Radio-Frequency Apparatus with Integrated Antenna Control and Associated Methods

• US 20170110792A1
• Filed: 12/23/2016
• Published: 04/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Le Goff, David, Khoury, John M., Koroglu, Mustafa, Coban, Abdulkerim, Khoini-Poorfard, Ramin
• Application Number:
  US15/390,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20170110792A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2283 mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package
• 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 1/50 Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0805 with single receiver and antenna switching H04B7/0822 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

An apparatus includes a first integrated circuit (IC) that includes a first radio-frequency (RF) circuit to process RF signals, a first antenna port to couple to one or more antennas, and a first switch integrated in the first IC and coupled to the first antenna port. The apparatus further includes a second IC that includes a second RF circuit to process RF signals, a second antenna port to couple to the one or more antennas, and a second switch integrated in the second IC and coupled to the second antenna port.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first integrated circuit (IC), comprising;

a first radio-frequency (RF) circuit to process RF signals;

a first antenna port to couple to one or more antennas; and

a first switch integrated in the first IC and coupled to the first antenna port;

a second IC, comprising;

a second RF circuit to process RF signals;

a second antenna port to couple to the one or more antennas; and

a second switch integrated in the second IC and coupled to the second antenna port.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first antenna port comprises a first terminal coupled to a first antenna.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second antenna port comprises a first terminal coupled to a second antenna.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the second antenna port comprises a first terminal coupled to a ground potential.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first antenna port comprises a second terminal coupled to a second terminal of the second antenna port.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first antenna port comprises a second terminal coupled to a second terminal of the second antenna port.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first IC comprises a first controller coupled to control the first switch, and the second IC comprises a second controller coupled to control the second switch.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a link coupled to the first controller and to the second controller to facilitate sharing at least one antenna between the first and second ICs by coordinating opening and closing of the first and second switches.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising host coupled to the first controller and to the second controller, the host to facilitate sharing at least one antenna between the first and second ICs by coordinating opening and closing of the first and second switches.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a first integrated circuit (IC), comprising;

a first radio-frequency (RF) circuit to process RF signals; and

a first switch, integrated in the first IC and coupled to an antenna port of the first IC, in order to share at least one antenna coupled to the antenna port of the first IC.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first switch is opened to allow a first IC to use the at least one antenna.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first switch is opened to allow a second IC to use the at least one antenna.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a second IC, comprising;

a second RF circuit to process RF signals; and

a second switch, integrated in the second IC and coupled to an antenna port of the second IC in order to share the at least one antenna with the first IC.

14. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the first IC further comprises a first controller to open and close the first switch to facilitate sharing of the at least one antenna, and wherein the second IC further comprises a second controller to open and close the second switch to facilitate sharing of the at least one antenna.

15. A method of sharing at least one antenna between a first integrated circuit (IC) having a first switch integrated in the first IC and coupled to a first antenna port, and a second IC having a second switch integrated in the second IC and coupled to a second antenna port, the method comprising:

closing the first switch to couple the at least one antenna to the second IC; and

opening the second switch to in order for RF circuitry in the second IC to use the at least first antenna.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

closing the second switch to couple the at least one antenna to the first IC; and

opening the first switch to in order for RF circuitry in the first IC to use the at least first antenna.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first switch is coupled across the first antenna port.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the second switch is coupled across the second antenna port.

19. The method according to claim 16, further comprising using a first controller to control the first switch and using a second controller to control the second switch, wherein the first and second controllers are coupled via a link to facilitate opening and closing of the first and second switches to coordinate sharing the at least one antenna.

20. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

using a first controller to control the first switch;

using a second controller to control the second switch; and

using a host coupled to the first and second controllers to facilitate opening and closing of the first and second switches to coordinate sharing the at least one antenna.