JP2002300082A - High frequency module - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To reduce the size of a high-frequency module equipped with a plurality of transmission / reception systems having different pass bands as much as possible. A high-frequency module (1) includes a branching circuit (DIP) that divides a plurality of transmission / reception systems having different pass bands into respective transmission / reception systems.
10, switch circuits SW10 and SW20 for switching each transmission / reception system between a transmission system and a reception system, and a switch circuit SW1.
0, couplers COP10, COP20 for monitoring the outputs of the amplifiers AMP10, AMP20 corresponding to the pass frequencies of the respective transmission systems and connected to the SW20, and the amplifier AMP
10. MAT of at least a part of the matching circuit of the AMP 20
10, MAT20 is provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a high-frequency module provided with a plurality of transmission / reception systems having different pass bands.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a portable telephone employing a dual band system has been proposed in contrast to an ordinary portable telephone employing one transmission / reception system. The dual-band mobile phone is equipped with two transmitting / receiving systems in one mobile phone, and the convenience of selecting and transmitting a transmitting / receiving system that matches the regional characteristics and the purpose of use is provided. It is expected to be a high device.

In recent years, in Europe, a dual-band mobile phone equipped with both the GSM system and the DCS system has been adopted as a plurality of transmission / reception systems having different pass bands.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram (high-frequency circuit section) of a GSM / DCS dual-band portable telephone.
The high-frequency module separates two transmission / reception systems having different passbands into transmission / reception systems DCS and GSM, and performs transmission / reception system DC
S and GSM each include a low-pass filter for switching between a transmission system Tx and a reception system Rx, and a switch module ASM1 composed of a switch circuit and a demultiplexer circuit, and a transmission system Tx and a reception system Rx of a transmission / reception system DCS.
And a transmission / reception system GSM transmission system Tx and reception system Rx. The transmitting system Tx is a coupler COP10 for each transmitting and receiving system.
0, 200, and amplifiers AMP100, 200. Each of the amplifiers AMP100 and AMP200 includes an amplifier circuit MMIC and a matching circuit. At the time of transmission, the transmission signal amplified by the Tx-side amplifier AMP100 or AMP200 is transmitted as a high-frequency signal from the antenna ANT via the coupler COP100 or COP200 and the high-frequency switch module ASM1 including a low-pass filter, a switch circuit, and a branching circuit. You. On the other hand, the receiving system Rx includes bandpass filters BPF300 and 400 and amplifiers AMP300 and 400. At the time of reception, a high-frequency signal received by the antenna ANT is taken out through the high-frequency switch module ASM1, and unnecessary signals near the reception band are removed by the band-pass filter BPF300 or BPF400.
Amplified at 0 or AMP400.

[0005] In a dual-band mobile phone, it is necessary to mount circuits necessary for the configuration of each transmission / reception system. However, if the circuits are configured using individual dedicated components, the size and cost of the equipment will increase. Will be invited. Therefore,
It is demanded that the common circuit portions be made as common as possible to advantageously develop the miniaturization and low cost of the equipment.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-225088 discloses a multi-band high-frequency switch module AS for miniaturization.
M1 is described. FIG. 5 shows this multi-band high-frequency switch module ASM1. A demultiplexing circuit comprising a notch circuit for dividing two transmission / reception systems having different pass bands into transmission / reception systems, and the transmission / reception systems as transmission / reception systems. And a low-pass filter LPF disposed in each transmission system. The demultiplexing circuit uses two notch circuits in which LC elements are connected in parallel, and one end of each notch circuit is connected. The common terminal is common to the two transmission / reception systems, while the other end of each notch circuit is connected to a switch circuit.

[0007]

In a dual-band mobile phone, it is necessary to mount circuits necessary for the configuration of each transmission / reception system. However, if the circuit is configured using individual dedicated components, the size of the equipment becomes large. And cost increase. Therefore, it is demanded that the circuit portions that can be shared be made as common as possible to advantageously develop the miniaturization and cost reduction of the device. Today, in the dual-band system, instead of a type in which each component constituting the high-frequency switch is mounted on a printed wiring board, a high-frequency switch is partially integrated into a module to form a module. Since the components of the module and the amplifier are mounted on the printed wiring board, further downsizing is the limit in such an embodiment.

Further, when the components of the high-frequency switch module and the amplifier are mounted on a printed wiring board, the characteristics of the high-frequency circuit section of the portable telephone are rarely satisfied as they are. However, there is a problem in that the design is further required, and the size of the device is increased by an amount corresponding to the additional circuit.

The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem, and comprises a branching circuit that divides a plurality of transmitting / receiving systems having different pass bands into respective transmitting / receiving systems to a matching circuit of an amplifier of each transmitting system. An object of the present invention is to provide a high-frequency module that is miniaturized as much as possible by providing at least a part of the circuit elements in the module.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a high-frequency module for separating a plurality of transmission / reception systems having different pass bands into transmission / reception systems, and a transmission / reception system for each of the transmission / reception systems. A switch circuit connected to the switch circuit, a coupler for monitoring an output from an amplifier for amplifying a transmission signal at a pass frequency of each transmission system, and at least a part of a circuit constituting a matching circuit of the amplifier The element has been placed.

According to the present invention, since at least some of the circuit elements of the branching circuit, the switch circuit, the coupler, and the matching circuit are provided in the module, a more compact module is manufactured. Also, in order to mount a high-frequency module integrating each component on a printed wiring board,
It is not necessary to form a wiring for connecting each component on the printed wiring board, and the loss can be reduced. Further, in the high-frequency module, since each component can be designed simultaneously, it is possible to perform optimal characteristic adjustment as a module, and it is not necessary to provide a circuit for characteristic adjustment between each component.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a laminated body formed by laminating a plurality of dielectric layers, and at least a part of at least a part of the circuit elements is built in the laminated body. 2. The high-frequency module according to claim 1, wherein the chip element is mounted on the laminate. According to this configuration, since the electrode pattern and the chip component are effectively provided on the laminate, the size can be further reduced. Specifically, a filter that constitutes a demultiplexing circuit, a transmission line that constitutes a switch circuit, a transmission line and a coupling line that constitutes a coupler, and a transmission line that constitutes a matching circuit are provided in a laminate including a plurality of dielectric layers. A PIN diode that is included and forms a switch circuit, and an inductor, a capacitor, and a resistor that are not included in the laminate are mounted and integrated on the laminate. For this reason, the mounting area on the printed wiring board is reduced, and the size can be further reduced, as compared with a conventional component in which each component is mounted on the printed wiring board.

The invention according to claim 3 is the high-frequency module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the branching circuit has a low-pass filter and / or a high-pass filter built in the laminate. . According to this configuration, the low-pass filter and / or the high-pass filter constituting the branching circuit are built in the laminate.

The invention according to claim 4 is the high-frequency module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the coupler has a low-pass filter including a transmission line and a capacitor. According to this configuration, the low-pass filter including the transmission line and the capacitor constituting the coupler can be built in the laminate.

The invention according to claim 5 is the high-frequency module according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the matching circuit has a low-pass filter including a transmission line and a capacitor. According to this configuration, the low-pass filter including the transmission line and the capacitor constituting the matching circuit can be built in the laminate.

As described above, it is desirable that the demultiplexing circuit has a low-pass filter and / or a high-pass filter built in the laminate, and the coupler and the matching circuit have a low-pass filter function including a transmission line and a capacitor. Is desirable. By providing the elements with a plurality of functions, the number of elements provided in the high-frequency module is reduced, the high-frequency module can be further reduced in size, and the loss of the high-frequency module can be reduced by the reduced number of constituent elements.

Further, the high-frequency module according to the present invention comprises:
It is desirable to use a low-temperature fired ceramic substrate. Thereby, the plurality of dielectric layers and the electrodes forming the transmission lines and the capacitors on the plurality of dielectric layers can be integrally fired, so that the manufacturing process can be shortened and the cost can be reduced.

[0018]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a high-frequency module according to the present invention. The high-frequency module 1 includes a plurality of transmission / reception systems having different passbands, each transmission / reception system DCS, G
Demultiplexing circuit DIP10 for dividing into SM and each transmitting / receiving system DC
Switch circuits SW10 and SW20 for switching S and GSM to a transmission system Tx and a reception system Rx, respectively, and an amplifier A on each transmission Tx terminal side of the switch circuits SW10 and SW20.
Coupler COP that monitors the output of MP10 and AMP20
10, a COP 20 and amplifiers AMP10, MAT10 and MAT20 which are part of a matching circuit of the AMP20.

MAT10, MAT which is a part of the matching circuit
Reference numeral 20 is for adjusting the impedance between the couplers COP10 and COP20 and the amplifiers AMP10 and AMP20, respectively. Each of the amplifiers AMP10 and AMP20 includes an amplifier circuit MMIC and a matching circuit, and the matching circuit is for extracting amplification performance.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of the high-frequency module shown in FIG.
System (1800MHz band) transmission / reception system and GSM system (900MHz
And a transmission / reception system of the band), and both signals are separated in a circuit by a demultiplexing circuit DIP10.

The antenna ANT is connected to switch circuits SW10 and SW20 via a demultiplexer DIP10. That is, the received signal of the DCS system received from the antenna ANT is guided to the transmission / reception system on the DCS side via the demultiplexing circuit DIP10, and the received signal of the GSM system is transmitted to the demultiplexing circuit DI.
The signal is guided to the transmission / reception system on the GSM side via P10.

The circuit configuration on the DCS side will be described.
The switch circuit SW10 switches between the reception circuit Rx and the transmission circuit Tx. For switching between transmission and reception, for example, a time division system is adopted. The transmitting circuit Tx side is an amplifier circuit MM
Amplifier AM comprising IC and matching circuit MAT30
P2 and a matching circuit MAT10, and the second-stage matching circuit MAT10 is directly connected to the coupler COP10. The two-stage matching circuits MAT10 and MAT30 form a low-pass filter including the transmission line STLD4 and the capacitor CD4, and the transmission line STLD5 and the capacitor CD5, and have an output impedance (about several Ω) and a coupler COP.
The impedance matching with the input impedance of 10 (around 50Ω) is performed, and the harmonic components are suppressed.

The coupler COP10 forms a low-pass filter including the transmission line STLD2 and the capacitor CD9. Further, the coupling line STLD20 is connected to the transmission line STLD.
By forming, for example, capacitive coupling close to the LD2, a part of the output from the amplifier circuit MMIC on the transmission circuit Tx side is taken out and fed back to the DCS Monitor as a monitor level. Switch circuit SW of coupling line STLD20
A terminating resistor RD2 is connected to the 10 side.

Coupler COP10 and switch circuit SW10
Is connected via a DC component cutting capacitor CD7, and the capacitor CD7 is connected to the anode of the PIN diode DD1. In addition, PIN diode DD
1 has an inductor LD3 and a capacitor CD.
3 and the inductor LD3 and the capacitor C
The connection point with D3 is connected to the control terminal Vc on the DCS side via the control resistor RD1.

The cathode of the PIN diode DD1 is connected to the high-pass filter HPF10 of the branching circuit DIP10 via the DC component cutting capacitor CD6, and the DCS is connected via the transmission line STLD3 and the DC component cutting capacitor CD8. Side Rx terminal. The connection point between the transmission line STLD3 and the capacitor CD8 is connected to the anode of the PIN diode DD2, and the cathode of the PIN diode DD2 is connected to the capacitor C
It is grounded via a parallel resonance circuit composed of D2 and inductor LD2. Capacitor CD2 and inductor L
The parallel resonance circuit formed with D2 separates the transmission circuit Tx and the reception circuit Rx on the DCS side. That is, it is a circuit for flowing a signal leaking from the transmission circuit Tx to the reception circuit Rx to the ground during transmission.

The branching circuit DIP10 is formed of, for example, a high-pass filter HPF10, a capacitor CD1 and an inductor LD1. High pass filter HP
F10 is a capacitor CD1 provided on the signal line.
0, two parallel transmission lines STLD6 and STLD7 at both ends of the capacitor CD10, and a short dimension transmission line STLD8 connected between the connection point of the other end and ground.
And two capacitors CD11 and CD12 connected between both ends of the capacitor CD10 and the ground.

Next, the circuit configuration on the GSM side will be described. The switch circuit SW20 switches between the reception circuit Rx and the transmission circuit Tx. For switching between transmission and reception, for example, a time division system is adopted. The transmitting circuit Tx side includes an amplifier AMP20 and a matching circuit MAT20 each including an amplifier circuit MMIC and a matching circuit MAT40, and the second-stage matching circuit MAT20 is directly connected to the coupler COP20. The two-stage matching circuits MAT20 and MAT40 include a transmission line STLG4, a capacitor CG4, and a transmission line ST.
A low-pass filter including the LG5 and the capacitor CG5 is configured to perform impedance matching between the output impedance (about several Ω) of the amplifier circuit MMIC and the input impedance (around 50Ω) of the coupler COP20.
Harmonic components are suppressed.

The coupler COP20 forms a low-pass filter including the transmission line STLG2 and the capacitor CG9. Further, the coupling line STLG20 is connected to the transmission line STLG.
By forming, for example, capacitive coupling close to LG2, a part of the output from the amplifier MMIC on the transmission circuit Tx side is extracted and fed back to the GSM Monitor as a monitor level. Switch circuit SW2 of coupling line STLG20
The 0 side is terminated by a terminating resistor RG2.

The coupler COP20 and the switch circuit SW20
Is connected via a DC component cutting capacitor CG7, and the capacitor CG7 is connected to the anode of the PIN diode DG1. Also, PIN diode DG
1 has an inductor LG3 and a capacitor CG
3 and the inductor LG3 and the capacitor C
A connection point with G3 is connected to a control terminal Vc on the GSM side via a control resistor RG1.

The cathode of the PIN diode DG1 is connected to the low-pass filter LPF10 of the branching circuit DIP10 via a DC component cutting capacitor CG6, and GSM via the transmission line STLG3 and the DC component cutting capacitor CG8. Side Rx terminal. The connection point between the transmission line STLG3 and the capacitor CG8 is connected to the anode of the PIN diode DG2, and the cathode of the PIN diode DG2 is connected to the capacitor C
It is grounded via a parallel resonance circuit consisting of G2 and inductor LG2. Capacitor CG2 and inductor L
The parallel resonance circuit formed by G2 and G2 separates the transmission circuit Tx and the reception circuit Rx on the GSM side. That is, it is a circuit for flowing a signal leaking from the transmission circuit Tx to the reception circuit Rx to the ground during transmission.

The branching circuit DIP10 is composed of, for example, a low-pass filter LPF10, a capacitor CG1 and an inductor LG1. Low-pass filter LP
F10 is a parallel circuit of a transmission line STLG6 and a capacitor CG10 provided on a signal line, and a transmission line ST10.
Three capacitors CG11, CG12 and CG1 interposed between the both ends of LG6 and the ground from three places at the center.
3 is comprised.

In the high frequency module 1, the demultiplexing circuit DI
P10, switch circuits SW10, SW20, coupler CO
P10, COP20, matching circuit MAT10, MAT20
Are arranged in the module. In the present embodiment, the high-pass filter HPF10 and the low-pass filter LPF10 forming the branching circuit DIP10
And transmission lines S forming the switch circuits SW10 and SW20.
TLD3, STLG3, coupler COP10, COP2
0, the transmission lines STLD2 and STLG2, the coupling lines STLD20 and STLG20, and the matching circuit MAT.
Transmission lines STLD4, STLG4 that constitute 10, 20
Are incorporated in a laminate formed by laminating dielectric layers as electrode patterns.

Further, a demultiplexing circuit DIP10, switch circuits SW10 and SW20, couplers COP10 and COP20,
A chip element such as a PIN diode which constitutes a part of each of the matching circuits MAT10 and MAT20 is mounted on the uppermost dielectric layer (laminate). That is,
In the present embodiment, in FIG. 2, circuit elements (circuits or parts constituting the circuits) including elements indicated by thick lines are formed as a built-in pattern of a dielectric layer. Alternatively, it is configured as a surface mount component, and the others are configured as surface mount components.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an embodiment of the high-frequency module according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the high-frequency module 1 is configured by laminating eight dielectric layers 11, 12,... 18 of the same dimensions and shape made of ceramic or the like to form a laminate. The side surface is covered with a shield cover 10 made of metal,
Further, a required number of end face electrodes formed as needed are formed at appropriate places on the side face so as to extend from the top face to the bottom face. The conductive pattern on the upper surface of the uppermost dielectric layer 11 is partially omitted in the drawing.

The dielectric layers 11 to 18 are ceramics for firing at a low temperature, and are formed by applying a conductive paste or the like to the surface of a ceramic green sheet and forming the above-described circuits (circuit elements shown by thick lines in FIG. 2). Are formed, green sheets on which patterns are formed are laminated, and thermocompression-bonded under a required pressure and temperature, followed by firing. In each dielectric layer, via holes necessary for configuring or connecting a circuit are appropriately formed over a plurality of layers. On the uppermost dielectric layer 11, in addition to various patterns, the trimmable resistors 21 and 22 corresponding to the terminating resistors RD2 and RG2 (the drawing shows the trimmable resistor 22 corresponding to the terminating resistor RG2). No), and a plurality of other chip components (other chip elements including the PIN diode shown in FIG. 2) are mounted.

In each of the above embodiments, the case where the coupling is performed at the edge of the line has been described. However, in the laminate, the main transmission lines STLD2 and STLG2 are used as the upper dielectric layers, and the coupling lines STLD20 and STLG20 are used as the coupling lines. The main transmission lines STLD2 and STLG2 are arranged in the lower dielectric layer by one stage or the required stage, or conversely, the coupling lines STLD20 and STLG20 are arranged in the upper dielectric layer by one stage or the required stage. It goes without saying that the same applies to the arrangement and coupling.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
Although the description has been given of the example of the laminated body including the dielectric layers, the number of the dielectric layers is not limited to this and may be one. Even in this case, in the high-frequency module 1, the branching circuit DI for dividing a plurality of transmission / reception systems having different pass bands into respective transmission / reception systems.
P10, switch circuits SW10 and SW20 for switching each transmission / reception system between a transmission system and a reception system, and this switch circuit S
Coupler COP connected to W10 and SW20 for monitoring the output of the amplifier corresponding to the pass frequency of each transmission system
10, COP20, part of the matching circuit of the amplifier MAT1
By mounting the MAT 20 and the MAT 20 in the same laminate, the mounting area on the printed wiring board can be reduced and the size can be reduced as compared with a conventional component in which each component is mounted on the printed wiring board and connected. .

Further, since the high-frequency module in which the components are integrated is mounted on the printed wiring board, it is not necessary to form a wiring for connecting the components on the printed wiring board, so that a low loss can be realized.

Further, in the high-frequency module, since each component can be designed simultaneously, it is possible to adjust the characteristics optimally as a module. Therefore, there is no need to provide a circuit for adjusting the characteristics between the components.

Since a low-temperature fired ceramic is used as the dielectric layer, the plurality of dielectric layers and the electrodes forming the transmission lines and the capacitors on the plurality of dielectric layers can be integrally fired. Therefore, the manufacturing process can be shortened, and the cost can be reduced.

As described above, in the high-frequency module of the present invention, the demultiplexer DIP10 for dividing a plurality of transmission / reception systems having different passbands into transmission / reception systems, and the switch circuits SW10 and SW20 for switching each transmission / reception system between the transmission system and the reception system. And the couplers COP10 and COP20 connected to the switch circuits SW10 and SW20 for monitoring the outputs of the amplifiers corresponding to the pass frequencies of the respective transmission systems, and part of the matching circuits MAT10 and MAT20 of the amplifiers. By modularizing, the mounting area on the printed wiring board can be reduced and the size can be reduced as compared with the conventional case where each component is mounted on the printed wiring board and connected.

Further, since the high-frequency module in which each component is integrated is mounted on a printed wiring board, it is not necessary to form a wiring for connecting each component on the printed wiring board, and low loss can be realized.

[0043]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, at least some of the circuit elements of the branching circuit, the switch circuit, the coupler, and the matching circuit are provided in the module.
A more miniaturized high-frequency module can be manufactured. Further, when a high-frequency module in which each component is integrated is mounted on a printed wiring board, it is not necessary to form a wiring for connecting each component on the printed wiring board, and low loss can be realized. Furthermore, since each component can be designed simultaneously, it is possible to perform optimal characteristic adjustment as a module, and there is no need to provide a circuit for characteristic adjustment between each component.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the electrode pattern and the chip component are effectively provided on the laminate, further miniaturization can be realized.

According to the third to fifth aspects of the present invention, by providing the element with a plurality of functions, the number of elements provided in the high-frequency module can be reduced, and the high-frequency module can be further downsized. As a result, the loss of the high-frequency module can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a high-frequency module according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing one embodiment of the high-frequency module shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing one embodiment of the high-frequency module according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram (high-frequency circuit unit) of a current GSM / DCS dual-band mobile phone.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a conventional high-frequency switch module.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 High frequency module AMP10, AMP20 Amplifier MAT10, MAT20, MAT30, MAT40 Matching circuit COP10, COP20 Coupler SW10, SW20 Switch circuit HPF10 High-pass filter LPF10 Low-pass filter DIP10 Demultiplexer STLD2-8, STLG2-6 STLG2-6 Transmission line STLD20, STLG20 coupling line

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5J012 BA04 5K011 BA03 DA02 DA21 FA01 JA01 KA00

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A demultiplexing circuit for dividing a plurality of transmission / reception systems having different passbands into transmission / reception systems, a switch circuit for switching the transmission / reception systems between a transmission system and a reception system, A high-frequency module in which a coupler for monitoring an output from an amplifier for amplifying a transmission signal at a system pass frequency and at least some circuit elements constituting a matching circuit of the amplifier are arranged. 2. A laminate comprising a plurality of dielectric layers laminated, wherein at least a part of the at least one circuit element has an electrode pattern embedded in the laminate,
The high-frequency module according to claim 1, wherein the chip element is mounted on the laminate. 3. The high-frequency module according to claim 1, wherein the branching circuit has a low-pass filter and / or a high-pass filter built in the laminate. 4. The high-frequency module according to claim 1, wherein the coupler has a low-pass filter including a transmission line and a capacitor. 5. The high-frequency module according to claim 1, wherein the matching circuit has a low-pass filter including a transmission line and a capacitor.