Efficient control mechanism in distributed antenna modules

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10476557-B2
Application number	US-201715823354-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2017
Priority date	Dec 6, 2016
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus for wireless communication. In certain aspects, the apparatus generally includes a first interface configured to obtain, from a baseband module, a multiplexed signal comprising a control signal, a second interface configured to obtain a power signal, a radio frequency (RF) module, a regulator coupled to the second interface and configured to receive the power signal, and a circuit configured to provide the control signal to the regulator. In certain aspects, the regulator, in response to the control signal, may be configured to generate a supply voltage signal by regulating the power signal and provide the supply voltage signal to the RF module.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:
a circuit board;
a first interface configured to obtain, from a baseband module, a multiplexed signal comprising a control signal;
a second interface configured to obtain a power signal, wherein the first interface and the second interface are different interfaces on the circuit board;
a radio frequency (RF) module on the circuit board;
a regulator on the circuit board and coupled to the second interface and configured to receive the power signal from the second interface, wherein the regulator comprises a power terminal configured to obtain the power signal and an enable terminal configured to obtain the control signal;
a circuit on the circuit board and configured to provide the control signal to the regulator, wherein the regulator, in response to the control signal, is configured to generate a supply voltage signal by regulating the power signal and provide the supply voltage signal to the RF module; and
a jumper on the circuit board and disposed between the power terminal of the regulator and the enable terminal of the regulator.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the multiplexed signal further comprises at least one of an intermediate frequency (IF) signal, a local-oscillator (LO) frequency signal, or an RF module control signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the regulator is configured to be enabled by receiving the control signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuit comprises a bias-T circuit or a resistive element.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the bias-T circuit comprises a low-pass filter (LPF).

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first interface is configured to obtain the multiplexed signal via a single transmission line.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the RF module comprises an RF integrated circuit (RFIC), and wherein the circuit is integrated in the RFIC.

8. A wireless node, comprising:
at least one antenna;
a circuit board;
a first interface configured to obtain, from a baseband module, a multiplexed signal comprising a control signal;
a second interface configured to obtain a power signal, wherein the first interface and the second interface are different interfaces on the circuit board;
a radio frequency (RF) module on the circuit board;
a regulator on the circuit board and coupled to the second interface and configured to receive the power signal from the second interface, wherein the regulator comprises a power terminal configured to obtain the power signal and an enable terminal configured to obtain the control signal;
a circuit on the circuit board and configured to provide the control signal to the regulator, wherein the regulator, in response to the control signal, is configured to generate a supply voltage signal by regulating the power signal and provide the supply voltage signal to the RF module, wherein the RF module is configured to output for transmission RF signals via the at least one antenna; and
a jumper on the circuit board and disposed between the power terminal of the regulator and the enable terminal of the regulator.

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Sattinger Arnon
• Herzog Yossi

Classifications

• H04L25/026

  Arrangements for coupling transmitters, receivers or transceivers to transmission lines; Line drivers (duplexing arrangements H04L5/14) · CPC title

• H04B1/0483

  Transmitters with multiple parallel paths · CPC title

• H04B7/2606 Primary

  Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels · CPC title

• H04W52/54

  Signalisation aspects of the TPC commands, e.g. frame structure · CPC title

• H04W92/00

  Interfaces specially adapted for wireless communication networks · CPC title