IP Library Granted Patent US 10,116,399
Granted Patent B2
US 10,116,399 · App. 13/993,731 · Granted Oct 30, 2018

Circuit arrangement for RF loopback

Inventors: Pasi Lehtonen (Rusko, FI); Harri Pellikka (Masala, FI); Marko Alanen (Espoo, FI); Pasi Tikka (Munich, DE); Sami Kalajo (Kantvik, FI); Pekka Ikonen (Espoo, FI)
Assignee: SnapTrack, Inc.
H04B17/14H04B1/48H04B17/21
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,116,399
App. No.
13/993,731
Granted
Oct 30, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A circuit arrangement includes a transceiver unit, a switching device coupled to the transceiver unit with a terminal and a control device coupled to the switching device. The control device is configured to operate in a first and in a second mode of operation. In the first mode of operation, the switching device is configured by the control device such that a first signal is routed from the transceiver unit via the switching device back to the transceiver unit in a feedback loop. In the second mode of operation, the switching device is configured by the control device such that a second signal is routed from the transceiver unit via the switching device to the terminal or the second signal is routed from the terminal via the switching device to the transceiver unit.

Claims (22)

1. A frontend circuit of a mobile communication device comprising:

a transceiver unit comprising a transmitter device, a receiver device and a testing and tuning receiver device, wherein the testing and tuning receiver device is separate from the transmitter device and the receiver device;

a switching device coupled to the transceiver unit, the switching device including a terminal configured to be coupled to an antenna device; and

a control device coupled to the switching device, the control device being configured to operate the frontend circuit in a first mode of operation and in a second mode of operation,

wherein, in the first mode of operation, the switching device is configured by the control device such that a first signal path is routed from the transmitter device of the transceiver unit, through a first switch of the switching device, to a node and from the node back to the testing and tuning receiver device of the transceiver unit in a feedback loop through a second switch of the switching device, wherein the switching device is configured to selectively couple the node to the terminal through a third switch of the switching device, wherein the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch are different switches,

wherein, in the second mode of operation, the switching device is configured by the control device such that a second signal path is routed from the transmitter device of the transceiver unit via the switching device to the terminal or the second signal path is routed from the terminal via the switching device to the transceiver unit, and

wherein the testing and tuning receiver device is configured to receive a radio frequency signal via the first signal path and to measure a strength of the radio frequency signal.

2. The frontend circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a power-amplifier device coupled between the transceiver unit and the switching device in a transmitting path; and

a filtering device coupled between the transceiver unit and the switching device in a receiving path.

3. The frontend circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the switching device comprises a plurality of switches and the control device comprises a table with different switching states for controlling respective positions of each of the switches in the first mode of operation and in the second mode of operation.

4. The frontend circuit according to claim 2 , wherein the switching device, the control device, the power-amplifier device and the filtering device are implemented in the frontend circuit.

5. The frontend circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the switching device and the control device are implemented in the frontend circuit.

6. The frontend circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the transceiver unit is configured to transmit and/or to receive a radio frequency signal in at least two radio frequency bands.

7. A frontend circuit of a mobile communication device comprising:

a transceiver unit comprising a transmitter device, a receiver device and a testing and tuning receiver device, wherein the testing and tuning receiver device is separate from the transmitter device and the receiver device;

a switching device coupled to the transceiver unit, the switching device including a terminal configured to be coupled to an antenna device; and

a control device coupled to the switching device, the control device being configured to operate the frontend circuit in a first mode of operation and in a second mode of operation,

wherein, in the first mode of operation, the switching device is configured by the control device such that a first signal path is routed from the transmitter device of the transceiver unit, through a first switch of the switching device, to a node and from the node back to the testing and tuning receiver device of the transceiver unit in a feedback loop through a second switch of the switching device, wherein the switching device is configured to selectively couple the node to the terminal through a third switch of the switching device, wherein the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch are different switches,

wherein, in the second mode of operation, the switching device is configured by the control device such that a second signal path is routed from the transmitter device of the transceiver unit via the switching device to the terminal or the second signal path is routed from the terminal via the switching device to the transceiver unit,

wherein the testing and tuning receiver device is configured to receive a radio frequency signal and to measure a strength of the radio frequency signal,

wherein the testing and tuning receiver device is an endpoint of the feedback loop in the first mode of operation.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 2, 2017
From: EPCOS AG
To: SNAPTRACK, INC.
Reel/Frame 041608/0145 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2013
From: LEHTONEN, PASI; PELLIKKA, HARRI; ALANEN, MARKO; TIKKA, PASI; KALAJO, SAMI; IKONEN, PEKKA
To: EPCOS AG
Reel/Frame 031068/0331 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130329574A1 · Dec 12, 2013