Multi-band wireless communication device with multiplexer and method of multiplexing multi-band wireless signals
View Patent ↗An apparatus includes: a first multiplexer configured to allow bi-directional communication over a first plurality of multiplexed communication bands that each include a corresponding transmit band and a corresponding receive band, wherein none of the transmit bands of the first multiplexer have transmit frequencies that overlap with any receive frequencies of any of the receive bands of the first multiplexer; a second multiplexer configured to allow bi-directional communication over a second plurality of multiplexed communication bands that each include a corresponding transmit band and a corresponding receive band, wherein none of the transmit bands of the second multiplexer have transmit frequencies that overlap with any receive frequencies of any of the receive bands of the second multiplexer; and an electromechanical band switch configured to selectively connect the first and second multiplexers to a common antenna.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a first multiplexer configured to allow bi-directional communication over a first plurality of multiplexed communication bands that each include a corresponding transmit band and a corresponding receive band, the first multiplexer comprising a plurality of bandpass filters, each of the plurality of bandpass filters of the first multiplexer corresponding to one of the transmit bands of the first multiplexer or one of the receive bands of the first multiplexer, wherein none of the transmit bands of the first multiplexer have transmit frequencies that overlap with any receive frequencies of any of the receive bands of the first multiplexer;
a second multiplexer configured to allow bi-directional communication over a second plurality of multiplexed communication bands that each include a corresponding transmit band and a corresponding receive band, the second multiplexer comprising a plurality of bandpass filters, each of the plurality of bandpass filters of the second multiplexer corresponding to one of the transmit bands of the second multiplexer or one of the receive bands of the second multiplexer, wherein none of the transmit bands of the second multiplexer have transmit frequencies that overlap with any receive frequencies of any of the receive bands of the second multiplexer;
a transmit amplifier module comprising a plurality of outputs, at least a first one of the outputs being connected to one of the plurality of bandpass filters of the first multiplexer for one of the transmit bands of the first multiplexer, and at least a second one of the outputs being connected to one of the plurality of bandpass filters of the second multiplexer for one of the transmit bands of the second multiplexer; and
an electromechanical band switch configured to selectively connect the first and second multiplexers to a common antenna.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electromechanical band switch is a radio frequency (RF) microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switch.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic switch comprising a common port and a plurality of switched ports, including at least a first switched port connected to a power amplifier module and configured to receive a transmit signal, and further including at least a second switched port connected to a receiver for a time-division duplex (TDD) signal, and wherein the electromechanical band switch is further configured to selectively connect the common port of the electronic switch to the common antenna.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of communication bands are allocated within the United States for mobile telecommunications, and the second plurality of communication bands are allocated in Europe for mobile telecommunications.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic switch comprising a common port and a plurality of switched ports, including at least a first switched port connected to a transmit amplifier module and configured to receive a transmit signal, and further including at least a second switched port connected to a receiver for a time-division duplex (TDD) signal, and wherein the common port of the electronic switch is connected to the common antenna.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
a plurality of duplexers each configured to allow bi-directional communication over a corresponding one of a third plurality of communication bands that each include a corresponding transmit band and a corresponding receive band; and
a second electromechanical band switch configured to selectively connect one of the plurality of duplexers to a common antenna.
7. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
a plurality of duplexers each configured to allow bi-directional communication over a corresponding one of a third plurality of communication bands that each include a corresponding transmit band and a corresponding receive band,
wherein the electromechanical band switch is further configured to selectively connect each of the plurality of duplexers to the common antenna.
8. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
a third multiplexer configured to allow bi-directional communication over a third plurality of multiplexed communication bands that each include a corresponding transmit band and a corresponding receive band, wherein none of the transmit bands of the third multiplexer have transmit frequencies that overlap with any receive frequencies of any of the receive bands of the third multiplexer; and
a second electromechanical band switch configured to selectively connect the third multiplexer to the common antenna.
9. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
a third multiplexer configured to allow bi-directional communication over a third plurality of multiplexed communication bands that each include a corresponding transmit band and a corresponding receive band, wherein none of the transmit bands of the third multiplexer have transmit frequencies that overlap with any receive frequencies of any of the receive bands of the third multiplexer.
wherein the electromechanical band switch is further configured to selectively connect the third multiplexer to the common antenna.
10. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
an additional switch comprising a common port and a plurality of switched ports, wherein each of the switched ports of the additional switch is connected to a corresponding receive bandpass filter for a corresponding receive band,
wherein the electronic switch includes at least a third switched port, and
wherein the common port of the additional switch is connected to the third switched port of the electronic switch.
11. An apparatus, comprising:
one or more receivers;
one or more transmit amplifiers;
a first multiplexer comprising a common port, a plurality of transmit ports connected to the one or more transmit amplifiers, and a plurality of receive ports connected to the one or more receivers;
a second multiplexer comprising a common port, a plurality of transmit ports connected to the one or more transmit amplifiers, and a plurality of receive ports connected to the one or more receivers;
an electronic switch comprising a common port and at least three switched ports, including at least a first switched port connected to a transmit amplifier module and configured to receive a transmit signal, and further comprising at least a second switched port connected to a receiver for a time-division duplex (TDD) signal, wherein the common port of the electronic switch is connected to a common antenna;
an additional switch comprising a common port and a plurality of switched ports, wherein each of the switched ports of the additional switch is connected to a corresponding receive bandpass filter for a corresponding receive band, wherein the common port of the additional switch is connected to a third switched port of the plurality of switched ports of the electronic switch; and
an electromechanical band switch configured to selectively connect the first and second multiplexers to the common antenna.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein each of the transmit ports of the first multiplexer is configured to pass transmit frequencies in a corresponding transmit band to the common port of the first multiplexer, and wherein each of the receive ports of the first multiplexer is configured to receive frequencies in a corresponding receive band from the common port of the first multiplexer, wherein none of the transmit frequencies of any of the transmit bands overlap any of the receive frequencies of any of the receive bands.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is configured to simultaneously:
transmit via the antenna a first transmit signal supplied by the one or more transmit amplifiers to a first one of the transmit ports of the first multiplexer;
transmit via the antenna a second transmit signal supplied by the one or more transmit amplifiers to a second one of the transmit ports of the first multiplexer;
receive via the antenna a first receive signal supplied to the one or more receivers from a first one of the receive ports of the first multiplexer; and
receive via the antenna a second receive signal supplied to the one or more receivers from a second one of the receive ports of the first multiplexer.
14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the electromechanical band switch is a radio frequency (RF) microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switch.
15. An apparatus, comprising:
a first multiplexer configured to allow bi-directional communication over a first plurality of multiplexed communication bands that each include a corresponding transmit band and a corresponding receive band, wherein none of the transmit bands of the first multiplexer have transmit frequencies that overlap with any receive frequencies of any of the receive bands of the first multiplexer;
a second multiplexer configured to allow bi-directional communication over a second plurality of multiplexed communication bands that each include a corresponding transmit band and a corresponding receive band, wherein none of the transmit bands of the second multiplexer have transmit frequencies that overlap with any receive frequencies of any of the receive bands of the second multiplexer, wherein the first multiplexer includes a plurality of bandpass filters, each of the plurality of bandpass filters of the first multiplexer corresponding to one of the transmit bands of the first multiplexer or one of the receive bands of the first multiplexer, and wherein the second multiplexer also includes a plurality of bandpass filters, each of the plurality of bandpass filters of the second multiplexer corresponding to one of the transmit bands of the second multiplexer or one of the receive bands of the second multiplexer;
an electromechanical band switch configured to selectively connect the first and second multiplexers to a common antenna; and
a transmit amplifier module comprising a plurality of outputs, at least two of the outputs being connected to two corresponding bandpass filters of the first multiplexer for two of the transmit bands of the first multiplexer.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising an electronic switch comprising a common port and a plurality of switched ports, including at least a first switched port connected to a power amplifier module and configured to receive a transmit signal, and further including at least a second switched port connected to a receiver for a time-division duplex (TDD) signal, and wherein the electromechanical band switch is further configured to selectively connect the common port of the electronic switch to the common antenna.
17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first plurality of communication bands are allocated within the United States for mobile telecommunications, and the second plurality of communication bands are allocated in Europe for mobile telecommunications.
18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the electromechanical band switch is a radio frequency (RF) microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switch.
19. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising an electronic switch comprising a common port and a plurality of switched ports, including at least a first switched port connected to a transmit amplifier module and configured to receive a transmit signal, and further including at least a second switched port connected to a receiver for a time-division duplex (TDD) signal, and wherein the common port of the electronic switch is connected to the common antenna.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising:
a plurality of duplexers each configured to allow bi-directional communication over a corresponding one of a third plurality of communication bands that each include a corresponding transmit band and a corresponding receive band; and
a second electromechanical band switch configured to selectively connect one of the plurality of duplexers to a common antenna.
21. The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising:
a plurality of duplexers each configured to allow bi-directional communication over a corresponding one of a third plurality of communication bands that each include a corresponding transmit band and a corresponding receive band,
wherein the electromechanical band switch is further configured to selectively connect each of the plurality of duplexers to the common antenna.
22. The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising:
a third multiplexer configured to allow bi-directional communication over a third plurality of multiplexed communication bands that each include a corresponding transmit band and a corresponding receive band, wherein none of the transmit bands of the third multiplexer have transmit frequencies that overlap with any receive frequencies of any of the receive bands of the third multiplexer; and
a second electromechanical band switch configured to selectively connect the third multiplexer to the common antenna.
23. The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising:
a third multiplexer configured to allow bi-directional communication over a third plurality of multiplexed communication bands that each include a corresponding transmit band and a corresponding receive band, wherein none of the transmit bands of the third multiplexer have transmit frequencies that overlap with any receive frequencies of any of the receive bands of the third multiplexer,
wherein the electromechanical band switch is further configured to selectively connect the third multiplexer to the common antenna.