Universal radio card for wireless devices

• US 8,219,145 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2009
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micro Mobio Corporation
• Original Assignee: Micro Mobio Corporation
• Inventors: Filipovic, Zlatko Aurelio, Wang, Adam James, Wang, Brian Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Zewdu, Meless N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elhag, Magdi
• Application Number:
  US12/553,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20110053637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 455/84, 455/87, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/558, 455/127.1, 455/127.2, 455/127.4, 455/168.1, 445 84- 87, 445/550.1, 445/552.1, 445/553.1, 445/554.2, 445/555, 445/556.1, 445557-559, 445120-126, 445/127.1, 445/127.2, 445/127.3, 445/127.4, 445/129, 445136-144, 445/168.1, 445/170.1, 445/172.1
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/14 including a card reading device

Abstract

A multi-band wireless system includes a wireless device and a detachable radio card. The wireless device includes an application processor, an electric interface, and an antenna. The detachable radio card can be mounted onto the electric interface. The detachable radio card includes a base band processor, a radio-frequency transceiver, a multi-band power amplifier module, and a radio controller.

Claims

1. A multi-band wireless system, comprising:

a wireless device comprising;

an application processor configured to output a data signal;

an antenna configured to transmit a wireless signal comprising a first amplified radio-frequency (RF) signal;

a first electric interface in communication with the application processor;

a second electric interface in communication with the antenna; and

a detachable radio card configured to be mounted in contact with the first and second electric interfaces, the detachable radio card comprising;

a base band processor configured to receive the data signal via the first electric interface from the application processor and to output a modulated signal;

a radio-frequency (RF) transceiver configured to receive the modulated signal and output a first RF signal in a first frequency band or a second frequency band;

a multi-band power amplifier module configured to amplify the first RF signal to produce the first amplified RF signal in the first frequency band or the second frequency band and to send the first amplified RF signal via the second electric interface to the antenna for wireless transmission via the antenna; and

a radio controller configured to control the RF transceiver and the multi-band power amplifier module to select the first frequency band or the second frequency band, wherein the radio controller is configured to send a linearity control signal to the multi-band power amplifier module to control linearity of the first amplified RF signal.

2. The multi-band wireless system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device further comprises a sensor in communication with the application processor, wherein the sensor is configured to detect one or more of motion, acceleration, temperature, pressure, fluid-level, flow, position, proximity, rotation, stress/strain, vibration, chemical analysis, electric and magnetic field, electric current, voltage, capacitance, piezoelectricity, magneto-resistance, an optical signal, infrared photons, laser signals, a photonic signal, or an ultrasound signal.

3. The multi-band wireless system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device further comprises a controller in communication with the application processor, wherein the controller is configured to control a switch, a motor, or an actuator.

4. The multi-band wireless system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device further comprises an input/output controller in communication with the application processor, wherein the input/output controller is configured to control data input by a user and output to a user.

5. The multi-band wireless system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device further comprises a display controller driver in communication with the application processor, wherein the display controller driver is configured to enable a display to be viewed by a user.

6. The multi-band wireless system of claim 1, wherein the radio controller is configured to control a biasing circuit to adjust a biasing voltage in the multi-band power amplifier module.

7. The multi-band wireless system of claim 1, wherein the detachable radio card is compatible with the format of a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) or Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) or MicroSD card.

8. The multi-band wireless system of claim 1, wherein the detachable radio card further comprises:

a multi-band filter comprising a first selectable narrow-band filter and a second selectable narrow-band filter, wherein the first selectable narrow-band filter is configured to pass the first amplified RF signal in the first frequency RF band, wherein the second selectable narrow-band filter is configured to pass the second amplified RF signal in the second frequency RF band.

9. The multi-band wireless system of claim 8, wherein the multi-band filter is configured to switch turn on one of the first selectable narrow-band filter or the second selectable narrow-band filter under the control of the radio controller.

10. The multi-band wireless system of claim 1, wherein the first frequency band and the second frequency band are defined by a wireless standard comprising Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), WiMax, WiBro, WiFi, LTE, CDMA, or WCDMA.

11. The multi-band wireless system of claim 1, wherein the multi-band power amplifier module in the detachable radio card comprises:

a power amplifier circuit configured to output the first amplified RF signal in response to a first biasing signal;

a sensing circuit configured to sense at least one of a power, a gain, or a phase of the first amplified RF signal and to produce a sensing signal to be received by the radio controller;

a first biasing circuit configured to produce the first bias signal under the control of the radio controller; and

a control circuit under the control of the radio controller and configured to control gain variation or phase variation over a predetermined power range of the first amplified RF signal.

12. A multi-band wireless system, comprising:

a wireless device comprising;

an application processor configured to output a data signal;

an antenna configured to transmit a wireless signal comprising a first amplified radio -frequency (RF) signal;

a first electric interface in communication with the application processor;

a second electric interface in communication with the antenna; and

a detachable radio card configured to be mounted in contact with the first and second electric interfaces, the detachable radio card comprising;

a base band processor configured to receive the data signal via the electric interface from the application processor and to output a modulated signal;

a radio-frequency (RF) transceiver configured to receive the modulated signal and output a first RF signal in a first frequency band or a second frequency band;

a multi-band power amplifier module configured to amplify the first RF signal to produce the first amplified RF signal in the first frequency band or the second frequency band and to send the first amplified RF signal via the second electric interface to the antenna for wireless transmission via the antenna;

a multi-band filter comprising a first selectable narrow-band filter and a second selectable narrow-band filter, wherein the first selectable narrow-band filter is configured to pass the first amplified RF signal in the first frequency RF band, wherein the second selectable narrow-band filter is configured to pass the second amplified RF signal in the second frequency RF band; and

a radio controller configured to control the RF transceiver, the multi-band power amplifier module, and the multi-band filter to select the first frequency band or the second frequency band, wherein the radio controller is configured to send a linearity control signal to the multi-band power amplifier module to control linearity of the first amplified RF signal.

13. The multi-band wireless system of claim 12, wherein the detachable radio card is compatible with the format of MicroSD card, or a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) or Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC).

14. The multi-band wireless system of claim 12, wherein the wireless device further comprises a sensor in communication with the application processor, wherein the sensor is configured to detect one or more of motion, acceleration, temperature, pressure, fluid-level, flow, position, proximity, rotation, stress/strain, vibration, chemical analysis, electric and magnetic field, electric current, voltage, capacitance, piezoelectricity, magneto-resistance, an optical signal, infrared photons, laser signals, a photonic signal, or an ultrasound signal.

15. The multi-band wireless system of claim 12, wherein the wireless device further comprises a controller in communication with the application processor, wherein the controller is configured to control a switch, a motor, or an actuator.

16. The multi-band wireless system of claim 12, wherein the radio controller is configured to control a biasing circuit to adjust a biasing voltage in the multi-band power amplifier module.

17. The multi-band wireless system of claim 12, wherein the wireless device further comprises a display controller driver in communication with the application processor, wherein the display controller driver is configured to enable a display to be viewed by a user.

18. The multi-band wireless system of claim 12, wherein the first frequency band and the second frequency band are defined by a wireless standard comprising Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), WiMax, WiBro, WiFi, LTE, CDMA, or WCDMA.

19. A multi-band wireless system, comprising:

a wireless device, comprising;

an application processor configured to output a data signal; and

a first antenna configured to transmit a short-range wireless signal in response to the data signal; and

a radio card, comprising;

a second antenna configured to receive the short-range wireless signal;

a base band processor in communication with the second antenna, the base band processor being configured to output a modulated signal in response to the data signal extracted from the short-range wireless signal;

a radio-frequency (RF) transceiver configured to output a first RF signal in a first frequency band or a second frequency band in response to the modulated signal;

a multi-band power amplifier module configured to amplify the first RF signal and to produce a first amplified RF signal in the first frequency band or the second frequency band;

a radio controller configured to control the RF transceiver and the multi-band power amplifier module to select the first frequency band or the second frequency band, wherein the radio controller is configured to send a linearity control signal to the multi-band power amplifier module to control linearity of the first amplified RF signal; and

a third antenna configured to transmit a wide-range wireless signal comprising the first amplified RF signal.

20. The multi-band wireless system of claim 19, wherein the wireless device further comprises a sensor in communication with the application processor, wherein the sensor is configured to detect one or more of motion, acceleration, temperature, pressure, fluid-level, flow, position, proximity, rotation, stress/strain, vibration, chemical analysis, electric and magnetic field, electric current, voltage, capacitance, piezoelectricity, magneto-resistance, an optical signal, infrared photons, laser signals, a photonic signal, or an ultrasound signal.

21. The multi-band wireless system of claim 19, wherein the wireless device further comprises a controller in communication with the application processor, wherein the controller is configured to control a switch, a motor, or an actuator.

22. The multi-band wireless system of claim 19, wherein the radio controller is configured to control a biasing circuit to adjust a biasing voltage in the multi-band power amplifier module.

23. The multi-band wireless system of claim 19, wherein the wireless device further comprises a display controller driver in communication with the application processor, wherein the display controller driver is configured to enable a display to be viewed by a user.

24. The multi-band wireless system of claim 19, wherein the radio card and the wireless device are configured to communicate in a short-range wireless communication standard selected from the group consisting of Wi-Fi, blue tooth, wireless USB, Infrared, and personal area network.

25. The multi-band wireless system of claim 19, wherein the first frequency band and the second frequency band are defined by a wireless standard comprising Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), WiMax, WiBro, WiFi, LTE, CDMA, or WCDMA.