Shared antenna control

• US 7,920,900 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2007
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Efland, Greg H., Fifield, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang; Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siddiqui; Kashif
• Application Number:
  US11/716,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20070218845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,485 Days
• Field of Search: 455/401, 4555521-5621, 455/266, 455/86, 370335-337, 370/401, 709/228
• US Class Current: 455/562.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/406 with more than one transmission mode, e.g. analog and digital modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/06 including a wireless LAN interface

Abstract

A scheme for sharing antenna control pins in a wireless communications device implemented on a single CMOS integrated circuit is described. By providing a routing circuit for coupling the antenna control signal to the appropriate transceiver circuitry in a multi-transceiver system, antenna control signals may be efficiently processed using a minimum of pins on the wireless communication device.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device comprising:

first wireless transceiver circuitry;

second wireless transceiver circuitry;

wireless interface device circuitry coupled to the first wireless transceiver circuitry and to the second wireless transceiver circuitry, the wireless interface device circuitry servicing both the first wireless transceiver circuitry and the second wireless transceiver circuitry, said servicing including producing combined control signals for the first wireless transceiver circuitry and the second wireless transceiver circuitry; and

combined control signal routing circuitry coupled to the wireless interface device circuitry, the first wireless transceiver circuitry, and the second wireless transceiver circuitry, the combined control signal routing circuitry controlled by the wireless interface device circuitry to perform a first routing of the combined control signals to the first wireless transceiver circuitry in a first operating condition and to perform a second routing of the combined control signals to the second wireless transceiver circuitry in a second operating condition, wherein the first operating condition differs from the second operating condition.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1, further comprising the combined control signal routing circuitry controlled by the wireless interface device to route the combined control signals to both the first wireless transceiver circuitry and to the second wireless transceiver circuitry during a third operating condition, wherein the third operating condition differs from the first operating condition and the second operating condition.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 2, wherein:

the first operating condition comprises the first wireless transceiver circuitry servicing communications and the second wireless transceiver circuitry idle;

the second operating condition comprises the second wireless transceiver circuitry servicing communications and the first wireless transceiver circuitry idle; and

the third operating condition comprises the first wireless transceiver circuitry and the second wireless transceiver circuitry simultaneously servicing communications.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 1, further comprising:

first antenna diversity circuitry coupled to the first wireless transceiver circuit;

second antenna diversity circuitry coupled to the second wireless transceiver circuit; and

the combined control signal routing circuitry controlled by the wireless interface device circuitry to route diversity switching control signals to both the first antenna diversity circuitry and to the second antenna diversity circuitry.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 1, further comprising:

first antenna diversity circuitry coupled to the first wireless transceiver circuitry;

first and second antennas coupled to the first antenna diversity circuitry; and

the combined control signal routing circuitry controlled by the wireless interface device circuitry to route diversity switching control signals to the first antenna diversity circuitry to initiate diversity in the transmission or receipt of wireless communications serviced by the first wireless transceiver circuitry.

6. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein:

the first wireless transceiver circuitry services a first communication frequency band; and

the second wireless transceiver circuitry services a second communication frequency band.

7. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein:

the first wireless transceiver circuitry supports a first communication interface protocol; and

the second wireless transceiver circuitry supports a second communication interface protocol.

8. A wireless communication device comprising:

first wireless transceiver circuitry;

first diversity switch circuitry coupled to the first wireless transceiver circuitry and operable to control at least one coupled antenna;

second wireless transceiver circuitry;

second diversity switch circuitry coupled to the second wireless transceiver circuitry and operable to control at least one coupled antenna;

wireless interface device circuitry coupled to the first wireless transceiver circuitry, to the second wireless transceiver circuitry, to the first diversity switch circuitry, and to the second diversity switch circuitry, the wireless interface device circuitry servicing both the first wireless transceiver circuitry and the second wireless transceiver circuitry, the servicing including producing combined control signals for the first diversity switch circuitry and the second diversity switch circuitry; and

combined control signal routing circuitry coupled to the wireless interface device circuitry, the first diversity switch circuitry, and the second diversity switch circuitry, the combined control signal routing circuitry controlled by the wireless interface device circuitry to selectively route the combined control signals to the first diversity switch circuitry and to the second diversity switch circuitry;

wherein

the combined control signal routing circuitry performs a first routing of the combined control signal to the first diversity switch circuitry and to the second diversity switch circuitry in a first operating condition;

the combined control signal routing circuitry performs a second routing of the combined control signal to the first diversity switch circuitry and to the second diversity switch circuitry in a second operating condition; and

the first operating condition differs from the second operating condition.

9. The wireless communication device of claim 8, further comprising the combined control signal routing circuitry controlled by the wireless interface device to route the combined control signals to both the first diversity switch circuitry and to the second diversity switch circuitry during a third operating condition.

10. The wireless communication device of claim 8, further comprising:

the wireless interface device circuitry producing combined control signals for the first wireless transceiver circuitry and the second wireless transceiver circuitry; and

the combined control signal routing circuitry controlled by the wireless interface device circuitry to route the combined control signals to the first wireless transceiver circuitry in a one operating condition and to route the combined control signals to the second wireless transceiver circuitry in another operating condition.

11. The wireless communication device of claim 8, further comprising:

first and second antennas coupled to the first antenna diversity circuitry; and

the combined control signal routing circuitry controlled by the wireless interface device circuitry to route diversity switching control signals to the first antenna diversity circuitry to initiate diversity in the transmission or receipt of wireless communications serviced by the first wireless transceiver circuitry.

12. The wireless communication device of claim 11, further comprising:

third and fourth antennas coupled to the second antenna diversity circuitry; and

the combined control signal routing circuitry controlled by the wireless interface device circuitry to route diversity switching control signals to the second antenna diversity circuitry to initiate diversity in the transmission or receipt of wireless communications serviced by the second wireless transceiver circuitry.

13. The wireless communication device of claim 8, wherein:

the first wireless transceiver circuitry services a first communication frequency band; and

the second wireless transceiver circuitry services a second communication frequency band.

14. The wireless communication device of claim 8, wherein:

the first wireless transceiver circuitry supports a first communication interface protocol; and

the second wireless transceiver circuitry supports a second communication interface protocol.

15. A method for operating a wireless communication device having first wireless transceiver circuitry, second wireless transceiver circuitry, wireless interface device circuitry, and combined control signal routing circuitry, the method comprising:

the wireless interface device circuitry servicing both the first wireless transceiver circuitry and the second wireless transceiver circuitry, the servicing including producing combined control signals for the first wireless transceiver circuitry and the second wireless transceiver circuitry;

the combined control signal routing circuitry performing a first routing of the combined control signals to the first wireless transceiver circuitry in a first operating condition based upon input received from the wireless interface device circuitry; and

the combined control signal routing circuitry performing a second routing of the combined control signals to the second wireless transceiver circuitry in a second operating condition based upon input received from the wireless interface device circuitry;

wherein the first operating condition differs from the second operating condition.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the combined control signal routing circuitry routing the combined control signals to both the first wireless transceiver circuitry and to the second wireless transceiver circuitry during a third operating condition based upon input received from the wireless interface device circuitry.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the first operating condition comprises the first wireless transceiver circuitry servicing communications and the second wireless transceiver circuitry idle;

the second operating condition comprises the second wireless transceiver circuitry servicing communications and the first wireless transceiver circuitry idle; and

the third operating condition comprises the first wireless transceiver circuitry and the second wireless transceiver circuitry simultaneously servicing communications.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

the first wireless transceiver circuitry servicing a first communication frequency band; and

the second wireless transceiver circuitry servicing a second communication frequency band.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

the first wireless transceiver circuitry supporting a first communication interface protocol; and

the second wireless transceiver circuitry supporting a second communication interface protocol.

20. A method for operating a wireless communication device having first wireless transceiver circuitry, first diversity switch circuitry, second wireless transceiver circuitry, second diversity switch circuitry, wireless interface device circuitry, and combined control signal routing circuitry, the method comprising:

the wireless interface device circuitry servicing the first wireless transceiver circuitry and the second wireless transceiver circuitry, the servicing including producing combined control signals for the first diversity switch circuitry and the second diversity switch circuitry;

the combined control signal routing circuitry performing a first routing of the combined control signals to the first diversity switch circuitry in a first operating condition based upon input received from the wireless interface device circuitry; and

the combined control signal routing circuitry performing a second routing of the combined control signals to the second diversity switch circuitry in a second operating condition based upon input received from the wireless interface device circuitry;

wherein the first operating condition differs from the second operating condition.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the combined control signal routing circuitry routing the combined control signals to both the first diversity switch circuitry and to the second diversity switch circuitry during a third operating condition.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the combined control signal routing circuitry controlled by the wireless interface device circuitry routing diversity switching control signals to the first antenna diversity circuitry to initiate diversity in the transmission or receipt of wireless communications serviced by the first wireless transceiver circuitry.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the combined control signal routing circuitry controlled by the wireless interface device circuitry routing diversity switching control signals to the second antenna diversity circuitry to initiate diversity in the transmission or receipt of wireless communications serviced by the second wireless transceiver circuitry.