Multi-mode configurable transceiver with low voltage switches

• US 10,333,579 B1
• Filed: 04/12/2018
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shenzhen Goodix Technology Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Shenzhen Goodix Technology Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Emira, Ahmed, Khatib, Rami, Sivasubramaniam, Janakan, Gagne, Jared
• Primary Examiner(s): Trandai, Cindy
• Application Number:
  US15/952,228
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/002 Switching arrangements with several input- or output terminals code converters H03M5/00, H03M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/081 without feedback from the output circuit to the control circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/687 the devices being field-effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/44 Transmit/receive switching

Abstract

A wireless transceiver includes a receive path having a first switch and configured to receive an input signal when the first switch is in an open position, a first transmit path having a second switch and configured to provide a first output signal when the second switch is in a closed position and the first switch is in a closed position, and a second transmit path having a third switch and configured to provide a second output signal when the third switch is in a closed position, the first switch is in the closed position, and the second switch is in an open position. The first, second, and third switches are integrated together with the receive path, the first RF transmit path, and the second transmit path within a same integrated circuit.

Claims

1. A configurable radio frequency (RF) transceiver comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) receive path having a first switch and configured to receive a RF input signal when the first switch is in an open position;

a first RF transmit path having a second switch and configured to provide a first output signal when the second switch is in a closed position and the first switch is in a closed position; and

a second RF transmit path having a third switch and configured to provide a second output signal when the third switch is in a closed position, the first switch is in the closed position, and the second switch is in an open position, the second RF transmit path comprising a balun having a primary winding and a secondary winding having a first end coupled to the first RF transmit path through a capacitor and a second end coupled to a ground potential through the third switch,

wherein the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch are integrated together with the RF receive path, the first RF transmit path, and the second RF transmit path within a same integrated circuit.

2. The RF transceiver of claim 1, further comprising:

a logic circuit configured to generate a plurality of control signals for setting the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch between their respective closed position and the open position.

3. The RF transceiver of claim 2, wherein the plurality of control signals select the RF receive path, the first RF transmit path, and the second RF transmit path based on operating modes of the RF transceiver.

4. The RF transceiver of claim 2, wherein:

the RF receive path is powered by a first power source;

the first RF transmit path is powered by a second power source;

the second RF transmit path is powered by a third power source;

when the RF receive path is selected, the plurality of control signals disconnect the second power source of the first RF transmit path and the third power source of the second RF transmit path;

when the first RF transmit path is selected, the plurality of control signals disconnect the first power source of the RF receive path and the third power source of the second RF transmit path; and

when the second RF transmit path is selected, the plurality of control signals disconnect the first power source of the RF receive path and the second power source of the first RF transmit path,

wherein a voltage potential of the first power source is lower than a voltage potential of the second power source, and the voltage potential of the second power source is lower than a voltage potential of the third power source.

5. The RF transceiver of claim 1, wherein the first RF transmit path comprises a low-power amplifier having an input configured to receive a first signal and an output configured to output an amplified first single-ended signal.

6. The RF transceiver of claim 1, wherein the second RF transmit path comprises:

a high-power amplifier having an input configured to receive a second signal and an output configured to output a second amplified differential signal to the balun which transforms the second amplified differential signal to an amplified second single-ended signal.

7. The RF transceiver of claim 6, wherein the primary winding of the balun is coupled to the output of the high-power amplifier and comprises a tap coupled to a power source of the high-power amplifier.

8. The RF transceiver of claim 1, wherein the RF receive path comprises a low-noise amplifier (LNA) having an input coupled to the first end of the secondary winding through a matching inductor.

9. The RF transceiver of claim 8, wherein the matching inductor is a part of the balun.

10. The RF transceiver of claim 1, wherein each of the first, second, and third switches is a low-voltage n-type metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (nMOSFET) in a core region of the integrated circuit.

11. A wireless transceiver comprising:

a receive path having a first switch and configured to receive an input signal when the first switch is in an open position;

a first transmit path having a second switch and configured to provide a first output signal when the second switch is in a closed position and the first switch is in a closed position;

a second transmit path having a third switch and configured to provide a second output signal when the third switch is in a closed position, the first switch is in the closed position, and the second switch is in an open position; and

a balun comprising a primary winding coupled to the second transmit path and a secondary winding having a first end coupled to the first transmit path through a capacitor and a second end coupled to a ground potential through the third switch.

12. The wireless transceiver of claim 11, wherein:

the receive path comprises a low noise amplifier (LNA) having an input terminal coupled to an antenna, the first switch being disposed between the input terminal of the LNA and the ground potential;

the first transmit path comprises a low power amplifier having an output terminal coupled to the antenna through the second switch and the capacitor; and

the second transmit path comprises a high power amplifier having an output terminal configured to output a differential signal to the primary winding, and the secondary winding transforms the differential signal into a single-ended signal to the antenna.

13. The wireless transceiver of claim 11, further comprising a logic circuit configured to generate a plurality of control signals to the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch.

14. The wireless transceiver of claim 13, wherein the LNA, the low power amplifier, the high power amplifier, the logic circuit, the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch are integrated within a same integrated circuit.

15. The wireless transceiver of claim 14, wherein the LNA, the low power amplifier, and the high power amplifier are disposed in a peripheral region of the integrated circuit;

and the logic circuit, the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch are disposed in a core region of the integrated circuit.

16. A method of configuring a wireless transceiver comprising a receive path having a first switch, a first transmit path having a second switch, and a second transmit path having a third switch, the method comprising:

providing a balun to the second transmit path, the balun comprising a primary winding and a second winding having a first end coupled to the first transmit path through a capacitor and a second end coupled to a ground potential through the third switch;

selecting the receive path by setting the first switch in an open position, the second switch in the open position, and the third switch in the open position;

selecting the first transmit path by setting the first switch in a closed position, the second switch in the closed position, and the third switch in the open position; and

selecting the second transmit path by setting the first switch in a closed position, the second switch in the open position, and the third switch in the closed position.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

generating a plurality of control signals by a logic circuit for setting the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch between the closed position and the open position.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the logic circuit determines an operation mode of the transceiver by selecting the receive path, the first transmit path, and the second transmit path.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the receive path is powered by a first power source;

the first transmit path is powered by a second power source;

the second transmit path is powered by a third power source;

selecting the receive path comprises disconnecting the second power source of the first transmit path and the third power source of the second transmit path by the plurality of control signals;

selecting the first transmit path comprises disconnecting the first power source of the receive path and the third power source of the second transmit path by the plurality of control signals; and

selecting the second transmit path comprises disconnecting the first power source of the receive path and the second power source of the first transmit path by the plurality of control signals.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the receive path, the first transmit path, the second transmit path, the logic circuit, the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch are integrated in a same integrated circuit.