RF integrated circuit with on-chip transmit/receive switch and methods for use therewith
View Patent ↗First and second control signals select either a receive mode or a transmit mode for two RF transceivers, each control signal having a first value when the transmit mode is selected and a second value when the receive mode is selected. First and second transmit/receive switches, each include an on-chip microelectromechanical switch, and each respond to their corresponding control signal to implement either the transmit mode or the receiver mode.
1. A RF integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
a first transmit/receive switch that couples a first transmit signal from a first transceiver to a first antenna when a first control signal has a first value, and that couples a first received signal from the first antenna to the first transceiver when the first control signal has a second value, wherein the first transmit/receive switch includes a first on-chip microelectromechanical switch; and
a second transmit/receive switch that couples a second transmit signal from a second transceiver to a second antenna when a second control signal has a first value, and that couples a second received signal from the second antenna to the second transceiver when the second control signal has a second value, wherein the second transmit/receive switch includes a second on-chip microelectromechanical switch.
2. The RF IC of claim 1 wherein the first transmit signal includes voice communications in a voice mode of operation.
3. The RF IC of claim 1 wherein the first transmit signal includes non-realtime data in a data mode of operation.
4. The RF IC of claim 1 wherein the first transmit signal includes voice communications and the second transmit signal includes non-realtime data.
5. A RF integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
a first driver that produces a first drive signal having first value in response to a first value of a first control signal, and that produces the first drive signal having a second value in response to a second value of the first control signal;
a first transmit/receive switch that couples a first transmit signal from a first transceiver to a first antenna when the first drive signal has the first value, and that couples a first received signal from the first antenna to the first transceiver when the first drive signal has the second value, wherein the first transmit/receive switch includes a first on-chip microelectromechanical switch;
a second driver that produces a second drive signal having first value in response to a first value of a second control signal, and that produces the second drive signal having a second value in response to a second value of the second control signal; and
a second transmit/receive switch that couples a second transmit signal from a second transceiver to a second antenna when the second drive signal has the first value, and that couples a second received signal from the second antenna to the second transceiver when the second drive signal has the second value, wherein the second transmit/receive switch includes a second on-chip microelectromechanical switch.
6. The RF IC of claim 5 wherein the first transmit signal includes voice communications in a voice mode of operation.
7. The RF IC of claim 5 wherein the first transmit signal includes non-realtime data in a data mode of operation.
8. The RF IC of claim 5 wherein the first transmit signal includes voice communications and the second transmit signal includes non-realtime data.
9. A method for use in a RF integrated circuit (IC), the method comprising:
coupling a first transmit signal from a first transceiver to a first antenna with a first on-chip microelectromechanical switch when a first control signal has a first value;
coupling a first inbound RF signal from the first antenna to the first transceiver with the first on-chip microelectromechanical switch when the first control signal has a second value;
coupling a second transmit signal from a second transceiver to a second antenna with a second on-chip microelectromechanical switch when a second control signal has a first value; and
coupling a second inbound RF signal from the second antenna to the second transceiver with the second on-chip microelectromechanical switch when the second control signal has a second value.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first transmit signal includes voice communications in a voice mode of operation.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein the first transmit signal includes non-realtime data in a data mode of operation.
12. The method of claim 9 wherein the first transmit signal includes voice communications and the second transmit signal includes non-realtime data.