Tunable wideband RF transmitter interface
One embodiment of the present invention provides a multi-band RF transmitter. The RF transmitter includes an RF integrated circuit (IC) chip that includes a plurality of identical wideband ports for outputting modulated RF signals, a plurality of narrowband power amplifiers (PAs), and a plurality of matching networks. A respective narrowband power amplifier (PA) is coupled to a wideband port of the RF IC chip via a respective matching network.
1. A multi-band RF transmitter, comprising:
an RF integrated circuit (IC) chip that includes a plurality of identical wideband ports for output modulated RF signals; and
a plurality of amplification branches, wherein a respective amplification branch includes a narrowband power amplifier (PA) and a corresponding matching network, and wherein the RF IC chip is configured in such a way that the respective amplification branch can be coupled to any wideband port on the RF IC chip.
2. The multi-band RF transmitter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a reconfigurable multiplexer; and
an antenna,
wherein the multiplexer is configured to couple the antenna to the plurality of amplification branches, and wherein the multiplexer is configured to select an amplification branch based on a currently active wireless communication standard.
3. The multi-band RF transmitter of claim 2 , wherein the wireless communication standard includes one of:
GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications);
3G; and
LTE (Long Term Evolution).
4. The multi-band RF transmitter of claim 2 , further comprising a baseband controller configured to send a control signal to the multiplexer to configure the multiplexer.
5. The multi-band RF transmitter of claim 1 , wherein a carrier frequency of the modulated RF signals outputted from the plurality of identical wideband ports ranges from 300 MHz to 3.6 GHz.
6. The multi-band RF transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the matching network is tunable to ensure impedance matching between the RF IC chip and the narrowband PA based on an operating frequency of the narrowband PA.
7. The multi-band RF transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the matching networks include one or more of:
a Pi network;
a low-pass T network;
a low-pass L network; and
a band-pass L network.
8. The multi-band RF transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the RF IC chip, the PAs, and the matching networks are co-located on a single printed circuit board (PCB).
9. An interface device for interfacing between an antenna and a transmitter RF IC chip having a plurality of identical wideband ports, comprising:
a plurality of amplification branches and a reconfigurable multiplexer, wherein a respective amplification branch includes a narrowband power amplifier (PA) and a corresponding matching network, and wherein the amplification branch can be configured to couple to any wideband port on the transmitter RF IC chip regardless of an operating frequency band associated with the narrowband PA of the amplification branch.
10. The interface device of claim 9 , wherein the matching network is tunable to ensure impedance matching between the transmitter RF IC chip and the narrowband PA based on the operating frequency of the narrowband PA.
11. The interface device of claim 9 , wherein the matching networks include one or more of:
a Pi network;
a low-pass T network;
a low-pass L network; and
a band-pass L network.