Multiple frequency band information signal universal front end with adjustable ADC(s)
View Patent ↗A wireless device includes processing circuitry, a receiver section, a transmitter section, and an antenna. The processing circuitry determines a set of information signals of a RF Multiple Frequency Bands Multiple Standards (MFBMS) signal. The receiver section down-converts a portion of the RF MFBMS signal by one or more respective shift frequencies to produce a corresponding baseband/low Intermediate Frequency (BB/IF) information signal from which the processing circuitry extracts data. The transmitter section converts a respective BB/IF information signal received from the processing circuitry by a respective shift frequency to produce a corresponding RF information signal and a combiner that combines the RF information signals to form a RF MFBMS signal. The receiver section and the transmitter section include ADCs and/or DACs, respectively, that are adjustable based upon characteristics of the RF MFBMS signal, the BB/IF MFBMS signal, and/or based upon signals carried therein, e.g., modulation type, SNR requirements, etc.
1. A wireless device comprising:
processing circuitry operable to determine a set of information signals for receipt, the set of information signals of a Radio Frequency (RF) Multiple Frequency Bands Multiple Standards (MFBMS) signal having a plurality of information signal frequency bands;
an antenna operable to receive the RF MFBMS signal;
a receiver section coupled to the antenna and to the processing circuitry and comprising:
a plurality of receive paths, each receive path comprising down-conversion circuitry operable to down-convert at least a portion of the RF MFBMS signal by a respective shift frequency to produce a corresponding baseband/low Intermediate Frequency (BB/IF) information signal;
a combiner operable to combine the plurality of BB/IF information signals produced by the plurality of receive paths to form a BB/IF MFBMS signal; and
a tunable analog to digital converter (ADC) operable to digitize the BB/IF MFBMS signal, the ADC tunable by the processing circuitry based upon spectral characteristics of the BB/IF MFBMS signal wherein the tunable ADC is coupled to receive inputs to adjust at least one of:
a sample rate of the ADC;
a bandwidth of the ADC;
a dynamic range of the ADC; and
a signal to noise ration of the ADC; and
the processing circuitry operable to extract data from the BB/IF MFBMS signal corresponding to the set of information signals.
2. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the ADC is tunable by the processing circuitry adjusting a sampling frequency of the ADC.
3. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the ADC is tunable by the processing circuitry adjusting a bandwidth of the ADC.
4. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the ADC is tunable by the processing circuitry adjusting an output resolution of the ADC.
5. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein each receive path further comprises at least one adjustable analog signal path component operable to adjust at least one of the RF MFBMS signal and the BB/IF information signals.
6. The wireless device of claim 4 , wherein the at least one adjustable analog element is selected from the group consisting of:
a frequency adjustable Low Noise Amplifier (LNA);
an analog filter that operates upon the RF MFBMS signal;
an analog filter that operates upon the BB/IF information signal; and
bandwidth adjustable down-conversion circuitry is bandwidth adjustable.
7. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of information signal frequency bands are selected from the group consisting of:
at least one Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) frequency band;
at least one Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) frequency band;
at least one cellular frequency band;
at least one millimeter wave frequency band; and
at least one Global Positioning System (GPS) frequency band.
8. A wireless device comprising:
processing circuitry operable to:
determine a set of information signals for receipt, the set of information signals carried by a Radio Frequency (RF) Multiple Frequency Bands Multiple Standards (MFBMS) signal having a plurality of information signal frequency bands;
determine a shift frequency based upon the determination;
an antenna operable to receive the RF MFBMS signal;
a receiver section coupled to the antenna and to the processing circuitry and comprising:
down-conversion circuitry operable to down-convert the RF MFBMS signal by the shift frequency to produce a baseband/low Intermediate Frequency (BB/IF) MFBMS signal; and
a tunable analog to digital converter (ADC) operable to digitize the BB/IF MFBMS signal, the tunable ADC tunable by the processing circuitry based upon spectral characteristics of the BB/IF MFBMS signal wherein the tunable ADC is coupled to receive inputs to adjust at least one of:
a sample rate of the ADC;
a bandwidth of the ADC;
a dynamic range of the ADC; and
a signal to noise ration of the ADC; and
the processing circuitry operable to extract data from the BB/IF MFBMS signal corresponding to the set of information signals.
9. The wireless device of claim 8 , wherein the ADC is tunable by the processing circuitry adjusting a sampling frequency of the ADC.
10. The wireless device of claim 8 , wherein the ADC is tunable by the processing circuitry adjusting a bandwidth of the ADC.
11. The wireless device of claim 8 , wherein the ADC is tunable by the processing circuitry adjusting an output resolution of the ADC.
12. The wireless device of claim 8 , wherein the receiver section further comprises at least one adjustable analog signal path component operable to adjust at least one of the RF MFBMS signal and the BB/IF information signals.
13. The wireless device of claim 12 , wherein the at least one adjustable analog element is selected from the group consisting of:
a frequency adjustable Low Noise Amplifier (LNA);
an analog filter that operates upon the RF MFBMS signal;
an analog filter that operates upon the BB/IF information signal; and
bandwidth adjustable down-conversion circuitry is bandwidth adjustable.
14. The wireless device of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of information signal frequency bands are selected from the group consisting of:
at least one Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) frequency band;
at least one Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) frequency band;
at least one cellular frequency band;
at least one millimeter wave frequency band; and
at least one Global Positioning System (GPS) frequency band.
15. A wireless device comprising:
processing circuitry operable to determine a set of information signals for receipt, the set of information signals of a Radio Frequency (RF) Multiple Frequency Bands Multiple Standards (MFBMS) signal having a plurality of information signal frequency bands;
an antenna operable to receive the RF MFBMS signal;
a receiver section coupled to the antenna and to the processing circuitry and comprising:
a plurality of receive paths, each receive path comprising:
down-conversion circuitry operable to down-convert at least a portion of the RF MFBMS signal by a respective shift frequency to produce a corresponding baseband/low Intermediate Frequency (BB/IF) information signal; and
a tunable analog to digital converter (ADC) operable to digitize the BB/IF information signal, the ADC tunable by the processing circuitry based upon spectral characteristics of the BB/IF information signal wherein the tunable ADC is coupled to receive inputs to adjust at least one of:
a sample rate of the ADC;
a bandwidth of the ADC;
a dynamic range of the ADC; and
a signal to noise ration of the ADC; and
the processing circuitry operable to extract data from the BB/IF MFBMS signal corresponding to the set of information signals.
16. The wireless device of claim 15 , wherein the ADC is tunable by the processing circuitry adjusting a sampling frequency of the ADC.
17. The wireless device of claim 15 , wherein the ADC is tunable by the processing circuitry adjusting a bandwidth of the ADC.
18. The wireless device of claim 15 , wherein the ADC is tunable by the processing circuitry adjusting an output resolution of the ADC.
19. The wireless device of claim 15 , wherein each receive path further comprises at least one adjustable analog signal path component operable to adjust at least one of the RF MFBMS signal and the BB/IF information signals.
20. The wireless device of claim 19 , wherein the at least one adjustable analog element is selected from the group consisting of:
a frequency adjustable Low Noise Amplifier (LNA);
an analog filter that operates upon the RF MFBMS signal;
an analog filter that operates upon the BB/IF information signal; and
bandwidth adjustable down-conversion circuitry is bandwidth adjustable.
21. The wireless device of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of information signal frequency bands are selected from the group consisting of:
at least one Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) frequency band;
at least one Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) frequency band;
at least one cellular frequency band;
at least one millimeter wave frequency band; and
at least one Global Positioning System (GPS) frequency band.