Universal front end module for networking device

• US 20080261540A1
• Filed: 04/19/2007
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Rohani, Nader, Tan, Yulin, Xu, Hongtao
• Granted Patent: US 8,364,102 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/77
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/406 with more than one transmission mode, e.g. analog and digital modes

Abstract

In one embodiment a universal front end module for network communications is disclosed. The module can include a mode controller coupled to components of a transmission path. A first tunable filter on a transmit path can receive a mode control signal from the mode controller and receive a signal to be transmitted and provide a filtered output signal responsive to the mode control signal and the signal to be transmitted. The mode control signal can be associated with a predetermined network protocol such as WiMax, a WiFi, a 3G LTE and a cellular standard where each standard has a predetermined operating frequency and protocol. The module can also include a tunable power amplifier to provide an amplified transmittable signal over a single transmit path can be utilized to transmit the transmittable signal in at least two different modes responsive to the mode controller.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a mode controller;

a first tunable filter on a transmit path to receive a mode control signal from the mode controller, to receive a signal to be transmitted and to provide a filtered output signal responsive to the mode control signal and the signal to be transmitted, the mode control signal associated with a predetermined local area network protocol having a predetermined frequency;

a tunable power amplifier on the transmit path, to receive a mode control signal from the mode controller, to receive the filtered output signal and to provide an amplified signal suitable for a wireless transmission; and

a second tunable filter on the transmit path to receive a mode control signal from the mode controller and the amplified signal and to produce a transmittable signal, where a single transmit path can be utilized to transmit the transmittable signal in at least two different modes responsive to the mode controller.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mode controller changes modes in response to a request from a network coupled apparatus and wherein the modes have a transmit power that is greater the nine tenths of a milli-watt and less that four point 1 watts.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mode controller changes modes in response to a detection of interference.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a third tunable filter to receive a mode control signal from the mode controller and to receive a received signal and to provide a filtered received signal responsive to the mode control signal;

a tunable low noise amplifier to receive a mode control signal from the mode controller and the filtered receive signal and to provide an amplified receive signal; and

a fourth tunable filter to receive a mode control signal and the amplified receive signal and to produce a second filtered output signal wherein the receive signal has a frequency and a protocol that is associated with the mode control signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predetermined protocol and a predetermined frequency is compliant with one of a WiMax, a WiFi, a 3GLTE or a cellular standard.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first balun to receive a differential transmittable signal from a baseband module and provide a single ended transmittable signal to the first filter.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second balun to receive a single ended receive signal and to create a differential signal in response to the single ended signal and to provide the differential signal to a baseband module.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a tuning module to tune the system in the first mode and the second mode.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a monitor to monitor system parameters and to send a system performance signal to the tuning module wherein the tuning module tunes the apparatus based on the monitored system performance.

10. A method comprising;

transmitting a signal on a physical transmission path utilizing a first mode, the signal traveling over a wireless network to a first networked device, the first mode having a first frequency and a first protocol;

receiving a signal from the first networked device over the wireless network on a receive path utilizing the first mode;

reconfiguring a tuning of components in the transmission path and the receive path based on a mode change signal requesting a change from the first mode to a second mode;

transmitting a signal over the wireless network utilizing the second mode on the transmission path; and

receiving a signal in the second mode over the wireless network on the receive path where the second mode, has a second frequency and a second protocol, where the first frequency is different than the second frequency and the first protocol is different than the second protocol.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving a mode select communication and configuring a mode based on the mode select configuration.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving a mode select transmission and creating a first tuning control signal for a low noise amplifier, a second tuning control signal for a power amplifier and a third tuning control signal for a filter.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first mode and the second mode comply with one of a WiMax, a WiFi, a 3GLTE and a cellular standard.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising converting the received signal in the first mode and in the second mode to a differential signal.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising converting a signal to be transmitted from a differential signal to a single ended signal.