Apparatus and method for communicating

• US 10,045,178 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2015
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Chang-Joon
• Primary Examiner(s): Sinkantarakorn, Pao
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jahangir, Kabir
• Application Number:
  US14/984,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20160262145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/00 Baseband systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

An apparatus and method of operating a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system is provided. The apparatus includes a first communication unit comprising a transmitter configured to transmit a first signal to a base station or another UE and a first receiver configured to receive a second signal from the base station, wherein the first communication unit is connected to a first port of a switch module, a second communication unit comprising a second receiver configured to receive a third signal from the another UE and a third receiver configured to receive a fourth signal from the base station, wherein the second communication unit is connected to a second port of the switch module, and wherein the switch module is configured to perform time division duplexing (TDD) switching between the first port and the second port in a first communication mode, and wherein the switch module is connected to the first port in a second communication mode.

Claims

1. An apparatus of a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, comprising:

a first communication unit comprising a transmitter configured to transmit a first signal to a base station or another UE and a first receiver configured to receive a second signal from the base station, wherein the first communication unit is connected to a first port of a switch module;

a second communication unit comprising a second receiver configured to receive a third signal from the another UE and a third receiver configured to receive a fourth signal from the base station, wherein the second communication unit is connected to a second port of the switch module;

wherein the switch module is configured to perform time division duplexing switching between the first port and the second port in a first communication mode, and wherein the switch module is connected to the first port in a second communication mode,

wherein a bandpass filter of the first communication unit is connected to the first port of the switch module, and

wherein another bandpass filter of the second communication unit is connected to the second port of the switch module.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first signal is a cellular uplink transmission (TX) signal and a device to device (D2D) TX signal,

the third signal is a D2D reception (RX) signal,

the first signal is a cellular uplink band signal, and

the first signal and the third signal are separated by the switch module.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first communication unit further comprises:

a device transmitter configured to generate the D2D TX signal;

a base station transmitter configured to generate the cellular uplink TX signal;

a first base station receiver configured to process a cellular downlink RX signal; and

a first bandpass filter (BPF) configured to filter and apply TX signals of a cellular uplink band to the first port of the switch module, and filter and apply RX signals of a cellular downlink band output from the first port of the switch module, to the first base station receiver.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second communication unit further comprises:

a device receiver configured to process the D2D RX signal;

a second base station receiver configured to process the cellular downlink RX signal; and

a second BPF configured to filter and apply a D2D RX signal of the cellular uplink band output from the second port of the switch module, to the device receiver, and filter and apply an RX signal of the cellular downlink band output from the second port of the switch module, to the second base station receiver.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the switch module is further configured to connect an antenna to the first port in the second communication mode, and

the first communication unit is configured to transmit the cellular uplink TX signal and processes the received cellular downlink RX signal through the first BPF.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the switch module is further configured to switch and connect to the first port and the second port in a preset TX period and a preset RX period in the first communication mode,

the first communication unit is configured to apply the D2D TX signal to the first port of the switch module in the TX period, and

the second communication unit is configured to process the D2D RX signal applied to the second port of the switch module in the RX period.

7. A method of operating a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, comprising:

transmitting and receiving signals to and from a base station through a first communication unit including a transmitter which transmits a first signal to the base station or another UE and a first receiver which receives a second signal from the base station, wherein the first communication unit is connected to a first port of a switch module; and

receiving a signal from the another UE through a second communication unit including a second receiver which receives a third signal from the another UE and a third receiver which receives a fourth signal from the base station, wherein the second communication unit is connected to a second port of the switch module,

wherein the switch module is configured to perform time division duplexing switching between the first port and the second port in a first communication mode,

wherein the switch module is connected to the first port in a second communication mode,

wherein a bandpass filter of the first communication unit is connected to the first port of the switch module, and

wherein another bandpass filter of the second communication unit is connected to the second port of the switch module.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first signal is a cellular uplink transmission (TX) signal and a device to device (D2D) TX signal,

the third signal is a D2D reception (RX) signal,

the first signal is a cellular uplink band signal, and

the first signal and the third signal are separated by the switch module.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein transmitting and receiving signals, in the second communication mode, to and from the base station comprises:

transmitting the cellular uplink TX signal, in the second communication mode, to the base station through a base station transmitter of the first communication unit.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein transmitting and receiving signals, in the second communication mode, to and from the base station comprises:

receiving a cellular downlink RX signal, in the second communication mode, from the base station through a first base station receiver of the first communication unit.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein transmitting the signal, in the first communication mode, to the another UE through the first communication unit or receiving of the signal from the another UE through the second communication unit comprises:

transmitting a D2D TX signal, in the first communication mode, to the another UE in an uplink band through a device transmitter of the second communication unit.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein transmitting the first signal comprises:

transmitting a TX signal to the another UE in an uplink band only when the second communication mode is not performed.

13. A transceiver chip set, comprising a chip set configured to:

transmit and receive signals to and from a base station through a first communication unit including a transmitter which transmits a first signal to the base station or another UE and a first receiver which receives a second signal from the base station, wherein the first communication unit is connected to a first port of a switch module; and

receive a signal from the another UE through a second communication unit including a second receiver which receives a third signal from the another UE and a third receiver which receives a fourth signal from the base station, wherein the second communication unit is connected to a second port of the switch module,

wherein the switch module is configured to perform time division duplexing switching between the first port and the second port in a first communication mode, and

wherein the switch module is connected to the first port in a second communication mode,

wherein a bandpass filter of the first communication unit is connected to the first port of the switch module, and

wherein another bandpass filter of the second communication unit is connected to the second port of the switch module.

14. The transceiver chip set of claim 13, wherein the first signal is a cellular uplink transmission (TX) signal and a device to device (D2D) TX signal,

the third signal is a D2D reception (RX) signal,

the first signal is a cellular uplink band signal, and

the first signal and the third signal are separated by the switch module.

15. The transceiver chip set of claim 14, wherein transmitting and receiving signals, in the second communication mode, to and from the base station comprises:

transmitting the cellular uplink TX signal, in the second communication mode, to the base station through a base station transmitter of the first communication unit.

16. The transceiver chip set of claim 14, wherein transmitting and receiving signals, in the second communication mode, to and from the base station comprises:

receiving a cellular downlink RX signal, in the second communication mode, from the base station through a first base station receiver of the first communication unit.

17. The transceiver chip set of claim 14, wherein transmitting the signal, in the first communication mode, to the another UE through the first communication unit or receiving of the signal from the another UE through the second communication unit comprises:

transmitting a D2D TX signal, in the first communication mode, to the another UE in an uplink band through a device transmitter of the second communication unit.

18. The transceiver chip set of claim 14, wherein a bandpass filter of the first communication unit is connected to the first port of the switch module, and

wherein a bandpass filter of the second communication unit is connected to the second port of the switch module.