DUAL ANTENNA INTEGRATED CARRIER AGGREGATION FRONT END SOLUTION

• US 20130336181A1
• Filed: 03/28/2013
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: RF Micro Devices Incorporated (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Inventors: Khlat, Nadim, Granger-Jones, Marcus
• Granted Patent: US 9,219,594 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/297
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0057 using diplexing or multiplexing filters for selecting the desired band
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0002 analog front ends; means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line duplex arrangements H04L5/143
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/06 the signals being represented by different frequencies combined with time-division multiplexing H04L5/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/12 the signals being represented by different phase modulations of a single carrier

Abstract

Radio frequency front end circuitry comprises a first antenna port, a second antenna port, antenna switching circuitry, a first diplexer, and a second diplexer. The antenna switching circuitry is coupled to each of the first antenna port and the second antenna port through the first diplexer and the second diplexer, respectively. The antenna switching circuitry is adapted to selectively couple one or more of a plurality of transmit and receive ports to the first antenna port and the second antenna port.

Claims

1. Radio frequency front end circuitry comprising:

a first antenna port and a second antenna port;

front end switching circuitry adapted to selectively couple one or more of a plurality of RF front end ports to the first antenna port and the second antenna port; and

a first diplexer coupled between the front end switching circuitry and the first antenna port and a second diplexer coupled between the front end switching circuitry and the second antenna port.

2. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 1 wherein the first antenna port is coupled to a first antenna, and the second antenna port is coupled to a second antenna.

3. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 2 wherein no further circuitry for selectively coupling the first antenna port to one or more of the plurality of RF front end ports exists between the first antenna and the first diplexer, and no further circuitry for coupling the second antenna port to one or more of the plurality of RF front end ports exists between the second antenna port and the second diplexer.

4. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 2 further comprising a plurality of antenna tuning circuits, wherein each one of the plurality of antenna tuning circuits is coupled between the first antenna and the first diplexer and the second antenna and the second diplexer.

5. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of directional couplers, such that a directional coupler is present between each signal path between the front end circuitry and the first diplexer and the front end circuitry and the second diplexer.

6. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 1 further comprising control circuitry coupled to the front end switching circuitry and adapted to control the selective coupling of the one or more plurality of RF front end ports to the first antenna port and the second antenna port.

7. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency front end circuitry is adapted to transmit a wireless signal between about 880-915 MHz and simultaneously receive a wireless signal between about 1805-1880 MHz.

8. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency front end circuitry is adapted to transmit a wireless signal between about 704-716 MHz and simultaneously receive a wireless signal between about 2110-2155 MHz.

9. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 1 further comprising a third antenna port, wherein the front end switching circuitry is further adapted to selectively couple one or more of the plurality of RF front end ports to the third antenna port.

10. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 9 wherein the third antenna port is coupled to a third antenna.

11. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 1 wherein the first diplexer and the second diplexer are tunable.

13. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 11 wherein the first antenna port is coupled to a first antenna and the second antenna port is coupled to a second antenna.

16. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 11 further comprising a plurality of directional couplers, such that a directional coupler is present between each signal path between the front end switching circuitry and the first diplexer and the front end switching circuitry and the second diplexer.

17. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 11 further comprising control circuitry coupled to the front end switching circuitry and adapted to control the selective coupling of the plurality of RF front end ports to the first antenna port and the second antenna port.

18. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 11 wherein the radio frequency front end circuitry is adapted to transmit a wireless signal between about 880-915 MHz and simultaneously receive a wireless signal between about 1805-1880 MHz.

19. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 11 wherein the radio frequency front end circuitry is adapted to transmit a wireless signal between about 704-716 MHz and simultaneously receive a wireless signal between about 2110-2155 MHz.

20. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 11 further comprising a third antenna port, wherein the front end switching circuitry is further adapted to selectively couple the one or more of the plurality of RF front end ports to the third antenna port.

12. Radio frequency front end circuitry comprising:

transceiver circuitry;

a first antenna and a second antenna;

front end switching circuitry adapted to selectively couple one or more of a plurality of RF front end ports to the first antenna and the second antenna;

a first diplexer coupled between the front end switching circuitry and the first antenna and a second diplexer coupled between the front end switching circuitry and the second antenna;

a plurality of power amplifiers coupled between the transceiver circuitry and a first plurality of the RF front end ports; and

a plurality of low noise amplifiers coupled between the transceiver circuitry and a second plurality of the RF front end ports.

14. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 12 wherein no further circuitry for selectively coupling the first antenna to the one or more of the plurality of RF front end ports exists between the first antenna and the first diplexer, and no further circuitry for coupling the second antenna to the one or more of the plurality of RF front end ports exists between the second antenna and the second diplexer.

15. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 12 further comprising a plurality of antenna tuning circuits, wherein each one of the plurality of antenna tuning circuits is coupled between the first antenna and the first diplexer and the second antenna and the second diplexer.