Skyworks Solutions, Inc.

Conexant Systems, Inc.

Shiaw Wen Chang

David Richard Pehlke

Guohao Zhang

Jing Sun

Brian Blu Duverneay

Xuejun Chen

Roger J Forse

Andre G Metzger

Ziv Alon

Sarah Shiui Xu

Hassan S Hashemi

Evan S McCarthy

Trang Trinh

Sarah Shihui Xu

Piyou Zhang

Thuy Tran

Jinim Won

Kevin Choi

Hugh J Finlay

Nai-Shuo Cheng

Ede Peter Enobakhare

Brian Blu DuVerneay

Bong-Seok Park

Bon-Seok Park

Eric Shawn Shapiro

David Ruimin Chen

Albert Wang

High J Finlay

Improved switched multiplexer architecture for supporting carrier aggregation in front-end applications. Front end architectures are disclosed that use two filters for a particular frequency band to allow for carrier aggregation using bands that at least partially overlap in frequency. An antenna switch module can be used to independently couple individual filters to an antenna to support a variety of carrier aggregation modes. Switches that connect to the two filters that split the particular frequency band can be configured to operate independently so as to only pass signals within a sub-band of the particular frequency band when operating in certain carrier aggregation modes.

Carrier aggregation using split band filters

Improved switched multiplexer architecture for supporting carrier aggregation in front-end applications. A method is disclosed for providing a plurality of switchable paths between an assembly of filters and an antenna port. The method includes connecting a first filter of the filter assembly to the antenna port using a first switch of a switching circuit. The method also includes connecting a second filter of the filter assembly to the antenna port using a second switch of the switching circuit, the second switch independently operated from the first switch. The method also includes passing a first frequency range associated with a first transmission frequency range of a first band using the first filter. The method also includes passing a second frequency range associated with a first receive frequency range of the first band and with a second receive frequency range of a second band using the second filter.

Methods for providing carrier aggregation

Improved switched multiplexer architecture for supporting carrier aggregation in front-end applications. In some embodiments, an N-plexing system can include an assembly of filters configured to provide N filtered paths, and a switching circuit in communication with the assembly of filters. The switching circuit can be configured to provide a plurality of switchable paths between the assembly of filters and an antenna port to allow simultaneous operation between the N filtered paths and the antenna port. In some embodiments, N can be 4 for a quadruplexing system or 2 for a duplexing system, and such a system can be implemented in a front-end module (FEM) for wireless devices.

Uplink and downlink carrier aggregation

Front-end modules with switched filter assemblies for carrier aggregation

Directional couplers for front end modules (FEMs) are disclosed that include a first port configured to receive a radio-frequency (RF) signal, a second port connected to the first port via a first transmission line and configured to provide an RF output signal, a third port connected to a second transmission line, the second transmission line being electromagnetically coupled to the first transmission line, and a fourth port connected to the second transmission line. The directional couplers further include an adaptive complex termination circuit connected to the fourth port and configured to provide an adaptive complex termination impedance selected to optimize combined performance of the directional couplers over multiple frequency bands.

Adaptive load for coupler in broadband multimode multiband front end module

Systems and methods related to carrier aggregation front-end module applications

A circuit for biasing a gallium arsenide (GaAs) power amplifier includes a reference voltage generator circuit implemented in a gallium arsenide (GaAs) material system, a field effect transistor (FET) bias circuit implemented in the gallium arsenide material system and adapted to receive an output of the reference voltage generator circuit and adapted to provide an output to a radio frequency (RF) amplifier stage.

Circuit and method for biasing a gallium arsenide (GaAs) power amplifier

A multi-mode power amplifier includes a high-power mode amplifier circuit, a mid-power mode amplifier circuit, and a low power amplifier circuit, where the low-power mode amplifier circuit comprises a plurality of independently selectable power cell/amplifier branches. The multi-mode power amplifiers selectively enable or disable amplifier branches to provide multiple levels of amplification. Selectively enabling certain of a plurality of split collector amplifier branches provides multiple low power and ultra-low power amplifier modes without the impedance mismatch or board layout problems associated with an RF switch.

Multi-mode power amplifier

A power amplifier includes a plurality of amplification paths in which at least one amplification path is selectively enabled and disabled, wherein each amplification path includes an output impedance modification element and an output phase shift element that is operable independently from the output impedance modification element, and wherein the output impedance modification element in each amplification path provides selective impedance for each amplification path.

Multi-mode high efficiency linear power amplifier

A power amplifier includes a plurality of amplification paths in which at least one amplification path is selectively enables and disabled, wherein each amplification path includes an output impedance modification element and a phase shift element that is operable independently from the output impedance modification element, and wherein the output impedance modification element in each amplification path provides selective impedance for each amplification path.

An advanced balanced RF power amplifier circuit is provided. The RF power amplifier has a pair of RF amplification paths constructed to efficiently operate in a high-power mode. When instructed to operate in a low-power mode, one of the amplification paths is deactivated, and optionally, an impedance device is also set to operate at a low-power impedance value. With only one path operating in low-power mode, the network RF topology has changed from the topology of the high-power mode. This new topology provides increased impedance on the active RF amplification path as compared to when both RF amplification paths were active. This increased impedance causes the RF power amplifier to operate more efficiently in its low-power mode. Depending on the specific application and target performance, the impedance may be sufficiently increased simply by deactivating one of the RF amplification paths, and in other cases it may be desirable to switch an active or passive impedance device to operate at a low-power impedance. The impedance device enables further adjustment and tuning of the impedance in the low-power topology.

High efficiency load insensitive power amplifier

Growing community of inventors

Thousand Oaks, CA, United States of America

Shiaw Wen Chang