Transceiver and method of operating an electrical circuit

• US 20070279099A1
• Filed: 05/30/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Jennic Ltd. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Goddard, Simon P., Li, Kim
• Granted Patent: US 7,787,830 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 326/83
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 7/1441 using field-effect transistors H03D7/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1615 Switching on; Switching off, e.g. remotely battery saving circuits associated with selective call operation H04W52/00; details of power consumption reduction in a PLL, H03L7/0802, H03L7/14, H03L2207/08, H03L2207/18; muting amplifiers by gain control see H03G3/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

There is provided a transceiver comprising a first node for receiving a received signal and transmitting a transmitted signal; a receiver, connected between a first voltage and the first node, for processing the received signal; a transmitter, connected between a second voltage and the first node, for generating the transmitted signal; and a DC voltage controller for selecting a DC component of a voltage of the first node to at least one of: selectively activate at least one of the transmitter and the receiver; and selectively substantially deactivate at least one of the transmitter and receiver.

Claims

1. A transceiver comprising:

a first node for receiving a received signal and transmitting a transmitted signal;

a receiver, connected between a first voltage and the first node, for processing the received signal;

a transmitter, connected between a second voltage and the first node, for generating the transmitted signal; and

a DC voltage controller for at least one of;

selectively activating at least one of the transmitter and the receiver; and

selectively substantially deactivating at least one of the transmitter and receiver.

2. A transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiver is a differential receiver, the transceiver is a differential transceiver, and the first node is a differential node.

3. A transceiver as claimed in claim 2, comprising a balun connected across the first node.

4. A transceiver as claimed in claim 3, wherein the DC voltage controller comprises a centre tap voltage controller for selecting a centre tap voltage for a centre tap of the balun.

5. A transceiver as claimed in claim 4, wherein the centre tap voltage controller comprises a switch for selectively connecting the centre tap to a third voltage and a fourth voltage to activate the receiver and the transmitter respectively.

6. A transceiver as claimed in claim 4, wherein the centre tap voltage controller comprises a switch for selectively connecting the centre tap to a third voltage and a fourth voltage to substantially deactivate the transmitter and the receiver respectively.

7. A transceiver as claimed in claim 2, comprising a differential antenna connected to terminals of the first node.

8. A transceiver as claimed in claim 7, wherein the DC voltage controller comprises a centre tap voltage controller for selecting a centre tap voltage for a centre tap of the differential antenna.

9. A transceiver as claimed in claim 8, wherein the centre tap voltage controller comprises a switch for selectively connecting the centre tap to a third voltage and a fourth voltage to activate the receiver and the transmitter respectively.

10. A transceiver as claimed in claim 8, wherein the centre tap voltage controller comprises a switch for selectively connecting the centre tap to a third voltage and a fourth voltage to substantially deactivate the transmitter and the receiver respectively.

11. A transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the DC voltage controller comprises a DC voltage selector for selecting one of a third voltage and a fourth voltage for the DC component to at least one of activate the receiver and the transmitter respectively, and substantially deactivate the transmitter and the receiver respectively.

12. A transceiver as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first voltage is substantially equal to the third voltage.

13. A transceiver as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second voltage is substantially equal to the fourth voltage.

14. A transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the first voltage and the second voltage is a power supply voltage, and the other of the first voltage and the second voltage is a ground voltage.

15. A transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises a low noise amplifier (LNA).

16. A transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises a mixer such as, for example, a Gilbert cell mixer.

17. A transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises a low noise amplifier (LNA) and a mixer such as, for example, a Gilbert cell mixer.

18. A transceiver as claimed in claim 17, wherein the LNA and the mixer are connected in series between the first voltage and the first node.

19. A method of operating a transceiver, wherein the transceiver comprises a receiver, connected between a first voltage and a first node, for processing the received signal, and a transmitter, connected between a second voltage and the first node, for generating the transmitted signal;

and the method comprises controlling a DC component of a voltage of the first node to selectively activate at least one of the transmitter and the receiver.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the receiver is a differential receiver, the transceiver is a differential transceiver, and the first node is a differential node.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein controlling a DC component comprises controlling a voltage of a centre tap of at least one of a balun and a differential antenna connected across the first node.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, comprising activating the receiver by selecting a third voltage for the centre tap.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the third voltage is substantially equal to the first voltage.

24. A method as claimed in claim 21, comprising activating the transmitter by selecting a fourth voltage for the centre tap.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the fourth voltage is substantially equal to the second voltage.

26. A transceiver including a transmitter, a receiver and a switch for selecting an operation mode from a transmit mode and a receive mode, wherein the transmitter and receiver are continuously connected to a first node.

27. A transceiver comprising:

a differential receiver connected between a first voltage and a first differential node;

a differential transmitter connected between a second voltage and the first differential node;

at least one of a balun and a differential antenna connected across the first differential node;

a switch for selectively connecting a centre tap of the at least one of a balun and a differential antenna to the first voltage and the second voltage to at least one of selectively activate the transmitter and the receiver respectively, and selectively substantially deactivate the receiver and the transmitter respectively.

28. A method of controlling an electrical circuit, the electrical circuit being connected between a first voltage and at least one of a balun and a differential antenna, comprising selectively connecting a centre tap of the at least one of the balun and the differential antenna to respective voltages to selectively activate or substantially deactivate the electrical circuit.

29. A method as claimed in claim 28, comprising connecting the centre tap to an activation voltage to activate the electrical circuit.

30. A method as claimed in claim 28, comprising connecting the centre tap to a deactivation voltage to substantially deactivate the electrical circuit.

31. A method as claimed in claim 30 wherein the deactivation voltage is substantially equal to the first voltage.

32. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the circuit comprises at least one of a transmitter and a receiver.

33. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the first voltage is a first power supply rail.

34. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein selectively connecting the centre tap to respective voltages comprises selectively connecting the centre tap to a first power supply rail and a second power supply rail.

35-40. -40. (canceled)

41. A receiver comprising a mixer and a low-noise amplifier (LNA) connected in series between a first voltage and a second voltage.

42. A receiver as claimed in claim 41, wherein the first voltage comprises a first power supply voltage.

43. A receiver as claimed in claim 41, wherein the second voltage comprises a second power supply voltage.

44-46. -46. (canceled)