APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR RADIO FREQUENCY FRONT-ENDS

• US 20180294858A1
• Filed: 03/14/2018
• Published: 10/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Pehlke, David Richard
• Granted Patent: US 10,659,121 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: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/022 Site diversity; Macro-diversity using two or more spaced independent antennas H04B7/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0404 the mobile station comprising multiple antennas, e.g. to provide uplink diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0604 with predefined switching scheme
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0608 Antenna selection according to transmission parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0825 with main and with auxiliary or diversity antennas

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for radio frequency front-ends are provided. In certain configurations, a radio frequency front-end includes ultrahigh band (UHB) transmit and receive modules employed for both transmission and reception of UHB signals via at least two primary antennas and at least two diversity antennas, thereby supporting both 4×4 receive MIMO and 4×4 transmit MIMO with respect to one or more UHB frequency bands, such as Band 42, Band 43, and/or Band 48. The radio frequency front-end can operate with carrier aggregation using one or more UHB carrier frequencies to provide flexibility in widening bandwidth for uplink and/or downlink communications.

Claims

1. A wireless device comprising:

a plurality of antennas including a first primary antenna, a second primary antenna, a first diversity antenna, and a second diversity antenna;

a transceiver; and

a radio frequency front end system electrically coupled between the transceiver and the plurality of antennas, the radio frequency front end system including a plurality of ultrahigh band modules each configured to output an ultrahigh band transmit signal having a frequency content greater than about 3 gigahertz, the plurality of ultrahigh band modules including a first ultrahigh band module electrically coupled to the first primary antenna, a second ultrahigh band module electrically coupled to the second primary antenna, a third ultrahigh band module electrically coupled to the first diversity antenna, and a fourth ultrahigh band module electrically coupled to the second diversity antenna.

2. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency front end system further includes a shared power management circuit configured to provide a common power amplifier supply voltage to the plurality of ultrahigh band modules.

3. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency front end system further includes at least one radio frequency module configured to process a plurality of radio frequency signals having a frequency content of less than about 3 gigahertz, the transceiver being shared by the plurality of ultrahigh band modules and the at least one radio frequency module.

4. The wireless device of claim 3 wherein the plurality of radio frequency signals include at least one low band signal having a frequency content of less than about 1 gigahertz, at least one mid band signal having a frequency content between about 1 gigahertz and about 2.3 gigahertz, and at least one high band signal having a frequency content between about 2.3 gigahertz and about 3 gigahertz.

5. The wireless device of claim 3 wherein the at least one radio frequency module includes a high band module, the radio frequency front end system further including a shared power management circuit configured to provide a common power amplifier supply voltage to the plurality of ultrahigh band modules and to the high band module.

6. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency front end system is operable to provide antenna swapping for one or more ultrahigh frequency bands without an antenna swap switch.

7. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of ultrahigh band modules are each further configured to process an ultrahigh band receive signal.

8. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of ultrahigh band modules are operable to support uplink carrier aggregation using one or more ultrahigh frequency carriers.

9. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of ultrahigh band modules includes at least one power amplifier with integrated duplexer module.

10. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of ultrahigh band modules is configured to provide radio frequency signal processing in a frequency range between about 3.4 gigahertz and about 3.8 gigahertz.

11. A radio frequency front end system comprising:

a plurality of antenna terminals including a first primary antenna terminal, a second primary antenna terminal, a first diversity antenna terminal, and a second diversity antenna terminal; and

a plurality of ultrahigh band modules electrically coupled to the plurality of antenna terminals and each configured to output an ultrahigh band transmit signal having a frequency content greater than about 3 gigahertz, the plurality of ultrahigh band modules including a first ultrahigh band module electrically coupled to the first primary antenna terminal, a second ultrahigh band module electrically coupled to the second primary antenna terminal, a third ultrahigh band module electrically coupled to the first diversity antenna terminal, and a fourth ultrahigh band module electrically coupled to the second diversity antenna terminal.

12. The radio frequency front end system of claim 11 further comprising a shared power management circuit configured to provide a common power amplifier supply voltage to the plurality of ultrahigh band modules.

13. The radio frequency front end system of claim 11 further comprising at least one radio frequency module configured to process a plurality of radio frequency signals having a frequency content of less than about 3 gigahertz.

14. The radio frequency front end system of claim 13 wherein the plurality of radio frequency signals include at least one low band signal having a frequency content of less than about 1 gigahertz, at least one mid band signal having a frequency content between about 1 gigahertz and about 2.3 gigahertz, and at least one high band signal having a frequency content between about 2.3 gigahertz and about 3 gigahertz.

15. The radio frequency front end system of claim 13 wherein the at least one radio frequency module includes a high band module, the radio frequency front end system further comprising a shared power management circuit configured to provide a common power amplifier supply voltage to the plurality of ultrahigh band modules and to the high band module.

16. The radio frequency front end system of claim 11 wherein each of the plurality of ultrahigh band modules are each further configured to process an ultrahigh band receive signal.

17. The radio frequency front end system of claim 11 wherein the plurality of ultrahigh band modules are operable to support uplink carrier aggregation using one or more ultrahigh frequency carriers.

18. The radio frequency front end system of claim 11 wherein each of the plurality of ultrahigh band modules is configured to provide radio frequency signal processing in a frequency range between about 3.4 gigahertz and about 3.8 gigahertz.

19. The radio frequency front end system of claim 11 implemented on a phone board.

20. A method of radio frequency signal communication, the method comprising:

generating four or more ultrahigh band transmit signals each having a frequency content greater than about 3 gigahertz using four or more ultrahigh band modules of a wireless device, each of the four or more ultrahigh band modules outputting a corresponding one of the four or more ultrahigh band transmit signals;

transmitting the four or more ultrahigh band transmit signals using four or more antennas of the wireless device, the four or more antennas including at least two primary antennas and at least two diversity antennas; and

powering the four or more ultrahigh band transmit signals using a common power amplifier supply voltage.