Dynamic RF front end

• US 8,838,047 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2008
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza), Rofougaran, Maryam, Shameli, Amin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Zhiyu
• Application Number:
  US12/048,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20080238688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,377 Days
• US Class Current: 455/90.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/22 Capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/263 Multiple coils at either side
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

A dynamic radio frequency (RF) front end includes an antenna array, a power amplifier structure, and a low noise amplifier structure. The power amplifier structure generates a plurality of outbound RF signals from an outbound RF signal and provides the plurality of outbound RF signals to the antenna array. Each of the plurality of outbound RF signals has a different transmit phase rotation. The low noise amplifier structure receives a plurality of inbound RF signals from the antenna array and outputs one of the plurality of inbound RF signals based on a favorable phase relationship with respect to the outbound RF signal. Each of the plurality of inbound RF signals has a different receive phase rotation.

Claims

1. A dynamic radio frequency (RF) front end comprises:

a power amplifier structure configured to generate a plurality of outbound RF signals from one outbound RF signal, wherein the power amplifier structure includes a transmit phase selection module to receive a first selection signal to set a transmit phase for the plurality of outbound RF signals based on a transmit phase rotation, in which the power amplifier structure is to provide the plurality of outbound RF signals to corresponding antennas of an antenna array, wherein the corresponding antennas of the antenna array have an orthogonal arrangement, for transmission of the plurality of outbound RF signals using a first circular polarization which is one of clockwise or counter-clockwise polarization; and

a low noise amplifier structure configured to receive a plurality of inbound RF signals from the corresponding antennas of the antenna array using a second circular polarization that is opposite in clockwise or counter-clockwise polarization from the first circular polarization, in which the plurality of inbound RF signals have different receive phase relationship based on the orthogonal arrangement of the corresponding antennas, wherein the low noise amplifier structure includes a receive phase selection module to receive a second selection signal to select and output a selected one of the plurality of inbound RF signals as a selected inbound RF signal that provides a favorable phase relationship with respect to the one outbound RF signal, the first and second selection signals to be generated by a control module that determines the favorable phase relationship, wherein the opposite polarization and the favorable phase relationship reduces interference between the selected inbound RF signal and the one outbound RF signal.

2. The dynamic RF front end of claim 1, wherein the low noise amplifier structure comprises:

a first low noise amplifier (LNA) coupled to a first antenna of the corresponding antennas of the antenna array to amplify a first inbound RF signal of the plurality of inbound RF signals to produce a first amplified inbound RF signal, wherein the first amplified inbound RF signal has a first phase value;

a second LNA coupled to a second antenna of the corresponding antennas of the antenna array to amplify a second inbound RF signal of the plurality of inbound RF signals to produce a second amplified inbound RF signal, wherein the second amplified inbound RF signal has a second phase value;

wherein the receive phase selection module is operable to output the first or the second amplified inbound RF signal as the selected inbound RF signal to obtain the favorable phase relationship with respect to the one outbound RF signal; and

a third LNA coupled to amplify the selected inbound RF signal.

3. The dynamic RF front end of claim 2, wherein:

the first LNA is further coupled to a third antenna of the corresponding antennas of the antenna array to amplify a third inbound RF signal of the plurality of inbound RF signals to produce a third amplified inbound RF signal, wherein the third amplified inbound RF signal has a third phase value;

the second LNA is further coupled to a fourth antenna of the corresponding antennas of the antenna array to amplify a fourth inbound RF signal of the plurality of inbound RF signals to produce a fourth amplified inbound RF signal, wherein the fourth amplified inbound RF signal has a fourth phase value; and

the receive phase selection module is operable to output one of the first, the second, the third or the fourth amplified inbound RF signal as the selected inbound RF signal to obtain the favorable phase relationship with respect to the one outbound RF signal.

4. The dynamic RF front end of claim 3, wherein the low noise amplifier structure further comprises:

a third LNA coupled to a fifth antenna and a seventh antenna of the antenna array to amplify fifth and seventh inbound RF signals of the plurality of inbound RF signals to produce fifth and seventh amplified inbound RF signals, wherein the fifth amplified inbound RF signal has a fifth phase value and the seventh amplified inbound RF signal has a seventh phase value;

a fourth LNA coupled to a sixth antenna and an eighth antenna of the antenna array to amplify sixth and eighth inbound RF signals of the plurality of inbound RF signals to produce sixth and eighth amplified inbound RF signals, wherein the sixth amplified inbound RF signal has a sixth phase value and the eighth amplified inbound RF signal has an eighth phase value; and

wherein the receive phase selection module is operable to output one of the first, the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, the sixth, the seventh, or the eighth amplified inbound RF signal as the selected inbound RF signal to obtain the favorable phase relationship with respect to the one outbound RF signal and the fifth, the sixth, the seventh and the eighth antennas also have an orthogonal arrangement and are respectively phased 45°

from the first, the second, the third and the fourth antennas.

5. The dynamic RF front end of claim 2, wherein the control module is to:

cause the receive phase selection module to output a non-inverted output of the first amplified inbound RF signal in response to a first control signal;

determine a phase relationship between the non-inverted output of the first amplified inbound RF signal and the one outbound RF signal;

cause the receive phase selection module to output an inverted output of the first amplified inbound RF signal in response to a second control signal;

determine a phase relationship between the inverted output of the first amplified inbound RF signal and the one outbound RF signal;

cause the receive phase selection module to output a non-inverted output of the second amplified inbound RF signal in response to a third control signal;

determine a phase relationship between the non-inverted output of the second amplified inbound RF signal and the one outbound RF signal;

cause the receive phase selection module to output an inverted output of the second amplified inbound RF signal in response to a fourth control signal;

determine a phase relationship between the inverted output of the second amplified inbound RF signal and the one outbound RF signal;

compare the phase relationship between the non-inverted and inverted outputs of second amplified inbound RF signal and the one outbound RF signal and the phase relationship between the non-inverted and inverted outputs of the first amplified inbound RF signal and the one outbound RF signal; and

utilize a respective one of the first, the second, the third or the fourth control signal to output a respective amplified inbound RF signal that provides the favorable phase relationship with respect to the one outbound RF signal.

6. The dynamic RF front end of claim 1, wherein the power amplifier structure comprises:

a first power amplifier (PA) module coupled to amplify the one outbound RF signal to produce first and second outbound RF signals having an orthogonal relationship to couple to the transmit phase selection module;

a second PA module coupled to the transmit phase selection module to amplify the first outbound RF signal to produce a third outbound RF signal, when the transmit phase selection module selects the first outbound RF signal; and

a third PA coupled to the transmit phase selection module to amplify the second outbound RF signal to produce a fourth outbound RF signal, when the transmit phase selection module selects the second outbound RF signal.

7. The dynamic RF front end of claim 1, wherein the power amplifier structure comprises:

a first power amplifier (PA) module coupled to amplify the one outbound RF signal to produce first and second outbound RF signals having an orthogonal relationship to couple to the transmit phase selection module;

a second PA module coupled to the transmit phase selection module to amplify the first outbound RF signal to produce a third and fifth outbound RF signals, when the transmit phase selection module selects the first outbound RF signal; and

a third PA module coupled to the transmit phase selection module to amplify the second outbound RF signal to produce a fourth and sixth outbound RF signals, when the transmit phase selection module selects the second outbound RF signal.

8. The dynamic RF front end of claim 1, wherein the power amplifier structure comprises:

a first power amplifier (PA) module coupled to amplify the one outbound RF signal to produce first and second outbound RF signals having an orthogonal relationship to couple to the transmit phase selection module;

the transmit phase selection module operable to output a non-inverted output of the first outbound RF signal or an inverted output of the first outbound RF signal and to output a non-inverted output of the second outbound RF signal or an inverted output of the second outbound RF signal;

a second PA module coupled to the transmit phase selection module to amplify the non-inverted output of the first outbound RF signal or the inverted output of the first outbound RF signal to produce a third outbound RF signal; and

a third PA module coupled to the transmit phase selection module to amplify the non-inverted output of the second outbound RF signal or the inverted output of the second outbound RF signal to produce a fourth outbound RF signal.

9. The dynamic RF front end of claim 8 further comprises:

the second PA module further coupled to amplify other of the non-inverted output or the inverted output of the first outbound RF signal to produce a fifth outbound RF signal; and

the third PA module further coupled to amplify other of the non-inverted output or the inverted output of the second outbound RF signal to produce a sixth outbound RF signal.

10. An apparatus comprises:

a power amplifier structure of a radio frequency (RF) front end configured to generate a plurality of outbound RF signals from one outbound RF signal, wherein the power amplifier structure includes a transmit phase selection module to receive a first selection signal to set a transmit phase for the plurality of outbound RF signals based on a transmit phase rotation, in which the power amplifier structure to provide the plurality of outbound RF signals to corresponding antennas of an antenna array, wherein the corresponding antennas of the antenna array have an orthogonal arrangements set at 0°

, 90°

, 180° and

270°

, for transmission of the plurality of outbound signals using a first circular polarization which is one of clockwise or counter-clockwise polarization;

a low noise amplifier structure of the RF front end configured to receive a plurality of inbound RF signals from the corresponding antennas of the antenna array using a second circular polarization that is opposite in clockwise or counter-clockwise polarization from the first circular polarization, in which four of the plurality of inbound RF signals have respective receive phase relationship of 0°

, 90°

, 180° and

270°

based on the orthogonal arrangement of the corresponding antennas, wherein the low noise amplifier structure includes a receive phase selection module to receive a second selection signal to select and output a selected one of the plurality of inbound RF signals; and

a control module configured with the power amplifier structure and the low noise amplifier structure, in which the control module is to generate the first and second selection signals to select and output a selected one of the plurality of inbound RF signals that has a favorable phase relationship and with respect to the one outbound RF signal to reduce interference between the selected inbound RF signal and the one outbound RF signals in combination with the opposite polarization.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the low noise amplifier structure comprises:

a first low noise amplifier (LNA) coupled to a first antenna of the corresponding antennas of the antenna array to amplify a first inbound RF signal of the plurality of inbound RF signals to produce a first amplified inbound RF signal, wherein the first amplified inbound RF signal has a phase value of 0°

;

a second LNA coupled to a second antenna of the corresponding antennas of the antenna array to amplify a second inbound RF signal of the plurality of inbound RF signals to produce a second amplified inbound RF signal, wherein the second amplified inbound RF signal has a phase value of 90°

;

wherein the receive phase selection module is operable to output the first or the second amplified inbound RF signal as the selected inbound RF signal to obtain the favorable phase relationship with respect to the one outbound RF signal; and

a third LNA coupled to amplify the selected inbound RF signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the first LNA is further coupled to a third antenna of the corresponding antennas of the antenna array to amplify a third inbound RF signal of the plurality of inbound RF signals to produce a third amplified inbound RF signal, wherein the third amplified inbound RF signal has a phase value of 180°

;

the second LNA is further coupled to a fourth antenna of the corresponding antennas of the antenna array to amplify a fourth inbound RF signal of the plurality of inbound RF signals to produce a fourth amplified inbound RF signal, wherein the fourth amplified inbound RF signal has a phase value of 270°

; and

the receive phase selection module is operable to output one of the first, the second, the third or the fourth amplified inbound RF signal as the selected inbound RF signal to obtain the favorable phase relationship with respect to the outbound RF signal.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the low noise amplifier structure further comprises:

a third LNA coupled to a fifth antenna and a seventh antenna of the antenna array to amplify fifth and seventh inbound RF signals of the plurality of inbound RF signals to produce fifth and seventh amplified inbound RF signals, wherein the fifth amplified inbound RF signal has a phase value of 45° and

the seventh amplified inbound RF signal has a phase value of 225°

;

a fourth LNA coupled to a sixth antenna and an eighth antenna of the antenna array to amplify sixth and eighth inbound RF signals of the plurality of inbound RF signals to produce sixth and eighth amplified inbound RF signals, wherein the sixth amplified inbound RF signal has a phase value of 135° and

the eighth amplified inbound RF signal has a phase value of 315°

; and

the receive phase selection module is operable to output one of the first, the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, the sixth, the seventh, or the eighth amplified inbound RF signal as the selected inbound RF signal to obtain the favorable phase relationship with respect to the one outbound RF signal.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the power amplifier structure comprises:

a first power amplifier (PA) module coupled to amplify the one outbound RF signal to produce first and second outbound RF signals having an orthogonal relationship to couple to the transmit phase selection module;

a second PA module coupled to the transmit phase selection module to amplify the first outbound RF signal to produce a third outbound RF signal, when the transmit phase selection module selects the first outbound RF signal; and

a third PA coupled to the transmit phase selection module to amplify the second outbound RF signal to produce a fourth outbound RF signal, when the transmit phase selection module selects the second outbound RF signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the power amplifier structure comprises:

a first power amplifier (PA) module coupled to amplify the one outbound RF signal to produce first and second outbound RF signals having an orthogonal relationship to couple to the transmit phase selection module;

a second PA module coupled to the transmit phase selection module to amplify the first outbound RF signal to produce a third and fifth outbound RF signals, when the transmit phase selection module selects the first outbound RF signal; and

a third PA module coupled to the transmit phase selection module to amplify the second outbound RF signal to produce a fourth and sixth outbound RF signals, when the transmit phase selection module selects the second outbound RF signal.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the power amplifier structure comprises:

a first power amplifier (PA) module coupled to amplify the one outbound RF signal to produce first and second outbound RF signals having an orthogonal relationship to couple to the transmit phase selection module;

the transmit phase selection module operable to output a non-inverted output of the first outbound RF signal or an inverted output of the first outbound RF signal and to output a non-inverted output of the second outbound RF signal or an inverted output of the second outbound RF signal;

a second PA module coupled to the transmit phase selection module to amplify the non-inverted output of the first outbound RF signal or the inverted output of the first outbound RF signal to produce a third outbound RF signal; and

a third PA module coupled to the transmit phase selection module to amplify the non-inverted output of the second outbound RF signal or the inverted output of the second outbound RF signal to produce a fourth outbound RF signal.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprises:

the second PA module further coupled to amplify other of the non-inverted output or the inverted output of the first outbound RF signal to produce a fifth outbound RF signal; and

the third PA module further coupled to amplify other of the non-inverted output or the inverted output of the second outbound RF signal to produce a sixth outbound RF signal.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the phase offset between the selected inbound RF signal and the one outbound RF signal is approximately 45°

or 90°

.

19. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is a radio frequency identification device.

20. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is a radio frequency identification reader.