Dual antenna communications device

• US 8,229,377 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Kasha, Dan B., Rafi, Aslamali A., Kammula, Abhishek V., Vancorenland, Peter J., Tuttle, George T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen, Junpeng
• Application Number:
  US11/396,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20070232248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,307 Days
• Field of Search: 455/103, 455/104, 455/107, 455120-125, 455/500, 455/522, 455/59, 455/61, 455/101, 4551271-1275, 455/129, 455/130, 455/67.1, 455/78, 455/91, 455/73, 330/51, 330/151, 330/310, 330/124.R
• US Class Current: 455/127.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/04 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/21 for calibration; for correcting measurements

Abstract

A communications device is provided. The communications device includes first output stage circuitry configured to generate a first radio frequency (RF) output signal in response to receiving an RF input signal, a first antenna port configured to couple to a first antenna and configured receive the first RF output signal from the first output stage circuitry, second output stage circuitry configured to generate a second RF output signal in response to receiving the first RF output signal, and a second antenna port configured to couple to a second antenna and configured to receive the second RF output signal from the second output stage circuitry. The first output stage circuitry, the first antenna port, the second output stage circuitry, and the second antenna port are at least partially integrated on the same integrated circuit.

Claims

1. A communications device comprising:

first output stage circuitry configured to generate a first radio frequency (RF) output signal in response to receiving an RF input signal;

a first antenna port configured to couple to a first antenna and configured receive the first RF output signal from the first output stage circuitry;

second output stage circuitry configured to generate a second RF output signal in response to receiving the first RF output signal; and

a second antenna port configured to couple to a second antenna and configured to receive the second RF output signal from the second output stage circuitry;

wherein the first output stage circuitry, the first antenna port, the second output stage circuitry, and the second antenna port are at least partially integrated on the same integrated circuit, wherein the first output stage circuitry is configured to present a first impedance to the first antenna, and wherein the second output stage circuitry is configured to present a second impedance to the second antenna that differs from the first impedance.

2. The communications device of claim 1 wherein the first output stage circuitry comprises a transconductance amplifier.

3. The communications device of claim 1 wherein the first output stage circuitry comprises a first amplifier with the first impedance, and wherein the second output stage circuitry comprises a second amplifier with the second impedance that differs from the first impedance.

4. The communications device of claim 1 further comprising:

the first antenna coupled to the first port for transmitting the first RF output signal.

5. The communications device of claim 4 further comprising:

the second antenna coupled to the second port for transmitting the second RF output signal.

6. The communications device of claim 1 further comprising:

tuning circuitry configured to adjust the first impedance on the first antenna port;

wherein the tuning circuitry, the first output stage circuitry, the first antenna port, the second output stage circuitry, and the second antenna port are at least partially integrated on the same integrated circuit.

7. The communications device of claim 6 wherein the tuning circuitry is configured to adjust the first impedance in response to a control signal.

8. The communications device of claim 6 wherein the tuning circuitry is configured to adjust the first impedance by adjusting a capacitance on the first antenna port.

9. The communications device of claim 6 wherein the tuning circuitry is configured to adjust the first impedance by adjusting a resistance on the first antenna port.

10. The communications device of claim 6 wherein the tuning circuitry is configured to adjust the second impedance on the second antenna port.

11. The communications device of claim 10, wherein the tuning circuitry is configured to adjust the first impedance in response to a control signal, and the communications device further comprising:

a controller coupled to provide the control signal to the tuning circuitry to cause the tuning circuitry to adjust the first impedance on the first antenna port in response to receiving the control signal;

wherein the controller, tuning circuitry, the first output stage circuitry, the first antenna port, the second output stage circuitry, and the second antenna port are at least partially integrated on the same integrated circuit.

12. The communications device of claim 11 wherein the tuning circuitry is configured to adjust the second impedance on the second antenna port;

and where the controller is coupled to provide a control signal to the tuning circuitry to in response cause the tuning circuitry to adjust the second impedance on the second antenna port.

13. The communications device of claim 11 wherein the controller is further coupled to the first output stage circuitry;

wherein the controller is configured with a connection to allow a user to provide information to and receive information from the controller;

wherein the information provided by the user to the controller includes antenna compensation information;

and wherein the controller is configured to use the antenna compensation information to set the signal level of the first RF output signal from the first output stage circuitry.

14. The communications device of claim 11, further comprising:

driver circuitry having an output coupled to the first output stage circuitry and having an input coupled to receive an input voltage signal, the driver circuitry being configured to generate the RF input signal using the input voltage signal and to provide the generated RF input signal to the first output stage circuitry; and

level detect circuitry selectively coupled between the controller and each of the RF input signal and the first RF output signal by a one or more switches configured to selectively connect the level detect circuitry to at least one of the output of the driver circuitry, the output of the first output stage circuitry, or a combination thereof;

where the level detect circuitry is configured to provide one or more signal level measurements to the controller, the signal level measurements corresponding to the amplitude of the of the output of the driver circuitry, the output of the first output stage circuitry, or a combination thereof; and

where the controller is configured to iteratively adjust the signal level of at least one of the RF input signal and the first RF output signal based on the signal level measurements until a desired signal level is achieved.

15. The communications device of claim 1, further comprising:

driver circuitry having an output coupled to the first output stage circuitry and having an input coupled to receive an input voltage signal, the driver circuitry being configured to generate the RF input signal using the input voltage signal and to provide the generated RF input signal to the first output stage circuitry; and

where the first output stage circuitry is configured to generate the first RF output signal in response to receiving the RF input signal from the driver circuitry.

16. The communications device of claim 15, where the first output stage circuitry is coupled to provide the first RF output signal to the second output stage circuitry;

and where the second output stage circuitry configured to generate the second RF output signal in response to receiving the first RF output signal.

17. The communications device of claim 1, where the first output stage circuitry further comprises adjustable output level circuitry, the adjustable output level circuitry comprising:

multiple transistors in a current mirror configuration, the sum of the current from the outputs of the multiple transistors being provided as the current of the first RF output signal; and

a separate respective switch provided in series with the output of each given one of the transistors, the separate respective switch being being separately controllable by a separate respective control signal to turn on or off the output current from the given transistor so as to control the output voltage of the first RF output signal.

18. A method performed by an integrated communications device, the method comprising:

generating a first output signal in first output stage circuitry having a first impedance in response to an input signal;

providing the first output signal to a first antenna port that is configured to connect to a first antenna;

generating a second output signal in second output stage circuitry having a second impedance that differs from the first impedance in response to the first output signal; and

providing the second output signal to a second antenna port that is configured to connect to a second antenna.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

adjusting tuning circuitry on the first antenna port.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

adjusting a capacitance on the first antenna port.

21. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

adjusting a resistance on the first antenna port.

22. A communications device comprising:

a transmitter configured to generate a first signal in response to receiving a second signal;

a receiver;

a first antenna port coupled to the transmitter and the receiver and configured receive the first signal from the transmitter;

first output stage circuitry configured to generate a third signal in response to receiving the first signal from the transmitter; and

a second antenna port coupled to the transmitter and the receiver and configured to receive the third signal from the first output stage circuitry;

wherein the transmitter, the receiver, the first antenna port, the first output stage circuitry, and the second antenna port are at least partially integrated on the same integrated circuit, wherein the transmitter includes second output stage circuitry that is configured to present a first impedance to the first antenna port, and wherein the first output stage circuitry is configured to present a second impedance to the second antenna port that differs from the first impedance.

23. The communications device of claim 22 wherein the receiver is configured to receive a receive a fourth signal from the first antenna port.

24. The communications device of claim 22 further comprising:

a switch coupled between the receiver and the first antenna port.

25. The communications device of claim 22 further comprising:

tuning circuitry configured to adjust the first impedance on the first antenna port;

wherein the tuning circuitry, the transmitter, the receiver, the first antenna port, the first output stage circuitry, and the second antenna port are at least partially integrated on the same integrated circuit.

26. The communications device of claim 25 wherein the tuning circuitry is configured to adjust the first impedance by adjusting a capacitance on the first antenna port.

27. The communications device of claim 25 wherein the tuning circuitry is configured to adjust the first impedance by adjusting a resistance on the first antenna port.

28. A communications system comprising:

a communications device including;

first output stage circuitry configured to generate a first radio frequency (RF) output signal in response to receiving an RF input signal;

a first antenna port configured receive the first RF output signal from the first output stage circuitry;

second output stage circuitry configured to generate a second RF output signal in response to receiving the first RF output signal; and

a second antenna port configured to receive the second RF output signal from the second output stage circuitry;

wherein the first output stage circuitry, the first antenna port, the second output stage circuitry, and the second antenna port are at least partially integrated on the same integrated circuit, wherein the first output stage circuitry is configured to present a first impedance to the first antenna, and wherein the second output stage circuitry is configured to present a second impedance to the second antenna that differs from the first impedance;

an antenna coupled to the first antenna port and configured to transmit the first RF output signal; and

an input/output system configured to communicate with the communications device.

29. The communications system of claim 28 wherein the first output stage circuitry comprises a first amplifier with the first impedance, and wherein the second output stage circuitry comprises a second amplifier with the second impedance that differs from the first impedance.

30. The communications system of claim 28 wherein the communications device further includes tuning circuitry configured to adjust the first impedance on the first antenna port.