Multiple-input multiple-output radio transceiver
First Claim
1. A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radio transceiver comprising:
- a. a receiver comprising at least first and second receiver circuits each to process a signal from a corresponding one of first and second antennas, i. the first receiver circuit comprising;
1. a first downconverter coupled to the first antenna to downconvert a first receive signal detected by the first antenna to produce a first baseband signal; and
2. a first lowpass filter coupled to the first downconverter that lowpass filters the first baseband signal;
ii. the second receiver circuit comprising;
1. a second downconverter coupled to the second antenna to downconvert a second receive signal detected by the second antenna to produce a second baseband signal; and
2. a second lowpass filter coupled to the second downconverter that lowpass filters the second baseband signal;
b. a transmitter comprising at least first and second transmitter circuits each of which processes a signal to be transmitted by a corresponding one of the first and second antennas, i. the first transmitter circuit comprising;
1. a first upconverter that upconverts a first baseband analog signal to generate a first RF signal;
2. a first bandpass filter coupled to the output of the first upconverter that filters the first RF signal; and
3. a first power amplifier coupled to the output of the bandpass filter that amplifies the filtered RF signal to produce a first amplified signal that is coupled to the first antenna for transmission;
ii. the second transmitter circuit comprising;
1. a second upconverter that upconverts a second baseband analog signal to generate a second RF signal;
2. a second bandpass filter coupled to the output of the second upconverter that filters the second RF signal; and
3. a second power amplifier coupled to the output of the second bandpass filter that amplifies the second filtered RF signal to produce a second amplified signal that is coupled to the second antenna for transmission.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A MIMO radio transceiver to support processing of multiple signals for simultaneous transmission via corresponding ones of a plurality of antennas and to support receive processing of multiple signals detected by corresponding ones of the plurality of antennas. The radio transceiver provides, on a single semiconductor integrated circuit, a receiver circuit or path for each of a plurality of antennas and a transmit circuit or path for each of the plurality of antennas. Each receiver circuit downconverts the RF signal detected by its associated antenna to a baseband signal. Similarly, each transmit path upconverts a baseband signal to be transmitted by an assigned antenna.
-
Citations
65 Claims
-
1. A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radio transceiver comprising:
-
a. a receiver comprising at least first and second receiver circuits each to process a signal from a corresponding one of first and second antennas, i. the first receiver circuit comprising;
1. a first downconverter coupled to the first antenna to downconvert a first receive signal detected by the first antenna to produce a first baseband signal; and
2. a first lowpass filter coupled to the first downconverter that lowpass filters the first baseband signal;
ii. the second receiver circuit comprising;
1. a second downconverter coupled to the second antenna to downconvert a second receive signal detected by the second antenna to produce a second baseband signal; and
2. a second lowpass filter coupled to the second downconverter that lowpass filters the second baseband signal;
b. a transmitter comprising at least first and second transmitter circuits each of which processes a signal to be transmitted by a corresponding one of the first and second antennas, i. the first transmitter circuit comprising;
1. a first upconverter that upconverts a first baseband analog signal to generate a first RF signal;
2. a first bandpass filter coupled to the output of the first upconverter that filters the first RF signal; and
3. a first power amplifier coupled to the output of the bandpass filter that amplifies the filtered RF signal to produce a first amplified signal that is coupled to the first antenna for transmission;
ii. the second transmitter circuit comprising;
1. a second upconverter that upconverts a second baseband analog signal to generate a second RF signal;
2. a second bandpass filter coupled to the output of the second upconverter that filters the second RF signal; and
3. a second power amplifier coupled to the output of the second bandpass filter that amplifies the second filtered RF signal to produce a second amplified signal that is coupled to the second antenna for transmission. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radio transceiver comprising:
-
a. a receiver comprising at least first and second receiver circuits each to process a signal from a corresponding one of first and second antennas, i. the first receiver circuit comprising;
1. a first downconverter coupled to the first antenna to downconvert a first receive signal detected by the first antenna to produce a first in-phase baseband signal and a first quadrature baseband signal; and
2. first and second lowpass filters coupled to the first downconverter that lowpass filter the first in-phase baseband signal and the first quadrature baseband signal, respectively;
ii. the second receiver circuit comprising;
1. a second downconverter coupled to the second antenna to downconvert a second receive signal detected by the second antenna to produce a second in-phase baseband signal and a second quadrature baseband signal; and
2. third and fourth lowpass filters coupled to the second downconverter that lowpass filter the second in-phase baseband signal and the second quadrature baseband signal, respectively;
b. a transmitter comprising at least first and second transmitter circuits each of which processes a signal to be transmitted by a corresponding one of the first and second antennas, i. the first transmitter circuit comprising;
1. a first upconverter that upconverts a first in-phase baseband analog signal and a first quadrature baseband analog signal to generate a first RF signal;
2. a first bandpass filter coupled to the output of the first upconverter that filters the first RF signal; and
3. a first power amplifier coupled to the output of the first bandpass filter that amplifies the first filtered RF signal to produce a first amplified signal that is coupled to the first antenna for transmission;
ii. the second transmitter circuit comprising;
1. a second upconverter that upconverts a second in-phase baseband analog signal and a second quadrature baseband analog signal to generate a second RF signal;
2. a second bandpass filter coupled to the output of the second upconverter that filters the second RF signal; and
3. a second power amplifier coupled to the output of the second bandpass filter that amplifies the second filtered RF signal to produce a second amplified signal that is coupled to the second antenna for transmission. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
a. an analog-to-digital converter (ADC);
b. a digital-to-analog converter (DAC); and
c. a digital multiplexer coupled to the ADC and to the DAC;
d. wherein the ADC receives as input one of;
an analog transmit power level signal, first or second quadrature baseband analog signal, first or second in-phase baseband analog signal; and
wherein the DAC receives as input one of;
first or second digital quadrature transmit signal, first or second digital in-phase transmit signal, digital receiver gain control signal, and wherein the digital multiplexer directs signals from the ADC to their appropriate destination and directs appropriate ones of the signals to the DAC for digital-to-analog conversion.
-
-
35. The combination of claim 34, and further comprising a first switch having first and second input terminals and an output terminal, the output terminal of the first switch being coupled to the input of the ADC, the first and second input terminals of the first switch being coupled to any two signals of:
- the analog transmit power level signal, first or second quadrature baseband analog signal, and the first or second in-phase baseband analog signal, and a second switch having first and second output terminals and an input terminal, the input terminal of the second switch being coupled to the output of the DAC, and wherein the digital multiplexer directs one of the following signals to the input of the DAC;
the first or second digital quadrature transmit signal, first or second digital in-phase transmit signal, and the digital receiver gain control signal.
- the analog transmit power level signal, first or second quadrature baseband analog signal, and the first or second in-phase baseband analog signal, and a second switch having first and second output terminals and an input terminal, the input terminal of the second switch being coupled to the output of the DAC, and wherein the digital multiplexer directs one of the following signals to the input of the DAC;
-
36. In combination, the radio transceiver of claim 14, and a radio front-end section comprising:
-
a. a first transmit/receive switch to be coupled to the first antenna and a second transmit/receive switch to be coupled to the second antenna, wherein the first and second transmit/receive switches each comprise an antenna terminal to be coupled to the first and second antenna, respectively, a receive output terminal and a transmit input terminal, the transmit input terminals of the first and second transmit/receive switches being coupled to the output of the first and second transmitter circuits, respectively, wherein the first and second transmit/receive switches are responsive to a control signal to select one of the two output terminals; and
b. first and second bandpass filters, the first bandpass filter coupled to the receive output terminal of the first transmit/receive switch and the second bandpass filter coupled to the receive output terminal of the second transmit/receive switch, the first and second bandpass filters filter the signals detected by the first and second antennas, respectively, to produce the first and second receive signals.
-
-
37. The combination of claim 36, wherein the first and second bandpass filters are dedicated to filtering signals in a first radio frequency band, and further comprising:
-
a. third and fourth bandpass filters dedicated to filtering signals in a second radio frequency band;
b. first and second band select switches, the first and second band selection switches having an input terminal coupled to the receive output terminals of the first and second transmit/receive switches, respectively, and each having a first output terminal coupled to the first and second bandpass filters, respectively, and a second output terminal coupled to the third and fourth bandpass filters, respectively.
-
-
38. The combination of claim 37, wherein the radio front-end section further comprises third and fourth band select switches, each having first and second input terminals, and an output terminal, the output terminal of the third and fourth band select switches being coupled to the transmit input terminals of the first and second transmit/receive switches.
-
39. The combination of claim 38, wherein the radio front-end section further comprises first and second lowpass filters dedicated to filtering signals to be transmitted in the first radio frequency band, the outputs of the first and second lowpass filters being connected to the first input terminals of the third and fourth band select switches, respectively, and third and fourth lowpass filters dedicated to filtering signals to be transmitted in the second radio frequency band, the outputs of the third and fourth lowpass filters being connected to the second input terminals of the third and fourth band select switches.
-
40. In combination, the radio transceiver of claim 14, and a radio front-end section, wherein the radio front end section comprises a first diplexer to be coupled to the first antenna and a second diplexer to be coupled to the second antenna, wherein the first and second diplexers each have first and second branches onto which signals from first and second radio frequency bands, respectively, are coupled for transmission via the first and second antennas, respectively, or are coupled when received by the first and second antennas, respectively.
-
41. The combination of claim 40, wherein for each diplexer, the radio front-end section further comprises a bandpass filter coupled in the first branch to filter signals received in the first frequency band and a bandpass filter coupled in the second branch to filter signals received in the second frequency band.
-
42. The combination of claim 41, wherein the radio-front end section further comprises a transmit/receive switch coupled to the bandpass filter in each of the first and second branches for each diplexer, wherein the transmit/receive switch selects either a signal to be transmitted through an antenna coupled to the associated diplexer, or a signal detected by an antenna coupled to the associated diplexer which is coupled to the bandpass filter for that branch.
-
43. The combination of claim 41, wherein the radio transceiver further comprises a transmit/receive switch coupled to the bandpass filter in each of the first and second branches for each diplexer, wherein the transmit/receive switch selects either a signal to be transmitted through an antenna coupled to the associated diplexer, or a signal detected by an antenna coupled to the associated diplexer which is coupled to the bandpass filter for that branch.
-
44. The combination of claim 43, wherein the radio front-end section further comprises a quarter wavelength element coupled between the transmit/receive switch and the bandpass filter in each of the first and second branches for each diplexer.
-
45. A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radio transceiver on a single semiconductor integrated circuit, comprising:
-
a. a receiver comprising at least first and second receiver circuits each to process a signal from a corresponding one of first and second antennas, i. the first receiver circuit comprising;
1. a first downconverter coupled to the first antenna to downconvert a first receive signal detected by the first antenna to produce a first baseband signal; and
2. a first lowpass filter coupled to the first downconverter that lowpass filters the first baseband signal;
ii. the second receiver circuit comprising;
1. a second downconverter coupled to the second antenna to downconvert a second receive signal detected by the second antenna to produce a second baseband signal; and
2. a second lowpass filter coupled to the second downconverter that lowpass filters the second baseband signal;
b. a transmitter comprising at least first and second transmitter circuits each of which processes a signal to be transmitted by a corresponding one of the first and second antennas, i. the first transmitter circuit comprising;
1. a first upconverter that upconverts a first baseband analog signal to generate a first RF signal; and
2. a first bandpass filter coupled to the output of the first upconverter that filters the first RF signal;
ii. the second transmitter circuit comprising;
1. a second upconverter that up converts a second baseband analog signal to generate a second RF signal; and
2. a second bandpass filter coupled to the output of the second upconverter that filters the second RF signal. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
-
-
55. A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radio transceiver on a single semiconductor integrated circuit, comprising:
-
a. a receiver comprising at least first and second receiver circuits each to process a signal from a corresponding one of first and second antennas, the first receiver circuit comprising a first downconverter that downconverts a first receive signal detected by the first antenna to produce a first baseband signal, the second receiver circuit comprising a second downconverter that downconverts a second receive signal detected by the second antenna to produce a second baseband signal;
b. a transmitter comprising at least first and second transmitter circuits each of which processes a signal to be transmitted by a corresponding one of the first and second antennas, the first transmitter circuit comprising a first upconverter that upconverts a first baseband analog signal to generate a first RF signal, the second transmitter circuit comprising a second upconverter that upconverts a second baseband analog signal to generate a second RF signal. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
-
Specification