Apparatus and methods for radio frequency front end systems
A wireless device comprising a first antenna and second antenna, a transceiver and a radio frequency front end system electrically coupled between the transceiver and the antennas. The RF front end system includes a first module operable to provide a high band transmit signal to the first antenna, receive a first high band receive signal and a first mid band receive signal from the first antenna. The first high band receive signal has a frequency content greater than that of the first mid band receive signal. The RF front end system further includes a second module operable to provide a mid band transmit signal to the second antenna, receive a second mid band receive signal and a second high band receive signal from the second antenna. The second high band receive signal has a frequency content greater than that of the second mid band receive signal.
1. A wireless device comprising:
a plurality of primary antennas including a first antenna and second antenna;
a transceiver; and
a radio frequency front end system electrically coupled between the transceiver and the plurality of primary antennas, the radio frequency front end system including a first transmit and receive module operable to provide a high band transmit signal to the first antenna and to receive a first high band receive signal and a first mid band receive signal from the first antenna, the first high band receive signal having a frequency content that is greater than a frequency content of the first mid band receive signal, the radio frequency front end system further including a second transmit and receive module operable to provide a mid band transmit signal to the second antenna and to receive a second mid band receive signal and a second high band receive signal from the second antenna, the second high band receive signal having a frequency content that is greater than a frequency content of the second mid band receive signal.
2. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the first high band receive signal and the second high band receive signal are operable to support downlink multi-input and multi-output communications.
3. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the first mid band receive signal and the second mid band receive signal are operable to support downlink multi-input and multi-output communications.
4. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the first high band receive signal and the first mid band receive signal are operable to support carrier aggregation.
5. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the second mid band receive signal and the second high band receive signal are operable to support carrier aggregation.
6. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the first transmit and receive module includes a first plurality of high band signal paths and a first plurality of mid band signal paths that are switch coupled to the first antenna.
7. The wireless device of claim 6 wherein the second transmit and receive module includes a second plurality of high band signal paths and a second plurality of mid band signal paths that are switch coupled to the second antenna.
8. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the first transmit and receive module is electrically coupled to the first antenna without an intervening frequency multiplexer.
9. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency front end system further includes a diplexer electrically coupled between the second transmit and receive module and the second antenna.
10. The wireless device of claim 9 wherein the radio frequency front end system further includes a third transmit and receive module electrically coupled to the second antenna via the diplexer, the third transmit and receive module configured to provide a low band transmit signal to the second antenna and to receive a low band receive signal from the second antenna.
11. The wireless device of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of diversity antennas including a first diversity antenna and a second diversity antenna, the radio frequency front end system electrically coupled between the transceiver and the plurality of diversity antennas.
12. The wireless device of claim 11 wherein the radio frequency front end system further includes a first diversity module configured to receive a first high band diversity receive signal and a first mid band diversity receive signal from the first diversity antenna.
13. The wireless device of claim 12 further comprising a second diversity module configured to receive a second mid band diversity receive signal and a second high band receive signal from the second diversity antenna.
14. The wireless device of claim 13 wherein the first transmit and receive module includes a high band output switch configured to receive a plurality of high band diversity receive signals including the first high band diversity receive signal and the second high band diversity receive signal, the high band output switch further configured to provide the transceiver with a selected high band diversity receive signal.
15. The wireless device of claim 13 wherein the second transmit and receive module includes a mid band output switch configured to receive a plurality of mid band diversity receive signals including the first mid band diversity receive signal and the second mid band diversity receive signal, the mid band output switch further configured to provide the transceiver with a selected mid band diversity receive signal.
16. The wireless device of claim 13 wherein the radio frequency front end system is operable to support four-by-four receive multi-input and multi-output communications.
17. A method of front end signal processing in a wireless device, the method comprising:
providing a high band transmit signal to a first antenna using a first transmit and receive module;
receiving a first high band receive signal and a first mid band receive signal from the first antenna using the first transmit and receive module, the first high band receive signal having a frequency content that is greater than a frequency content of the first mid band receive signal;
providing a mid band transmit signal to a second antenna using a second transmit and receive module; and
receiving a second mid band receive signal and a second high band receive signal from the second antenna using the second transmit and receive module, the second high band receive signal having a frequency content that is greater than a frequency content of the second mid band receive signal.
18. A radio frequency front end system for a wireless device, the radio frequency front end system comprising:
a first antenna terminal;
a first transmit and receive module electrically coupled to the first antenna terminal, the first transmit and receive module operable to provide a high band transmit signal to the first antenna terminal and to receive a first high band receive signal and a first mid band receive signal from the first antenna terminal, the first high band receive signal having a frequency content that is greater than a frequency content of the first mid band receive signal;
a second antenna terminal; and
a second transmit and receive module electrically coupled to the second antenna terminal, the second transmit and receive module operable to provide a mid band transmit signal to the second antenna terminal and to receive a second mid band receive signal and a second high band receive signal from the second antenna terminal, the second high band receive signal having a frequency content that is greater than a frequency content of the second mid band receive signal.
19. The radio frequency front end system of claim 18 wherein the first high band receive signal and the second high band receive signal are operable to support downlink multi-input and multi-output communications.
20. The radio frequency front end system of claim 18 wherein the first mid band receive signal and the second mid band receive signal are operable to support downlink multi-input and multi-output communications.