Multiple connection options for a transceiver

• US 8,861,407 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2011
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxlinear Israel Ltd. (Maxlinear Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Provigent Ltd. (Maxlinear Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kushnir, Igal (Yehuda)
• Primary Examiner(s): Renner, Brandon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choudhury, Faisal
• Application Number:
  US13/177,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20130010654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 370/349, 370/277
• US Class Current: 370/277
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19107 off-chip wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/213 combining or separating two or more different frequencies H01P1/215 takes precedence

Abstract

Apparatus, including a communication device which has two or more radio frequency (RF) ports for communicating in respective frequency bands. The apparatus also includes a substrate which has two or more interconnection ports, and which are respectively connected to the two or more RF ports of the communication device and are configured to couple a selected one of the RF ports to a duplexer operating at one of the respective frequency bands.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a communication device comprising first and second ports for communicating in a first frequency band, and third and fourth ports for communicating in a second frequency band;

a substrate comprising an aperture communicatively coupled to an antenna, and first, second, third, and fourth interconnection pads respectively connected to the first, the second, the third, and the fourth ports of the communication device; and

a duplexer comprising first and second openings, wherein the duplexer is configured to;

rotate about the aperture to rotatably connect the first and the second openings with the first and the second interconnection pads, respectively;

rotate about the aperture to disconnect the first and the second openings from the first and the second interconnection pads, respectively, and to connect the first and the second openings to the third and the fourth interconnection pads, respectively.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication device comprises a transmitter integrated circuit connected to the antenna via the first opening.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the communication device further comprises a receiver integrated circuit connected to the antenna via the second opening.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the duplexer comprises a single duplexer.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first, the second, the third, and the fourth interconnection pads are non-radiative.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first, the second, the third, and the fourth interconnection pads are configured as antennas.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a dielectric plate, having a conducting line, which is attached to the substrate and configured to couple one of the first and the second interconnection pads to a selected one of:

the first port, or the second port.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the conducting line is configured to couple capacitively.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the conducting line is configured to couple galvanically using a pressure reactive conducting material.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the aperture is substantially symmetrically disposed between the first and the third interconnection pads.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the duplexer further comprises a second aperture configured to mate with the aperture.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second aperture is substantially symmetrically disposed between the first and the second openings.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second aperture is substantially centrally located on the duplexer.

14. A method, comprising:

providing a communication device comprising an antenna, first and second ports for communicating in a first frequency band, and third and fourth ports for communicating in a second frequency band, the communication device being disposed on a substrate;

respectively connecting first, second, third, and fourth interconnection pads to the first, second, third, and fourth ports of the communication device; and

connecting a duplexer operative in the first and the second frequency bands to the substrate in a manner to allow the duplexer to be;

rotated about the substrate to couple the duplexer to the first and the second interconnection pads;

rotated about the substrate to decouple the duplexer from the first and the second interconnection pads; and

rotated about the substrate to couple the duplexer to the third and the fourth interconnection pads.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the connecting comprises:

coupling a transmitter integrated circuit to the antenna via the duplexer.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the connecting further comprises:

coupling a receiver integrated circuit to the antenna via the duplexer.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the coupling of the duplexer to the first and the second interconnection pads comprises:

coupling first and second openings of the duplexer with the first and the second interconnection pads, respectively, and wherein the coupling of the duplexer to the third and the fourth interconnection pads comprises;

coupling the first and the second openings of the duplexer with the third and the fourth interconnection pads, respectively.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the first and the second openings include dimensions selected in response to the first and the second frequency bands.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein the duplexer includes dimensions selected in response to locations of the first, the second, the third, and the fourth interconnection pads with respect to the substrate.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first, the second, the third, and the fourth interconnection pads are disposed on the substrate.

21. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first, the second, the third, and the fourth interconnection pads are non-radiative.

22. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first, the second, the third, and the fourth interconnection pads are configured as antennas.

23. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

selecting a dielectric plate including a conductive line from a group of dielectric plates comprising respective conducting lines to couple one of the first and the second interconnection pads to a selected one of;

the first port, or the second port.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the conducting line is configured to couple capacitively.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the conducting line is configured to couple galvanically using a pressure reactive conducting material.

26. A communication device, comprising:

a substrate including an aperture communicatively coupled to an antenna;

a transmitter disposed on the substrate, and communicatively coupled to first and second communication pads;

a receiver disposed on the substrate, and communicatively coupled to third and fourth communication pads;

a duplexer including first and second openings, and configured to;

rotate about the aperture to connect the first and the second openings to the first and the third communication pads, respectively; and

rotate about the aperture to disconnect the first and the second openings from the first and the third communication pads, respectively, and to connect the first and the second openings to the second and the fourth communication pads, respectively.

27. The communication device of claim 26, wherein the aperture is substantially symmetrically disposed between the first and the third communication pads.

28. The communication device of claim 26, wherein the duplexer further comprises a second aperture configured to mate with the aperture.

29. The communication device of claim 28, wherein the second aperture is substantially symmetrically disposed between the first and the second openings.

30. The communication device of claim 28, wherein the second aperture is substantially centrally located on the duplexer.