Electronic device supporting endc-based epa, and operating method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025183927-A1
Application number	US-202519045275-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 4, 2025
Priority date	Sep 2, 2022
Publication date	Jun 5, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic device includes a radio-frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), a first switch configured to couple a transmitting end of the RFIC to at least one of a first path to a first antenna or a second path to a second antenna, a TRx module disposed between the first switch and the first antenna on the first path, the first antenna configured to transmit a first signal through first network communication, and disposed in a first part of the electronic device, a power amplifier (PA) module disposed between the first switch and the second antenna on the second path, the second antenna configured to transmit a second signal through second network communication, and disposed in a second part of the electronic device, and a second switch configured to couple at least one of the TRx module or the PA module to a feedback receiving end of the RFIC.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device comprising:
a radio-frequency integrated circuit (RFIC); a first switch configured to couple a transmitting end of the RFIC to at least one of a first path to a first antenna or a second path to a second antenna; a TRx module disposed between the first switch and the first antenna on the first path; the first antenna configured to transmit a first signal output from the TRx module through first network communication, and disposed in a first part of the electronic device; a power amplifier (PA) module disposed between the first switch and the second antenna on the second path; the second antenna configured to transmit a second signal output from the PA module through second network communication, and disposed in a second part of the electronic device; and a second switch configured to couple at least one of the TRx module or the PA module to a feedback receiving end of the RFIC, wherein, in a folded state of the electronic device in which the first part and the second part are folded relative to each other, the first antenna and the second antenna are disposed in close proximity to each other, and wherein a phase is matched between the first signal and the second signal based on a feedback signal transmitted from at least one of the TRx module or the PA module to the feedback receiving end of the RFIC through the second switch.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first switch is further configured to:
couple the transmitting end of the RFIC to the first path and the second path based on the electronic device being in an equivalent phase antenna (EPA) state; divide a signal output from the transmitting end of the RFIC into a first portion and a second portion; and transmit the first portion to the first path and transmit the second portion to the second path.

3 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a phase shifter disposed on the second path, wherein the second switch is further configured to:
generate output feedback signals by adding first feedback signals from the TRx module and second feedback signals from the PA module; and
transmit the output feedback signals to the feedback receiving end of the RFIC, and
wherein the phase shifter is configured to adjust a phase of a signal transmitted to the second path on which the phase shifter is disposed, based on a sum of power magnitudes of the first signal and the second signal.

4 . The electronic device of claim 3 , further comprising:
a memory configured to store the phase adjusted by the phase shifter.

5 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the memory is further configured to:
store a hardware gain of the feedback receiving end of the RFIC in a state in which the phase is adjusted by the phase shifter.

6 . The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the phase adjusted by the phase shifter and the hardware gain of the feedback receiving end of the RFIC are determined with respect to each of a high gain range and a low gain range of a power amplifier (PA).

7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second switch is further configured to transmit a feedback signal transmitted from the PA module to the feedback receiving end of the RFIC, and
wherein a delayed phase of the feedback signal is stored in a memory.

8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first switch comprises at least one inductor and at least one capacitor, and
wherein the first switch has a phase shift corresponding to an equivalent phase antenna (EPA)-supported frequency.

9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein, in the folded state in which the electronic device, the electronic device the configured to operate in an equivalent phase antenna (EPA) state.

10 . An operating method of an electronic device that is foldable, the operating method comprising:
identifying whether the electronic device is in a folded state in which a first part of the electronic device and a second part of the electronic device are folded relative; based on identifying that the electronic device is in the folded state, controlling a first switch such that a transmitting end of an radio-frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) is coupled to a first path to a first antenna and a second path to a second antenna; matching a phase between a first signal output from a TRx module and a second signal output from a power amplifier (PA) module, based on a feedback signal transmitted, through a second switch, from at least one of the TRx module on the first path or the PA module on the second path to a feedback receiving end of the RFIC, wherein the TRx module is disposed between the first switch ( 820 , 900 ) and the first antenna on the first path, and the PA module is disposed between the first switch and the second antenna on the second path, wherein, in the folded state of the electronic device, the first antenna and the second antenna are disposed in close proximity to each other, wherein the first antenna is configured to transmit the first signal through a first network communication, and wherein the second antenna is configured to transmit the second signal through a second network communication.

11 . The operating method of claim 10 , wherein the controlling of the first switch comprises:
dividing a signal output from the transmitting end of the RFIC into a first portion and a second portion; transmitting the first portion to the first path; and transmitting the second portion to the second path.

12 . The operating method of claim 10 , wherein the matching of the phase comprises:
adjusting a phase of a signal transmitted to the second path on which a phase shifter is disposed, based on a sum of power magnitudes of feedback signals transmitted, by the second switch, from the TRx module and the PA module.

13 . The operating method of claim 10 , further comprising:
storing a phase adjusted by a phase shifter in a memory.

14 . The operating method of claim 13 , wherein the storing of the phase comprises:
storing a hardware gain of the feedback receiving end of the RFIC in a state in which the phase is adjusted by the phase shifter.

15 . The operating method of claim 14 , wherein the storing of the phase further comprises:
determining the phase adjusted by the phase shifter and the hardware gain of the feedback receiving end of the RFIC, with respect to each of a high gain range and a low gain range of a power amplifier (PA).

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Dongju
• Kang Doil
• Do Minhong
• Jin Suho
• Park Eunsoo

Classifications

• H04B2001/0408

  with power amplifiers · CPC title

• H04B1/401

  for selecting or indicating operating mode · CPC title

• H04B1/04 Primary

  Circuits · CPC title

• H01Q21/28

  Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems {(multiple beam H01Q25/00)} · CPC title

• H01Q3/26

  varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture ({H01Q3/12,} H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence) · CPC title