WLAN on 60GHz Frequency Bands
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving intermediate frequency (IF) signals for k spatial layers to be transmitted from a wireless modem associated with the wireless communication device, where each of the k spatial layers occupies a pre-determined bandwidth, and where k is two or more, converting the IF signals into radio frequency (RF) signals by converting each of the k spatial layers into each of k orthogonal channel bands, where neighboring two channel bands among the k orthogonal channel bands are separated by a pre-determined frequency separation that is large enough to avoid interference between the two channel bands, and sending the RF signals to a radio-frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) associated with the wireless communication device, where the RFIC transmits the RF signals wirelessly.
1 . A method comprising, by a module of a wireless communication device:
receiving, from a wireless modem associated with the wireless communication device, intermediate frequency (IF) signals for k spatial layers to be transmitted, wherein each of the k spatial layers occupies a pre-determined bandwidth, and wherein k is two or more;
converting the IF signals into radio frequency (RF) signals by converting each of the k spatial layers into each of k orthogonal channel bands, wherein neighboring two channel bands among the k orthogonal channel bands are separated by a pre-determined frequency separation that is large enough to avoid interference between the two channel bands; and
sending the RF signals to a radio-frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) associated with the wireless communication device, wherein the RFIC transmits the RF signals wirelessly.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless modem is a baseband modem.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the IF signals are analog in-phase and quadrature (I/Q) signals.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless modem is a system on a chip (SoC) comprising a baseband module and an RF module.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the IF signals are generated by the RF module within the wireless modem.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the RFIC is a 60 GHz RFIC, and wherein the RF signals are 60 GHz signals.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the module is a part of the wireless modem.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the module is a part of the RFIC.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the module is on a printed circuit board (PCB).
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless modem sends control parameters to the RFIC through a control interface.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the control interface is provided with general-purpose input/output (GPIO) pins.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the control parameters comprise a transmit and receive beam index, a transmit power, or a receive gain index.
13 . A method comprising, by a module of a first wireless communication device:
receiving, from an RFIC associated with the first wireless communication device, RF signals received from a second wireless communication device, wherein the RF signals comprise k orthogonal channel bands, and wherein k is two or more;
converting the RF signals into IF signals by converting signals from each of the k orthogonal channel bands into each of k spatial layers; and
sending the IF signals to a wireless modem associated with the first wireless communication device, wherein the wireless modem decodes the data from each of the k spatial layers.
14 . One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to, by a module of a wireless communication device:
receive, from a wireless modem associated with the wireless communication device, intermediate frequency (IF) signals for k spatial layers to be transmitted, wherein each of the k spatial layers occupies a pre-determined bandwidth, and wherein k is two or more;
convert the IF signals into radio frequency (RF) signals by converting each of the k spatial layers into each of k orthogonal channel bands, wherein neighboring two channel bands among the k orthogonal channel bands are separated by a pre-determined frequency separation that is large enough to avoid interference between the two channel bands; and
send the RF signals to a radio-frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) associated with the wireless communication device, wherein the RFIC transmits the RF signals wirelessly.
15 . The media of claim 14 , wherein the wireless modem is a baseband modem.
16 . The media of claim 15 , wherein the IF signals are analog in-phase and quadrature (UQ) signals.
17 . The media of claim 14 , wherein the wireless modem is a system on a chip (SoC) comprising a baseband module and an RF module.
18 . The media of claim 17 , wherein the IF signals are generated by the RF module within the wireless modem.
19 . The media of claim 14 , wherein the RFIC is a 60 GHz RFIC, and wherein the RF signals are 60 GHz signals.
20 . The media of claim 14 , wherein the module is a part of the wireless modem.