Single chip multimode baseband processing circuitry with a shared radio interface

• US 7,751,850 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2005
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US11/217,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20070049216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,769 Days
• Field of Search: 455/445, 455/11.1, 455/41.2, 455507-516, 455/63.1, 455/67.11, 455/67.13, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/561, 4555561-5562, 455/557, 455418-420, 710107-117
• US Class Current: 455/553.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0064 with separate antennas for the more than one band H04B1/0053 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0067 with one or more circuit blocks in common for different bands
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/406 with more than one transmission mode, e.g. analog and digital modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A multimode communication integrated circuit comprising baseband processing circuitry with a shared radio interface. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise a processor module adapted to perform various processing (e.g., baseband processing) in support of multimode communications. A first radio module may be communicatively coupled to the processor module through a common communication interface. A second radio module may also be communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface. The common communication interface may, for example, be adapted to communicate information over a communication bus that is shared between the processor module and a plurality of radio modules (e.g., the first and second radio modules).

Claims

1. A multimode communication integrated circuit comprising:

a processor module comprising a common communication interface;

a first addressable radio module associated with a first communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface; and

a second addressable radio module associated with a second communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface,

wherein;

the first radio module and the second radio module each comprise a communication interface adapted to share a common communication bus when the first and second radio modules are both active; and

the processor module, first radio module and second radio module are integrated on the multimode communication integrated circuit.

2. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the common communication interface is specifically adapted for communicating with radio modules.

3. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein:

the first radio module is communicatively coupled to the common communication interface over a communication bus; and

the second radio module is communicatively coupled to the common communication interface over the communication bus.

4. The integrated circuit of claim 3, wherein the communication bus is a serial bus.

5. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the first radio module and the second radio module each comprise a communication interface adapted to share a common communication bus when the first and second radio modules are communicating concurrently.

6. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the first radio module and the second radio module are operable to conduct synchronous communications with the processor module through the common communication interface.

7. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the first radio module is associated with a first address, and the second radio module is associated with a second address.

8. The integrated circuit of claim 7, wherein the processor module is associated with a third address.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the processor module is operable to communicate Media Access control (MAC) level operational information through the common communication interface with the first radio module and the second radio module.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the processor module is operable to communicate Physical (PHY) level operational information through the common communication interface with the first radio module and the second radio module.

11. A multimode communication integrated circuit comprising:

a processor module comprising a common communication interface;

a first addressable radio module associated with a first communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface; and

a second addressable radio module associated with a second communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface,

wherein;

the first radio module comprises a communication interface operable to communicate with the processor module and the second radio module over a shared communication bus; and

the processor module, first radio module and second radio module are integrated on the multimode communication integrated circuit.

12. A multimode communication integrated circuit comprising:

a processor module comprising a common communication interface;

a first addressable radio module associated with a first communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface; and

a second addressable radio module associated with a second communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface,

wherein;

the first radio module and the second radio module are operable to conduct synchronous communications with the processor module through the common communication interface;

the first radio module and the second radio module are operable to communicate with the processor module through the common communication interface utilizing respective allocated timeslots; and

the processor module, first radio module and second radio module are integrated on the multimode communication integrated circuit.

13. A multimode communication integrated circuit comprising:

a processor module comprising a common communication interface;

a first addressable radio module associated with a first communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface; and

a second addressable radio module associated with a second communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface,

wherein;

the first radio module and the second radio module are operable to conduct synchronous communications with the processor module through the common communication interface;

the first radio module and the second radio module are operable to communicate with the processor module utilizing a polling protocol; and

the processor module, first radio module and second radio module are integrated on the multimode communication integrated circuit.

14. A multimode communication integrated circuit comprising:

a processor module comprising a common communication interface;

a first addressable radio module associated with a first communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface; and

a second addressable radio module associated with a second communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface,

wherein;

the first radio module and the second radio module are operable to conduct asynchronous communications with the processor module through the common communication interface using a contention-based medium access protocol; and

the processor module, first radio module and second radio module are integrated on the multimode communication integrated circuit.

15. The integrated circuit of claim 14, wherein the first radio module and the second radio module are operable to communicate with the processor module through the common communication interface utilizing addressable data packets.

16. A multimode communication integrated circuit comprising:

a processor module comprising a common communication interface;

a first addressable radio module associated with a first communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface; and

a second addressable radio module associated with a second communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface,

wherein;

the processor module is operable to communicate communication information through the common communication interface with the first radio module and the second radio module, where the communication information comprises information to be communicated by the first radio module and information to be communicated by the second radio module over respective wireless communication links concurrently; and

the processor module, first radio module and second radio module are integrated on the multimode communication integrated circuit.

17. A multimode communication integrated circuit comprising:

a processor module comprising a common communication interface;

a first addressable radio module associated with a first communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface; and

a second addressable radio module associated with a second communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface,

wherein;

the processor module is operable to communicate setting information for programmable radio components through the common communication interface with the first radio module and the second radio module; and

the processor module, first radio module and second radio module are integrated on the multimode communication integrated circuit.

18. A multimode communication integrated circuit comprising:

a processor module comprising a common communication interface;

a first addressable radio module associated with a first communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface; and

a second addressable radio module associated with a second communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface,

wherein;

the processor module is operable to communicate interference management information through the common communication interface with the first radio module and the second radio module; and

the processor module, first radio module and second radio module are integrated on the multimode communication integrated circuit.

19. A multimode communication integrated circuit comprising:

a processor module comprising a common communication interface;

a first addressable radio module associated with a first communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface; and

a second addressable radio module associated with a second communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface,

wherein;

the first radio module is operable to communicate interference management information with the second radio module; and

the processor module, first radio module and second radio module are integrated on the multimode communication integrated circuit.

20. A multimode communication integrated circuit comprising:

a processor module comprising a common communication interface;

a first addressable radio module associated with a first communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface; and

a second addressable radio module associated with a second communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface,

wherein;

the processor module is operable to allocate communication bandwidth to the first and second radio modules for concurrent communication based, at least in part, on a quality-of-service goal; and

the processor module, first radio module and second radio module are integrated on the multimode communication integrated circuit.

21. A multimode communication integrated circuit comprising:

a processor module comprising a common communication interface;

a first addressable radio module associated with a first communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface; and

a second addressable radio module associated with a second communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface,

wherein;

the processor module is operable to allocate communication bandwidth to the first and second radio modules for concurrent communication based, at least in part, on respective priorities for the first and second radio modules; and

the processor module, first radio module and second radio module are integrated on the multimode communication integrated circuit.

22. An integrated circuit processor module for use in a multimode communication device, the processor module comprising:

at least one module operable to manage a plurality of addressable radio modules to perform multimode communications; and

a communication interface module operable to communicate with the plurality of addressable radio modules through a common interface,

wherein the communication interface module is operable to communicate asynchronously with the plurality of addressable radio modules over the shared communication bus using a contention-based medium access protocol.

23. The integrated circuit processor module of claim 22, wherein the communication interface module is operable to communicate with the plurality of addressable radio modules over the shared communication bus utilizing addressable data packets.

24. An integrated circuit processor module for use in a multimode communication device, the processor module comprising:

at least one module operable to manage a plurality of addressable radio modules to perform multimode communications; and

a communication interface module operable to communicate with the plurality of addressable radio modules through a common interface,

wherein the communication interface module is operable to communicate synchronously with the plurality of addressable radio modules over a shared communication bus utilizing a polling protocol.

25. The integrated circuit processor module of claim 24, wherein the communication interface module is operable to communicate synchronously with the plurality of addressable radio modules over the shared communication bus using a polling protocol by, at least in part, operating to initiate communication with a selected one of the plurality of addressable radio modules by addressing a message to the selected radio module.

26. In a multimode communication integrated circuit, a method for communicating information, the method comprising:

communicating information between a processor module and a first addressable radio module through a common communication interface asynchronously over a shared communication bus utilizing a contention-based medium access protocol; and

communicating information between the processor module and a second addressable radio module through the common communication interface asynchronously over a shared communication bus utilizing a contention-based medium access protocol.

27. The method of claim 26, comprising:

communicating information between the processor module and the first addressable radio module utilizing addressable data packets; and

communicating information between the processor module and the second addressable radio module utilizing addressable data packets.

28. In a multimode communication integrated circuit, a method for communicating information, the method comprising:

communicating information between a processor module and a first addressable radio module though a common communication interface synchronously over a shared communication bus utilizing a polling protocol; and

communicating information between the processor module and a second addressable radio module through the common communication interface synchronously over the shared communication bus utilizing the polling protocol.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein communicating information between the processor module and the first and second addressable radio modules over the shared communication bus utilizing a polling protocol comprises initiating communication with a selected one of the first and second addressable radio modules by addressing a message to the selected radio module.

30. A radio module for integration into an integrated circuit, the radio module comprising:

a communication module operable to communicate via an RF communication link; and

a communication interface module operable to communicate with at least a second integrated circuit module over a shared communication bus to which at least a second addressable radio module is communicatively coupled,

wherein the communication interface module is operable to communicate with the second integrated circuit module asynchronously over the shared communication bus utilizing a contention-based medium access protocol.

31. The radio module of claim 30, wherein the communication interface module is operable to communicate with the second integrated circuit module utilizing addressable data packets.

32. A radio module for integration into an integrated circuit, the radio module comprising:

a communication module operable to communicate via an RF communication link; and

a communication interface module operable to communicate with at least a second integrated circuit module over a shared communication bus to which at least a second addressable radio module is communicatively coupled,

wherein the communication interface module is operable to communicate with the second integrated circuit module synchronously over the shared communication bus utilizing a polling protocol.

33. A multimode communication integrated circuit comprising:

a processor module comprising a common communication interface;

a first addressable radio module associated with a first communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface; and

a second addressable radio module associated with a second communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface,

wherein;

the processor module is operable to communicate radio configuration information to the first radio module through the common communication interface; and

the processor module, first radio module and second radio module are integrated on the multimode communication integrated circuit.

34. A multimode communication integrated circuit comprising:

a processor module comprising a common communication interface;

a first addressable radio module associated with a first communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface; and

a second addressable radio module associated with a second communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface,

wherein;

the processor module is operable to communicate radio component setting information to the first radio module through the common communication interface; and

the processor module, first radio module and second radio module are integrated on the multimode communication integrated circuit.

35. A multimode communication integrated circuit comprising:

a processor module comprising a common communication interface

a first addressable radio module associated with a first communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface;

a second addressable radio module associated with a second communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface;

wherein;

the processor module is operable to communicate executable instructions to the first radio module through the common communication interface; and

the processor module, first radio module and second radio module are integrated on the multimode communication integrated circuit.

36. A multimode communication integrated circuit comprising:

a processor module comprising a common communication interface;

a first radio module associated with a first communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface; and

a second radio module associated with a second communication mode and communicatively coupled to the processor module through the common communication interface;

wherein;

the processor module, first radio module and second radio module are integrated on the multimode communication integrated circuit; and

the first radio module is operable to communicate interference management information with the second radio module.