A Novel Method for Synthesizing an Automatic Matching Network and Its Control Unit

Abstract

We present a novel method simplifying matching network synthesis and design based on a tunable low-pass <formula formulatype="inline" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex Notation="TeX">$\pi$</tex> </formula> matching network topology. This method exploits the Smith chart in a novel way. Analytic expressions for calculating the optimal matching network for automatically adapting the load to the source impedance are derived. This work is applied to a new antenna tuning unit concept able to calibrate the system in a single iteration process reducing strongly both the speed and the overall consumption of the antenna calibration module. The obtained matching network nodal and load quality factors are analyzed and the matching network efficiency is evaluated to highlight the impact of the imperfection in the design. The simulation and experimental results are presented to validate the proposed method and to evaluate the obtained matching efficiency. We perform reflection coefficients less than <formula formulatype="inline" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex Notation="TeX">${-}30$</tex> </formula> dB, high efficiency matching networks with only 258 <formula formulatype="inline" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex Notation="TeX">$\mu$</tex></formula> s to calculate the proper state of the tunable matching network under a processor delivering 40 MIPS of performance.