IC WITH MIXED MODE RF-TO-BASEBAND INTERFACE

• US 20130003796A1
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2007
• 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, HAYEK, CLAUDE G., HAYEM, FREDERIC CHRISTIAN MARC, RAKSHANI, VAFA JAMES, DARABI, HOOMAN
• Granted Patent: US 8,812,391 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters

Abstract

An integrated circuit (IC) includes at least one baseband section, at least one radio frequency (RF) section, and an interface module. The interface module is configured to couple the at least one baseband section to the at least one RF section, wherein the interface module includes an analog interface module and a digital interface module.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit (IC) comprises:

a baseband section of a plurality of baseband sections;

a radio frequency (RF) section of a plurality of RF sections; and

an interface module configured to couple the baseband section of the plurality of baseband sections to the RF section of the plurality of RF sections, wherein the interface module includes;

a switching matrix configured to couple the baseband section of the plurality of baseband sections to the RF section of the plurality of RF sections;

an analog interface module configured to exchange analog signals with the RF section of the plurality of RF sections and the baseband section of the plurality of baseband sections; and

a digital interface module configured to exchange digital signals with the RF section of the plurality of RF sections and the baseband section of the plurality of baseband sections.

2. The IC of claim 1 further comprises:

the interface module coupling the at least one baseband section of the plurality of baseband sections to the at least one RF section of the plurality of RF sections in the one-to-one manner based on a first wireless protocol of a multiple mode operation; and

the interface module coupling a second baseband section of the plurality of baseband sections to a second RF section of the plurality of RF sections in the one-to-one manner based on a second wireless protocol of the multiple mode operation.

3. The IC of claim 1 further comprises at least one of:

the interface module coupling a pair of the plurality of baseband sections to a pair of the plurality of RF sections in the one-to-one manner based on a first redundant mode of a wireless protocol; and

the interface module coupling the pair of the plurality of baseband sections to one of the plurality of RF sections in the many-to-one manner based on a second redundant mode of the wireless protocol.

4. The IC of claim 1 further comprises:

the interface module coupling at least some of the plurality of baseband sections to one of the plurality of RF sections in the many-to-one and one-to-many manner based on a multiple input multiple output mode of a wireless protocol.

5. The IC of claim 1 further comprises:

the analog interface module including an analog section of an analog to digital conversion module; and

the digital interface module including a digital section of the analog to digital conversion module.

6. The IC of claim 1, wherein:

the analog interface module provides an analog measurement of the RF section of the plurality of RF sections to baseband section of the plurality of baseband sections; and

the digital interface module provides a digital control signal from the baseband section of the plurality of baseband sections to the RF section of the plurality of RF sections.

7. The IC of claim 6 further comprises:

the analog interface module including an analog section of an analog to digital conversion module; and

the digital interface module including a digital section of the analog to digital conversion module.

8. The IC of claim 6 further comprises:

the analog interface module including an analog section of digital to analog conversion module; and

the digital interface module including a digital section of the digital to analog conversion module.

9. The IC of claim 1, wherein the interface module functions to provide an inbound symbol stream from the RF section of the plurality of RF sections to the baseband section of the plurality of baseband sections and to provide an outbound symbol stream from the baseband section of the plurality of baseband sections to the RF section of the plurality of RF sections.

10. An integrated circuit (IC) comprises:

at least one baseband section;

at least one radio frequency (RF) section; and

an interface module, wherein the interface module includes a measurement interface module and a control interface module, the at least one RF section provides at least one measurement to the at least one baseband section via the measurement interface module and the at least one baseband section provides at least one control signal to the at least one RF section via the control interface module, the interface module includes;

a switching matrix configured to couple the at least one baseband section to the at least one RF section;

an analog interface module configured to exchange analog signals with the RF section of the plurality of RF sections and the baseband section of the plurality of baseband sections; and

a digital interface module configured to exchange digital signals with the RF section of the plurality of RF sections and the baseband section of the plurality of baseband sections.

11. The IC of claim 10, wherein the at least one measurement comprises at least one of:

transmit power level;

received signal strength level;

resistor calibration measurement;

capacitor calibration measurement;

DC offset calibration measurement;

noise measurement;

signal to noise ratio; and

signal to interference ratio.

12. The IC of claim 10, wherein the at least one control signal comprises at least one of:

resistor calibration adjust;

capacitor calibration adjust;

transmit power adjust;

gain adjust;

local oscillation adjust; and

transmit blocker adjust.

13. The IC of claim 10, wherein the interface module further comprises:

an inbound symbol stream interface module coupled to provide an inbound symbol stream from the at least one RF section to the at least one baseband section; and

an outbound symbol stream interface module coupled to provide an outbound symbol stream from the at least one baseband section to the at least one RF section.

14. The IC of claim 10 further comprises:

the analog interface module including an analog section of an analog to digital conversion module; and

the digital interface module including a digital section of the analog to digital conversion module.

15. The IC of claim 10 further comprises:

the analog interface module including an analog section of digital to analog conversion module; and

the digital interface module including a digital section of the digital to analog conversion module.

16. An integrated circuit (IC) comprises:

at least one baseband section;

at least one radio frequency (RF) section; and

an interface module, the interface module includes;

a switching matrix configured to couple the at least one baseband section to the at least one RF section;

an analog interface module configured to exchange analog signals with the RF section of the plurality of RF sections and the baseband section of the plurality of baseband sections; and

a digital interface module configured to exchange digital signals with the RF section of the plurality of RF sections and the baseband section of the plurality of baseband sections.

17. The IC of claim 16, wherein the interface module further comprises:

an inbound symbol stream interface module coupled to provide an inbound symbol stream from the at least one RF section to the at least one baseband section; and

an outbound symbol stream interface module coupled to provide an outbound symbol stream from the at least one baseband section to the at least one RF section.

18. The IC of claim 16, wherein the interface module further comprises:

a measurement interface module and a control interface module, wherein the at least one RF section provides at least one measurement to the at least one baseband section via the measurement interface module and the at least one baseband section provides at least one control signal to the at least one RF section via the control interface module.

19. The IC of claim 18, wherein the at least one measurement comprises at least one of:

transmit power level;

received signal strength level;

resistor calibration measurement;

capacitor calibration measurement;

DC offset calibration measurement;

noise measurement;

signal to noise ratio; and

signal to interference ratio.

20. The IC of claim 18, wherein the at least one control signal comprises at least one of:

resistor calibration adjust;

capacitor calibration adjust;

transmit power adjust;

gain adjust;

local oscillation adjust; and

transmit blocker adjust.