A Miniaturized RF Front-end Architecture for Dual-band Transceivers

A new architecture which requires fewer passive elements for dual-band RF front-ends has been proposed. The key idea behind this approach is the use of two novel RF components, namely, a dual-band balun-filter and a balanced diplexer. With fewer elements, front-ends using this architecture can be smaller in size and lower in cost than the traditional counterparts. Theoretical aspects for these two RF components have been discussed. In addition, an experimental prototype for the balanced diplexer, including its PCB layout details, has been presented. Measured results are in good agreement with theory, showing promising potential for dual-band wireless systems.