Dual antenna integrated carrier aggregation front end solution

• US 9,219,594 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2013
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: RF Micro Devices Incorporated (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Inventors: Khlat, Nadim, Granger-Jones, Marcus
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): ONAMUTI, GBEMILEKE J
• Application Number:
  US13/852,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20130336181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.11, 455/77, 455/78, 455/423, 455/562.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0057 using diplexing or multiplexing filters for selecting the desired band
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0002 analog front ends; means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line duplex arrangements H04L5/143
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/06 the signals being represented by different frequencies combined with time-division multiplexing H04L5/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/12 the signals being represented by different phase modulations of a single carrier

Abstract

Radio frequency front end circuitry comprises a first antenna port, a second antenna port, antenna switching circuitry, a first diplexer, and a second diplexer. The antenna switching circuitry is coupled to each of the first antenna port and the second antenna port through the first diplexer and the second diplexer, respectively. The antenna switching circuitry is adapted to selectively couple one or more of a plurality of transmit and receive ports to the first antenna port and the second antenna port.

Claims

1. Radio frequency (RF) front end circuitry comprising:

a plurality of RF front end ports;

a first antenna port configured to be coupled to a first antenna and a second antenna port configured to be coupled to a second antenna;

front end switching circuitry configured to selectively couple one or more of the plurality of RF front end ports to one or more of the first antenna port and the second antenna port;

a first diplexer coupled between the front end switching circuitry and the first antenna port and a second diplexer coupled between the front end switching circuitry and the second antenna port; and

control circuitry configured to, in a carrier aggregation mode of operation of the RF front end circuitry, operate the front end switching circuitry to selectively couple at least four of the plurality of RF front end ports to one of the first antenna port and the second antenna port.

2. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 1 further comprising the first antenna and the second antenna.

3. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 2 further comprising a plurality of antenna tuning circuits, wherein each one of the plurality of antenna tuning circuits is coupled between the first antenna and the first diplexer and the second antenna and the second diplexer.

4. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of directional couplers, such that a directional coupler is present between each signal path between the front end circuitry and the first diplexer and the front end circuitry and the second diplexer.

5. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency front end circuitry is adapted to transmit a wireless signal between about 880-915 MHz and simultaneously receive a wireless signal between about 1805-1880 MHz.

6. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency front end circuitry is adapted to transmit a wireless signal between about 704-716 MHz and simultaneously receive a wireless signal between about 2110-2155 MHz.

7. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 1 further comprising a third antenna port, wherein the front end switching circuitry is further adapted to selectively couple one or more of the plurality of RF front end ports to the third antenna port.

8. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 7 wherein the third antenna port is coupled to a third antenna.

9. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 1 wherein the first diplexer and the second diplexer are tunable.

10. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 9 wherein the first antenna port is coupled to a first antenna and the second antenna port is coupled to a second antenna.

11. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 9 further comprising a plurality of directional couplers, such that a directional coupler is present between each signal path between the front end switching circuitry and the first diplexer and the front end switching circuitry and the second diplexer.

12. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 9 wherein the radio frequency front end circuitry is adapted to transmit a wireless signal between about 880-915 MHz and simultaneously receive a wireless signal between about 1805-1880 MHz.

13. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 9 wherein the radio frequency front end circuitry is adapted to transmit a wireless signal between about 704-716 MHz and simultaneously receive a wireless signal between about 2110-2155 MHz.

14. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 9 further comprising a third antenna port, wherein the front end switching circuitry is further adapted to selectively couple the one or more of the plurality of RF front end ports to the third antenna port.

15. Radio frequency (RF) front end circuitry comprising:

transceiver circuitry;

a plurality of RF front end ports;

a first antenna and a second antenna;

front end switching circuitry configured to selectively couple one or more of the plurality of RF front end ports to the first antenna and the second antenna;

a first diplexer coupled between the front end switching circuitry and the first antenna and a second diplexer coupled between the front end switching circuitry and the second antenna;

a plurality of power amplifiers coupled between the transceiver circuitry and a first plurality of the RF front end ports;

a plurality of low noise amplifiers coupled between the transceiver circuitry and a second plurality of the RF front end ports; and

control circuitry configured to, in a carrier aggregation mode of operation of the RF front end circuitry, operate the front end switching circuitry to selectively couple at least four of the plurality of RF front end ports to one of the first antenna and the second antenna.

16. The radio frequency front end circuitry of claim 15 further comprising a plurality of antenna tuning circuits, wherein each one of the plurality of antenna tuning circuits is coupled between the first antenna and the first diplexer and the second antenna and the second diplexer.