RF TRANSCEIVER WITH CALIBRATED PRE-DISTORTION AND METHODS FOR USE THEREWITH

1 . A radio frequency (RF) transceiver comprising:

an RF receiver having an RF receiver path that processes a received signal to generate inbound data, the receiver path having an RF front-end;

a power amplifier calibration module that generates power amplifier calibration signals in a calibration mode of operation, and that generates power amplifier pre-distortion parameters in response to a calibration feedback signal;

an RF transmitter, coupled to the RF receiver and the power amplifier calibration module, that processes output data to generate a transmit signal based on the power amplifier pre-distortion parameters in a transmit mode of operation and that processes the power amplifier calibration signals to generate an amplified calibration output in the calibration mode of operation, wherein the RF transmitter includes at least one power amplifier; and

a power amplifier calibration feedback path, coupled to power amplifier calibration module, that generates the calibration feedback signal, separate from the RF front-end, in response to the amplified calibration output.

2 . The RF transceiver of claim 1 wherein the RF receiver path includes a low noise amplifier having a low noise amplifier input and wherein the power amplifier calibration feedback path processes the amplified calibration signal from the low noise amplifier input.

3 . The RF transceiver of claim 1 wherein the power amplifier calibration module generates at least one control signal that indicates the calibration mode, wherein the power amplifier calibration feedback path includes:

an attenuation and control circuit that selectively enables the power amplifier calibration feedback path in response to the control signal and that, when the power amplifier calibration feedback path is enabled, attenuates the amplified calibration output to generate an attenuated calibration output.

4 . The RF transceiver of claim 3 wherein the attenuation and control circuit includes a plurality of capacitors to attenuate the amplified calibration output.

5 . The RF transceiver of claim 3 wherein the power amplifier calibration feedback path further includes a transconductance amplifier that generates a transconductance output based on the attenuated calibration output.

6 . The RF transceiver of claim 5 wherein the transconductance output is a differential signal and the amplified calibration output is a single-ended signal.

7 . The RF transceiver of claim 5 wherein the power amplifier calibration feedback path further includes:

a mixer for downconverting the transconductance output to generate a downconverted calibration output.

8 . The RF transceiver of claim 7 wherein the power amplifier calibration feedback path further includes a transimpedance amplifier that generates the calibration feedback signal in response to the downconverted calibration output.

9 . The RF transceiver of claim 8 wherein the downconverted calibration output and the calibration feedback signal are both differential signals.

10 . The RF transceiver of claim 1 wherein the RF transceiver operates in accordance with an 802.11 standard.

11 . A method for use in a radio frequency (RF) transceiver comprising:

processing a received signal to generate inbound data via an RF receiver having an RF front-end;

generating power amplifier calibration signals in a calibration mode of operation via a power amplifier calibration module;

processing the power amplifier calibration signals to generate an amplified calibration output via an RF transmitter in the calibration mode of operation;

generating a calibration feedback signal, via a power amplifier calibration feedback path that is separate from the RF front-end, in response to the amplified calibration output;

generating power amplifier pre-distortion parameters in response to the calibration feedback signal; and

processing output data to generate a transmit signal based on the power amplifier pre-distortion parameters via the RF transmitter in a transmit mode of operation.

12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the RF receiver path includes a low noise amplifier having a low noise amplifier input and wherein the power amplifier calibration feedback path processes the amplified calibration signal from the low noise amplifier input.

13 . The method of claim 11 wherein generating the calibration feedback signal includes:

generating at least one control signal that indicates the calibration mode;

selectively enabling the power amplifier calibration feedback path in response to the control signal; and

when the power amplifier calibration feedback path is enabled, attenuating the amplified calibration output to generate an attenuated calibration output.

14 . The method of claim 13 wherein attenuating the amplified calibration output includes a capacitive attenuation.

15 . The method of claim 13 wherein generating the calibration feedback signal includes:

generating a transconductance output based on the attenuated calibration output.

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the transconductance output is a differential signal and the amplified calibration output is a single-ended signal.

17 . The method of claim 15 wherein generating the calibration feedback signal includes:

downconverting the transconductance output to generate a downconverted calibration output.

18 . The method of claim 17 wherein generating the calibration feedback signal includes:

generating the calibration feedback signal in response to the downconverted calibration output.

19 . The method of claim 18 wherein the downconverted calibration output and the calibration feedback signal are both differential signals.

20 . The method of claim 11 wherein the RF transceiver operates in accordance with an 802.11 standard.