The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 18, 2017
Filed:
Mar. 25, 2013
Rf Micro Devices, Inc., Greensboro, NC (US);
Swaminathan Muthukrishnan, Greensboro, NC (US);
Cody Hale, Browns Summit, NC (US);
Randy Naylor, Pepperell, MA (US);
Nicholas Liu, Lowell, MA (US);
Qorvo US, Inc., Greensboro, NC (US);
Abstract
Antenna switching circuitry comprises a plurality of communication ports, an antenna port, a plurality of switches, and an ESD protection device. The plurality of switches are adapted to selectively couple one or more of the communication ports to the antenna port in order to transmit or receive a signal. The ESD protection device is coupled between one of the plurality of communication ports and ground, and is adapted to form a substantially low impedance path to ground during an ESD event. Upon the occurrence of an ESD event, a received electrostatic charge passes through one or more of the plurality of switches to the ESD protection device, where it is safely diverted to ground. By using only one ESD protection device, desensitization of the antenna switching circuitry due to the parasitic loading of the ESD protection device is avoided. Further, the area of the antenna switching circuitry is minimized.