Systems, methods, and devices for managing coexistence of multiple transceiver devices using bypass circuitry

• US 9,543,998 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2015
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Honjo, Hirofumi, Calidonna, Wesley Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Sorowar, Golam
• Application Number:
  US14/819,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20160365885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/109 by improving strong signal performance of the receiver when strong unwanted signals are present at the receiver input
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A communications apparatus includes a first and second transceiver, and a first and second antenna. The communications apparatus further includes a front end module (FEM) coupled between the first transceiver and the first antenna, and includes an amplifier for amplifying signals received by the first antenna, and a bypass line. The FEM is configured to couple the first antenna to the first transceiver via the bypass line when the second transceiver is active and transmitting signals using the second antenna such that a signal received via the first antenna is not amplified by the amplifier prior to being passed to the first transceiver. Furthermore, the FEM is configured to couple the first antenna to the first transceiver via the amplifier when the second transceiver is not transmitting signals using the second antenna such that a signal received via the first antenna is amplified.

Claims

1. A communications apparatus, comprising:

a first and second transceiver;

a first and second antenna; and

a front end module (FEM) coupled between the first transceiver and the first antenna, the front end module comprising;

an amplifier for amplifying signals received by the first antenna,

a bypass line, and

a switching mechanism;

wherein the switching mechanism of the FEM is configured to;

couple the first antenna to the first transceiver via the bypass line when the second transceiver is active and transmitting signals using the second antenna such that a signal received via the first antenna is not amplified by the amplifier prior to being passed to the first transceiver; and

couple the first antenna to the first transceiver via the amplifier when the second transceiver is not transmitting signals using the second antenna such that a signal received via the first antenna is amplified by the amplifier prior to being passed to the first transceiver.

2. The communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the amplifier is a low-noise amplifier.

3. The communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switching mechanism of the FEM comprises one or more switches for selectively coupling the first antenna and the first transceiver via the bypass line or via the amplifier.

4. The communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the FEM are coupled by a control line, wherein a bypass signal is sent to the FEM through the control line when the second transceiver is active.

5. The communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second antennas transmit and receive signals at the same frequency.

6. The communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver or the second transceiver is configured to transmit and receive signals according to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.

7. The communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver or the second transceiver is configured to transmit and receive signals according to the IEEE 802.11 standard.

8. The communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver or the second transceiver is configured to transmit and receive signals according to the IEEE 802.11 standard and the Bluetooth Low Energy standard.

9. The communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the FEM has a first input power threshold when the FEM couples the first transceiver and the first antenna via the bypass line, and a second input power threshold when the FEM couples the first transceiver and the first antenna via the amplifier, wherein the first input power threshold is greater than the second input power threshold.

10. The communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the FEM has a first receiver sensitivity when the FEM couples the first transceiver and the first antenna via the bypass line, and a second receiver sensitivity when the FEM couples the first transceiver and the first antenna using the amplifier, wherein the second receiver sensitivity is greater than the first receiver sensitivity.

11. A method for communicating via a plurality of transceivers, comprising:

at an electronic device with a plurality of transceivers, one or more processors, and memory storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors;

in accordance with detecting that a second transceiver of the plurality of transceivers is not transmitting signals via a second antenna coupled to the second transceiver;

coupling a first transceiver of the plurality of transceivers to a first antenna via an amplifier such that a signal received by the first antenna is amplified by the amplifier prior to being passed to the first transceiver; and

in accordance with detecting that the second transceiver is transmitting signals via the second antenna;

coupling the first transceiver to the first antenna via a bypass line such that a signal received by the first antenna is not amplified by the amplifier prior to being passed to the first transceiver.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising producing a bypass signal when the second transceiver is active, wherein detecting that the second transceiver is transmitting signals via the second antenna includes detecting the bypass signal.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the amplifier is a low-noise amplifier.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second antennas receive and transmit signals at the same frequency.

15. A communications apparatus, comprising:

a first and second transceiver;

a first and second antenna; and

a coupling means between the first transceiver and the first antenna, the coupling means comprising;

an amplifier for amplifying signals received by the first antenna, and

a bypass line;

wherein the coupling means is configured to;

couple the first antenna to the first transceiver via the bypass line when the second transceiver is active and transmitting signals using the second antenna such that a signal received via the first antenna is not amplified by the amplifier prior to being passed to the first transceiver; and

couple the first antenna to the first transceiver via the amplifier when the second transceiver is not transmitting signals using the second antenna such that a signal received via the first antenna is amplified by the amplifier prior to being passed to the first transceiver.

16. The communications apparatus of claim 15, wherein the coupling means comprises one or more switches for selectively coupling the first antenna and the first transceiver via the bypass line or via the amplifier.

17. The communications apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the coupling means are coupled by a control line, wherein a bypass signal is sent to the coupling means through the control line when the second transceiver is active.

18. The communications apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first and second antennas transmit and receive signals at the same frequency.

19. The communications apparatus of claim 15, wherein the coupling means has a first input power threshold when the coupling means couples the first transceiver and the first antenna via the bypass line, and a second input power threshold when the coupling means couples the first transceiver and the first antenna via the amplifier, wherein the first input power threshold is greater than the second input power threshold.

20. The communications apparatus of claim 15, wherein the coupling means has a first receiver sensitivity when the coupling means couples the first transceiver and the first antenna via the bypass line, and a second receiver sensitivity when the coupling means couples the first transceiver and the first antenna using the amplifier, wherein the second receiver sensitivity is greater than the first receiver sensitivity.