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DE-102016109359-B4 - Devices and methods for signal coupling

DE102016109359B4DE 102016109359 B4DE102016109359 B4DE 102016109359B4DE-102016109359-B4

Abstract

Coupling device (120), comprising: a coupling element (20; 37; 70) for sending a first signal and a second signal from a coupling circuit part (10; 25), a first coupling element (21; 38; 71) for receiving the first signal from the output coupling element (20; 37; 70), suppressing the second signal, and a second coupling element (22; 310; 72) different from the first coupling element (21; 38; 71) for receiving the second signal from the output coupling element (20; 37; 70), wherein the first signal is suppressed, wherein the coupling device is configured to couple the output coupling element (20; 37; 70) to the first coupling element (21; 38; 71) predominantly via a magnetic field and to couple the output coupling element (20; 37; 70) to the second coupling element (22; 310; 72) predominantly via an electric field.

Inventors

  • Vadim Issakov
  • Johann Peter Forstner
  • Saverio Trotta

Assignees

  • INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20160520

Claims (18)

  1. Coupling device (120) comprising: a coupling element (20; 37; 70) for transmitting a first signal and a second signal from a coupling circuit part (10; 25), a first coupling element (21; 38; 71) for receiving the first signal from the coupling element (20; 37; 70), with the second signal being suppressed, and a second coupling element (22; 310; 72) distinct from the first coupling element (21; 38; 71) for receiving the second signal from the coupling element (20; 37; 70), with the first signal being suppressed, wherein the coupling device is configured to couple the coupling element (20; 37; 70) to the first coupling element (21; 38; 71) predominantly via a magnetic field and the coupling element (21; 38; 71) to couple the first coupling element (20; 37; 70) with the second coupling element (22; 310; 72) predominantly via an electric field.
  2. Coupling device (120) according to Claim 1 , wherein the first signal can be supplied to the output coupling element (20; 37; 70) as a differential signal and the second signal as a common-mode signal, wherein the first signal can be tapped off at the first input coupling element (21; 38; 71) as a differential signal, and wherein the second signal can be tapped off at the second input coupling element (22; 310; 72) as a common-mode signal.
  3. Coupling device (120) according to Claim 1 or 2 , wherein the output coupling element comprises a coil (37; 70), wherein the first input coupling element comprises a coil (38; 71) with differential terminals, and wherein the third output coupling element comprises a coil (310; 72) whose terminals are connected together.
  4. Coupling device (120) comprising: a transmitting coil (37; 70) with a differential connection, a first receiving coil (38; 71) with a differential connection, and a second receiving coil (310; 72) distinct from the first receiving coil (38; 71), the ends of which are short-circuited to form a single-pole connection.
  5. Coupling device according to Claim 4 , wherein the transmitting coil (70), the first receiving coil (71) and the second receiving coil (72) each comprise only one turn.
  6. Coupling device according to Claim 4 or 5 , wherein the transmitting coil (70), the first receiving coil (71) and the second receiving coil (72) are arranged as a coil stack.
  7. Circuit comprising: a coupling device (120) according to one of the Claims 1 - 6 , a first circuit part (25) for generating a first signal and a second signal, a second circuit part (26) for receiving the first signal from the first circuit part via the coupling device, wherein the second signal is suppressed, and a third circuit part (27) for receiving the second signal from the first circuit part via the coupling device, wherein the first signal is suppressed.
  8. Circuit according Claim 7 , wherein the second circuit part comprises a first buffer (124) with a differential input which is coupled to the coupling device (120).
  9. Circuit according Claim 7 or 8 , wherein the third circuit part comprises a second buffer (125) with a single-pole input which is coupled to the coupling device (120).
  10. Circuit according to one of the Claims 7 - 9 , wherein the first circuit part (25) is configured to supply the coupling device with the first signal as a differential signal and the second signal as a common-mode signal.
  11. Circuit according to one of the Claims 7 - 10 , wherein the first circuit part (25) is configured to generate the second signal as a harmonic of the first signal.
  12. Circuit according to one of the Claims 7 - 11 wherein the first circuit part (25) comprises an oscillator (126; 130; 140; 150; 165) with cross-coupled transistors or a Colpitts oscillator (170; 186).
  13. Circuit according to one of the Claims 7 - 12 , wherein the first circuit part comprises a frequency multiplier (190) or a frequency divider.
  14. Method comprising: Transmitting a first signal and a second signal by means of a transmitting coil (37; 70), wherein the first signal is supplied to the transmitting coil (37; 70) as a differential signal and the second signal is supplied to the transmitting coil as a common-mode signal, Receiving the first signal at a differential first receiving coil (38; 71), and Receiving the second signal at a second receiving coil (310; 72), the terminals of which are short-circuited.
  15. Procedure according to Claim 14 , further comprising generating the first signal and the second signal by means of an oscillator circuit (126; 130; 140; 150; 165; 170; 186).
  16. Procedure according to Claim 14 or 15 , where the first signal has a different frequency than the second signal.
  17. Procedure according to one of the Claims 14 - 16 , wherein the transmitting coil (37; 70), the first receiving coil (38; 71) and the second receiving coil (310; 72) form a coupling device according to one of the Claims 1 - 6 form.
  18. Procedure according to one of the Claims 14 - 17 , wherein the method uses a circuit according to one of the Claims 7 - 13 is carried out.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA The present application relates to methods and devices for signal coupling, i.e., for coupling signals, for example, from one circuit part to another. In particular, the present application relates to signal coupling of high-frequency signals, for example, with a frequency above 1 GHz. BACKGROUND In many applications, it is necessary to provide signals, especially high-frequency signals, generated or processed in one circuit section, to another section of the circuit for further use. For example, in some applications, signals generated by an oscillator such as a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) must be fed to a frequency divider network, a transmitting circuit, or a receiving circuit; signals from a frequency doubler must be fed to other circuit sections; or part of the output of a transmitting circuit must be fed to a diagnostic circuit such as a power detector for testing purposes. When extracting signals from one circuit and coupling them into another, it is often desirable or necessary to minimize the impact on the function of the circuit section from which the signal (or signals) is extracted (hereinafter also referred to as the extracting circuit section). In particular, for many applications, it is desirable that such signal extraction places the lowest possible load on the extracting circuit section. This is especially critical in many applications where high frequencies, such as millimeter waves (in the range above 10 GHz, for example), are used. A voltage-controlled oscillator using a resonator tank serves as an example. If a load is directly connected to nodes of the resonator tank, this loads the resonator tank and affects the phase noise. From the DE 10 2014 103 344 A1 A coupler with a primary coil and a secondary coil is known. The primary coil comprises a first end coupled to a first contact terminal, a second end coupled to a second contact terminal, and a first center tap coupled to a reference node. This coupler allows the transmission of a desired signal, while electrostatic discharges are shunted to ground via the center tap and thus suppressed during transmission. The DE 10 2014 203 228 A1 reveals a directional coupler, and the DE 10 2014 114 200 A1 reveals a high-frequency coupler. Furthermore, in some applications it is desirable not only to extract a signal at a single frequency, but to extract signals of different frequencies separately from a single circuit. An example is the extraction of a higher harmonic of the fundamental frequency of an oscillator. For instance, if a voltage-controlled oscillator operates at a fundamental frequency of 30 GHz, a second harmonic at 60 GHz may be present at some nodes in certain implementations. In some oscillator configurations, such as a so-called push-push configuration, the fundamental signal (e.g., 30 GHz) is then fed to a frequency divider chain, and the second harmonic (e.g., 60 GHz) is fed to a receiver or transmitter. Two frequencies can also occur simultaneously in frequency doublers, circulators, or duplexers. Traditionally, such coupling of multiple signals at different frequencies is achieved through direct coupling, using smaller transistors, for example, to reduce the load and thus minimize (parasitic) load capacitance. However, this can still lead to degradation of the circuit from which the signal is extracted. Furthermore, such approaches can introduce additional parasitic effects. Finally, miniaturizing structures like transistors also has its limitations. It is therefore a task to provide improved devices and methods for signal coupling. SUMMARY In this regard, methods and devices as defined in the independent claims are provided. The dependent claims define further embodiments. The above summary provides only a brief overview and should not be interpreted as restrictive. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 1 is a schematic representation of a device according to an exemplary embodiment.2 is a block diagram of a device according to an exemplary embodiment.3 is a circuit diagram of a device according to an exemplary embodiment.4-6 These are various illustrations to explain the functionality of exemplary implementations.7A-7C The images show perspective views of a device according to an exemplary embodiment.8A and 8B They show circuits that serve as a basis for simulations.9 shows results of simulations based on the circuits of the 8A and 8B .10 shows a circuit as a basis for simulations.11A and 11B show results of simulations based on the circuit of 10 .12-19 They show circuits according to various embodiments.20 shows a flowchart to illustrate a process according to an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following section explains various exemplary embodiments in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These exemplary embodiments serve only for illustration and are not to be interpreted as restrictive. Thus, a description of an exemplary embodiment with a large number of features shou