q-factor value.

Filters and acoustic resonators for radio-frequency circuits and devices

Circuitry, modules, devices, and methods for integrating front-end carrier aggregation architecture are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method can include providing a packaging substrate configured to receive a plurality of components. The method can also include providing a front-end architecture implemented on the packaging substrate, the front-end architecture including a switching assembly configured to provide switching for two or more frequency bands, the switching assembly including at least one coupler configured to couple a signal associated with the switching assembly, and a diplexer circuit including a first filter configured to pass a first frequency band, a second filter configured to pass a second frequency band, and a first electrostatic discharge network configured to dissipate electrostatic energy associated with the first and second frequency bands from the front-end architecture.

Devices and methods related to integrated front-end architecture modules for carrier aggregation

A reconfigurable triplexer that can support more frequency bands than a traditional triplexer is disclosed. For example, the reconfigurable triplexer can handle frequencies of several hundred megahertz up to 10 gigahertz. Further, certain implementations of the reconfigurable multiplexer can reduce or eliminate frequency dead zones that exist with traditional multiplexers. The reconfigurable triplexer includes a multi-stage filter bank capable of supporting a number of frequency bands and a bypass circuit that enables the triplexer to support a variety of sets of frequencies. For instance, unlike traditional triplexers, the reconfigurable triplexer can support both frequency bands with relatively narrow spacing and frequency bands with relatively wide spacing. Further, the inclusion of the bypass circuit enables the reduction or elimination of dead zones between supported frequencies.

Reconfigurable multiplexer

The disclosure relates to a signal combiner for a Doherty power amplifier architecture, the signal combiner including a termination circuit on an isolation port, the termination circuit being tuned to improve performance of the Doherty power amplifier. The architecture includes a carrier amplifier and a peaking amplifier. The peaking amplifier modulates the load seen by the carrier amplifier, allowing the carrier amplifier to remain in high-efficiency, saturated operation even at back-off. This load modulation can be achieved using impedance matching networks having an impedance matched to a specific frequency. The architectures include tuned or tailored signal combiners with termination circuits on isolation ports. The termination circuits are tuned or tailored for particular operating frequencies to enhance operation.

Signal combiner having a tuned termination circuit on an isolation port for a Doherty power amplifier

Circuits with filters and acoustic resonators. In some embodiments, a radio-frequency circuit can include a plurality of nodes and a common node. The radio-frequency circuit can further include a signal path implemented between each of the plurality of nodes and the common node. Each corresponding signal path can include a filter having a first Q-factor value and a respective resonator having a second Q-factor value higher than the first Q-factor value.

Circuits with filters and acoustic resonators

Aspects of this disclosure relate to detecting power associated with an individual carrier of a carrier aggregated signal. In an embodiment, an aggregated carrier including at least a first carrier and a second carrier is provided. An indication of power of the first carrier of the aggregated carrier is detected. Separately from detecting the indication of power of the first carrier, an indication of power of the second carrier of the aggregated carrier is detected. The power associated with a radio frequency (RF) signal provided to an RF source associated with the first carrier can be adjusted based on the indication of power of the first carrier.

Methods of detecting power of individual carrier of aggregated carrier

Circuits and methods related to radio-frequency (RF) architectures having carrier aggregation. In some implementations, a method for performing carrier aggregation (CA) can include providing a duplexer configured to provide duplexing functionality for a first frequency band and a second frequency band with a common antenna. The method can further include providing a first amplification path and a second amplification path coupled to respective ports of the duplexer, each of the first amplification path and the second amplification path configured to amplify a signal in its respective frequency band, each amplification path including a transmit/receive (TX/RX) switch configured to provide time-division duplexing (TDD) functionality for the amplified signal and a received signal. In some implementations, the first frequency band includes a B39 band, and the second frequency band includes a B41 band.

Devices and methods related to radio-frequency front-end architecture for carrier aggregation of cellular bands

Circuitry, modules and devices for integrating front-end carrier aggregation architecture, are disclosed. In some embodiments, a front-end architecture includes a switching assembly configured to provide switching for two or more frequency bands. In some embodiments, the switching assembly includes at least one coupler configured to couple a signal associated with the switching assembly. The front-end architecture can also include a diplexer circuit including a first filter configured to pass a first frequency band, a second filter configured to pass a second frequency band, and a first electrostatic discharge network configured to dissipate electrostatic energy associated with the first and second frequency bands from the front-end architecture.

Integrated front-end architecture modules for carrier aggregation

The disclosure relates to a wideband, tunable hybrid-based combiner for a Doherty power amplifier architecture. The architecture includes two parallel power amplifiers: a carrier amplifier and a peaking amplifier. The peaking amplifier modulates the load seen by the carrier amplifier, allowing the carrier amplifier to remain in high-efficiency, saturated operation even at back-off. This load modulation can be achieved using impedance matching networks having an impedance matched to a specific frequency. Typically, a multi-mode/multi-band power amplifier module that does not include a tunable impedance circuit as disclosed herein, several Doherty power amplifier modules (each of which uses two amplifiers) would be used to cover several bands, which may make implementation costly and/or impractical. Thus, the architectures described herein provide wideband amplification using a Doherty amplifier configuration.

Wideband tunable hybrid-based combiner for a Doherty power amplifier architecture

Multi-stage reconfigurable triplexer

Circuits and methods related to radio-frequency (RF) architectures having carrier aggregation. In some implementations, a carrier aggregation (CA) architecture can include a duplexer configured to provide duplexing functionality for a first frequency band and a second frequency band with a common antenna. The CA architecture can further include a first amplification path and a second amplification path coupled to respective ports of the duplexer, each of the first amplification path and the second amplification path configured to amplify a signal in its respective frequency band, each amplification path including a transmit/receive (TX/RX) switch configured to provide time-division duplexing (TDD) functionality for the amplified signal and a received signal. In some implementations, the first frequency band includes a B39 band, and the second frequency band includes a B41 band.

Growing community of inventors

Solana Beach, CA, United States of America

Reza Kasnavi