System and method providing signal combining to support multimode communication

• US 20070127590A1
• Filed: 03/15/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Behzad, Arya, Rofougaran, Ahmadreza
• Granted Patent: US 8,416,879 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/285
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0075 using different intermediate frequencied for the different bands
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/04 Circuits

Abstract

A system and method providing signal combining to support multimode communication. Various aspects of the present invention may provide a first input adapted to receive a first baseband signal corresponding to a first communication protocol. A second input may be provided, which is adapted to receive a second baseband signal corresponding to a second communication protocol. A spectral placement module may, for example, be adapted to spectrally shift the first baseband signal. For example, the spectral placement module may be adapted to spectrally shift the first baseband signal to one or more frequency bands substantially distinct from one or more frequency bands associated with the second baseband signal. The spectrally shifted first baseband signal and the second baseband signal, which may also be spectrally shifted, may then be combined to form a composite signal.

Claims

1. A multimode communication system comprising:

at least a first module adapted to;

generate a first baseband signal corresponding to a first communication protocol; and

generate a second baseband signal corresponding to a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol; and

at least a second module adapted to;

receive the first baseband signal;

receive the second baseband signal; and

generate a composite signal comprising, at an instant in time, a first component based on the first baseband signal, and a second component based on the second baseband signal.

2. The multimode communication system of claim 1, wherein the at least a second module is further adapted to spectrally shift the first baseband signal, and wherein the first component is based on the spectrally-shifted first baseband signal.

3. The multimode communication system of claim 2, wherein the at least a second module is further adapted to spectrally shift the second baseband signal, and wherein the second component is based on the spectrally-shifted second baseband signal.

4. The multimode communication system of claim 2, wherein the at least a second module is adapted to spectrally shift the first baseband signal by, at least in part, spectrally shifting the first baseband signal to one or more frequency bands substantially distinct from one or more frequency bands associated with the second baseband signal.

5. The multimode communication system of claim 4, wherein the at least a second module is further adapted to spectrally shift the first baseband signal by, at least in part, frequency hopping the first baseband signal to one or more frequency bands substantially distinct from one or more frequency bands associated with the second baseband signal.

6. The multimode communication system of claim 2, wherein the at least a second module is adapted to spectrally shift the first baseband signal by, at least in part, rejecting an image associated with spectrally shifting the first baseband signal.

7. The multimode communication system of claim 6, wherein the at least a second module comprises an image-reject mixer that is adapted to spectrally shift the first baseband signal.

8. The multimode communication system of claim 6, wherein the at least a second module comprises an image-reject filter that is adapted to remove the image associated with spectrally shifting the first baseband signal.

9. The multimode communication system of claim 2, wherein the first baseband signal, second baseband signal and composite signal are digital signals.

10. The multimode communication system of claim 2, wherein the first baseband signal, second baseband signal and composite signal are analog signals.

11. The multimode communication system of claim 2, wherein the first communication protocol is based on Bluetooth, and the second communication protocol is based on an IEEE 802.11 standard.

12. The multimode communication system of claim 2, wherein the composite signal comprises a baseband signal.

13. The multimode communication system of claim 2, wherein the composite signal comprises an IF signal.

14. The multimode communication system of claim 2, wherein the composite signal comprises an RF signal.

15. The multimode communication system of claim 14, wherein the at least a second module is adapted to generate the composite signal by, at least in part, upconverting to RF a single signal comprising components associated with the first component and the second component.

16. The multimode communication system of claim 14, wherein the at least a second module is adapted to generate the composite signal by, at least in part:

upconverting to RF a first signal associated with the first component;

upconverting to RF a second signal associated with the second component; and

combining the upconverted first and second signals.

17. In a multimode communication system, a method for communicating in multiple communication modes simultaneously, the method comprising:

generating a first baseband signal corresponding to a first communication protocol;

generating a second baseband signal corresponding to a second communication protocol that is different from the first communication protocol; and

generating a composite signal comprising, at an instant in time, a first component based on the first baseband signal and a second component based on the second baseband signal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein generating a composite signal comprises generating the first component by, at least in part, spectrally shifting the first baseband signal.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein generating a composite signal further comprises generating the second component by, at least in part, spectrally shifting the second baseband signal.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein spectrally shifting the first baseband signal comprises spectrally shifting the first baseband signal to one or more frequency bands substantially distinct from one or more frequency bands associated with the second baseband signal.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein spectrally shifting the first baseband signal comprises frequency hopping the first baseband signal to one or more frequency bands substantially distinct from one or more frequency bands associated with the second baseband signal.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein spectrally shifting the first baseband signal comprises rejecting an image associated with spectrally shifting the first baseband signal.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein rejecting an image associated with spectrally shifting the first baseband signal comprises utilizing an image reject mixer to spectrally shift the first baseband signal.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein rejecting an image associated with spectrally shifting the first baseband signal comprises utilizing an image reject filter to remove the image.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the first baseband signal, second baseband signal and composite signal are digital signals.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the first baseband signal, second baseband signal and composite signal are analog signals.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the first communication protocol is based on Bluetooth, and the second communication protocol is based on an IEEE 802.11 standard.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein the composite signal comprises a baseband signal.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein the composite signal comprises an IF signal.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein the composite signal comprises an RF signal.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein generating a composite signal comprises upconverting to RF a single signal comprising components associated with the first component and the second component.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein generating a composite signal comprises:

upconverting to RF a first signal associated with the first component;

upconverting to RF a second signal associated with the second component; and

combining the upconverted first and second signals.

33. A module for utilization in a multimode communication system, wherein the module is at least adapted to:

receive a first signal associated with a first communication protocol;

receive a second signal associated with a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol; and

generate a composite signal comprising, at an instant in time, a first component based on the first signal, and a second component based on the second signal.

34. The module of claim 33, wherein the module is further adapted to spectrally shift the first signal, and wherein the first component is based on the spectrally shifted first signal.