MOBILE DEVICE FRONT END ARCHITECTURE FOR TIME DIVISION DUPLEXING

• US 20180205530A1
• Filed: 12/05/2017
• Published: 07/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Pehlke, David Richard
• Granted Patent: US 10,644,861 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0057 using diplexing or multiplexing filters for selecting the desired band
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1469 using time-sharing

Abstract

A switching circuit for use in a frequency division duplex (FDD) spectrum re-allocated for time division duplex (TDD) applications comprises a first filter configured to filter a TDD receive signal, a duplex filter configured to filter an FDD receive signal, and a plurality of switches configured to route the FDD receive signal from an antenna through the duplex filter to receiver circuitry and to route the TDD receive signal from the antenna through the first filter to the receiver circuitry such that the FDD and TDD receive signals share the FDD spectrum.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A switching circuit for use in a frequency division duplex spectrum re-allocated for time division duplex application, the switching circuit comprising:

a duplex filter configured to filter frequency division duplex and time division duplex receive and transmit signals; and

a plurality of switches configured to route the frequency division duplex and time division duplex receive signals from an antenna through the duplex filter to receiver circuitry and to route the frequency division duplex transmit and time division duplex transmit signals from the transmitter circuitry through the duplex filter to the antenna, the frequency division duplex and time division duplex transmit and receive signals sharing a reallocated frequency division duplex spectrum that includes a reallocated transmit band including a first sub-band allocated for frequency division duplex transmission, a second sub-band separate from the first sub-band and allocated for time division duplex transmission and reception, and a third sub-band interposed between the first and second sub-bands.

2-1. The switching circuit of claim 2 wherein the duplex filter includes a surface acoustic wave filter.

3. The switching circuit of claim 2 wherein the duplex filter includes a band pass filter.

4. The switching circuit of claim 2 wherein the duplex filter includes a film bulk acoustic resonator filter.

5. The switching circuit of claim 2 wherein the duplex filter includes a bulk acoustic wave filter.

6. The switching circuit of claim 2 wherein the third sub-band is configured to operate as a guard band when signal interference between the first sub-band and the second sub-band is greater than a threshold.

7. The switching circuit of claim 2 wherein the third sub-band is allocated for time division duplex transmission.

8. A switching module for use in a frequency division duplex spectrum re-allocated for time division duplex application, the switching module comprising:

a switching circuit implemented in a first semiconductor die, the switching circuit including a duplex filter configured to filter frequency division duplex and time division duplex receive and transmit signals, and a plurality of switches configured to route the frequency division duplex and time division duplex receive signals from an antenna through the duplex filter to receiver circuitry and to route the frequency division duplex transmit and time division duplex transmit signals from the transmitter circuitry through the duplex filter to the antenna, the frequency division duplex and time division duplex transmit and receive signals sharing a reallocated frequency division duplex spectrum that includes a reallocated transmit band including a first sub-band allocated for frequency division duplex transmission, a second sub-band separate from the first sub-band and allocated for time division duplex transmission and reception, and a third sub-band interposed between the first and second sub-bands; and

at least one of a prefilter circuit, a post filter circuit, a power amplifier circuit, a switch circuit, a down converter circuit, and a modulator circuit implemented in a second semiconductor die.

9. The switching module of claim 8 wherein the duplex filter includes a surface acoustic wave filter.

10. The switching module of claim 8 wherein the duplex filter includes a band pass filter.

11. The switching module of claim 8 wherein the duplex filter includes a film bulk acoustic resonator filter.

12. The switching module of claim 8 wherein the duplex filter includes a bulk acoustic wave filter.

13. The switching module of claim 8 wherein the third sub-band is configured to operate as a guard band when signal interference between the first sub-band and the second sub-band is greater than a threshold.

14. The switching module of claim 8 wherein the third sub-band is allocated for time division duplex transmission.

15. The switching module of claim 8 wherein the third sub-band configured to operate as one of a guard band and an uplink for time division duplex receive signals.

16. A method to transmit and receive frequency division duplex signals and time division duplex signals in a frequency division duplex and time division duplex shared frequency band, the method comprising:

routing frequency division duplex and time division duplex receive signals from an antenna through a duplex filter to receiver circuitry; and

routing frequency division duplex transmit and time division duplex transmit signals from the transmitter circuitry through the duplex filter to the antenna, the frequency division duplex and time division duplex transmit and receive signals sharing a reallocated frequency division duplex spectrum that includes a reallocated transmit band including a first sub-band allocated for frequency division duplex transmission, a second sub-band separate from the first sub-band and allocated for time division duplex transmission and reception, and a third sub-band interposed between the first and second sub-bands.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the duplex filter includes a film bulk acoustic resonator filter.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the duplex filter includes a bulk acoustic wave filter.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the third sub-band is configured to operate as a guard band when signal interference between the first sub-band and the second sub-band is greater than a threshold.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the third sub-band is allocated for time division duplex transmission.