RF integrated circuit with on-chip transmit/receive switch and methods for use therewith

1. A RF integrated circuit (IC) comprising:

a processing module, that generates a first control signal to select either a receive mode or a transmit mode for a first RF transceiver, 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 a second RF transceiver, 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 transceiver 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 transceiver, 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 RF IC of claim 1 wherein the first outbound data includes voice communications in a voice mode of operation.

3. The RF IC of claim 1 wherein the first outbound data includes non-realtime data in a data mode of operation.

4. The RF IC of claim 1 wherein the first outbound data includes voice communications and the second outbound data includes non-realtime data.

5. A RF integrated circuit (IC) comprising:

a processing module, that generates a first control signal to select either a receive mode or a transmit mode for a first RF transceiver, 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 a second RF transceiver, 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 transceiver 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 transceiver 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.

6. The RF IC of claim 5 wherein the first outbound data includes voice communications in a voice mode of operation.

7. The RF IC of claim 5 wherein the first outbound data includes non-realtime data in a data mode of operation.

8. The RF IC of claim 5 wherein the first outbound data includes voice communications and the second outbound data includes non-realtime data.

9. A method for use in a RF integrated circuit (IC), the method comprising:

generating a first control signal to select one of, a receive mode and a transmit mode for a first RF transceiver, 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 a first transmit signal from the first transceiver to a first antenna with a first on-chip microelectromechanical switch when the first control signal has the second value;

coupling a first inbound RF signal from the first antenna to the first transceiver with the first on-chip microelectromechanical switch when the first control signal has the first value;

generating a second control signal to select one of a receive mode or a transmit mode for a second RF transceiver, 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 a second transmit signal from the second transceiver 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 to the second RF transceiver with the second on-chip microelectromechanical switch when the second control signal has the first value.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first outbound data includes voice communications in a voice mode of operation.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the first outbound data includes non-realtime data in a data mode of operation.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the first outbound data includes voice communications and the second outbound data includes non-realtime data.