Method and system for processing signals in a high performance receive chain

• US 8,838,166 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2013
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Behzad, Arya, Ojo, Adedayo, Chang, Yuyu, Chien, Hung-Ming, Rama Rao, Kishore, Seetharam, Guruprasad
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, NHAN T
• Application Number:
  US13/764,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20130157603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/313, 455/323, 455/334, 455/341, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/553.1
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0057 using diplexing or multiplexing filters for selecting the desired band
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0082 with a common local oscillator for more than one band
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/06 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/084 Equal gain combining, only phase adjustments antenna beam scanning or forming by phase or amplitude control H01Q3/26, e.g. phased arrays

Abstract

Aspects of a method and system for processing signals in a high performance receive chain may include amplifying a plurality of radio frequency signals in one or more respective one or ones of a plurality of amplifier chains in a multistandard radio frequency front-end, which may comprise one or more shared processing stages. The plurality of radio frequency signals may be compliant with a plurality of radio frequency communication standards and may be received concurrently. The one or more shared processing stages may be shared between two or more of the plurality of amplifier chains. Each of the two or more of the plurality of amplifier chains may be operable to amplify signals compliant with different radio frequency communication standards.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) front-end configured to process a plurality of RF signals, the RF front-end including

a first amplifier stage configured to amplify the plurality of RF signals compliant with a plurality of RF communication standards; and

a second amplifier stage connected to an output of the first amplifier stage and including a plurality of amplifiers each configured to amplify RF signals compliant with a different RF communication standard; and

a shared antenna configured to support communications in the plurality of RF communication standards via the first amplifier stage.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of shared antennas configured to support communications with the plurality of RF communication standards.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein

RF front-end is configured to enable or disable spatial diversity using the plurality of shared antennas.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, further comprising:

an antenna diversity switch configured to switch between single or multiple antenna operation.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the RF front-end is configured to process coexisting Bluetooth®

signals and Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) signals.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the RF front-end is configured to support RF communications at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the RF front-end includes a plurality of amplifier chains comprising the first amplifier stage, each amplifier chain configured to process RF signals compliant with a different RF communication standard.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein

the RF front-end further includes at least one amplifier chain that does not comprise the first amplifier stage.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) front-end configured to process a plurality of RF signals, the RF front-end including

a first amplifier stage including a first amplifier configured to amplify the plurality of RF signals compliant with a plurality of RF communication standards, and a second amplifier configured to amplify an RF signal compliant with one of the plurality of RF communication standards; and

a shared antenna configured to support communications in the plurality of RF communication standards.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein

the RF front-end includes a plurality of amplifier chains comprising the first amplifier, each amplifier chain configured to process RF signals compliant with a different RF communication standard.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein

the plurality of amplifier chains include a Bluetooth®

amplifier chain and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) amplifier chain.

12. The electronic communication device of claim 10, wherein

the RF front-end further includes at least one amplifier chain comprising the second amplifier.

13. The communication device of claim 12, wherein

the plurality of amplifier chains comprising the first amplifier support RF communications at a first frequency and the at least one amplifier chain comprising the second amplifier supports RF communications at a second frequency.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the RF front-end is configured to support RF communications at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.

15. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising:

a plurality of shared antennas configured to support communications with the plurality of RF communication standards.

16. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein

the electronic device is a computer.

17. A method for processing communication signals, the method comprising:

amplifying a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals in a first amplifier stage configured to amplify RF signals compliant with different RF communication standards; and

amplifying an output of the first amplifier stage in one of a plurality of amplifiers configured to amplify RF signals compliant with a different RF communication standard, where;

the plurality of RF signals are received via a shared antenna; and

the plurality of RF signals are compliant with a plurality of RF communication standards.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first amplifier stage is included in a plurality of amplifier chains, each amplifier chain configured to process RF signals compliant with a different RF communication standard.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of amplifier chains include a Bluetooth®

amplifier chain and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) amplifier chain.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of RF signals are received concurrently.