RF receiver with adjustable antenna assembly

• US 20080280581A1
• Filed: 05/11/2007
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Maryam, Rofougaran, Ahmadreza Reza
• Application Number:
  US11/801,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20080280581A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/296
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2291 used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/403 using the same oscillator for generating both the transmitter frequency and the receiver local oscillator frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity

Abstract

A radio frequency (RF) receiver includes an antenna assembly, a low noise amplifier module, a down conversion module, and a baseband processing module. The antenna assembly is coupled to receive an inbound RF signal that includes a first signal component and a second signal component. The antenna assembly adjusts amplitude and/or phase of the first and/or second signal components to produce an adjusted inbound RF signal based on an adjust signal. The low noise amplifier module amplifies the adjusted inbound RF signal to produce an amplified inbound RF signal. The down conversion module converts the amplified inbound RF signal into a first inbound symbol stream corresponding to the first signal component and into a second inbound symbol stream corresponding to the second signal component. The baseband processing module converts the first and second inbound symbol streams into inbound data and to generate the adjust signal.

Claims

1. A radio frequency (RF) receiver comprises:

an antenna assembly coupled to receive an inbound RF signal, wherein the inbound RF signal includes a first signal component and a second signal component, wherein the antenna assembly adjusts at least one of amplitude and phase of at least one of the first and second signal components to produce an adjusted inbound RF signal based on an adjust signal;

a low noise amplifier module coupled to amplify the adjusted inbound RF signal to produce an amplified inbound RF signal;

a down conversion module coupled to convert the amplified inbound RF signal into a first inbound symbol stream corresponding to the first signal component and into a second inbound symbol stream corresponding to the second signal component; and

a baseband processing module coupled to convert the first and second inbound symbol streams into inbound data and to generate the adjust signal.

2. The RF receiver of claim 1 further comprises:

the antenna assembly receiving an inbound RF training signal, wherein the inbound RF training signal includes a first training signal component and a second training signal component, wherein, at transmission of the inbound RF training signal, the first and second training signal components were of known amplitudes and of known phases;

the low noise amplifier module amplifying the inbound RF training signal to produce an amplified inbound RF training signal;

the down conversion module converting the amplified inbound RF training signal into a first inbound training symbol stream corresponding to the first training signal component and into a second inbound training symbol stream corresponding to the second training signal component; and

the baseband processing module comparing the first and second inbound training symbol streams with expected first and second inbound training symbol streams and, when the first and second inbound training symbol streams compares unfavorably with expected first and second inbound training symbol streams, generating the adjust signal.

3. The RF receiver of claim 1, wherein the antenna assembly comprises:

an antenna structure having a first configurable antenna and a second configurable antenna, wherein the inbound RF signal received by the first configurable antenna corresponds to the first signal component and the inbound RF signal received by the second configurable antenna corresponds to the second signal component, wherein the first configurable antenna adjusts the at least one of the amplitude and phase of the first signal component in accordance with the adjust signal and the second configurable antenna adjusts the at least one of the amplitude and phase of the second signal component in accordance with the adjust signal; and

an antenna interface having a first antenna coupling circuit and a second antenna coupling circuit, wherein the first antenna coupling circuit couples the first configurable antenna to the low noise amplifier module and the second antenna coupling circuit couples the second configurable antenna to the low noise amplifier module.

4. The RF receiver of claim 1, wherein the antenna assembly comprises:

an antenna structure having a first antenna and a second antenna, wherein the inbound RF signal received by the first antenna corresponds to the first signal component and the inbound RF signal received by the second antenna corresponds to the second signal component; and

an antenna interface having a first configurable antenna coupling circuit and a second configurable antenna coupling circuit, wherein the first configurable antenna adjusts the at least one of the amplitude and the phase of the first signal component in accordance with the adjust signal and the second configurable antenna coupling circuit adjusts the at least one of the amplitude and the phase of the second signal component in accordance with the adjust signal.

5. The RF receiver of claim 1 comprises:

the antenna assembly receiving the inbound RF signal, wherein the inbound RF signal is expressed as a vector having an amplitude component and a phase component, wherein the first signal component corresponds to a first axis representation of the inbound RF signal and the second signal component corresponds to a second axis representation of the inbound RF signal, wherein the first and second axis are orthogonal;

the low noise amplifier module includes a first low noise amplifier (LNA) circuit and a second LNA circuit, wherein the first LNA circuit amplifies the first signal component to produce an amplified first signal component and the second LNA circuit amplifies the second signal component to produce an amplified second signal component; and

a down conversion module includes a first down conversion circuit and a second down conversion circuit, wherein the first down conversion circuit down converters the amplified first signal component to produce the first inbound symbol stream and the second down conversion circuit down converts the amplified second signal component to produce the second inbound symbol stream.

6. The RF receiver of claim 5 comprises:

a combining module coupled to combine the first and second inbound symbol streams to produce a combined inbound symbol stream, wherein the baseband processing module converts the combined inbound symbol stream into the inbound data.

7. The RF receiver of claim 1 comprises:

the antenna assembly receiving the inbound RF signal, wherein the inbound RF signal is a composite RF signal of a first inbound RF signal and a second inbound RF signal, wherein the first signal component corresponds to the first inbound RF signal and the second signal component corresponds to the second inbound RF signal, wherein, when transmitted, the first and second inbound RF signals were orthogonal and had a carrier frequency within a same frequency band;

the low noise amplifier module includes a first low noise amplifier (LNA) circuit and a second LNA circuit, wherein the first LNA circuit amplifies the first signal component to produce an amplified first signal component and the second LAN circuit amplifies the second signal component to produce an amplified second signal component;

a down conversion module includes a first down conversion circuit and a second down conversion circuit, wherein the first down conversion circuit down converters the amplified first signal component to produce the first inbound symbol stream and the second down conversion circuit down converts the amplified second signal component to produce the second inbound symbol stream; and

the baseband processing module converting the first inbound symbol stream into first inbound data and converting the second inbound symbol stream into second inbound data.

8. A radio frequency (RF) receiver comprises:

an antenna assembly coupled to receive an inbound RF signal, wherein the inbound RF signal includes a first signal component and a second signal component;

a low noise amplifier module coupled to amplify the first signal component to produce an amplified first signal component and to amplify the second signal component to produce an amplified second signal component;

a down conversion module coupled to;

process the amplified first signal component, a first local oscillation, and a first phase adjust component to produce a phase adjusted first inbound symbol stream;

process the amplified second signal component, a second local oscillation, and a second phase adjust component to produce a phase adjusted second inbound symbol stream, wherein the first and second phase adjust components are in accordance with an adjust signal;

adjust amplitude of at least one of the phase adjusted first inbound symbol stream and the phase adjusted second inbound symbol stream based on the adjust signal to produce an adjusted first inbound symbol stream and an adjusted second inbound symbol stream; and

a baseband processing module coupled to convert the adjusted first and second inbound symbol streams into inbound data and to generate the adjust signal.

9. The RF receiver of claim 8, wherein the down conversion module comprises:

a local oscillation module coupled to generate the first and second local oscillations in accordance with the adjust signal to produce a phase adjusted first local oscillation and a phase adjusted second local oscillation;

a first mixing module coupled to mix the phase adjusted first local oscillation with the amplified first signal component to produce the phase adjusted first inbound symbol stream;

a first gain module coupled to adjust the amplitude of the phase adjusted first inbound symbol stream based on the adjust signal to produce the adjusted first inbound symbol stream;

a second mixing module coupled to mix the phase adjusted second local oscillation with the amplified second signal component to produce the phase adjusted second inbound symbol stream; and

a second gain module coupled to adjust the amplitude of the phase adjusted second inbound symbol stream based on the adjust signal to produce the adjusted second inbound symbol stream.

10. The RF receiver of claim 8, wherein the down conversion module comprises:

a local oscillation module coupled to generate the first and second local oscillations;

a first phase adjust module coupled to adjust phase of the amplified first signal component in accordance with the adjust signal to produce a phase adjusted amplified first signal component;

a second phase adjust module coupled to adjust phase of the amplified second signal component in accordance with the adjust signal to produce a phase adjusted amplified second signal component;

a first mixing module coupled to mix the first local oscillation with the phase adjusted amplified first signal component to produce the phase adjusted first inbound symbol stream;

a first gain module coupled to adjust the amplitude of the phase adjusted first inbound symbol stream based on the adjust signal to produce the adjusted first inbound symbol stream;

a second mixing module coupled to mix the second local oscillation with the phase adjusted amplified second signal component to produce the phase adjusted second inbound symbol stream; and

a second gain module coupled to adjust the amplitude of the phase adjusted second inbound symbol stream based on the adjust signal to produce the adjusted second inbound symbol stream.

11. The RF receiver of claim 8, wherein the down conversion module comprises:

a local oscillation module coupled to generate the first and second local oscillations;

a first mixing module coupled to mix the first local oscillation with the amplified first signal component to produce a mixed first inbound symbol stream;

a first phase adjust module coupled to adjust phase of the mixed first inbound symbol stream in accordance with the adjust signal to produce a phase adjusted first inbound symbol stream;

a first gain module coupled to adjust the amplitude of the phase adjusted first inbound symbol stream based on the adjust signal to produce the adjusted first inbound symbol stream;

a second mixing module coupled to mix the second local oscillation with the amplified second signal component to produce a mixed second inbound symbol stream;

a second phase adjust module coupled to adjust phase of the mixed second inbound symbol stream in accordance with the adjust signal to produce a phase adjusted second inbound symbol stream; and

a second gain module coupled to adjust the amplitude of the phase adjusted second inbound symbol stream based on the adjust signal to produce the adjusted second inbound symbol stream.

12. The RF receiver of claim 8 further comprises:

the antenna assembly receiving an inbound RF training signal, wherein the inbound RF training signal includes a first training signal component and a second training signal component;

the low noise amplifier module coupled to amplify the first training signal component to produce an amplified first training signal component and to amplify the second training signal component to produce an amplified second training signal component;

the down conversion module coupled to;

process the amplified first training signal component, a first local oscillation, and a first training phase adjust component to produce a phase adjusted first inbound training symbol stream;

process the amplified second signal component, a second local oscillation, and a second training phase adjust component to produce a phase adjusted second inbound training symbol stream, wherein the first and second training phase adjust components are known;

adjust amplitude of at least one of the phase adjusted first inbound training symbol stream and the phase adjusted second inbound training symbol stream based on a known training amplitude adjust component to produce an adjusted first inbound training symbol stream and an adjusted second inbound training symbol stream; and

a baseband processing module comparing the adjusted first inbound training symbol stream and the adjusted second inbound training symbol stream with known inbound training symbol streams and, when the adjusted first inbound training symbol stream and the adjusted second inbound training symbol stream compares unfavorably with known inbound training symbol streams, generating the adjust signal.

13. The RF receiver of claim 8, wherein the down conversion module further comprises:

a combining module coupled to combine the adjusted first and second inbound symbol streams to produce a combine inbound symbol stream, wherein the baseband processing module convert the combined inbound symbol stream into the inbound data.

14. A radio frequency (RF) receiver comprises:

an RF to baseband section coupled to receive a plurality of RF signal components and to produce therefrom a plurality of inbound symbol streams; and

processing module coupled to;

determine whether an RF signal component of the plurality of RF signal components has an expected signal property based on a desired relationship between the plurality of RF signal components; and

when the RF signal component does not have the expected signal property, adjust the RF to baseband section based on the desired relationship such that the RF signal component has the expected signal property.

15. The RF receiver of claim 14, wherein the RF to baseband section comprises:

a plurality of configurable antenna assemblies coupled to receive the plurality of RF signal components, wherein an antenna characteristic of at least one of the plurality of configurable antenna assemblies is adjusted when the RF signal component does not have the expected signal property;

a plurality of low noise amplifier (LNA) modules coupled to the plurality of configurable antenna assemblies, wherein the plurality of LNA modules amplifies the plurality of RF signal components to produce a plurality of amplified RF signal components; and

a plurality of down conversion modules coupled to convert the plurality of amplified RF signal components into the plurality of inbound symbol streams.

16. The RF receiver of claim 15, wherein the plurality of configurable antenna assemblies comprises:

a plurality of antennas; and

a plurality of antenna interfaces coupled to the plurality of antennas, wherein at least one of the plurality of antenna interfaces is adjusted when the RF signal component does not have the expected signal property.

17. The RF receiver of claim 15, wherein the plurality of configurable antenna assemblies comprises:

a plurality of adjustable antennas, wherein at least one of the plurality of adjustable antenna is adjusted when the RF signal component does not have the expected signal property; and

a plurality of antenna interfaces coupled to the plurality of adjustable antennas.

18. The RF receiver of claim 14, wherein the RF to baseband section comprises:

a plurality of antenna assemblies coupled to receive the plurality of RF signal components;

a plurality of low noise amplifier (LNA) modules coupled to the plurality of antenna assemblies, wherein the plurality of LNA modules amplifies the plurality of RF signal components to produce a plurality of amplified RF signal components; and

a plurality of down conversion modules coupled to convert the plurality of amplified RF signal components into the plurality of inbound symbol streams, wherein a down conversion characteristic of at least one of the plurality of down conversion modules is adjusted when the RF signal component does not have the expected signal property.