Voice, data and RF integrated circuit with on-chip transmit/receive switch and methods for use therewith
A voice, data and RF integrated circuit (IC) includes an RF transmitter that generates a transmit signal from outbound data. An RF receiver that generates inbound data from a received signal. A processing module generates a control signal to select either a receive mode or a transmit mode for the RF transmitter and the RF receiver, the control signal having a first value when the receive mode is selected and a second value when the transmit mode is selected. A transmit/receive switch couples the transmit signal to an antenna when the control signal has a second value, and produces the received signal based on an inbound RF signal to the antenna when the control signal has a first value, wherein the transmit/receive switch includes an on-chip microelectromechanical switch.
1. A voice, data and RF integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
a first RF transmitter that generates a first transmit signal from first outbound data;
a first RF receiver that generates first inbound data from a first received signal;
a second RF transmitter that generates a second transmit signal from second outbound data;
a second RF receiver that generates second inbound data from a second received signal;
a processing module, that generates a first control signal to select either a receive mode or a transmit mode for the first RF transmitter and the first RF receiver, the first control signal having a first value when the receive mode is selected and a second value when the transmit mode is selected and that generates a second control signal to select either a receive mode or a transmit mode for the second RF transmitter and the second RF receiver, the second control signal having a first value when the receive mode is selected and a second value when the transmit mode is selected;
a first transmit/receive switch, coupled to the first RF transmitter, the first RF receiver and the processing module, that couples the first transmit signal to a first antenna when the first control signal has a second value, and that produces the first received signal based on a first inbound RF signal to the first antenna when the first control signal has a first value, wherein the first transmit/receive switch includes a first on-chip microelectromechanical switch; and
a second transmit/receive switch, coupled to the second RF transmitter, the second RF receiver and the processing module, that couples the second transmit signal to a second antenna when the second control signal has a second value, and that produces the second received signal based on a second inbound RF signal to the second antenna when the second control signal has a first value, wherein the second transmit/receive switch includes a second on-chip microelectromechanical switch.
2. The voice, data and RF IC of claim 1 wherein the first outbound data includes voice communications in a voice mode of operation and the first outbound data includes non-realtime data in a data mode of operation.
3. The voice, data and RF IC of claim 1 wherein the first outbound data includes voice communications and the second outbound data includes non-realtime data.
4. A voice, data and RF integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
a first RF transmitter that generates a first transmit signal from first outbound data;
a first RF receiver that generates first inbound data from a first received signal;
a second RF transmitter that generates a second transmit signal from second outbound data;
a second RF receiver that generates second inbound data from a second received signal;
a processing module, that generates a first control signal to select either a receive mode or a transmit mode for the first RF transmitter and the first RF receiver, the first control signal having a first value when the receive mode is selected and a second value when the transmit mode is selected and that generates a second control signal to select either a receive mode or a transmit mode for the second RF transmitter and the second RF receiver, the second control signal having a first value when the receive mode is selected and a second value when the transmit mode is selected;
a first driver, coupled to the processing module that produces a first drive signal having first value in response to a first value of the first control signal, and that produces the first drive signal having a second value in response to a second value of the first control signal; and
a first transmit/receive switch, coupled to the first RF transmitter, the first RF receiver and the processing module, that couples the first transmit signal to a first antenna when the first drive signal has a second value, and that produces the first received signal based on a first inbound RF signal to the first antenna when the first drive signal has a first value, wherein the first transmit/receive switch includes a first on-chip microelectromechanical switch;
a second driver, coupled to the processing module that produces a second drive signal having first value in response to a first value of the second control signal, and that produces the second drive signal having a second value in response to a second value of the second control signal; and
a second transmit/receive switch, coupled to the second RF transmitter, the second RF receiver and the processing module, that couples the second transmit signal to a second antenna when the second drive signal has a second value, and that produces the second received signal based on a second inbound RF signal to the second antenna when the second drive signal has a first value, wherein the second transmit/receive switch includes a second on-chip microelectromechanical switch.
5. The voice, data and RF IC of claim 4 wherein the first outbound data includes voice communications in a voice mode of operation and the first outbound data includes non-realtime data in a data mode of operation.
6. The voice, data and RF IC of claim 4 wherein the first outbound data includes voice communications and the second outbound data includes non-realtime data.
7. A method for use in a voice, data and RF integrated circuit (IC), the method comprising:
generating a first transmit signal from first outbound data;
generating first inbound data from a first received signal;
generating a first control signal to select one of, a receive mode and a transmit mode for a first RF transmitter and a first RF receiver, the first control signal having a first value when the receive mode is selected and a second value when the transmit mode is selected; and
coupling the first transmit signal to a first antenna with a first on-chip microelectromechanical switch when the first control signal has the second value; and
coupling a first inbound RF signal from the first antenna as the first received signal with the first on-chip microelectromechanical switch when the first control signal has the first value;
generating a second transmit signal from second outbound data;
generating second inbound data from a second received signal;
generating a second control signal to select one of a receive mode or a transmit mode for the second RF transmitter and the second RF receiver, the second control signal having a first value when the receive mode is selected and a second value when the transmit mode is selected; and
coupling the second transmit signal to a second antenna with a second on-chip microelectromechanical switch when the second control signal has the second value; and
coupling a second inbound RF signal from the second antenna as the second received signal with the second on-chip microelectromechanical switch when the second control signal has the first value.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first outbound data includes voice communications in a voice mode of operation and the first outbound data includes non-realtime data in a data mode of operation.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein the first outbound data includes voice communications and the second outbound data includes non-realtime data.