Semiconductor structure for high speed digital and radio frequency processing

• US 20030162507A1
• Filed: 02/20/2002
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vatt, Gregory B.
• Application Number:
  US10/079,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20030162507A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/60 Router architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A single semiconductor chip (10) includes both wireless modem (30) which may be fabricated from group III-V compounds and a digital modem (20) or router/gateway (25) which may be fabricated using standard CMOS semiconductor technology. This single semiconductor chip provides wireless access from computers or wireline access from computers to the internet or for small business or home LAN operation.

Claims

1. A semiconductor chip comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) receiver/transmitter; and

a digital processor coupled to the RF receiver/transmitter.

2. A semiconductor chip as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is further included a coupling from the RF receiver/transmitter to an antenna for receiving and transmitting wirelessly.

3. A semiconductor chip as claimed in claim 2, wherein there is further included a coupling from the antenna to at least one first computer.

4. A semiconductor chip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the digital processor includes a router/gateway.

5. A semiconductor chip as claimed in claim 4, wherein there is further included a coupling from the router/gateway to at least one second computer.

6. A semiconductor chip as claimed in claim 5, wherein the coupling from the router/gateway to the at least one second computer includes a wireline coupling.

7. A semiconductor chip as claimed in claim 5, wherein the coupling from the router/gateway to the at least one second computer includes an optical coupling.

8. A semiconductor chip as claimed in claim 4, wherein the digital processor further includes a digital modem coupled to the router/gateway.

9. A semiconductor chip as claimed in claim 8, wherein there is further included a coupling from the digital modem to a cable.

10. A semiconductor chip as claimed in claim 8, wherein there is further included a coupling from the digital modem to a digital subscriber line.

11. A Local Area Network (LAN) controller comprising:

at least one first computer having a RF link;

an antenna for coupling to the at least one first computer via the RF link;

a semiconductor chip comprising;

a RF modem coupled to said at least one first computer via said antenna; and

a router coupled to said RF modem.

12. A LAN controller as claimed in claim 11 wherein there is further included:

at least one second computer having a non-RF link; and

said router coupled to the at least one second computer via the non-RF link.

13. A LAN controller as claimed in claim 11 wherein the semiconductor chip further includes:

a non-RF modem coupled to said router; and

means for coupling said non-RF modem to a digital data output.

14. A LAN controller as claimed in claim 13 wherein the means for coupling includes means for coupling said non-RF modem to a cable.

15. A LAN controller as claimed in claim 13 wherein the means for coupling includes means for coupling said non-RF modem to a digital subscriber line.

16. A gateway for internet access comprising:

at least one first computer having a RF link;

an antenna for coupling to the at least one first computer via the RF link;

a semiconductor chip comprising;

a RF modem coupled to said at least one first computer via said antenna; and

a gateway coupled to said RF modem.

17. A gateway for internet access as claimed in claim 16 wherein there is further included:

at least one second computer having a non-RF link; and

said gateway coupled to the at least one second computer via the non-RF link.

18. A gateway for internet access as claimed in claim 16 wherein the semiconductor chip further includes:

a non-RF modem coupled to said gateway; and

means for coupling said non-RF modem to a digital data output.

19. A gateway for internet access as claimed in claim 18 wherein the means for coupling includes means for coupling said non-RF modem to a cable.

20. A gateway for internet access as claimed in claim 18 wherein the means for coupling includes means for coupling said non-RF modem to a digital subscriber line.

21. A Local Area Network (LAN) controller and gateway comprising:

a plurality of computers including computers with wireline connections and computers with wireless connections;

an RF link;

a semiconductor chip comprising;

a RF modem coupled via the RF link to the computers with wireless connections;

a router/gateway coupled to said RF modem and coupled to the computers with wireline connections, the router/gateway coupling at least a first one of the plurality of computers to a network and the router/gateway coupling at least a second one of the plurality of computers to an internet.

22. A Local Area Network (LAN) controller and gateway as claimed in claim 21, wherein the router/gateway further includes a cable modem for providing high speed coupling of at least one of the plurality of computers to the internet.

23. A Local Area Network (LAN) controller and gateway as claimed in claim 21, wherein there is further included antenna means for coupling to the computers with wireless connections via the RF link.