Apparatuses and methods for wireless communication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12438565-B2
Application number	US-202218082809-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2022
Priority date	Nov 23, 2017
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

An apparatus for wireless communication is provided. The apparatus includes a processing circuit configured to receive data to be wirelessly transmitted within a predefined frequency range. Further, the processing circuit is configured to generate a first radio frequency transmit signal of a first frequency range based on the data, and to generate a second radio frequency transmit signal of a second frequency range based on the data. The first frequency range and the second frequency range are subranges of the predefined frequency range. The apparatus further includes a front-end circuit configured to supply the first radio frequency transmit signal to a first antenna, and to supply the second radio frequency transmit signal to a second antenna.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:
a processor circuit configured to generate, within a predefined frequency range, a first radio frequency (RF) signal based on received data for wireless RF transmission and having a first frequency subrange of the predefined frequency range and a second RF signal based on the received data, the second RF signal generated concurrently with the first RF signal and having a second frequency subrange of the predefined frequency range;
first and second transmit paths running through an amplifier via an input port of the amplifier and an output port of the amplifier and configured to generate and transmit, via a first antenna, a first transmit signal based on the first RF signal, and transmit, via a second antenna, a second transmit signal based on the second RF signal; and
a control circuit configured to:
adjust the first transmit path to a selected configuration state of a plurality of configuration states of the first transmit path, wherein each configuration state of the plurality of configuration states of the first transmit path corresponds to a different combination of frequency range and communication standard, and wherein the selected configuration state allows the first transmit signal to be transmitted within a selected frequency range using a selected communication standard.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein to adjust the first transmit path the control circuit is configured to adjust at least one of:
an output impedance of the amplifier; or
a bias voltage supplied to the amplifier.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising:
an adjustable envelope tracking circuit configured to provide a supply voltage to the amplifier based on the selected frequency range of the first transmit path.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising an adjustable impedance matching circuit coupled to an output of the amplifier and configured to adjust the output impedance of the amplifier according to an operational configuration of the impedance matching circuit that corresponds to the selected frequency range of the first transmit path.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor circuit is further configured to generate an additional RF signal,
the apparatus further comprising:
an additional transmit path configured to generate and transmit an additional transmit signal based on the additional RF signal;
wherein the control circuit is further configured to adjust the additional transmit path to a selected additional configuration state of a plurality of configuration states of the additional transmit path, wherein each configuration state of the plurality of configuration states of the additional transmit path corresponds to a different combination of frequency range and communication standard, wherein the selected additional configuration state allows the additional transmit signal to be transmitted within a selected additional frequency range using a selected additional communication standard.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the selected frequency range of the first transmission path is different from and non-overlapping with the selected additional frequency range.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the selected frequency range of the first transmission path corresponds to a first component carrier and the selected additional frequency range corresponds to a second component carrier.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the selected frequency range of the first transmission path and the selected additional frequency range are within one of:
a frequency band defined in a single communication standard;
a frequency band defined in at least two different communication standards;
different respective frequency bands defined in corresponding different communication standards; or
different respective frequency bands defined in a single communication standard.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the processor circuit is further configured to:
generate the first RF signal according to the first selected communication standard; and
generate the additional RF signal according to the selected additional communication standard.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first transmit path comprises an adjustable filter circuit configured to filter the first RF signal according to an operational configuration of the adjustable filter circuit that corresponds to the first selected frequency, to generate the first transmit signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second frequency subrange of the predefined frequency range is contiguous and non-overlapping with the first frequency subrange of the predefined frequency range.

12. A device for wireless communications, comprising:
a first transmit path running through a first amplifier via an input port of the first amplifier and an output port of the first amplifier and configured to transmit a first radio frequency (RF) signal generated based on data received for wireless RF transmission, the first RF signal having a first frequency subrange of a predefined frequency range, via a first antenna;
a second transmit path running through a second amplifier via an input port of the second amplifier and an output port of the second amplifier and configured to transmit a second RF signal generated based on the data received for RF transmission via the second RF signal, the second RF signal having a second frequency subrange of the predefined frequency range, via a second antenna, the second RF signal generated concurrently with the first RF signal; and
a control circuit configured to adjust any one or more of:
a first portion of the first transmit path to a first configuration state of a plurality of configuration states of the first portion of the first transmit path, wherein each configuration state of the plurality of configuration states of the first portion of the first transmit path corresponds to a different frequency range, wherein the first configuration state allows the first RF signal to be transmitted within a first frequency range, or
a first portion of the second transmit path to a second configuration state of a plurality of configuration states of the first portion of the second transmit path, wherein each configuration state of the plurality of configuration states of the first portion of the second transmit path corresponds to a different frequency range, wherein the second configuration state allows the second RF signal to be transmitted within a second frequency range.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein control circuit is further configured to adjust any one or more of:
a second portion of the first transmit path to a third configuration state of a plurality of configuration states of the second portion of the first transmit path, wherein each configuration state of the plurality of configuration states of the second portion of the first transmit path corresponds to a different communication standard, wherein the third configuration state allows the first RF signal to be transmitted using a first communication standard; or
a second portion of the second transmit path to a fourth configuration state of a plurality of configuration states of the second portion of the second transmit path, wherein each configuration state of the plurality of configuration states of the second portion of the second transmit path corresponds to a different communication standard, wherein the fourth configuration state allows the second RF signal to be transmitted using a second communication standard.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the control circuit is configured to adju

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Langer Andreas
• Bruder Thomas

Classifications

• H04B7/0413

  MIMO systems · CPC title

• H04B1/0064 Primary

  with separate antennas for the more than one band (H04B1/0053 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H03F3/245

  with semiconductor devices only · CPC title

• H03F3/68

  Combinations of amplifiers, e.g. multi-channel amplifiers for stereophonics {(power amplifiers using a combination of several semiconductor amplifiers H03F3/211; combinations of amplifiers using coupling networks with distributed constants H03F3/602)} · CPC title

• H04B1/0475 Primary

  with means for limiting noise, interference or distortion (H04B1/0483 takes precedence) · CPC title