Abstract: Circuits, devices and methods for achieving fast changes in voltage regulator outputs are disclosed. In some embodiments, a voltage regulation system can include a voltage regulator configured to receive an input voltage Vin and generate an output voltage Vout at an output node, and a transition circuit coupled to the output node, the transition circuit including one or more voltage sources, each voltage source switchably coupled to the output node and configured to provide a respective voltage.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 17, 2016
Date of Patent:
August 7, 2018
Assignee:
Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
Inventors:
Thomas Zoki Li, Lui Lam, Ghader Razmafrouz
Abstract: Apparatus and methods for power amplifiers that can operate under a wide range of supply voltages are disclosed herein. In certain implementations, a method of adjusting a parameter of a power amplifier is provided. The method includes detecting a value of a supply voltage provided to the power amplifier. The method further includes selecting a first value from a plurality of values for a first parameter of the power amplifier based on the detected value of the supply voltage. The method further includes adjusting the first parameter of the power amplifier to the first value.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 29, 2016
Date of Patent:
July 31, 2018
Assignee:
Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
Inventors:
Grant Darcy Poulin, Samir Hammadi, Edward John Wemyss Whittaker
Abstract: A voltage converter can be switched among two or more modes to produce an output voltage tracking a reference voltage that can be of an intermediate level between discrete levels corresponding to the modes. One or more voltages generated from a power supply voltage, such as a battery voltage, can be compared with the reference voltage to determine whether to adjust the mode. The reference voltage can be independent of the power supply voltage.
Abstract: Circuits, devices, and method for bypassing voltage regulation in voltage regulators. A voltage regulator may include a duty cycle component configured to determine whether a duty cycle of the voltage regulator is greater than a threshold duty cycle. The voltage regulator may also include a first sensing component configured to determine whether an output voltage of the voltage regulator is less than a first threshold voltage. The voltage regulator may further include a regulating component, coupled to the duty cycle component and the first sensing component, the regulating component configured to pass an input voltage to the output of the voltage regulator based on a first determination that the duty cycle is greater than the threshold duty cycle and a second determination that the output voltage of the voltage regulator is less than the first threshold voltage.
Abstract: In a voltage converter, a mode configuration is selected in response to a mode control signal using a switch matrix having two or more mode configurations. Each mode configuration corresponds to one of two or more output signal voltages. The output signal is compared with a reference signal to produce a direction comparison signal. The direction comparison signal is used to produce the mode control signal.
Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of an enhanced resonant frequency hexagonal ferrite material, such as Y-phase hexagonal ferrite material, and methods of manufacturing. In some embodiments, sodium or potassium can be added into the crystal structure of the hexagonal ferrite material in order to achieve improved resonant frequencies in the range of 500 MHz to 1 GHz useful for radiofrequency applications.
Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) switch arrangement that improves the voltage handling capacity of a stack of switching elements (e.g., field-effect transistors (FETs)). The RF switch arrangement can include a ground plane and a stack arranged in relation to the ground plane, the stack including a plurality of switching elements coupled in series with one another. The RF switch arrangement can also include a plurality of capacitive elements, each of the plurality of capacitive elements providing a capacitive path across respective terminals of a corresponding one of the plurality of switching elements.
Abstract: Power amplification system with adaptive bias control. In some embodiments a power amplification system includes a power amplifier including a radio-frequency (RF) input terminal for receiving an RF signal, an RF output terminal for providing an amplified RF signal, a supply voltage terminal for receiving a power amplifier supply voltage to power the power amplifier, and one or more bias terminals for receiving one or more bias signals. The power amplification system also includes a bias controller configured to provide the one or more bias signals to the one or more bias terminals, at least one of the one or more bias signals being based on the power amplifier supply voltage.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 5, 2016
Date of Patent:
July 24, 2018
Assignee:
Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
Inventors:
Matthew Lee Banowetz, Philip H. Thompson
Abstract: Systems, devices and methods related to stacked band selection switch devices. In some embodiments, an RF module can include a packaging substrate and a power amplifier (PA) assembly implemented on a PA die mounted on the packaging substrate. The RF module can further include an output matching network (OMN) device mounted on the packaging substrate and a band selection switch device mounted on the OMN device. The OMN device can be configured to provide output matching functionality for at least a portion of the PA assembly.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 11, 2017
Date of Patent:
July 24, 2018
Assignee:
Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
Inventors:
Russ Alan Reisner, Joel Richard King, Ziv Alon, Tin Wai Kwan, Aleksey A. Lyalin, Xiaodong Xu
Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of an enhanced resonant frequency hexagonal ferrite material and methods of manufacturing. The hexagonal ferrite material can be Y-phase strontium hexagonal ferrite material. In some embodiments, strontium can be substituted out for a trivalent or tetravalent ion composition including potassium, thereby providing for advantageous properties.
Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of modified z-type hexagonal ferrite materials having improved properties that are advantageous for radiofrequency applications, in particular high frequency ranges for antennas and other devices. Atomic substitution of strontium, aluminum, potassium, and trivalent ions can be used to replace certain atoms in the ferrite crystal structure to improve loss factor at high frequencies.
Abstract: Disclosed are systems, devices and methods for providing electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection for integrated circuits. In some implementations, first and second conductors with ohmic contacts on an intrinsic semiconductor region can function similar to an x-i-y type diode, where each of x and y can be n-type or p-type. Such a diode can be configured to turn on under selected conditions such as an ESD event. Such a structure can be configured so as to provide an effective ESD protection while providing little or substantially nil effect on radio-frequency (RF) operating properties of a device.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 25, 2016
Date of Patent:
July 10, 2018
Assignee:
Skyworks Solutions. Inc.
Inventors:
Kim Rene Smith, Paul T. DiCarlo, Michael David Hill
Abstract: Systems and methods for processing test results. A method of analyzing test results includes receiving a set of test result files, the set of test result files including a plurality of test results. The method also includes identifying a set of data filters based on one or more of the set of test result files or user input. The method further includes generating filtered results based on the set of data filters and the set of test result files, the filtered results including one or more of a subset of the plurality of test results or reordered test results. The method further includes providing a visual representation of the filtered results.
Abstract: A bias circuit provides additional bias current for power amplifiers during data bursts to compensate for the gain droop caused by a rise in the power amplifier temperature during the data burst. A bias circuit includes a difference amplifier and switches coupled to the difference amplifier. The switches operate the bias circuit in a first mode when a transmit data burst is detected and operate the bias circuit in a second mode after the bias circuit has operated in the first mode for a predetermined period of time. In the first mode, the bias circuit charges a storage capacitor and sets an output current to zero. In the second mode, the bias circuit outputs the output current that increases above the initial value of zero as the PA warms up, where the excursion of this increase of current is determined by a register. The switches disable the bias circuit when the transmit data burst ends.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 27, 2016
Date of Patent:
July 3, 2018
Assignee:
Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
Inventors:
Edward John Wemyss Whittaker, Gordon Glen Rabjohn
Abstract: Disclosed are devices and methods related to radio-frequency (RF) switches having silicon-on-insulator (SOI) field-effect transistors (FETs). In some embodiments, an RF switch can include an FET with shaped source, drain, and gate selected to yield a reduced per-area value of resistance in linear operating region (Rds-on). In some implementations, a plurality of such FETs can be connected in series to allow use of SOI technology in high power RF switching applications while maintaining a relatively small die size.
Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a first transmit path, a second transmit path, and a switch element. The first transmit path can provide a first radio frequency (RF) signal in accordance with a nominal specification. The second transmit path can provide a second RF signal in accordance with an intermittent specification, in which the first and second RF signals are within the same transmit band. The switch element can provide the first RF signal as a transmit mode output in a first state and provide the second RF signal as the transmit mode output in a second state.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 27, 2016
Date of Patent:
July 3, 2018
Assignee:
Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
Inventors:
Joel Richard King, Peter Phu Tran, Nick Cheng, David Richard Pehlke
Abstract: Radio-frequency (RF) devices are fabricated by providing a field-effect transistor (FET) formed over a an oxide layer formed on a substrate layer and removing at least a portion of the substrate layer to form an opening exposing at least a portion of a backside of the oxide layer, the opening being positioned to enhance RF performance for one or more components of the RF device.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 13, 2016
Date of Patent:
June 26, 2018
Assignee:
Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
Inventors:
Jerod F. Mason, Dylan Charles Bartle, David Scott Whitefield
Abstract: Bias circuit for power amplifier. In some embodiments, a bias circuit for an amplifier can include an input node, an output node, a supply voltage node, and a ground node. The bias circuit can further include a first transistor and a second transistor, with each transistor having a base, a collector, and an emitter. The base, collector and emitter of the second transistor can be coupled to the output node, input node and ground node, respectively. The base and collector of the first transistor can be coupled to the input node and supply voltage node, respectively. The bias circuit can further include a voltage adjustment circuit implemented between the emitter of the first transistor and the output node, and be configured to adjust a voltage at the emitter of the first transistor to a voltage at the output node.
Abstract: Voltage converter and control method thereof. In some embodiments, a voltage converter can include a voltage conversion circuit configured to convert an input voltage to an output voltage based on a drive signal, and a feedback circuit configured to generate an error signal based on the output voltage and a reference voltage. The voltage converter can further include a feedforward circuit configured to generate a feedforward signal based on the input voltage. The voltage converter can further include a drive control circuit configured to generate the drive signal based on the feedforward signal and the error signal.
Abstract: Semiconductor switches in portable transceivers switch between outgoing and incoming radio frequency signal paths. The isolation can be limited by the capacitive coupling between the switch input and the switch output. Ultra-high isolation can be achieved by adding a coupled transmission line to the semiconductor switch. The coupled transmission line introduces inductive coupling, which cancels at least a part of the capacitive coupling between the switch input and the switch output.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 3, 2017
Date of Patent:
June 5, 2018
Assignee:
Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
Inventors:
Yu Zhu, Oleksiy Klimashov, Dylan Charles Bartle