JP2011109714A - Multi-channel high frequency signal switching apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a multi-channel high frequency signal switching apparatus which can implement multi-channel high frequency signal switching in small scale circuit configuration. <P>SOLUTION: For a switching circuit handling multi-channel high frequency signals, e.g., eight sets of high frequency signal changeover switches 12A-12H are provided to surround a rectangular matrix wiring area 11, and aggregated in a matrix wiring area common for respective channels, thereby configuring a multi-channel aggregated high frequency signal switching circuit. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a multi-channel high-frequency signal switching device that selectively switches and outputs input high-frequency signals of a plurality of channels to high-frequency signals of a plurality of channels in any combination.

  In a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus (MRI), a plurality of element coils are formed by using a high-frequency signal switching circuit that selectively switches a multi-channel high-frequency signal input to a multi-channel high-frequency signal in an arbitrary combination and outputs it. A function for arbitrarily assigning to a plurality of reception channels is realized.

Japanese Patent No. 3455530

  The conventional high-frequency signal switching circuit provided in the above apparatus has a small number of high-frequency signal switching channels, and is realized by a circuit configuration in which switches are discretely connected according to the number of switching channels. If an attempt was made to increase the number of switching channels as an extension of this prior art, the circuit scale of the switching circuit that handles high-frequency signals was increased, and there was a problem in reducing the size of the apparatus. Further, as the circuit scale increases, the line length of the high-frequency signal to be handled is extended, which may cause problems in circuit operation such as signal transmission loss, leakage, and S / N deterioration. .

  An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-channel high-frequency signal switching device that can easily realize multi-channel high-frequency signal switching with a small circuit configuration.

  The present invention reduces the size of a multi-channel high-frequency signal switching circuit by assembling a switching circuit that handles multi-channel high-frequency signals in a matrix wiring area common to each channel to constitute a multi-channel integrated high-frequency signal switching circuit. Is realized.

  The present invention is a multilayer substrate on which at least a first wiring layer and a second wiring layer are formed, and k (k is an integer of 2 or more) first signal lines are fixed on the first wiring layer. A substrate in which a matrix wiring region is formed by arranging k second signal lines intersecting the first signal lines at a constant interval in the second wiring layer, and a first of the substrates A plurality of sets of high-frequency signal changeover switches, each having a set of k switch elements connected to the first signal line, at a position surrounding the matrix wiring region on one mounting surface, A first group of high-frequency signal selector switches for selectively outputting a high-frequency signal in units of channels supplied from an input end to any of the first signal lines in the matrix wiring region, and opposite to the first mounting surface of the substrate Surrounding the matrix wiring area of the second mounting surface that is a surface A plurality of sets of high-frequency signal changeover switches, each of which includes k switch elements connected to the second signal line, and each channel has a high-frequency signal supplied from an external input terminal. A matrix wiring connected to a second group of high-frequency signal selector switches for selectively outputting a signal to an arbitrary second signal line in the matrix wiring region; and the first group and the second group of high-frequency signal selector switches; Provided is a multi-channel high-frequency signal switching device including k output terminals for extracting a high-frequency signal in units of k channels from an intersection of the first signal line and the second signal line in a region.

  According to the present invention, the multi-channel high-frequency signal switching circuit that handles multi-channel high-frequency signals is assembled in a matrix wiring region common to the respective channels, thereby forming the multi-channel integrated high-frequency signal switching circuit. Switching can be easily realized with a small circuit configuration.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a multi-channel high-frequency signal switching device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The block diagram which shows the structure of the high frequency signal switch shown in the said FIG. The figure which shows the laminated structure of the board | substrate shown in the said FIG. The circuit diagram which shows the switching circuit of the multichannel high frequency signal switching apparatus shown in the said FIG. The characteristic explanatory view of the signal transmission line concerning the above-mentioned embodiment. The characteristic explanatory view of the signal transmission line concerning the above-mentioned embodiment. The characteristic explanatory view of the signal transmission line concerning the above-mentioned embodiment. The block diagram which shows the application example of the multichannel high frequency signal switching apparatus which concerns on the said embodiment. The block diagram which shows the structure of the multichannel high frequency signal switching apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  The configuration of the multi-channel high-frequency signal switching device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a multi-channel high-frequency signal switching device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the high-frequency signal switching switch shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing a switching circuit of the multi-channel high-frequency signal switching device shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the multi-channel high-frequency signal switching device according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate 10 having a quadrilateral matrix wiring region 11 and both the substrate 10 surrounding the matrix wiring region 11. Eight sets of high-frequency signal selector switches 12A to 12D and 12E to 12H provided on the surface layer are provided.

  As shown in FIG. 2, each of the eight sets of high-frequency signal changeover switches 12A to 12D and 12E to 12H includes eight high-frequency switch elements HS1 to HS8. The eight high frequency switch elements HS1 to HS8 are individually controlled to be turned on / off by a control signal supplied from the outside.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the substrate 10 having the quadrangular matrix wiring region 11 is composed of four conductive layers with the one and other surface layers PA and PB as component mounting surfaces and the inner layer via the insulating layer BL. The multilayer printed wiring board is formed. Of the conductive layers, two layers form wiring layers (signal layers) SA and SB that form the quadrilateral matrix wiring region 11, and the remaining two layers are between the wiring layers SA and SB. A ground layer (solid pattern) GND that electromagnetically shields between SB and the other surface layer (component mounting surface) PB is formed.

  Eight X signal lines XL1 to XL8 are arranged in parallel at regular intervals in the wiring layer SA, and eight Y signal lines YL1 to Y8 intersecting the X signal lines XL1 to XL8 are arranged in the wiring layer SB. YLs 8 are arranged in parallel at regular intervals to form a quadrilateral matrix wiring region 11.

  Four sets of high-frequency signal changeover switches 12A to 12D are mounted on one surface layer (component mounting surface) PA of the substrate 10 so as to surround the matrix wiring region 11, and the other surface layer (component mounting surface) PB is mounted on the other surface layer (component mounting surface) PB. Four sets of high-frequency signal change-over switches 12E to 12H are mounted.

  High frequency signals of predetermined channels (1CH to 8CH) are respectively supplied to the signal input terminals IN1 to IN8 of these eight sets of high frequency signal selector switches 12A to 12H. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the switching input terminals C of the switch elements HS1 to HS8 constituting the high frequency signal changeover switch 12A are commonly connected to constitute the signal input end IN1 of the high frequency signal changeover switch 12A. The high frequency signal of the first channel (1CH) is supplied to the signal input terminal IN1. Similarly, the switching input terminals C of the switch elements HS1 to HS8 are connected in common to the high frequency signal selector switches 12B to 12H, and the signal input terminals IN2 to IN8 of the high frequency signal selector switches 12B to 12H are connected to each other. The high frequency signals of the second channel (2CH) to the eighth channel (8CH) are supplied to the signal input terminals IN2 to IN8.

  The switching output terminals (symbol T shown in FIG. 2) of the switch elements HS1 to HS8 constituting the eight sets of high-frequency signal selector switches 12A to 12H are predetermined in the matrix wiring region 11 for each switch element. Each signal line is individually wired. Here, the switching output terminals of the switch elements HS1 to HS8 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12A provided on one component mounting surface PA, and the switch elements HS1 to HS8 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12E that overlap this switch on the plane. Are respectively connected to one end sides of the Y signal lines YL1 to YL8 through the through holes Th. That is, the switching output end of the switch element HS1 of the high frequency signal changeover switch 12A and the switching output end of the switch element HS1 of the high frequency signal changeover switch 12E are connected to one end side of the Y signal line YL1 through a common through hole Th. The switching output end of the switch element HS8 of the high frequency signal changeover switch 12A and the switching output end of the switch element HS8 of the high frequency signal changeover switch 12E are connected to one end side of the Y signal line YL8 through a common through hole Th. Has been. Similarly, the switching output terminals of the switch elements HS1 to HS8 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12B and the switching output terminals of the switch elements HS1 to HS8 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12F are individually X signals through the through holes Th. Connected to one end of the lines XL1 to XL8, the switching output ends of the switching elements HS1 to HS8 of the high frequency signal switching switch 12C and the switching output ends of the switching elements HS1 to HS8 of the high frequency signal switching switch 12G are respectively through holes. Individually connected to the other ends of the Y signal lines YL1 to YL8 via Th, the switching output terminals of the switching elements HS1 to HS8 of the high-frequency signal switching switch 12D, and the switching elements HS1 to HS8 of the high-frequency signal switching switch 12H. Switching output ends of the X signal lines XL1 to XL1 are individually connected through the through holes Th. It is connected to the other end of L8.

  The connection configuration of this switching circuit is shown in FIG. In the switching circuit shown in FIG. 4, an example is shown in which impedance matching elements 16 for matching signals are provided at the high-frequency signal output terminals OUT1 to OUT8 that extract high-frequency signals.

  Further, the component mounting surface PB of the substrate 10 is individually turned on / off with respect to each of the switch elements HS1 to HS8 of the eight sets of high frequency signal selector switches 12A to 12H according to a control signal received from the outside via the control signal connector 15. A switch control circuit 14 that outputs an off control signal, and a control that individually supplies the on / off control signal output from the switch control circuit 14 to the switch elements HS1 to HS8 of the high-frequency signal selector switches 12A to 12H. Signal lines CN1 to CN8 are provided. Here, control signal lines individually wired to each switch element are collectively shown as CN1 to CN8 for each set of high-frequency signal selector switches.

  On the quadrilateral matrix wiring region 11, eight intersections that make the X signal lines XL1 to XL8 and the Y signal lines YL1 to YL8 different from each other are used as output ends (extraction ends) of the high frequency signals, respectively. In the matrix wiring region 11, 8-channel high-frequency signal output terminals OUT1 to OUT8 are provided. In the first embodiment, X signal lines XL1 to XL8 in which the total line lengths of the X signal lines XL1 to XL8 and the Y signal lines YL1 to YL8 are uniform with respect to the high-frequency signal changeover switches 12A to 12H. And the Y signal lines YL1 to YL8, the high frequency signal extraction ends are defined as high frequency signal output ends OUT1 to OUT8. Here, in the matrix wiring region of the X signal lines XL1 to XL8 and the Y signal lines YL1 to YL8, the intersections (XL1 and YL4) of XL1 and YL4 are the high-frequency signal output terminals OUT1, XL2, and YL3 of the first channel. The intersection (XL2 · YL3) is the high-frequency signal output terminal OUT2 of the second channel, and the intersection (XL3 · YL2) of XL3 and YL2 is the intersection of the high-frequency signal output terminal OUT3, XL4 and YL1 of the third channel (XL4 · YL1). Is the high-frequency signal output terminal OUT4 of the fourth channel, the intersection (XL5 · YL8) of XL5 and YL8 is the high-frequency signal output terminal OUT5 of the fifth channel, and the intersection (XL6 · YL7) of XL6 and YL7 is the high-frequency of the sixth channel. Signal output terminal OUT6, the intersection (XL7, YL6) of XL7 and YL6 is the high-frequency signal output terminal of the seventh channel UT7, intersection of the XL8 and YL5 a (XL8 · YL5) is set to the eighth channel of the high frequency signal output terminal OUT8.

  The eight-channel high-frequency signal output terminals OUT1 to OUT8 provided in the matrix wiring region 11 have the same matrix wiring length, with OUT1 to OUT4 being based on XL1 and YL1 and OUT5 to OUT8 being based on XL8 and YL8.・ It is provided at the Y intersection. Note that XL1 is connected to the switch elements HS1 of the high-frequency signal selector switches 12B, 12D, 12F, and 12H, and YL1 is connected to the switch elements HS1 of the high-frequency signal selector switches 12A, 12C, 12E, and 12G to XL8. Are connected to the switch elements HS8 of the high-frequency signal change-over switches 12B, 12D, 12F, and 12H, and the switch elements HS8 of the high-frequency signal change-over switches 12A, 12C, 12E, and 12G are connected to the YL8.

  Thereby, for example, the switch element HS1 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12A, the switch element HS8 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12B, the switch element HS8 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12C, and the switch element HS1 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12D are respectively provided. By simultaneously performing switch-on control, the high-frequency signal of the first channel (1CH) input to the signal input terminal IN1 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12A is output to the signal output terminal OUT4, and the signal input terminal IN2 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12B. The high frequency signal of the second channel (2CH) input to the high frequency signal is output to the signal output terminal OUT8, and the high frequency signal of the third channel (3CH) input to the signal input terminal IN3 of the high frequency signal selector switch 12C is output to the signal output terminal OUT5. Output to high-frequency signal switching RF signal of the fourth channel input (4CH) is output to the signal output terminal OUT1 to switch 12D of the signal input terminal IN4. The high-frequency signal input / output of each channel can be easily understood by following the switch circuit diagram shown in FIG.

  Further, for example, the switch element HS2 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12A, the switch element HS7 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12B, the switch element HS7 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12C, and the switch element HS2 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12D are simultaneously switched. By performing the ON control, the high frequency signal of the first channel (1CH) input to the signal input terminal IN1 of the high frequency signal selector switch 12A is output to the signal output terminal OUT3 and input to the signal input terminal IN2 of the high frequency signal selector switch 12B. The high frequency signal of the second channel (2CH) is output to the signal output terminal OUT7, and the high frequency signal of the third channel (3CH) input to the signal input terminal IN3 of the high frequency signal selector switch 12C is output to the signal output terminal OUT6. High frequency signal selector switch RF signal of the fourth channel input to 2D signal input terminal IN4 (4CH) is output to the signal output terminal OUT2. The high-frequency signal input / output of each channel can be easily understood by following the switch circuit diagram shown in FIG.

  Further, for example, the switch element HS8 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12A, the switch element HS1 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12B, the switch element HS1 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12C, and the switch element HS8 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12D are simultaneously switched. By performing the ON control, the high frequency signal of the first channel (1CH) input to the signal input terminal IN1 of the high frequency signal selector switch 12A is output to the signal output terminal OUT5 and input to the signal input terminal IN2 of the high frequency signal selector switch 12B. The high frequency signal of the second channel (2CH) is output to the signal output terminal OUT1, and the high frequency signal of the third channel (3CH) input to the signal input terminal IN3 of the high frequency signal selector switch 12C is output to the signal output terminal OUT4. High frequency signal selector switch RF signal of the fourth channel input to 2D signal input terminal IN4 (4CH) is output to the signal output terminal OUT8.

  Further, for example, the switch element HS1 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12E, the switch element HS8 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12F, the switch element HS8 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12G, and the switch element HS1 of the high-frequency signal selector switch 12H are simultaneously switched. By performing the ON control, the high frequency signal of the fifth channel (5CH) input to the signal input terminal IN1 of the high frequency signal selector switch 12E is output to the signal output terminal OUT4 and input to the signal input terminal IN6 of the high frequency signal selector switch 12F. The high frequency signal of the sixth channel (6CH) is output to the signal output terminal OUT8, and the high frequency signal of the seventh channel (7CH) input to the signal input terminal IN7 of the high frequency signal selector switch 12G is output to the signal output terminal OUT5. High frequency signal selector switch RF signals of the eight channels (8CH) is output to the signal output terminal OUT1 which is input to the 2H signal input terminal IN8.

  In the input / output of the high-frequency signal of each channel, the wiring length (propagation distance) from each signal input end to the signal output end is the same length (distance). As described above, by uniformly aligning the wiring length (propagation distance) from the signal input end to the signal output end of the high-frequency signal (suppressing variations in the wiring length), it is possible to switch the high-frequency signal at high speed.

  The relationship between insertion loss and SWR (degree of reflection) due to variations in the wiring length (propagation distance) from the signal input end to the signal output end of the high-frequency signal is shown in FIGS. FIG. 5 shows a case in which one end of the X signal line XL (or Y signal line YL) is an input end and the other end is an output end on the same matrix wiring as the matrix wiring region 11, and FIG. In the above, when one end of the X signal line XL (or Y signal line YL) is an input end and ½ on the line is an output end, FIG. 7 also shows the X signal line XL (or Y on the matrix wiring). A schematic diagram (a) and a characteristic diagram (b) in the case where one end of the signal line YL) is used as an input end and an output end are shown. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the insertion loss S21 and the SWRS 11 have different characteristics depending on the wiring length (propagation distance) from the signal input end to the signal output end. Therefore, by making the wiring length (propagation distance) uniform in a switching circuit that controls switching of a plurality of high-frequency signals at the same time, stable and high-quality high-speed switching can be performed for a plurality of high-frequency signals for image generation to be handled. .

  The multi-channel high-frequency signal switching device according to the first embodiment of the present invention described above has a configuration in which eight sets of high-frequency signal switching switches 12A to 12H are provided so as to surround the quadrilateral matrix wiring region 11. A high-frequency signal switching circuit using any combination of eight channels can be configured in a compact manner, and the wiring length of the switching circuit can be shortened. As a result, a multi-channel (8 × 8 channel) high-frequency signal switching device with little transmission loss can be realized. In addition, in the quadrilateral matrix wiring region 11, a solid pattern ground layer GND is inserted between the wiring layers SA and SB, and between the wiring layer SB and the other surface layer PB. A high-frequency signal switching device that suppresses signal leakage between 12A to 12H can be realized. Furthermore, since the wiring length (propagation distance) of each channel is made uniform as described above, stable high-quality high-speed switching becomes possible.

  FIG. 8 shows a configuration example in which a plurality of multi-channel (8 × 8 channel) high-frequency signal switching devices are combined to realize a multi-channel high-frequency signal switching device. The configuration example shown in FIG. 8 uses the high-frequency signal switching device (referred to as an 8 × 8 matrix circuit here) shown in FIGS. A desired multi-channel switching circuit can be obtained by connecting the output terminals of any two channels of the 8 × 8 matrix circuits 51 to 54 to the input terminals of any two channels of the four sets of 8 × 8 matrix circuits 55 to 58 in the subsequent stage. Realized. Here, an arbitrarily switchable high-frequency signal switching device with 32 input channels and 32 maximum output channels is realized. By connecting such multi-channel switching circuits in a hierarchical manner, a multi-channel high-frequency signal switching device can be realized.

  FIG. 9 shows the configuration of a multi-channel high-frequency signal switching device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the configuration of the multi-channel high-frequency signal switching device shown in FIG. 9, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  The multi-channel high-frequency signal switching device according to the second embodiment differs from the multi-channel high-frequency signal switching device according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. The position of the intersection of OUT8 is made different. In the multi-channel high-frequency signal switching device according to the second embodiment, in the matrix wiring region of the X signal lines XL1 to XL8 and the Y signal lines YL1 to YL8, the intersection (XL1 · YL8) of XL1 and YL8 is the first channel. The intersections (XL2, YL7) of the high-frequency signal output terminals OUT1, XL2 and YL7 are the high-frequency signal output terminals OUT2 of the second channel, and the intersections (XL3, YL6) of XL3 and YL6 are the high-frequency signal output terminals OUT3, XL4 of the third channel. The intersection (XL4 · YL5) of YL5 is the high-frequency signal output terminal OUT4 of the fourth channel, and the intersection (XL5 · YL4) of XL5 and YL4 is the intersection of the high-frequency signal output terminal OUT5 of the fifth channel, XL6 and YL3 (XL6 · YL3). Is the intersection of the sixth channel high-frequency signal output terminal OUT6, XL7 and YL2 (XL7, YL2) RF signal output terminal of the seventh channel OUT7, XL8 the intersection of YL1 a (XL8 · YL1) is set to the eighth channel of the high frequency signal output terminal OUT8.

  Also in the configuration of the second embodiment, the wiring length of the switching circuit can be uniformly reduced by making one side of the quadrilateral matrix wiring region 11 about 20 mm to 30 mm, and the current tens of megahertz to hundreds A compact multi-channel high-frequency signal switching device that can be sufficiently applied to high-speed switching of a 10 MHz high-frequency signal can be realized.

  As described above, according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention, a switching circuit that handles multi-channel high-frequency signals is assembled in a matrix wiring area common to each channel, thereby forming a multi-channel integrated high-frequency signal switching circuit. Thus, switching of multi-channel high-frequency signals can be easily realized with a small circuit configuration.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Board | substrate, 11 ... Quadrilateral matrix wiring area | region, 12A-12H ... High frequency signal changeover switch, HS1-HS8 ... Switch element, OUT1-OUT8 ... High frequency signal output terminal, 14 ... Switch control circuit, CN1-CN8 ... Control signal Lines 51 to 58... High-frequency signal switching device (8 × 8 matrix circuit).

Claims (3)

A multilayer substrate on which at least a first wiring layer and a second wiring layer are formed, and k first signal lines (k is an integer of 2 or more) are arranged at a predetermined interval on the first wiring layer. A substrate on which a matrix wiring region is formed by arranging k second signal lines intersecting the first signal lines at a predetermined interval in the second wiring layer;
A plurality of sets of high-frequency signal changeover switches, each of which is provided at a position surrounding the matrix wiring region on the first mounting surface of the substrate and includes k switch elements connected to the first signal lines, A first group of high-frequency signal selector switches for selectively outputting a high-frequency signal in units of channels supplied from the external input terminals of each set to any one of the first signal lines in the matrix wiring region;
Plural sets of k switch elements provided at a position surrounding the matrix wiring region of the second mounting surface, which is the opposite surface of the substrate to the first mounting surface, and connected to the second signal line. A second group of high-frequency signals, each of which is a group of high-frequency signal changeover switches for selectively outputting a high-frequency signal in units of channels supplied from an external input terminal of each group to any second signal line in the matrix wiring region A changeover switch,
K output terminals connected to the first group and second group high frequency signal change-over switches and for extracting high frequency signals in units of k channels from intersections of the first signal lines and the second signal lines in the matrix wiring region; ,
A multi-channel high-frequency signal switching device comprising:   Each intersection of the output ends has a total line length of the first signal line and the second signal line with respect to the first group or the second group of high-frequency signal selector switches that output the high-frequency signal. 2. The multi-channel high-frequency signal switching device according to claim 1, wherein the multi-channel high-frequency signal switching device is a uniform crossing position between the first signal line and the second signal line.   The said 1st signal line and said 2nd signal line are wiring-connected by the through hole in the said crossing position, The said output end which takes out the high frequency signal of the said channel unit is formed, The said output terminal is characterized by the above-mentioned. The multi-channel high-frequency signal switching device as described.

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