Reconfigurable base station using mobile station RF ASIC

• US 20060052124A1
• Filed: 03/11/2005
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Brobston, Michael L., Loh, Lup M., Hurley, William M., Pottenger, Warren T., Interrante, John A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,428,650 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/515
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0003 Software-defined radio [SDR] systems, i.e. systems wherein components typically implemented in hardware, e.g. filters or modulators/demodulators, are implented using software, e.g. by involving an AD or DA conversion stage such that at least part of the signal processing is performed in the digital domain digital baseband systems H04L25/00; digital modulation/demodulation H04L27/00; CDMA H04B1/707; TDMA H04B7/2643; image transmission H04N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A reconfigurable RF transceiver for use in either a base station or a mobile station Of a wireless network. The reconfigurable RF transceiver comprises a first receive path that down-converts an incoming RF signal to analog and digital baseband signals. The first receive path in a first mode down-converts the incoming RF signal in a receive frequency band for the base station and in a second mode down-converts the incoming RF signal in a receive frequency band for the mobile station. The reconfigurable RF transceiver further comprises a transmit path for up-converting an outgoing baseband signal to an outgoing RF signal. The transmit path in the first mode up-converts the outgoing baseband signal in a transmit frequency band for the base station and in the second mode up-converts the outgoing baseband signal in a transmit frequency band for the mobile station.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable radio frequency (RF) transceiver capable of being adapted for use in both a base station and a mobile station of a wireless network, said reconfigurable RF transceiver comprising:

a first receive path capable of receiving an incoming RF signal and down-converting said incoming RF signal to at least one of an analog baseband signal and a digital baseband signal, wherein said first receive path in a first mode down-converts said incoming RF signal in a receive frequency band associated with said base station and in a second mode down-converts said incoming RF signal in a receive frequency band associated with said mobile station; and

a transmit path capable of receiving an outgoing baseband signal and up-converting said outgoing baseband signal to an outgoing RF signal, wherein said transmit path in said first mode up-converts said outgoing baseband signal in a transmit frequency band associated with said base station and in said second mode up-converts said outgoing baseband signal in a transmit frequency band associated with said mobile station.

2. The reconfigurable radio frequency (RF) transceiver as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a second receive path capable of receiving an incoming RF signal and down-converting said incoming RF signal to at least one of an analog baseband signal and a digital baseband signal, wherein said second receive path in said first mode down-converts said incoming RF signal in said receive frequency band associated with said base station and in said second mode down-converts said incoming RF signal in said receive frequency band associated with said mobile station, wherein said second receive path comprises a diversity receive path with respect to said first receive path.

3. The reconfigurable radio frequency (RF) transceiver as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first receive path is capable in said first mode of being reconfigured to down-convert said incoming RF signal in a plurality of selectable receive frequency bands associated with said base station.

4. The reconfigurable radio frequency (RF) transceiver as set forth in claim 3, wherein said first receive path is capable in said second mode of being reconfigured to down-convert said incoming RF signal in a plurality of selectable receive frequency bands associated with said mobile station.

5. The reconfigurable radio frequency (RF) transceiver as set forth in claim 4, wherein said first receive path is capable in said first mode of down-converting said incoming RF signal according to a modulation scheme associated with said base station.

6. The reconfigurable radio frequency (RF) transceiver as set forth in claim 5, wherein said first receive path is capable in said first mode of being re-configured to down-convert said incoming RF signal according to a plurality of selectable modulation schemes associated with said base station.

7. The reconfigurable radio frequency (RF) transceiver as set forth in claim 5, wherein said first receive path is capable in said second mode of down-converting said incoming RF signal according to a modulation scheme associated with said mobile station.

8. The reconfigurable radio frequency (RF) transceiver as set forth in claim 7, wherein said first receive path is capable in said second mode of being re-configured to down-convert said incoming RF signal according to a plurality of selectable modulation schemes associated with said mobile station.

9. The reconfigurable radio frequency (RF) transceiver as set forth in claim 1, wherein said transmit path is capable in said first mode of up-converting said outgoing baseband signal in a plurality of selectable transmit frequency bands associated with said base station and is further capable in said second mode of up-converting said outgoing baseband signal in a plurality of selectable transmit frequency bands associated with said mobile station.

10. The reconfigurable radio frequency (RF) transceiver as set forth in claim 9, wherein said transmit path is capable in said first mode of up-converting said outgoing baseband signal according to a plurality of selectable modulation schemes associated with said base station and is further capable in said second mode of up-converting said outgoing baseband signal according to a plurality of selectable modulation schemes associated with said mobile station.

11. A multi-mode, multi-band radio frequency (RF) transceiver capable of being adapted for use in both a base station and a mobile station of a wireless network comprising:

a micro-electromechanical system duplexer capable of receiving an incoming RF signal and transmitting an outgoing RF signals;

a reconfigurable RF transceiver circuit comprising;

a first receive path capable of receiving and down-converting said incoming RF signal to at least one of an analog baseband signal and a digital baseband signal, wherein said first receive path in a first mode down-converts said incoming RF signal in a receive frequency band associated with said base station and in a second mode down-converts said incoming RF signal in a receive frequency band associated with said mobile station; and

a transmit path capable of receiving an outgoing baseband signal and up-converting said outgoing baseband signal to said outgoing RF signal, wherein said transmit path in said first mode up-converts said outgoing baseband signal in a transmit frequency band associated with said base station and in said second mode up-converts said outgoing baseband signal in a transmit frequency band associated with said mobile station; and

a software-defined radio modem coupled to said reconfigurable RF transceiver circuit capable of transmitting said outgoing baseband signal to said reconfigurable RF transceiver circuit and receiving said at least one of said analog baseband signal and said digital baseband signal from said reconfigurable RF transceiver circuit.

12. The multi-mode, multi-band radio frequency (RF) transceiver as set forth in claim 11, further comprising:

a second receive path capable of receiving an incoming RF signal and down-converting said incoming RF signal to at least one of an analog baseband signal and a digital baseband signal, wherein said second receive path in said first mode down-converts said incoming RF signal in said receive frequency band associated with said base station and in said second mode down-converts said incoming RF signal in said receive frequency band associated with said mobile station, wherein said second receive path comprises a diversity receive path with respect to said first receive path.

13. The multi-mode, multi-band radio frequency (RF) transceiver as set forth in claim 11, wherein said first receive path is capable in said first mode of being reconfigured to down-convert said incoming RF signal in a plurality of selectable receive frequency bands associated with said base station.

14. The multi-mode, multi-band radio frequency (RF) transceiver as set forth in claim 13, wherein said first receive path is capable in said second mode of being reconfigured to down-convert said incoming RF signal in a plurality of selectable receive frequency bands associated with said mobile station.

15. The multi-mode, multi-band radio frequency (RF) transceiver as set forth in claim 14, wherein said first receive path is capable in said first mode of down-converting said incoming RF signal according to a modulation scheme associated with said base station.

16. The multi-mode, multi-band radio frequency (RF) transceiver as set forth in claim 15, wherein said first receive path is capable in said first mode of being re-configured to down-convert said incoming RF signal according to a plurality of selectable modulation schemes associated with said base station.

17. The multi-mode, multi-band radio frequency (RF) transceiver as set forth in claim 15, wherein said first receive path is capable in said second mode of down-converting said incoming RF signal according to a modulation scheme associated with said mobile station.

18. The multi-mode, multi-band radio frequency (RF) transceiver as set forth in claim 17, wherein said first receive path is capable in said second mode of being re-configured to down-convert said incoming RF signal according to a plurality of selectable modulation schemes associated with said mobile station.

19. The multi-mode, multi-band radio frequency (RF) transceiver as set forth in claim 11, wherein said transmit path is capable in said first mode of up-converting said outgoing baseband signal in a plurality of selectable transmit frequency bands associated with said base station and is further capable in said second mode of up-converting said outgoing baseband signal in a plurality of selectable transmit frequency bands associated with said mobile station.

20. The multi-mode, multi-band radio frequency (RF) transceiver as set forth in claim 19, wherein said transmit path is capable in said first mode of up-converting said outgoing baseband signal according to a plurality of selectable modulation schemes associated with said base station and is further capable in said second mode of up-converting said outgoing baseband signal according to a plurality of selectable modulation schemes associated with said mobile station.