RF INTERFACE FOR ACCOMODATING DIFFERENCE ANTENNA IMPEDANCES

• US 20080079650A1
• Filed: 10/02/2006
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: CRINON, GUILLAUME, CONSTANTINIDIS, NICOLAS, WESTWICK, ALAN
• Application Number:
  US11/538,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20080079650A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/858
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/005 with variable reactance for tuning the antenna

Abstract

An RF interface for interfacing between a differential transceiver and at least two antenna ports, which transceiver has at least two receive inputs for receiving RF signals from the at least two antenna ports and at least two transmit outputs for transmitting RF signals to the at least two antenna ports. A multiplexing device is provided for interfacing between the transceiver and the at least two antenna ports and selectively interface transmitted RF signals to one or both of the at least two antenna ports or selectively interface received signals from one or both of the at least two antenna ports to respective receive inputs of the transceiver. A controller is provided for controlling the multiplexer to operate in either a receive mode or a transmit mode and, in the receive mode, operate in either a single ended mode to interface one of the at least two antenna inputs to one of the inputs of the transceiver or a differential mode to interface both of the at least two antenna inputs to respective inputs of the transceiver. A matching network controlled by the controller matches the impedance of the at least two antenna ports to the input of the transceiver when in the receive mode, and operable to select between at least two different antenna impedances.

Claims

1. An RF interface for interfacing between a differential transceiver and at least two antenna ports, which transceiver has at least two receive inputs for receiving RF signals from the at least two antenna ports and at least two transmit outputs for transmitting RF signals to the at least two antenna ports, comprising:

a multiplexing device for interfacing between the transceiver and the at least two antenna ports and selectively interface transmitted RF signals to one or both of the at least two antenna ports or selectively interface received signals from one or both of the at least two antenna ports to respective receive inputs of the transceiver;

a controller for controlling said multiplexer to operate in either a receive mode or a transmit mode and, in the receive mode, operate in either a single ended mode to interface one of the at least two antenna inputs to one of the inputs of the transceiver or a differential mode to interface both of the at least two antenna inputs to respective inputs of the transceiver; and

a matching network controlled by said controller for matching the impedance of the at least two antenna ports to the input of the transceiver when in the receive mode, and operable to select between at least tow different antenna impedances.

2. The interface of claim 1, wherein the transceiver has a differential receiver comprised of first and second receivers that can operate in a differential mode or a single ended mode, and a differential transmitter comprised of first and second transmitters that can operate in a differential mode or a single ended mode, said multiplexer is operable to maintain a hardwire connection between respective said first and second receivers and said first and second transmitters and respective ones of the at least two antenna ports, said matching network controlled to provide the correct matching in both single ended and differential operation modes.

3. The interface of claim 2, wherein said controller is operable to control said multiplexer to operate in a differential mode or a single ended mode during the transmit mode and said matching network is controllable to match the impedance of the outputs of said transmitters to the input impedances of the respective ones of the at least two antenna ports.

4. The interface of claim 3, wherein said matching network is operable to vary the frequency response of the interface between the hardwire connection to said first and second receivers and said first and second transmitters when switching between transmit and receive modes.

5. The interface of claim 2, wherein said matching network is operable to vary the input impedance of said first and second receivers when switching between transmit and receive modes of operation.

6. The interface of claim 5, wherein said multiplexer and said matching network are formed on a common integrated circuit with the transceiver.

7. The interface of claim 1, wherein said multiplexer and said matching network are formed on a common integrated circuit with the transceiver.

8. The interface of claim 1, wherein said matching network includes at least a single switched capacitor associated with each of the at least two antenna inputs to provide a selective capacitive load to the respective inputs of the transceiver to allow selection between the at least two impedances.

9. The interface of claim 1, wherein, in the single ended mode of operation, the multiplexer can be controlled to connect only a single one of the at least two antenna inputs to a respective one of the transceiver inputs.

10. The interface of claim 9, wherein, in the single ended mode of operation, two different antennas can be connected to respective ones of the at least two antenna inputs and the multiplexer can be controlled to connect each of the at least two antenna inputs to a respective one of the transceiver inputs for single ended operation from each of the at least two antenna inputs.

11. The interface of claim 1, wherein, in the differential mode of operation, the multiplexer can be controlled to connect both of the at least two antenna inputs to a respective ones of the transceiver inputs for differential operation wherein a loop antenna is connected between the at least two antenna inputs.