Transmit architecture for wireless multi-mode applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9258018-B2
Application number	US-201414518722-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 20, 2014
Priority date	May 19, 2009
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an upconversion unit configured to upconvert a baseband signal to a radio frequency (RF) signal. A plurality of baluns for a plurality of wireless bands are provided. Multiplexing circuitry is coupled to the plurality of baluns where the upconversion unit is coupled to each balun through the multiplexing circuitry. The multiplexing circuitry is configured to multiplex the radio frequency signal from the upconversion unit to one of the plurality of baluns based on a wireless band being used.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving a baseband signal;
selecting a plurality of upconversion units for upconverting the baseband signal to a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals in a wireless band; and
multiplexing the plurality of RF signals to a balun associated with the wireless band.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of upconversion units is a first plurality of upconversion units, and the selecting further comprises:
activating the first plurality of upconversion units, wherein the first plurality of upconversion units is a subset of a second plurality of upconversion units.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multiplexing comprises combining the plurality of RF signals.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of upconversion units is selected by applying a bias voltage to the plurality of upconversion units.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
upconverting the baseband signal by mixing an in-phase component of the baseband signal and a quadrature component of the baseband signal with a local oscillator signal.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
filtering the baseband signal using a first filter;
buffering the baseband signal using a mirror circuit; and
filtering the baseband signal from the mirror circuit using a second filter.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first filter and the second filter form an Nth order filter.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the balun is a first balun in a plurality of baluns, the wireless band is a first wireless band in a plurality of wireless bands, and the multiplexing further comprises:
multiplexing a first set of the plurality of RF signals to the first balun associated with the first wireless band; and
multiplexing a second set of the plurality of RF signals to a second balun associated with a second wireless band.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multiplexing comprises coupling the plurality of RF signals to the balun through a set of transistors.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
biasing a mixer transistor of at least one of the plurality of upconversion units to operate in a linear region.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the balun is a first balun in a plurality of baluns, and the multiplexing further comprises:
multiplexing a first set of the plurality of RF signals to the first balun of the plurality of baluns; and
multiplexing a second set of the plurality of RF signals to a second balun of the plurality of baluns.

12. An apparatus comprising:
a plurality of upconversion units;
multiplexing circuitry configured to multiplex a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals to a balun associated with a wireless band; and
control circuitry configured to select the plurality of upconversion units for upconverting a baseband signal to the plurality of RF signals.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of upconversion units is a first plurality of upconversion units, and the control circuitry is further configured to:
activate the first plurality of upconversion units, wherein the first plurality of upconversion units is a subset of a second plurality of upconversion units.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the multiplexing circuitry is configured to combine the plurality of RF signals.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry selects the plurality of upconversion units by applying a bias voltage to the plurality of upconversion units.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the plurality of upconversion units comprises:
a mixer configured to upconvert the baseband signal by mixing an in-phase component of the baseband signal and a quadrature component of the baseband signal with a local oscillator signal.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
filter the baseband signal using a first filter;
buffer the baseband signal using a mirror circuit; and
filter the baseband signal from the mirror circuit using a second filter.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the first filter and second filter form an Nth order filter.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the balun is a first balun in a plurality of baluns, the wireless band is a first wireless band in a plurality of wireless bands, and the multiplexing circuitry is further configured to:
multiplex a first set of the plurality of RF signals to the first balun associated with the first wireless band; and
multiplex a second set of the plurality of RF signals to a second balun associated with a second wireless band.

20. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the multiplexing circuitry is further configured to couple the plurality of RF signals to the balun through a set of transistors.

21. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the plurality of upconversion units comprises:
a mixer transistor biased in a linear region.

22. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the balun is a first balun in a plurality of baluns, and the multiplexing circuitry is further configured to:
multiplex a first set of the plurality of RF signals to the first balun of the plurality of baluns; and
multiplex a second set of the plurality of RF signals to a second balun of the plurality of baluns.

23. An apparatus comprising:
a plurality of upconversion units;
a plurality of baluns;
a plurality of transistors, each transistor configured to multiplex an upconversion unit of the plurality of upconversion units to the plurality of baluns; and
control circuitry configured to select one or more upconversion units to upconvert a baseband signal via one or more of the plurality of transistors and the plurality of baluns.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to combine a subset of RF signals in the plurality of RF signals.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to select the one or more upconversion units by applying a bias voltage to the one or more upconversion units.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein at least one of the plurality of upconversion units comprises:
a mixer configured to upconvert the baseband signal by mixing an in-phase component of the baseband signal and a quadrature component of the baseband signal with a local oscillator signal.

27. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
filter the baseband signal using a first filter;
buffer the baseband signal using a mirror circuit; and
filter the baseband signal from the mirror circuit using a second filter.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the first filter and second filter form an Nth order filter.

29. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the plurality of baluns comprises a first balun and a second balun, and at least one of the plurality of transistors is further configured to:
multiplex a first set of the plurality of RF signals to the first balun; and
multiplex a second set of the plurality of RF signals to the second balun.

30. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the plurality of transistors is configured to multiplex the plurality of upconversion units to the plurality of baluns through sets of transistor pairs.

31. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein at

Assignees

• Marvell World Trade Ltd

Inventors

• Uehara Gregory
• Yang Chao
• Jiang Ruoxin
• De Bernardinis Fernando
• Venca Alessandro
• Castello Rinaldo
• Leroux Marc
• Brunn Brian

Classifications

• H04B1/0071 Primary

  using a common intermediate frequency for more than one band (H04B1/0075 takes precedence) · CPC title