Architecture for coexistence of multiple band radios

• US 8,670,726 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2011
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsemi Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Microsemi Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Poulin, Grant Darcy
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghebretinsae, Temesgh
• Assistant Examiner(s): SANDIFORD, DEVAN A
• Application Number:
  US13/085,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20120009886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 455/78, 455/553.1
• US Class Current: 455/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/005 adapting radio receivers, transmitters andtransceivers for operation on two or more bands, i.e. frequency ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0064 with separate antennas for the more than one band H04B1/0053 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/525 with means for reducing leakage of transmitter signal into the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0825 with main and with auxiliary or diversity antennas
• 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 front end module for use with a first and a second radio frequency transceiver, constituted of: a control circuitry; a first antenna connection port; a second antenna connection port; a filter arranged to substantially attenuate the carrier frequency bandwidth of the second radio frequency transceiver; and a plurality of electronically controlled switches, wherein the control circuitry is arranged to: in the event that the first and second radio frequency transceivers are simultaneously operative, set the plurality of electronically controlled switches to connect the first radio frequency transceiver to one of the first and second antenna connection ports via the filter; and in the event that the first and second radio frequency transceivers are not simultaneously operative, set the plurality of electronically controlled switches to bypass the filter and connect the first radio frequency transceiver to one of the first and second antenna connection ports.

Claims

1. A front end module for use with a first and a second radio frequency transceiver operative at different carrier frequencies, the front end module comprising:

a control circuitry in communication with each of the first transceiver and the second transceiver;

a first antenna connection port;

a second antenna connection port;

a third antenna connection port;

a first output port arranged to provide a first received signal to the first radio frequency transceiver;

a second output port arranged to provide a second received signal to the first radio frequency transceiver;

a third output port arranged to provide a received signal to the second radio frequency transceiver;

a first input port arranged to receive a transmit signal from the first radio frequency transceiver;

a second input port arranged to provide a transmit signal from the second radio frequency transceiver;

a first filter arranged to pass the frequency components in the carrier frequency bandwidth of the first radio frequency transceiver and substantially attenuate frequency components in the carrier frequency bandwidth of the second radio frequency transceiver; and

a plurality of electronically controlled switches, each responsive to said control circuitry,

wherein said control circuitry is arranged to;

in the event that said second transceiver is active, couple one of the second input port and the third output port to the second antenna port;

in the event that the first and second radio frequency transceivers are simultaneously operative, and said first radio frequency transceiver is in a transmit mode, set said plurality of electronically controlled switches to couple the first input port to said first antenna connection port via said first filter;

in the event that said first and second radio frequency transceivers are not simultaneously operative, and said first radio frequency transceiver is in a transmit mode, set said plurality of electronically controlled switches to bypass said first filter and couple the first input port to one of said first antenna connection port and said third antenna connection port; and

in the event said first radio frequency transceiver is in a receive mode, set said plurality of electronically controlled switches to couple said first antenna connection port to said first output port and couple said third antenna connection port to said second output port to thereby provide receive antenna diversity for said first radio frequency transceiver in the receive mode.

2. The front end module of claim 1, further comprising:

a first power amplifier,

wherein said control circuitry arrangement to couple said first input port to said first antenna connection port via said first filter in the event that the first and second radio frequency transceivers are simultaneously operative and said first radio frequency transceiver is in the transmit mode comprises;

set said plurality of electronically controlled switches to couple said first input port to said first antenna connection port via a serial combination of said first power amplifier and said first filter.

3. The front end module of claim 2, further comprising:

a second power amplifier,

wherein said control circuitry arrangement to couple the first radio frequency transceiver to one of said first antenna connection port and said third antenna connection port so as to bypass said first filter in the event that the first and second radio frequency transceivers are not simultaneously operative, and said first radio frequency transceiver is in the transmit mode, comprises;

couple said first input port to said third antenna connection port via said second power amplifier.

4. The front end module of claim 3, further comprising:

a first receive amplifier; and

a second receive amplifier,

wherein in the event that said first radio frequency transceiver is in the receive mode, and said first and second radio frequency transceivers are simultaneously operative, said control circuitry arrangement to couple said first antenna connection port to said first output port and couple said third antenna connection port to said second output port comprises;

couple said first antenna connection port to said first output port via a serial combination of said first filter and said first receive amplifier; and

couple said third antenna connection port to said second output port via said second receive amplifier.

5. The front end module of claim 4, further comprising:

a second filter arranged to pass the frequency components in the carrier frequency bandwidth of the first radio frequency transceiver and substantially attenuate frequency components in the carrier frequency bandwidth of the second radio frequency transceiver, said second filter arranged between the output of said second receive amplifier and said second output port.

6. The front end module of claim 5, further comprising:

a third power amplifier;

a third receive amplifier; and

a third filter arranged to pass frequency components in the carrier frequency bandwidth of the second radio transceiver and substantially attenuate frequency components in the carrier frequency bandwidth of the first radio transceiver,

wherein said arrangement to couple one of the second input port and the third output port to the second antenna port, when said second transceiver is active, comprises;

when the second transceiver is in an active transmit mode, to set said plurality of electronically controlled switches to couple said second input port to said second antenna connection port via a serial combination of said third power amplifier and said third filter, and

when the second transceiver is in an active receive mode, to set said plurality of electronically controlled switches to couple said second antenna connection port to said third output port via a serial combination of said third receive amplifier and said third filter.

7. The front end module of claim 2,

wherein said coupling of the first input port to one of said first antenna connection port and said third antenna connection port so as to bypass said first filter in the event that the first and second radio frequency transceivers are not simultaneously operative and said first radio frequency transmitter is in the transmit mode comprises:

couple said first input port to said first antenna connection port via said first power amplifier without a serial connection of said first filter.

8. The front end module of claim 7, further comprising:

a first receive amplifier,

wherein said control circuitry arrangement to couple said first output port to said first antenna connection port in the event that the first and second radio frequency transceivers are simultaneously operative, and said first radio frequency transceiver is in the receive mode, comprises;

set said plurality of electronically controlled switches to couple said first antenna connection port to said first output port via a serial combination of said first filter and first receive amplifier.

9. The front end module of claim 8, further comprising:

a second receive amplifier coupled between said third antenna connection port and said second output port and arranged to amplify signals received at said third antenna connection port for said output of said second received signal to the first radio frequency transceiver.

10. The front end module of claim 9, further comprising a second filter arranged to pass the frequency components in the carrier frequency bandwidth of the first radio frequency transceiver and substantially attenuate frequency components in the carrier frequency bandwidth of the second radio frequency transceiver, said second filter arranged between the output of said second receive amplifier and said second output port.

11. The front end module of claim 10, further comprising:

a third power amplifier;

a third receive amplifier; and

a third filter arranged to pass frequency components in the carrier frequency bandwidth of the second radio transceiver and substantially attenuate frequency components in the carrier frequency bandwidth of the first radio transceiver,

wherein said control circuitry is further arranged, when the second transceiver is in an active transmit mode, to set said plurality of electronically controlled switches to couple said second input port to said third antenna connection port via a serial combination of said third power amplifier and said third filter, and

when the second transceiver is in an active receive mode, to set said plurality of electronically controlled switches to couple said third antenna connection port to said third output port via a serial combination of said third receive amplifier and said third filter.

12. The front end module of claim 1, wherein said first filter is a bandpass filter.

13. The front end module of claim 1, wherein said first filter is one of a surface acoustic wave filter and a bulk acoustic wave filter.

14. A method for controlled filtering of a first radio frequency transceiver useable simultaneously with a second radio frequency transceiver, the method comprising:

providing a first antenna connection port;

providing a second antenna connection port;

providing a third antenna connection port;

providing a first input port;

providing a second input port;

providing a first output port;

providing a second output;

providing a third output port;

when the first radio frequency transceiver is in a transmit mode;

receiving a transmit signal from the first radio frequency transceiver at said provided first input port,

in the event that the first and second radio frequency transceivers are simultaneously operative;

filtering said received transmit signal by passing frequency components of said amplified transmit signal which are in the carrier frequency bandwidth of the first radio frequency transmitter and substantially attenuating frequency components of said received transmit signal which are in the carrier frequency bandwidth of the second radio frequency transmitter; and

transmitting said filtered transmit signal via said provided first antenna connection port, and

in the event that the first and second radio frequency transceivers are not simultaneously operative;

transmitting said received transmit via one of said provided first and third antenna connection ports without filtering, and;

when the first radio frequency transceiver is in a receive mode;

receiving a first receive signal via said provided first antenna connection port and coupling said first received signal to the first radio frequency transceiver via said provided first output port; and

receiving a second receive signal via said provided third antenna connection port and coupling said second receive signal to the first radio frequency transceiver via said provided second output port, thereby providing antenna diversity for the first radio frequency transceiver in the receive mode.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing a first power amplifier, and

in the event that the first and second radio frequency transceivers are simultaneously operative and the first radio frequency transceiver is in the transmit mode;

amplifying said received transmit signal in cooperation with said provided first power amplifier,

wherein said transmitting comprises passing said amplified filtered transmit signal to said provided first antenna connection port.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing a second power amplifier;

in the event that the first and second radio frequency transceivers are not simultaneously operative and the first radio frequency transceiver is in the transmit mode;

prior to said transmitting, amplifying said received transmit signal in cooperation with said provided second power amplifier,

wherein said transmitting comprises passing said amplified transmit signal to said provided second antenna connection port.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

when the first radio frequency transceiver is in a is in the receive mode, the coupling of said first received signal to the first radio frequency transceiver via said provided first output port comprises;

filtering said received first receive signal by passing frequency components of said received first receive signal which are in the carrier frequency bandwidth of the first radio frequency transceiver and substantially attenuating other frequency components of said received first receive signal;

amplifying said filtered first receive signal; and

passing said amplified first receive signal to the first radio frequency transceiver, and

the coupling of said second received signal to the first radio frequency transceiver via said provided second output port comprises;

amplifying said second receive signal; and

passing said amplified second receive signal to the first radio frequency transceiver via said provided second output port.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

when the second transceiver is in a transmit mode;

receiving a transmit signal from the second radio frequency transceiver;

amplifying said received transmit signal;

filtering said amplified transmit signal by passing frequency components of said amplified transmit signal which are in the carrier frequency bandwidth of the second radio frequency transmitter and substantially attenuating frequency components of said amplified transmit signal which are in the carrier frequency bandwidth of the first radio frequency transmitter; and

passing said filtered transmit signal to said provided third antenna connection port, and

when the second transceiver is in a receive mode;

receiving a third receive signal from said provided third antenna connection port;

filtering said third receive signal by passing frequency components of said third receive signal which are in the carrier frequency bandwidth of the second radio frequency transmitter and substantially attenuating other frequency components of said third receive signal;

amplifying said filtered third receive signal; and

passing said amplified third receive signal to the second radio frequency transceiver.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

in the event that the first and second radio frequency transceivers are not simultaneously operative and the first radio frequency transceiver is in the transmit mode;

prior to said transmitting, amplifying said received transmit signal in cooperation with said provided first power amplifier,

wherein said transmitting comprises passing said amplified transmit signal to said provided first antenna connection port.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

when the second transceiver is in a transmit mode;

receiving a transmit signal from the second radio frequency transceiver at said provided second input port;

amplifying said received transmit signal;

filtering said amplified transmit signal by passing frequency components of said amplified transmit signal which are in the carrier frequency bandwidth of the second radio frequency transmitter and substantially attenuating frequency components of said amplified transmit signal which are in the carrier frequency bandwidth of the first radio frequency transmitter; and

passing said filtered transmit signal to said provided third antenna connection port,

when the second transceiver is in a receive mode;

receiving a third receive signal from said provided second antenna connection port;

filtering said third receive signal by passing frequency components of said third receive signal which are in the carrier frequency bandwidth of the second radio frequency transmitter and substantially attenuating other frequency components of said third receive signal;

amplifying said filtered third receive signal; and

passing said amplified third receive signal to the second radio frequency transceiver via said provided third output port.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing one of a surface acoustic wave filter and a bulk acoustic wave filter, wherein said filtering is in cooperation with said provided filter.