Method and apparatus to provide an area efficient antenna diversity receiver

• US 20050079847A1
• Filed: 10/09/2003
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Arafa, Mohamed
• Granted Patent: US 7,116,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/272
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0805 with single receiver and antenna switching H04B7/0822 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0822 according to predefined selection scheme
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/12 Frequency diversity

Abstract

A receiver for use in a system implementing antenna diversity uses a switch to allow multiple filters to share a low noise amplifier (LNA).

Claims

1. An antenna diversity receiver comprising:

a first filter;

a second filter;

a low noise amplifier (LNA); and

an output switch having a first switch position to couple an output of said first filter to an input of said LNA and a second switch position to couple an output of said second filter to said input of said LNA.

2. The receiver of claim 1, wherein:

said first filter has a first bandpass frequency range, said second filter has a second bandpass frequency range that is different from said first bandpass frequency range, and said LNA is operable within both said first and said second bandpass frequency ranges.

3. The receiver of claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna terminal; and

a selector switch having a first switch position to couple said antenna terminal to an input of said first filter and a second switch position to couple said antenna terminal to an input of said second filter.

4. The receiver of claim 3, further comprising:

a receive antenna connected to said antenna terminal.

5. The receiver of claim 3, wherein:

said selector switch, said first and second filters, and said output switch are located within a common module and said LNA is implemented on a separate semiconductor chip that is coupled to said module.

6. The receiver of claim 3, wherein:

said selector switch, said first and second filters, said output switch, and said LNA are implemented on a common semiconductor chip.

7. The receiver of claim 3, further comprising:

a third filter that is different from said first and second filters, wherein said selector switch includes a third switch position to couple said antenna terminal to an input of said third filter.

8. The receiver of claim 7, wherein:

said output switch has a third switch position to couple an output of said third filter to an input of said LNA.

9. The receiver of claim 7, wherein:

said LNA is a first LNA and said output switch is a first output switch, said receiver further comprising a second LNA and a second output switch, said second output switch having a first switch position to couple an output of said third filter to an input of said second LNA.

10. The receiver of claim 1, wherein:

said first filter includes a surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter.

11. The receiver of claim 1, wherein:

said first filter includes a film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) filter.

12. The receiver of claim 1, wherein:

said receiver is a dual antenna diversity receiver.

13. A receiver comprising:

a first antenna terminal;

a first plurality of filters;

a first selector switch to controllably couple said first antenna terminal to an input of a selected one of the filters in said first plurality of filters;

at least one first low noise amplifier (LNA);

at least one first output switch to controllably couple an output of said selected one of said filters in said first plurality of filters to an input of a corresponding first LNA;

a second antenna terminal;

a second plurality of filters;

a second selector switch to controllably couple said second antenna terminal to an input of a selected one of the filters in said second plurality of filters;

at least one second LNA; and

at least one second output switch to controllably couple an output of said selected one of said filters in said second plurality of filters to an input of a corresponding second LNA.

14. The receiver of claim 13, wherein:

said first plurality of filters and said second plurality of filters include an equal number of filters.

15. The receiver of claim 13, wherein:

said first and second antenna terminals, said first and second pluralities of filters, said first and second selector switches, said at least one first output switch, and said at least one second output switch are located within a common module and said at least one first LNA and said at least one second LNA are located on a separate semiconductor chip that is coupled to said module.

16. The receiver of claim 13, wherein:

said first and second antenna terminals, said first and second pluralities of filters, said first and second selector switches, said at least one first output switch, said at least one second output switch, said at least one first LNA, and said at least one second LNA are located on a common semiconductor chip.

17. The receiver of claim 13, further comprising:

at least one other antenna terminal and at least one other selector switch.

18. A module for use within an antenna diversity receiver system, comprising:

a first antenna terminal;

a first plurality of filters, said first plurality of filters including at least a first filter and a second filter;

a first selector switch to controllably couple said first antenna terminal to an input of a selected one of the filters in said first plurality of filters;

an output terminal for connection to an external low noise amplifier (LNA); and

an output switch having a first switch position to couple an output of said first filter to said output terminal and a second switch position to couple an output of said second filter to said output terminal.

19. The module of claim 18, wherein:

said first plurality of filters further includes a third filter and a fourth filter; and

said module further comprises;

a second output terminal for connection to a second external LNA; and

a second output switch having a first switch position to couple an output of said third filter to said second output terminal and a second switch position to couple an output of said fourth filter to said second output terminal.

20. The module of claim 18, further comprising:

a second antenna terminal;

a second plurality of filters; and

a second selector switch to controllably couple said second antenna terminal to an input of a selected one of the filters in said second plurality of filters.

21. The module of claim 20, wherein:

said module is for use within a dual antenna diversity receiver system.

22. A system comprising:

a first patch antenna;

a second patch antenna; and

a receiver comprising;

a first antenna terminal coupled to said first patch antenna;

a first plurality of filters;

a first selector switch to controllably couple said first antenna terminal to an input of a selected one of the filters in said first plurality of filters;

at least one first low noise amplifier (LNA);

at least one first output switch to controllably couple an output of said selected one of said filters in said first plurality of filters to an input of a corresponding first LNA;

a second antenna terminal coupled to said second patch antenna;

a second plurality of filters;

a second selector switch to controllably couple said second antenna terminal to an input of a selected one of the filters in said second plurality of filters;

at least one second LNA; and

at least one second output switch to controllably couple an output of said selected one of said filters in said second plurality of filters to an input of a corresponding second LNA.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein:

said at least one first LNA includes a single LNA and said at least one first output switch includes a single output switch.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein:

said at least one first LNA includes two LNAs and said at least one first output switch includes two output switches.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein:

said system is a handheld communicator.

26. A method for use in an antenna diversity receiver comprising:

when operation within a first frequency band is desired;

coupling a first antenna to an input of a first filter; and

coupling an output of said first filter to an input of a first low noise amplifier (LNA); and

when operation within a second frequency band is desired;

coupling said first antenna to an input of a second filter; and

coupling an output of said second filter to said input of said first LNA.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

when operation within said first frequency band is desired;

coupling a second antenna to an input of a third filter; and

coupling an output of said third filter to an input of a second LNA; and

when operation within said second frequency band is desired;

coupling said second antenna to an input of a fourth filter; and

coupling an output of said fourth filter to said input of said second LNA.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein:

coupling an output of said first filter to an input of a first LNA includes sending a control signal to a switch.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

when operation within a third frequency band is desired;

coupling said first antenna to an input of a fifth filter; and

coupling an output of said fifth filter to an input of said first LNA.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

when operation within a third frequency band is desired;

coupling said first antenna to an input of a fifth filter; and

coupling an output of said fifth filter to an input of a third LNA.