PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICE HAVING AN RF BASED ARCHITECTURE

• US 20120093039A1
• Filed: 12/23/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza), Rofougaran, Maryam, Ibrahim, Brima B., Darabi, Hooman
• Granted Patent: US 9,215,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/278
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 1/00 Frequency-division multiplex systems H04J14/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 4/00 Combined time-division and frequency-division multiplex systems H04J13/00 takes precedence ; data transmission H04L5/26; telemetry G08C15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/0008 Synchronisation information channels, e.g. clock distribution lines

Abstract

A portable computing device includes a radio frequency (RF) wired link, a data wired link, a core module, a plurality of multi-mode RF units, and a plurality of data modules. The core module is operable to communicate control information with one or more of the plurality of multi-mode RF units in a first frequency band via the RF wired link. The core module is further operable to communicate data of a wireless communication with one or more of the plurality of multi-mode RF units in a second frequency band via the RF wired link. The core module is further operable to communicate clock information to the plurality of multi-mode RF units in a third frequency band via the RF wired link.

Claims

1. A portable computing device comprises:

a radio frequency (RF) wired link;

a data wired link;

a core module operably coupled to the RF wired link and to the data wired link;

a plurality of multi-mode RF units operably coupled to the RF wired link, wherein the core module communicates;

control information with one or more of the plurality of multi-mode RF units in a first frequency band via the RF wired link;

data of a wireless communication with one or more of the plurality of multi-mode RF units in a second frequency band via the RF wired link; and

clock information to the plurality of multi-mode RF units in a third frequency band via the RF wired link; and

a plurality of data modules operably coupled to the data wired link.

2. The portable computing device of claim 1 further comprises:

the core module outputting one or more supply voltages to one or more of the multi mode RF units via the RF wired link in a DC or near DC frequency band.

3. The portable computing device of claim 1 further comprises at least one of:

the core module modulating the control information using code division multiple access (CDMA) to produce modulated control information and transmitting the modulated control information to the one more of the plurality of multi-mode RF units in the first frequency band via the RF wired link; and

the core module modulating the data of the wireless communication using the CDMA to produce modulated data and transmitting the modulated data to the one more of the plurality of multi-mode RF units in the second frequency band via the RF wired link.

4. The portable computing device of claim 1 further comprises at least one of:

the core module allocating a control channel in the first frequency band to an active multi mode RF unit of the plurality of multi mode RF units for full duplex communication of the control information;

the core module allocating a data channel in the second frequency band to the active multi mode RF unit for full duplex communication of the data of the wireless communication;

the core module allocating a transmit control channel and a receive control channel in the first frequency band to the active multi mode RF unit; and

the core module allocating a transmit data channel and a receive data channel in the second frequency band to the active multi mode RF unit.

5. The portable computing device of claim 1 further comprises at least one of:

the core module allocating a control channel in the first frequency band to an active wireless communication for full duplex communication of the control information regarding the active wireless communication;

the core module allocating a data channel in the second frequency band to the active wireless communication for full duplex communication of the data of the wireless communication;

the core module allocating a transmit control channel and a receive control channel in the first frequency band to the active wireless communication; and

the core module allocating a transmit data channel and a receive data channel in the second frequency band to the active wireless communication.

6. The portable computing device of claim 1 further comprises at least one of:

the control module controlling access to the first frequency band in a time division manner;

the control module controlling access to the second frequency band in a time division manner;

the control module controlling access to the first frequency band in a frequency division manner; and

the control module controlling access to the second frequency band in a frequency division manner.

7. The portable computing device of claim 1 further comprises:

the control module allocating a first channel of the second frequency band for a first type of data modulation and allocating a second channel of the second frequency band for a second type of data modulation.

8. The portable computing device of claim 1 further comprises:

the control module allocating a first channel of the second frequency band to correspond to transmit and receive frequencies of a first wireless communication protocol and allocating a second channel of the second frequency band to correspond to transmit and receive frequencies of a second wireless communication protocol.

9. A core module for a portable computing device, the core module comprises:

a processing module; and

a radio frequency (RF) link interface operably coupled to the processing module, wherein;

when an application selected for execution on the portable computing device includes a wireless communication, the processing module is further operable to;

determine a protocol for the wireless communication;

allocate, for the wireless communication, RF link communication resources of an RF link within the portable computing device based on the protocol;

allocate, for the wireless communication, one or more multi mode (MM) RF units within the portable computing device based on the protocol to produce allocated MM RF unit resources;

when the application is being executed;

the processing module is further operable to convert outbound data into an outbound symbol stream that addresses the allocation MM RF unit resources; and

the RF link interface is operable to convert the outbound symbol stream into an outbound RF link signal in accordance with the allocated RF link communication resources.

10. The core module of claim 9, wherein the processing module comprises:

a device module operable to generate the outbound data while executing the application; and

a wireless communication processing module operable to;

determine the protocol for the wireless communication;

allocate the RF link communication resources and the allocated MM RF unit resources; and

convert the outbound data into the outbound symbol stream in accordance with the protocol.

11. The core module of claim 9, wherein the processing module comprises:

a time-application management module operable to;

monitor one or more applications being executed on the portable computing device;

determine wireless communication requirements for each of the one or more applications; and

balance allocation of resources of the RF link, the processing module, and the MM RF units based on the wireless communication requirements of the one or more applications.

12. The core module of claim 9, wherein the processing module is further operable to:

determine whether the application selected for execution on the portable computing device includes a requirement for the wireless communication by at least one of;

receiving an indication of the requirement for the wireless communication;

receiving the outbound data and instruction for the wireless communication; and

accessing a look up table regarding active applications and corresponding requirements for wireless communication.

13. The core module of claim 9, wherein the processing module is further operable to:

determine resources requirements for the wireless communication;

determine whether one or more other wireless communications are active;

when one or more other wireless communications are active, determine available resources of the RF link and resources of the plurality of MM RF units;

determine whether the available resources of the RF link and the resources of the plurality of MM RF units are sufficient to fulfill the resource requirements of the wireless communication; and

when the available resources are sufficient to fulfill the resource requirements of the wireless communication, allocate the RF link communication resources and the allocated MM RF unit resources.

14. The core module of claim 9, wherein the processing module is further operable to:

select a protocol specific baseband module of a plurality of protocol specific baseband modules based on the protocol;

enable the selected protocol specific baseband module to convert the outbound data into the outbound symbol stream in accordance with the protocol; and

instruct the selected protocol specific baseband module to include addressing information of the allocation MM RF unit resources in the outbound symbol stream, wherein the allocation MM RF unit resources are capable of converting the outbound RF link signal into an outbound RF signal in accordance with the protocol.

15. The core module of claim 9, wherein the processing module is further operable to:

select a generic baseband module of a plurality of baseband modules;

enable the selected generic baseband module to convert the outbound data into the outbound symbol stream in accordance with a generic protocol; and

instruct the selected generic baseband module to include addressing information of the allocation MM RF unit resources in the outbound symbol stream, wherein the allocation MM RF unit resources are capable of converting the outbound RF link signal from the generic protocol into an outbound RF signal in accordance with the protocol.

16. The core module of claim 9, wherein the processing module is further operable to:

select a specific protocol unit of a plurality of specific protocol units;

enable the selected specific protocol unit to;

convert the outbound data into the outbound symbol stream in accordance with protocol;

add addressing information of the allocation MM RF unit resources in the outbound symbol stream; and

convert the outbound symbol stream into an outbound RF signal in accordance with the protocol, wherein the RF link interface conveys the outbound RF signal as the outbound RF link signal and wherein the allocation MM RF unit resources include a specific RF front-end for transmitting the outbound RF link signal as the outbound RF signal.

17. The core module of claim 9, wherein the processing module is further operable to:

when another wireless communication is active with the wireless communication;

determine desired baseband sharing conditions for the wireless communication and the other wireless communication;

determine whether desired baseband sharing conditions can be met;

when the desired baseband sharing conditions can be met, determine whether the wireless communication and the other wireless communication will share an RF link channel;

when the wireless communication and the other wireless communication will share an RF link channel, enable a time sharing protocol of the RF link channel and set a local oscillation of the RF link interface corresponding to the RF link channel; and

when the wireless communication and the other wireless communication will not share an RF link channel, enable a frequency sharing protocol of the RF link and set the local oscillation of the RF link interface to produce local oscillations corresponding to an allocated RF link channel of each of the wireless communication and the other wireless communication.

18. A multi mode (MM) radio frequency (RF) unit comprises:

an RF link interface; and

a plurality of RF specific protocol modules, wherein;

a first RF specific protocol module of the plurality of RF specific protocol modules is operable to convert a first inbound RF signal into a first inbound RF link signal in accordance with a first RF link resource allocation;

a second RF specific protocol module of the plurality of RF specific protocol modules is operable to convert a second inbound RF signal into a second inbound RF link signal in accordance with a second RF link resource allocation; and

the RF link interface is operable to output the first and second inbound RF link signals on to an RF link of a portable computing device for conveyance to a core module of the portable computing device.

19. The MM RF unit of claim 18 further comprises:

the first RF specific protocol module includes;

a first RF specific protocol front end operable to convert the first inbound RF signal from a first antenna structure into a first specific inbound RF signal; and

a first generic-specific conversion module operable to convert a carrier frequency of the first specific inbound RF signal into a carrier frequency of the first inbound RF link signal in accordance with the first RF link resource allocation;

the second RF specific protocol module includes;

a second RF specific protocol front end operable to convert the second inbound RF signal from a second antenna structure into a second specific inbound RF signal; and

a second generic-specific conversion module operable to convert a carrier frequency of the second specific inbound RF signal into a carrier frequency of the second inbound RF link signal in accordance with the second RF link resource allocation; and

the RF link interface including;

an electro-mechanical coupler; and

a switching module operable to provide, in accordance with an RF link time sharing control signal, the first or second inbound RF link signal to the electro-mechanical coupler for outputting to a shared channel of the RF link.

20. The MM RF unit of claim 18 further comprises:

the first RF specific protocol module includes;

a first RF specific protocol front end operable to convert the first inbound RF signal from a first antenna structure into a first specific inbound RF signal; and

a first generic-specific conversion module operable to convert a carrier frequency of the first specific inbound RF signal into a carrier frequency of the first inbound RF link signal in accordance with the first RF link resource allocation;

the second RF specific protocol module includes;

a second RF specific protocol front end operable to convert the second inbound RF signal from a second antenna structure into a second specific inbound RF signal; and

a second generic-specific conversion module operable to convert a carrier frequency of the second specific inbound RF signal into a carrier frequency of the second inbound RF link signal in accordance with the second RF link resource allocation; and

the RF link interface including;

an electro-mechanical coupler; and

a first filter module operable to band pass filter (BPF) the first inbound RF link signal to produce a first BPF inbound RF link signal; and

a second filter module operable to band pass filter the second inbound RF link signal to produce a second BPF inbound RF link signal, wherein the electro-mechanical coupler outputs the first and second BPF inbound RF link signal to different channels of the RF link.

21. The MM RF unit of claim 18 further comprises:

the first RF specific protocol module including;

a first low noise amplifier module operable to amplify the first inbound RF signal to produce an amplified first inbound RF signal;

a first down conversion module operable to convert the amplified first inbound RF signal into a first inbound baseband symbol stream in accordance with a first wireless communication protocol;

a first baseband module operable to convert the first inbound baseband symbol stream from the first wireless communication protocol to a generic wireless communication protocol to produce a first generic baseband symbol stream;

the second RF specific protocol module including;

a second low noise amplifier module operable to amplify the second inbound RF signal to produce an amplified second inbound RF signal;

a second down conversion module operable to convert the amplified second inbound RF signal into a second inbound baseband symbol stream in accordance with a second wireless communication protocol;

a second baseband module operable to convert the second inbound baseband symbol stream from the second wireless communication protocol to the generic wireless communication protocol to produce a second generic baseband symbol stream; and

the RF link interface including;

a first up-conversion module operable to convert the first generic baseband symbol stream into the first inbound RF link signal; and

a second up-conversion module operable to convert the second generic baseband symbol stream into the second inbound RF link signal.

22. The MM RF unit of claim 18 further comprises:

the first RF specific protocol module includes a first RF specific protocol front end operable to convert the first inbound RF signal from a first antenna structure into a first specific inbound RF signal;

the second RF specific protocol module includes a second RF specific protocol front end operable to convert the second inbound RF signal from a second antenna structure into a second specific inbound RF signal; and

the RF link interface including;

an electro-mechanical coupler; and

a first filter module operable to band pass filter (BPF) the first specific inbound RF signal to produce a first BPF inbound RF link signal; and

a second filter module operable to band pass filter the second specific inbound RF signal to produce a second BPF inbound RF link signal, wherein the electro-mechanical coupler outputs the first and second BPF inbound RF link signal to different channels of the RF link.

23. The MM RF unit of claim 18 further comprises:

the RF link interface is operable to receive first and second outbound RF link signals from the RF link;

the first RF specific protocol module is operable to convert the first outbound RF link signal into a first outbound RF signal in accordance with a first wireless communication protocol; and

the second RF specific protocol module is operable to convert the second outbound RF link signal into a second outbound RF signal in accordance with a second wireless communication protocol.