Radio frequency systems with transmit and receive isolation

• US 9,866,268 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2016
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: King, Joel Richard, Pehlke, David Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivero, Alejandro
• Application Number:
  US15/287,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20170026074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0057 using diplexing or multiplexing filters for selecting the desired band
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/44 Transmit/receive switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/525 with means for reducing leakage of transmitter signal into the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/336 Signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/028 by filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex

Abstract

Radio frequency systems with transmit and receive isolation are provided. In certain configurations, a wireless device includes a power amplifier including a power amplifier output configured to provide a transmit signal, one or more duplexers including a first duplexer associated with a first frequency band, a plurality of antennas including a first antenna and a second antenna, a plurality of switches, and an isolation detection system. The plurality of switches are configured to selectively connect the power amplifier output to the first antenna via a selected path chosen from a plurality of signal paths, including a first signal path through the first duplexer and a duplexer bypass path that bypasses the one or more duplexers. Additionally, the isolation detection system is configured to control the selected path of the plurality of switches based on detecting an amount of antenna coupling between the first antenna and the second antenna.

Claims

1. A wireless device comprising:

a power amplifier including a power amplifier output configured to provide a transmit signal;

one or more duplexers including a first duplexer associated with a first frequency band;

a plurality of antennas including a first antenna and a second antenna;

a plurality of switches configured to selectively connect the power amplifier output to the first antenna via a selected path chosen from a plurality of signal paths, the plurality of signal paths including a first signal path through the first duplexer and a duplexer bypass path that bypasses the one or more duplexers; and

an isolation detection system configured to control the selected path of the plurality of switches based on detecting an amount of antenna coupling between the first antenna and the second antenna, and to control switching between a duplexer mode in which the power amplifier output is connected to the first antenna through the one or more duplexers, and a duplexer bypass mode in which the power amplifier output is connected to the first antenna via the duplexer bypass path, the isolation detection system further configured to control switching between the duplexer mode and the duplexer bypass mode based on the detected amount of antenna coupling.

2. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the power amplifier includes an input stage, a filter bank, and an output stage connected in an amplification path.

3. The wireless device of claim 2 wherein the input stage is a variable-gain stage configured to compensate for a variation of insertion loss of the filter bank.

4. The wireless device of claim 2 wherein the filter bank includes a plurality of filters configured to provide filtering of a plurality of different frequency bands, the power amplifier further including a multi-throw switch configured to select one of the plurality of filters for operation in the amplification path of the power amplifier.

5. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the power amplifier operates without a post filter at the power amplifier output.

6. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the one or more duplexers further includes a second duplexer associated with a second frequency band, the plurality of signal paths further including a second signal path from the power amplifier output to the first antenna through the second duplexer.

7. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein when the selected path is the first signal path, the first antenna is configured to provide a first receive signal to a receive node via the first duplexer.

8. The wireless device of claim 7 wherein the second antenna is configured to provide a second receive signal to a diversity path.

9. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the isolation detection system is configured to detect the amount of antenna coupling between the first antenna and the second antenna based on a diversity reception and signal to noise ratio analysis.

10. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the isolation detection system is configured to detect the amount of antenna coupling between the first antenna and the second antenna based on a forward and reflected coupler measurement.

11. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the isolation detection system is configured to detect the amount of antenna coupling between the first antenna and the second antenna based on a comparison of a detected amount of the transmit signal coming through a diversity path relative to an initial calibration reference value.

12. A radio frequency system comprising:

a power amplifier module including a power amplifier output configured to provide a transmit signal;

one or more low noise amplifiers; and

a front end module configured to control access of the power amplifier module and the one or more low noise amplifiers to a plurality of antennas including a first antenna and a second antenna, the front end module including one or more duplexers including a first duplexer associated with a first frequency band, and a plurality of switches configured to selectively connect the power amplifier output to the first antenna via a selected path chosen from a plurality of signal paths, the plurality of signal paths including a first signal path through the first duplexer and a duplexer bypass path that bypasses the one or more duplexers, the front end module further including an isolation detection system configured to control the selected path of the plurality of switches based on detecting an amount of antenna coupling between the first antenna and the second antenna, and to control switching between a duplexer mode in which the power amplifier output is connected to the first antenna through the one or more duplexers, and a duplexer bypass mode in which the power amplifier output is connected to the first antenna via the duplexer bypass path, the isolation detection system further configured to control switching between the duplexer mode and the duplexer bypass mode based on the detected amount of antenna coupling.

13. The radio frequency system of claim 12 wherein the one or more duplexers further includes a second duplexer associated with a second frequency band, the plurality of signal paths further including a second signal path from the power amplifier output to the first antenna through the second duplexer.

14. The radio frequency system of claim 12 wherein the isolation detection system is configured to detect the amount of antenna coupling between the first antenna and the second antenna based on a diversity reception and signal to noise ratio analysis.

15. The radio frequency system of claim 12 wherein the isolation detection system is configured to detect the amount of antenna coupling between the first antenna and the second antenna based on a forward and reflected coupler measurement.

16. The radio frequency system of claim 12 wherein the isolation detection system is configured to detect the amount of antenna coupling between the first antenna and the second antenna based on a comparison of a detected amount of the transmit signal coming through a diversity path relative to an initial calibration reference value.

17. A method for isolating radio frequency signals during transmit and receive operations, the method comprising:

generating a transmit signal at an output of a power amplifier based on amplifying a radio frequency signal;

detecting an amount of antenna coupling between a first antenna and a second antenna using an isolation detection system;

controlling a selected path through a plurality of switches based on the amount of antenna coupling detected by the isolation detection system, the selected path chosen from a plurality of signal paths including a signal path through a duplexer and a duplexer bypass path that bypasses the duplexer;

controlling switching with the isolation detection system based on the detected amount of antenna coupling between a duplexer mode in which the output of the power amplifier is connected to the first antenna through the duplexer, and a duplexer bypass mode in which the output of the power amplifier is connected to the first antenna via the duplexer bypass path; and

connecting the output of the power amplifier to the first antenna via the selected path using the plurality of switches.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein generating the transmit signal includes generating an amplified signal using a variable-gain stage of the power amplifier, filtering the amplified signal using a filter bank, and compensating for a variation of insertion loss of the filter bank using the variable-gain stage.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising providing a first receive signal from the first antenna to a receive node via the duplexer.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising providing a second receive signal from the second antenna to a diversity path.