Reconfigurable carrier aggregation FECC with switched filters and programmable band switching LNA

• US 10,326,484 B1
• Filed: 06/06/2018
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: pSemi Corporation (Murata Manufacturing Co Limited)
• Original Assignee: pSemi Corporation (Murata Manufacturing Co Limited)
• Inventors: Ayranci, Emre, Sanner, Miles, Yerramilli, Phanindra, Pal, Kashish
• Primary Examiner(s): Rego, Dominic E
• Application Number:
  US16/001,871
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/165 A filter circuit coupled to the input of an amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/294 the amplifier being a low noise amplifier [LNA]
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/7209 the gated amplifier being switched from a first band to a second band
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/19 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/72 Gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/006 using switches for selecting the desired band H04B1/0057 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1638 Special circuits to enhance selectivity of receivers not otherwise provided for resonant circuits H03H

Abstract

A front end module having reduced number of low noise amplifier (LNAs) for receiving various combinations of contiguous aggregation (CA) signals and non-CA signals having different combinations of signals aggregated therein. The FECC can include a broadband LNA and/or a band-switching LNA having at least two modes of operation. An input switch directs a received signal to one of several banks of filters. LNA switches direct the signals from the output of filters within a selected filter bank to particular LNAs. LNAs may be connected by LNA switches to filters in more than one filter bank. The proper mode of operation is selected for the band switching LNA based on the particular frequencies present in the received signal and the filters selected.

Claims

1. A front end circuit configuration (FECC) configured to receive input signals, some of which are Carrier Aggregated (CA) signals, each CA signal supporting aggregation of at least two, and a maximum number N, supported frequency ranges selected from a set of supported frequency ranges that is greater than N, the FECC including:

(a) a plurality of Low Noise Amplifiers (LNAs) used for amplifying the CA signals, each LNA having an operating frequency range that includes at least one from among the set of supported frequency ranges, the number of LNAs used for amplifying CA signals being equal to N, each of the supported frequency ranges of the set of supported frequency ranges being within the operating range of at least one LNA; and

(b) a plurality of LNA switches, each LNA switch having a plurality of inputs, each input configured to receive at least a portion of the received input signal, the at least a portion of the received input signal having a frequency within at least one of the supported frequency ranges, the inputs of at least two different LNA switches from among the plurality of LNA switches receiving the same at least a portion of the received input signal and each LNA switch having an output coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of LNAs such that there is a one to one relationship between the LNAs and LNA switches.

2. The FECC of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of filters configured to receive the received input signal and pass a portion of the received input signal having a frequency within one of the supported frequency ranges.

3. The FECC of claim 2, wherein at least one of the LNAs is a band-switching LNA having a first mode of operation in which the LNA has a first operating frequency range and a second mode of operation in which the LNA has a second operating frequency range.

4. The FECC of claim 3, wherein at least one LNA is a broadband LNA having an operating frequency range that includes at least two supported frequency ranges.

5. The FECC of claim 4, wherein one of the at least two supported frequency ranges is common with the operating frequency range of the band-switching LNA when operating in the first mode of operation and a second of which is outside the operating frequency range of the band-switching LNA when operating in both the first and the second mode of operation.

6. The FECC of claim 2, wherein at least a first of the plurality of filters is tuned to the common supported frequency range and further including at least one isolation switch having an input coupled to the first filter.

7. The FECC of claim 2, further including a shunt switch coupled between ground and an input of at least one LNA from among the plurality of LNAs, the at least one LNA having an operating frequency range that includes at least two supported frequency ranges.

8. The FECC of claim 2, wherein at least a first of the plurality of filters is tuned to the common supported frequency range and further including an inductance coupled between ground and the first filter.

9. The FECC of claim 2, further comprising:

(a) an input switch configured to receive the received CA signal, the input switch having a plurality of outputs, each output coupled to a subset of the filters; and

(b) a switch control processor coupled to input switch and to each of the plurality of LNA switches, the switch control processor coordinating the operation of the input switch to the operation of the plurality of LNA switches.

10. The FECC of claim 1, wherein there are four supported frequency ranges and three LNAs.

11. The FECC of claim 1, wherein the band switching LNA operates in the first mode when the first LNA switch selects the first input.

12. The FECC of claim 11, wherein the band switching LNA operates in the second mode when the second LNA switch selects the second input.

13. A method for fabricating an FECC, comprising:

(a) fabricating an FECC having a plurality of Low Noise Amplifiers (LNAs) configured to amplify carrier aggregation (CA) signals, each CA signal supporting aggregation of at least two, and a maximum number N, supported frequency ranges selected from a set of supported frequency ranges that is greater than N, each LNA having an operating frequency range that includes at least one from among the set of supported frequency ranges, the number of LNAs being equal to N, each of the supported frequency ranges of the set of supported frequency ranges being within the operating range of at least one LNA; and

(b) fabricating a plurality of LNA switches, each LNA switch having a plurality of inputs, each input configured to receive at least a portion of the received input signal, the at least a portion of the received input signal having a frequency within at least one of the supported frequency ranges, the inputs of at least two different LNA switches from among the plurality of LNA switches configured to receive the same at least a portion of the received input signal and each LNA switch fabricated to have an output coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of LNAs such that there is a one to one relationship between the LNAs and LNA switches.