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

• US 8,369,889 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2007
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• 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): Addy, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Behnamian, Shahriar
• Application Number:
  US11/753,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20080233880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/572.1, 340/5.53, 455/552.1, 455/41.2, 455/185.1, 455/78, 455/82, 455/102
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• 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, 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 reception 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 an antenna that enables concurrent communication of a plurality of signals including a near field communications (NFC) transmit signal, an NFC receive signal and a non-NFC signal;

transmitting said NFC transmit signal or receiving said NFC receive signal via said antenna, while blocking at least a portion of said non-NFC signal being concurrently communicated via said antenna;

wherein said non-NFC signal is a frequency modulation (FM) signal, and wherein said blocking comprising blocking at least a portion of a signal energy of a transmit FM signal and/or a receive FM signal, from being received by an NFC transceiver circuit that handles processing of said transmit NFC signal and said receive NFC signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising transferring at least said portion of said signal energy from said receive NFC signal to said NFC transceiver circuit.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising generating an NFC signal within said NFC transceiver circuit.

4. The method according to claim 3, comprising transferring at least said portion of said signal energy from said generated NFC signal to said antenna.

5. The method according to claim 4, comprising generating said transmitted NFC signal at said antenna based on said transferred at least said portion of said signal energy from said generated NFC signal.

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

for an antenna that enables concurrent communication of a plurality of signals including a near field communications (NFC) transmit signal, an NFC receive signal and a non-NFC signal;

transmitting said NFC transmit signal or receiving said NFC receive Signal via said antenna, while blocking at least a portion of said non-NFC signal being concurrently communicated via said antenna;

wherein said non-NFC signal is a frequency modulation (FM) signal, the method further comprising blocking at least a portion of a signal energy of a receive FM signal and/or said transmit NFC signal and/or said receive NFC signal, from being received by an FM transmitter circuit.

7. The method according to claim 6, comprising generating an FM transmit signal within said FM transmitter circuit.

8. The method according to claim 7, comprising transferring at least said portion of said signal energy from said generated FM signal to said antenna.

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

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

for an antenna that enables concurrent communication of a plurality of signals including a near field communications (NFC) transmit signal, an NFC receive signal and a non-NFC signal;

transmitting said NFC transmit signal or receiving said NFC receive signal via said antenna, while blocking at least a portion of said non-NFC signal being concurrently communicated via said antenna;

wherein said non-NFC signal is a frequency modulation (FM) signal, the method further comprising blocking at least a portion of signal energy of a transmit FM signal and/or said transmit NFC signal and/or said receive NFC signal, from being received by an FM receiver circuit.

11. The method according to claim 10, transferring at least a portion of a signal energy from said transmit FM signal to said antenna.

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

one or more circuits that enable, via an antenna, concurrent communication of a plurality of signals including a near field communications (NFC) transmit signal, an NFC receive signal and a non-NFC signal;

transmission of said NFC transmit signal or reception of said NFC receive signal via said antenna, while blocking at least a portion of said non-NFC signal being concurrently communicated via said antenna;

wherein said non-NFC signal is a frequency modulation (FM) signal, and wherein said one or more circuits enable blocking comprising blocking at least a portion of a signal energy of a transmit FM signal and/or a receive FM signal, from being received by an NFC transceiver circuit that handles processing of said transmit NFC signal and said receive NFC signal.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits enable transfer of at least said portion of said signal energy from said receive NFC signal to said NFC transceiver circuit.

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

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said one or more circuits enable transfer of at least said portion of said signal energy from said generated NFC signal to said antenna.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said one or more circuits enable generation of said transmitted NFC signal at said antenna based on said transferred at least said portion of said signal energy from said generated NFC signal.

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

one or more circuits that enable, via an antenna, concurrent communication of a plurality of signals including a near field communications (NFC) transmit signal, an NFC receive signal and a non-NFC signal;

transmission of said NFC transmit signal or reception of said NFC receive signal via said antenna, while blocking at least a portion of said non-NFC signal being concurrently communicated via said antenna;

wherein said non-NFC signal is a frequency modulation (FM) signal, and wherein said one or more circuits enable blocking of at least a portion of a signal energy of a receive FM signal and/or said transmit NFC signal and/or said receive NFC signal, from being received by an FM transmitter circuit.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more circuits enable generation of an FM transmit signal within said FM transmitter circuit.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said one or more circuits enable transfer of at least said portion of said signal energy from said generated FM signal to said antenna.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said one or more circuits enable generation of said transmit FM signal at said antenna based on said transferred at least said portion of said signal energy from said generated FM signal.

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

one or more circuits that enable, via an antenna, concurrent communication of a plurality of signals including a near field communications (NFC) transmit signal, an NFC receive signal and a non-NFC signal;

transmission of said NFC transmit signal or reception of said NFC receive signal via said antenna, while blocking at least a portion

wherein said non-NFC signal is a frequency modulation (FM) signal, and wherein said one or more circuits enable blocking of at least a portion of signal energy of a transmit FM signal and/or said transmit NFC signal and/or said receive NFC signal, from being received by an FM receiver circuit.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said one or more circuits enable transfer of at least a portion of a signal energy from said transmit FM signal to said antenna.