Method and system for sharing a single antenna for frequency modulation (FM) reception or FM transmission and near field communication (NFC)

• US 8,238,825 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2007
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza, Rofougaran, Maryam
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): Behnamian, Shahriar
• Application Number:
  US11/753,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20080233867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,901 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/572.1, 340/5.53, 455/552.1, 455/41.2, 455/185.1, 455/102, 455/82, 455/78
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/129 there being a feedback over the complete amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/156 One or more switches are realised in the feedback circuit of the amplifier stage
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/294 the amplifier being a low noise amplifier [LNA]
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/7236 the gated amplifier being switched on or off by putting into parallel or not, by choosing between amplifiers by (a ) switch(es)
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/211 using a combination of several amplifiers H03F3/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/245 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/72 Gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3068 Circuits generating control signals for both R.F. and I.F. stages
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3078 Circuits generating control signals for digitally modulated signals

Abstract

Aspects of a method and system for sharing a single antenna for frequency modulation (FM) transmission or FM reception, and near field communication (NFC) are presented. Aspects of a system may include at least one circuit that enables, via a single antenna, simultaneous transmission of an FM signal and transmission of an NFC signal or reception of an NFC signal.

Claims

1. A method for communicating information in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

for a single antenna that enables simultaneous communication of a plurality of signals;

transmitting a frequency modulation (FM) signal; and

transmitting a near field communications (NFC) signal or receiving an NFC signal;

blocking at least a portion of signal energy from said transmitted FM signal, from being received by an NFC transceiver circuit that handles processing of said transmitted NFC signal and said received NFC signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a frequency for one or both of said transmitted NFC signal and said received NFC signal is 13.5 MHz.

3. The method according to claim 2, comprising transferring at least a portion of signal energy from said received NFC signal to said NFC transceiver circuit.

4. The method according to claim 2, comprising generating an NFC signal within said NFC transceiver circuit.

5. The method according to claim 4, comprising transferring at least a portion of signal energy from said generated NFC signal to said single antenna.

6. The method according to claim 5, comprising generating said transmitted NFC signal at said single antenna based on said transferred at least a portion of signal energy from said generated NFC signal.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising generating an FM signal within an FM transmitter circuit and transferring at least a portion of signal energy from said generated FM signal to said single antenna.

8. The method according to claim 7, comprising generating said transmitted FM signal at said single antenna based on said transferred at least a portion of signal energy from said generated FM signal.

9. A system for communicating information in a wireless communication system, the system comprising:

one or more circuits that enable, via a single antenna, simultaneous;

transmission of a frequency modulation (FM) signal; and

transmission of a near field communications (NFC) signal or reception of an NFC signal;

blocking of at least a portion of signal energy from said transmitted FM signal, from being received by an NFC transceiver circuit that handles processing of said transmitted NFC signal and said received NFC signal.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein a frequency for one or both of said transmitted NFC signal and said received NFC signal is 13.5 MHz.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said one or more circuits enable transfer of at least a portion of signal energy from said received NFC signal to said NFC transceiver circuit.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein said one or more circuits enable generation of an NFC signal within said NFC transceiver circuit.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits enable transfer of at least a portion of signal energy from said generated NFC signal to said single antenna.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more circuits enable generation of said transmitted NFC signal at said single antenna based on said transferred at least a portion of signal energy from said generated NFC signal.

15. The system according to claim 9, wherein said one or more circuits comprise at least one FM transmitter circuit, at least one FM transceiver circuit, at least one NFC transmitter circuit, at least one NFC receiver circuit, at least one NFC transceiver circuit and at least one filter circuit.

16. The system according to claim 9, wherein said one or more circuits enable generation of an FM signal within an FM transmitter circuit and transferring at least a portion of signal energy from said generated FM signal to said single antenna.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said one or more circuits enable generation of said transmitted FM signal at said single antenna based on said transferred at least a portion of signal energy from said generated FM signal.

18. The system according to claim 9, wherein said one or more circuits comprises at least one FM transmitter circuit, at least one FM transceiver circuit, at least one NFC transmitter circuit, at least one NFC receiver circuit, at least one NFC transceiver circuit and at least one filter circuit.

19. A system for communicating information in a wireless communication system, the system comprising:

one or more circuits that enable, via a single antenna, simultaneous;

reception of a frequency modulation (FM) signal; and

transmission of a near field communications (NFC) signal or reception of an NFC signal;

blocking of at least a portion of signal energy from said transmitted FM signal, from being received by an NFC transceiver circuit that handles processing of said transmitted NFC signal and said received NFC signal.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein a frequency for one or both of said transmitted NFC signal and said received NFC signal is 13.5 MHz.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said one or more circuits enable transfer of at least a portion of signal energy from said received NFC signal to said NFC transceiver circuit.

22. The system according to claim 20, wherein said one or more circuits enable generation of an NFC signal within said NFC transceiver circuit.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein said one or more circuits enable transfer of at least a portion of signal energy from said generated NFC signal to said single antenna.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein said one or more circuits enable generation of said transmitted NFC signal at said single antenna based on said transferred at least a portion of signal energy from said generated NFC signal.

25. The system according to claim 19, wherein said one or more circuits enable filtering of said transmitted NFC signal or said received NFC signal at an FM receiver circuit.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein said one or more circuits enable transfer of said received FM signal to said FM receiver circuit.

27. The system according to claim 19, wherein said one or more circuits comprises at least one FM receiver circuit, at least one FM transceiver circuit, at least one NFC transmitter circuit, at least one NFC receiver circuit, at least one NFC transceiver circuit and at least one filter circuit.

28. A method for communicating information in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

transmitting a frequency modulation (FM) signal using an antenna; and

transmitting or receiving a near field communications (NFC) signal via said antenna;

blocking at least a portion of signal energy from said transmitted FM signal, from being received by an NFC circuit that handles processing of said NFC signal.