CN107113050B

CN107113050B - Systems, devices and methods related to diversity receivers

Info

Publication number: CN107113050B
Application number: CN201680004679.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: S·R·M·沃洛泽西亚克; W·J·多米诺; B·阿加瓦尔
Original assignee: Tiangong Solutions
Current assignee: Tiangong Solutions
Priority date: 2015-06-01
Filing date: 2016-04-26
Publication date: 2021-06-29
Anticipated expiration: 2036-04-26
Also published as: KR102559431B1; GB201708567D0; JP2022091823A; JP2021145375A; KR20180004699A; JP6640851B2; DE112016002453T5; CN107113050A; WO2016195844A1; JP2018520523A; JP2020065282A; SG11201703358VA; JP7042949B2; GB2548043A; JP7387786B2

Abstract

Systems, devices and methods related to diversity receivers. In some embodiments, a receiving system may include a controller configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between an input and an output, and a plurality of amplifiers, each of the plurality of amplifiers disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier. The receiving system may also include two or more features including (a) a variable gain amplifier, (b) a phase shifting component, (c) an impedance matching component, (d) a post-amplifier filter, (e) a switching network, and (f) flexible band routing. In some embodiments, such a receiving system may be implemented as a diversity receive (DRx) module.

Description

Systems, devices and methods related to diversity receivers

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application No.14/727,739 entitled "DIVERSITY FRONT END SYSTEM WITH VARIABLE-GAIN AMPLIFIERS" filed on day 1/6/2015, which claims priority and benefit of the filing date of each of U.S. provisional application No.62/073,043 entitled "DIVERSITY RECEIVER FRONT END SYSTEM" filed on day 31/10/2014, the disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

This application is a continuation-in-part application entitled "DIVERSITY RECEIVER FRONT END SYSTEM WITH PHASE-SHIFTING compositions" filed on 9/6/2015, which claims priority and benefit OF application date FOR each OF U.S. provisional application No.62/073,043 entitled "DIVERSITY RECEIVER FRONT END SYSTEM" filed on 31/10/2014, U.S. provisional application No.62/073,040 entitled "CARRIER AGGREGATION use POST-567" filed on 31/10/2014, and U.S. provisional application No.62/073,039 entitled "CARRIER AGGREGATION use" filed on 31/10/2014, which claims priority and benefit OF application date FOR each OF U.S. provisional application No.62/073,039 entitled "BAND off BAND FRONT IMPEDANCE MATCHING FOR CARRIER AGGREGATION OPERATION" filed on 31/10/2014, the disclosure OF which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety.

This application is a continuation-in-part application OF U.S. application No.14/734,775 entitled "DIVERSITY RECEIVER FRONT END SYSTEM WITH IMPEDANCE MATCHING COMPONENTS" filed on 9/6/2015, which claims the priority and benefit OF the filing date OF each OF U.S. provisional application No.62/073,043 entitled "DIVERSITY RECEIVER FRONT END SYSTEM" filed on 31/10/2014, U.S. provisional application No.62/073,040 entitled "carriage acquisition use POST-LNA PHASE MATCHING" filed on 31/10/2014, and U.S. provisional application No.62/073,039 entitled "PRE-LNA OUT OF BAND IMPEDANCE MATCHING FOR carriage acquisition monitoring OPERATION" filed on 31/10/2014, the disclosures OF which are expressly incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.

This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application No.14/735,482 entitled "DIVERSITY RECEIVER FRONT END SYSTEM WITH POST-AMPLIFIER FILTERS" filed on 10/6/2015, which claims priority and benefit of the filing date FOR each of U.S. provisional application No.62/073,043 entitled "DIVERSITY RECEIVER FRONT END SYSTEM" filed on 31/10/2014 and U.S. provisional application No.62/077,894 entitled "DIVERSITY RECEIVER archetecturetree HAVING PRE AND POST LNA FILTERS FOR SUPPORTING CARRIER aggregate" filed on 10/11/2014, the disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application No.14/734,746 entitled "DIVERSITY RECEIVER FRONT END SYSTEM WITH SWITCHING NETWORK" filed on 9/6/2015, which continued application claims priority and benefit of the filing date FOR each of U.S. provisional application No.62/073,043 entitled "DIVERSITY RECEIVER FRONT END SYSTEM" filed on 31/10/2014 and U.S. provisional application No.62/073,041 entitled "ADAPTIVE multi-band LNA FOR CARRIER green information" filed on 31/10/2014, the disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

This application is a continuation-in-part application to U.S. application No.14/836,575 entitled "DIVERSITY RECEIVER FRONT END SYSTEM WITH flexile ROUTING" filed on 26.8.2015, which claims priority and benefit of the application date for each of U.S. provisional application No.62/073,043 entitled "DIVERSITY RECEIVER FRONT END SYSTEM" filed on 31.10.2014 and U.S. provisional application No.62/073,042 entitled "flexile MULTI-BAND MULTI-ANTENNA RECEIVER MODULE" filed on 31.10.31.2014, the disclosures of which are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Technical Field

The present application relates generally to wireless communication systems having one or more diversity receive antennas.

Background

In wireless communication applications, size, cost, and performance are examples of factors that may be important for a given product. For example, to improve performance, wireless components such as diversity receive antennas and associated circuitry are becoming more popular.

In many Radio Frequency (RF) applications, the diversity receive antenna is positioned physically remote from the primary antenna (primary antenna). When both antennas are used simultaneously, the transceiver may process signals from both antennas to improve data throughput.

Disclosure of Invention

In accordance with some embodiments, the present application relates to a Radio Frequency (RF) receiving system including a controller configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between an input of the receiving system and an output of the receiving system. The RF receiving system further includes a plurality of amplifiers, each of the plurality of amplifiers disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier. The RF receiving system further includes two or more of the first feature, the second feature, the third feature, the fourth feature, the fifth feature and the sixth feature implemented for the RF receiving system.

The first feature includes a plurality of band pass filters, each of the plurality of band pass filters disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and configured to filter a signal received at the band pass filter to a respective frequency band. At least some of the plurality of amplifiers are implemented as a plurality of Variable Gain Amplifiers (VGAs), each of the plurality of VGAs configured to amplify a corresponding signal at a gain controlled by an amplifier control signal received from the controller.

The second feature includes a plurality of phase shift elements, each of the plurality of phase shift elements disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and configured to phase shift a signal passing through the phase shift element.

The third feature includes a plurality of impedance matching components, each of the plurality of impedance matching components disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and configured to reduce at least one of an out-of-band noise figure or an out-of-band gain of one of the plurality of paths.

The fourth feature includes a plurality of post-amplifier bandpass filters, each of the plurality of post-amplifier bandpass filters disposed at an output of a corresponding one of the plurality of amplifiers along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and configured to filter a signal to a respective frequency band.

The fifth feature includes a switch network having one or more single pole/single throw switches, each of the switches coupling two of the plurality of paths. The switch network is configured to be controlled by the controller based on a band selection signal.

The sixth feature includes an input multiplexer configured to receive one or more RF signals at one or more input multiplexer inputs and output each of the one or more RF signals to one or more of a plurality of input multiplexer outputs for propagation along a respective one or more of the plurality of paths, and an output multiplexer configured to receive one or more amplified RF signals propagating along a respective one or more of the plurality of paths at one or more respective output multiplexer inputs and output each of the one or more amplified RF signals to a selected one of a plurality of output multiplexer outputs.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature and the second feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature and the third feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature and the fourth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the second feature and the third feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the second feature and the fourth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the third feature and the fourth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the second feature, and the third feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the second feature, and the fourth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the third feature, and the fourth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the second feature, the third feature, and the fourth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the second feature, the third feature, and the fourth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the second feature, and the fifth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the third feature, and the fifth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the fourth feature, and the fifth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the second feature, the third feature, and the fifth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the second feature, the fourth feature, and the fifth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the third feature, the fourth feature, and the fifth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the second feature, the third feature, and the fifth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the second feature, the fourth feature, and the fifth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the third feature, the fourth feature, and the fifth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the second feature, the third feature, the fourth feature, and the fifth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the second feature, the third feature, the fourth feature, and the fifth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the second feature, and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the third feature, and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the fourth feature, and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the second feature, the third feature and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the second feature, the fourth feature, and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the third feature, the fourth feature, and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the second feature, the third feature, and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the second feature, the fourth feature, and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the third feature, the fourth feature, and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the second feature, the third feature, the fourth feature, and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the second feature, the third feature, the fourth feature, and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the second feature, the fifth feature and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the third feature, the fifth feature and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the fourth feature, the fifth feature and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the second feature, the third feature, the fifth feature and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the second feature, the fourth feature, the fifth feature and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the third feature, the fourth feature, the fifth feature and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the second feature, the third feature, the fifth feature and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the second feature, the fourth feature, the fifth feature and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the third feature, the fourth feature, the fifth feature and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the second feature, the third feature, the fourth feature, the fifth feature and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the second feature, the third feature, the fourth feature, the fifth feature and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature and the fifth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the second feature and the fifth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the third feature and the fifth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the fourth feature and the fifth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the second feature and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the third feature and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the fourth feature and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the fifth feature and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the first feature, the fifth feature and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the second feature, the fifth feature and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the third feature, the fifth feature and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the RF receiving system may include the fourth feature, the fifth feature and the sixth feature.

In some embodiments, the present application relates to a Radio Frequency (RF) module, the RF module comprising: a package substrate configured to house a plurality of components, and a receiving system, implemented on the package substrate. The receiving system includes: a controller configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between an input of the receiving system and an output of the receiving system; and a plurality of amplifiers, each of the plurality of amplifiers disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier. The receiving system further comprises two or more of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth features implemented for the RF receiving system.

The fifth feature includes a switch network having one or more single pole/single throw switches, each of the switches coupling two of the plurality of paths, the switch network configured to be controlled by the controller based on a band select signal.

In some embodiments, the RF module may be a diversity receiver Front End Module (FEM).

In some teachings, the present application relates to a wireless device comprising: a first antenna configured to receive one or more Radio Frequency (RF) signals; and a first Front End Module (FEM) in communication with the first antenna. The first FEM includes a package substrate configured to house a plurality of components. The first FEM also includes a receiving system implemented on the package substrate. The receiving system includes: a controller configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between an input of the receiving system and an output of the receiving system; and a plurality of amplifiers, each of the plurality of amplifiers disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier. The receiving system further comprises two or more of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth features implemented for the RF receiving system. The wireless device also includes a transceiver configured to receive a processed version of the one or more RF signals from the receiving system and to generate data bits based on the processed version of the one or more RF signals.

In some embodiments, the wireless device may be a cellular telephone.

For purposes of summarizing the present application, certain aspects, advantages and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

Drawings

Fig. 1 illustrates a wireless device having a communication module coupled to a main antenna and a diversity antenna.

Fig. 2 shows a DRx configuration including a diversity receiver (DRx) front-end module (FEM).

Fig. 3 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver (DRx) configuration may include a DRx module having multiple paths corresponding to multiple frequency bands.

Fig. 4 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include diversity RF modules with fewer amplifiers than diversity receiver (DRx) modules.

Figure 5 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include a DRx module coupled to an off-module filter.

Fig. 6 illustrates that in some embodiments, the gain of the variable gain amplifier may be bypassed.

Fig. 7 shows that in some embodiments, the gain of the variable gain amplifier may be stepped or may be continuously variable.

Fig. 8 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include a DRx module with an adjustable matching circuit.

Fig. 9 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include multiple antennas.

FIG. 10 illustrates one embodiment of a flow representation of a method of processing RF signals.

Fig. 11 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include a DRx module with one or more phase matching components.

Fig. 12 shows that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include a DRx module with one or more phase matching blocks and a two-stage amplifier.

Fig. 13 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include a DRx module with one or more phase matching blocks and a post-combiner amplifier.

Figure 14 shows that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include a DRx module with adjustable phase shift components.

Fig. 15 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include a DRx module with one or more impedance matching components.

Figure 16 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include a DRx module with an adjustable impedance matching component.

Figure 17 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include a DRx module with adjustable impedance matching components disposed at the input and output.

Figure 18 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include a DRx module with multiple adjustable components.

FIG. 19 illustrates one embodiment of a flow representation of a method of processing RF signals.

Fig. 20 shows that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include a diversity receiver (DRx) module having a plurality of band pass filters disposed at the outputs of a plurality of amplifiers.

Fig. 21 shows that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include diversity RF modules with fewer amplifiers than diversity receiver (DRx) modules.

Fig. 22 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include a DRx module coupled to an out-of-module filter.

Figure 23 shows that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include a DRx module with an adjustable matching circuit.

Figure 24 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include a DRx module with a single pole, single throw switch.

Figure 25 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include a DRx module with adjustable phase shift components.

FIG. 26 illustrates one embodiment of a flow representation of a method of processing RF signals.

Fig. 27 shows that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include a DRx module with an adjustable matching circuit.

Fig. 28 shows that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include multiple transmission lines.

FIG. 29 illustrates one embodiment of an output multiplexer that may be used for dynamic routing.

Fig. 30 illustrates another embodiment of an output multiplexer that may be used for dynamic routing.

Fig. 31 shows that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include multiple antennas.

FIG. 32 illustrates one embodiment of an input multiplexer that may be used for dynamic routing.

Fig. 33 illustrates another embodiment of an input multiplexer that may be used for dynamic routing.

Figures 34-39 illustrate various embodiments of a DRx module with dynamic input routing and/or output routing.

FIG. 40 illustrates one embodiment of a flow representation of a method of processing RF signals.

Fig. 41A and 41B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein and one or more features of example B described herein.

Fig. 42A and 42B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein and one or more features of example C described herein.

Fig. 43A and 43B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein and one or more features of example D described herein.

Fig. 44A and 44B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein and one or more features of example C described herein.

Fig. 45A and 45B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein and one or more features of example D described herein.

Fig. 46A and 46B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example C described herein and one or more features of example D described herein.

Fig. 47A and 47B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, and one or more features of example C described herein.

Fig. 48A and 48B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, and one or more features of example D described herein.

Fig. 49A and 49B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, and one or more features of example D described herein.

Fig. 50A and 50B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, and one or more features of example D described herein.

Fig. 51A and 51B illustrate that, in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, and one or more features of example D described herein.

Fig. 52A and 52B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein.

Fig. 53A and 53B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein.

Fig. 54A and 54B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein.

Fig. 55A and 55B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein.

Fig. 56A and 56B illustrate that, in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein.

Fig. 57A and 57B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein.

Fig. 58A and 58B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein.

Fig. 59A and 59B illustrate that, in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein.

Fig. 60A and 60B illustrate that, in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein.

Fig. 61A and 61B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein.

Fig. 62A and 62B illustrate that, in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein.

Fig. 63 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 64 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 65 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 66 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 67 shows that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 68 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 69 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 70 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 71 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 72 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 73 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 74 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 75 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 76 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration can include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 77 illustrates that, in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 78 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 79 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 80 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 81 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 82 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 83 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 84 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 85A and 85B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein and one or more features of example E described herein.

Fig. 86A and 86B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein and one or more features of example E described herein.

Fig. 87A and 87B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration can include one or more features of example C described herein and one or more features of example E described herein.

Fig. 88A and 88B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example D described herein and one or more features of example E described herein.

Fig. 89 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 90 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 91 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example C described herein and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 92 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example D described herein and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 93 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration can include one or more features of example E described herein and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 94 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 95 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 96 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 97 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration can include one or more features of example D described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein.

Fig. 98 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration having one or more features described herein can be implemented in a module such as a diversity receive (DRx) module.

Fig. 99 illustrates a diversity receiver architecture having one or more features described herein.

Diagram 100 illustrates a wireless device having one or more features described herein.

Detailed Description

The headings provided herein, if any, are for convenience only and do not necessarily affect the scope or meaning of the claimed invention.

Introduction to the theory

Fig. 1 shows a wireless device 100 having a communication module 110 coupled to a main antenna 130 and a diversity antenna 140. The communication module 110 (and its constituent components) may be controlled by a controller 120. The communication module 110 includes a transceiver 112 configured to convert between analog Radio Frequency (RF) signals and digital data signals. To this end, the transceiver 112 may include a digital-to-analog converter, an analog-to-digital converter, a local oscillator for modulating or demodulating a baseband analog signal to or from a carrier frequency, a baseband processor that converts between digital samples and data bits (e.g., voice or other types of data), or other components.

The communication module 110 also includes an RF module 114 coupled between the main antenna 130 and the transceiver 112. Because the RF module 114 may be physically close to the main antenna 130 to reduce attenuation due to cable losses, the RF module 114 may be referred to as a Front End Module (FEM). The RF module 114 may perform processing on analog signals received from the main antenna 130 for the transceiver 112 or analog signals received from the transceiver 112 for transmission via the main antenna 130. To this end, the RF module 114 may include filters, power amplifiers, band selection switches, matching circuits, and other components. Similarly, the communication module 110 includes a diversity RF module 116 coupled between the diversity antenna 140 and the transceiver 112 that performs similar processing.

When a signal is transmitted to a wireless device, the signal may be received at both the main antenna 130 and the diversity antenna 140. The main antenna 130 and the diversity antenna 140 may be physically spaced apart such that signals at the main antenna 130 and the diversity antenna 140 are received with different characteristics. For example, in an embodiment, the main antenna 130 and the diversity antenna 140 may receive signals with different attenuations, noise, frequency responses, or phase shifts. Transceiver 112 may use two signals having different characteristics to determine the data bits corresponding to the signals. In some embodiments, the transceiver 112 selects from between the main antenna 130 and the diversity antenna 140 based on the characteristics, e.g., selects the antenna with the highest signal-to-noise ratio. In some embodiments, the transceiver 112 combines the signals from the main antenna 130 and the diversity antenna 140 to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the combined signal. In some embodiments, transceiver 112 processes signals to perform multiple-in/multiple-out (MIMO) communications.

Because the diversity antenna 140 is physically spaced apart from the main antenna 130, the diversity antenna 140 is coupled to the communication module 110 by a transmission line 135, such as a cable or Printed Circuit Board (PCB) trace. In some embodiments, the transmission line 135 is lossy and attenuates signals received by the diversity antenna 140 before they reach the communication module 110. Thus, in some embodiments, as described below, gain is applied to the signal received at the diversity antenna 140. Gain (and other analog processing, such as filtering) may be applied by the diversity receiver module. Because such a diversity receiver module may be located physically close to the diversity antenna 140, it may be referred to as a diversity receiver front-end module.

Fig. 2 shows a diversity receiver (DRx) configuration 200 including a DRx front-end module (FEM) 210. The DRx configuration 200 includes diversity antennas 140 configured to receive the diversity signals and provide the diversity signals to the DRx FEM 210. The DRx FEM 210 is configured to perform processing on the diversity signals received from the diversity antenna 140. For example, DRx FEM 210 may be configured to filter the diversity signal to one or more activation frequency bands, e.g., as directed by controller 120. As another example, the DRx FEM 210 may be configured to amplify diversity signals. To this end, the DRx FEM 210 may include filters, low noise amplifiers, band selection switches, matching circuits, and other components.

The DRx FEM 210 transmits the processed diversity signal via transmission line 135 to a downstream module, such as diversity RF (D-RF) module 116, which feeds the further processed diversity signal to the transceiver 112. The diversity RF module 116 (and, in some embodiments, the transceiver) is controlled by a controller 120. In some implementations, the controller 120 can be implemented within the transceiver 112.

Fig. 3 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver (DRx) configuration 300 may include a DRx module 310 having a plurality of paths corresponding to a plurality of frequency bands. The DRx configuration 300 includes diversity antennas 140 configured to receive diversity signals. In some embodiments, the diversity signal may be a single frequency band signal comprising data modulated onto a single frequency band. In some embodiments, the diversity signal may be a multi-band signal (also referred to as an inter-band carrier aggregation signal) that includes data modulated onto multiple frequency bands.

The DRx module 310 has an input to receive the diversity signal from the diversity antenna 140 and an output to provide the processed diversity signal to the transceiver 330 (via transmission line 135 and diversity RF module 320). The input of the DRx module 310 feeds into the input of a first Multiplexer (MUX) 311. The first multiplexer 311 includes a plurality of multiplexer outputs each corresponding to a path between an input and an output of the DRx module 310. Each path may correspond to a respective frequency band. The output of the DRx module 310 is provided by the output of the second multiplexer 312. The second multiplexer 312 includes a plurality of multiplexer inputs, each of which corresponds to one of the paths between the input and output of the DRx module 310.

The frequency band may be a cellular frequency band such as a UMTS (universal mobile telecommunications system) frequency band. For example, the first frequency band may be the UMTS downlink or "Rx" band 2 between 1930 Megahertz (MHZ) and 1990MHZ, and the second frequency band may be the UMTS downlink or "Rx" band 5 between 869MHZ and 894 MHZ. Other downlink frequency bands may be used, such as those described below in table 1 or other non-UMTS frequency bands.

In some implementations, the DRx module 310 includes a DRx controller 302 that receives signals from the controller 120 (also referred to as a communication controller) and selectively activates one or more of a plurality of paths between an input and an output based on the received signals. In some embodiments, the DRx module 310 does not include the DRx controller 302, and the controller 120 selectively activates one or more of the plurality of paths directly.

As described herein, in some embodiments, the diversity signal is a single-band signal. Thus, in some embodiments, the first multiplexer 311 is a Single Pole Multiple Throw (SPMT) switch that routes the diversity signal to one of the multiple paths corresponding to the frequency band of the single-band signal based on the signal received from the DRx controller 302. The DRx controller 302 may generate a signal based on the band selection signal that the DRx controller 302 receives from the communication controller 120. Similarly, in some embodiments, the second multiplexer 312 is an SPMT switch that routes signals from one of the plurality of paths corresponding to a frequency band of the single-band signal based on signals received from the DRx controller 302.

As described herein, in some embodiments, the diversity signal is a multi-band signal. Thus, in some embodiments, the first multiplexer 311 is a signal splitter that routes the diversity signal to two or more of the multiple paths corresponding to two or more frequency bands of the multi-band signal based on splitter control signals received from the DRx controller 302. The function of the demultiplexer may be implemented as an SPMT switch, a diplexer (diplexer) filter, or some combination of these devices. Similarly, in some embodiments, the second multiplexer 312 is a signal combiner that combines signals from two or more of the multiple paths corresponding to two or more frequency bands of the multi-band signal based on a combiner control signal received from the DRx controller 302. The function of the signal combiner may be implemented as an SPMT switch, a diplexer filter, or some combination of these devices. The DRx controller 302 may generate the splitter control signal and the combiner control signal based on the band selection signal received by the DRx controller 302 from the communication controller 120.

Thus, in some embodiments, the DRx controller 302 is configured to selectively activate one or more of the plurality of paths based on a band selection signal (e.g., from the communication controller 120) received by the DRx controller 302. In some embodiments, the DRx controller 302 is configured to selectively activate one or more of the plurality of paths by sending splitter control signals to the signal splitters and combiner control signals to the signal combiners.

The DRx module 310 includes a plurality of band pass filters 313a-313 d. Each of the band pass filters 313a-313d is disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and is configured to filter a signal received at the band pass filter to a respective frequency band of the one of the plurality of paths. In some embodiments, band pass filters 313a-313d are further configured to filter the signal received at the band pass filter to a downlink frequency sub-band of the respective frequency band of the one of the plurality of paths. The DRx module 310 includes a plurality of amplifiers 314a-314 d. Each of the amplifiers 314a-314d is disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and is configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier.

In some embodiments, amplifiers 314a-314d are narrow-band amplifiers configured to amplify signals within the respective frequency bands of the path in which the amplifier is disposed. In some embodiments, the amplifiers 314a-314d may be controlled by the DRx controller 302. For example, in some embodiments, each of amplifiers 314a-314d includes an enable/disable input and is enabled (or disabled) based on an amplifier enable signal received at the enable/disable input. The amplifier enable signal may be sent by the DRx controller 302. Thus, in some embodiments, the DRx controller 302 is configured to selectively activate one or more of the plurality of paths by sending an amplifier enable signal to one or more of the amplifiers 314a-314d, which are respectively disposed along the one or more of the plurality of paths. In such embodiments, rather than being controlled by the DRx controller 302, the first multiplexer 311 may be a demultiplexer that routes the diversity signals to each of the plurality of paths, and the second multiplexer 312 may be a signal combiner that combines the signals from each of the plurality of paths. However, in embodiments where the DRx controller 302 controls the first multiplexer 311 and the second multiplexer 312, the DRx controller 302 may also enable (or disable) certain amplifiers 314a-314d, for example, to conserve battery.

In some embodiments, amplifiers 314a-314d are Variable Gain Amplifiers (VGAs). Thus, in some embodiments, the DRx module 310 includes a plurality of Variable Gain Amplifiers (VGAs), each VGA disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and configured to amplify signals received at the VGAs with a gain controlled by an amplifier control signal received from the DRx controller 302.

The gain of the VGA may be bypassed, stepped, and continuously variable. In some embodiments, at least one of the VGAs comprises a fixed gain amplifier and a bypass switch controllable by an amplifier control signal. The bypass switch may (in a first position) close a line between the input of the fixed gain amplifier to the output of the fixed gain amplifier, bypassing the signal through the fixed gain amplifier. The bypass switch may (in a second position) open the line between the input and the output, allowing the signal to pass through the fixed gain amplifier. In some embodiments, when the bypass switch is in the first position, the fixed gain amplifier is disabled or otherwise reconfigured to accommodate the bypass mode.

In some embodiments, at least one of the VGAs comprises an amplifier having a stepwisely variable gain configured to amplify a signal received at the VGA with a gain of one of a plurality of configured quantities as indicated by the amplifier control signal. In some embodiments, at least one of the VGAs comprises an amplifier having a continuously variable gain configured to amplify a signal received at the VGA with a gain proportional to the amplifier control signal.

In some embodiments, amplifiers 314a-314d are current variable amplifiers (VCAs). The current drawn by the VCA may be bypassed, stepped, and continuously variable. In some embodiments, at least one of the VCAs includes a fixed current amplifier and a bypass switch controllable by an amplifier control signal. The bypass switch may (in a first position) close a line between the input of the fixed current amplifier to the output of the fixed current amplifier, bypassing the signal through the fixed current amplifier. The bypass switch may (in a second position) open the line between the input and the output, allowing the signal to pass through the fixed current amplifier. In some embodiments, when the bypass switch is in the first position, the fixed current amplifier is disabled or otherwise reconfigured to accommodate the bypass mode.

In some embodiments, at least one of the VCAs includes a current steppable amplifier configured to amplify a signal received at the VCA by drawing a current of one of a plurality of configured quantities indicated by the amplifier control signal. In some embodiments, at least one of the VCAs includes a continuously variable current amplifier configured to amplify a signal received at the VCA by drawing a current proportional to an amplifier control signal.

In some embodiments, amplifiers 314a-314d are fixed gain, fixed current amplifiers. In some embodiments, amplifiers 314a-314d are fixed gain, variable current amplifiers. In some embodiments, amplifiers 314a-314d are variable gain, fixed current amplifiers. In some embodiments, amplifiers 314a-314d are variable gain, variable current amplifiers.

In some implementations, the DRx controller 302 generates the amplifier control signal based on a quality of service (QoS) metric of an input signal received at the input. In some implementations, DRx controller 302 generates the amplifier control signal based on a signal received from communication controller 120, which in turn may be based on a quality of service metric of the received signal. The QoS metric for the received signal may be based at least in part on a diversity signal received on diversity antenna 140 (e.g., an input signal received at an input). The QoS metric for the received signal may also be based on the signal received on the primary antenna. In some embodiments, DRx controller 302 generates the amplifier control signal based on the QoS metric of the diversity signal without receiving a signal from communication controller 120.

In some embodiments, the QoS metric includes signal strength. As another example, the QoS metric may include a bit error rate, a data throughput, a transmission delay, or any other QoS metric.

As described herein, the DRx module 310 has an input to receive the diversity signal from the diversity antenna 140 and an output to provide the processed diversity signal to the transceiver 330 (via transmission line 135 and diversity RF module 320). Diversity RF module 320 receives the processed diversity signal via transmission line 135 and performs further processing. In particular, the processed diversity signals are separated or routed by diversity RF multiplexer 321 to one or more paths, where the separated or routed signals are filtered by corresponding band pass filters 323a-323d and amplified by corresponding amplifiers 324a-324 d. The output of each amplifier 324a-324d is provided to a transceiver 330.

Diversity RF multiplexer 321 may be controlled (either directly or via an on-chip (on-chip) diversity RF controller) by controller 120 to selectively activate one or more paths. Similarly, amplifiers 324a-324d may be controlled by controller 120. For example, in some embodiments, each of amplifiers 324a-324d includes an enable/disable input and is enabled (or disabled) based on an amplifier enable signal. In some embodiments, amplifiers 324a-324d are Variable Gain Amplifiers (VGAs) that amplify the signals received at the VGAs with a gain controlled by an amplifier control signal received from controller 120 (or an on-chip diversity RF controller controlled by controller 120). In some embodiments, amplifiers 324a-324d are Variable Current Amplifiers (VCAs).

Since the DRx module 310 added to the receiver chain already includes the diversity RF module 320, the number of band pass filters in the DRx configuration 300 is doubled. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the band pass filters 323a-323d are not included in the diversity RF module 320. Instead, the band pass filters 313a-313d of the DRx module 310 are used to reduce the strength of an out-of-band blocker signal (blocker). In addition, the Automatic Gain Control (AGC) table of the diversity RF module 320 may be shifted to reduce the amount of gain provided by the amplifiers 324a-324d of the diversity RF module 320 by the amount of gain provided by the amplifiers 314a-314d of the DRx module 310.

For example, if the DRx module gain is 15dB and the receiver sensitivity is-100 dBm, then the diversity RF module 320 will see a sensitivity of-85 dBm. If the closed loop AGC of the diversity RF module 320 is active, its gain will automatically drop by 15 dB. However, both the signal component and the out-of-band blocker component are received and amplified by 15 dB. Thus, a 15dB gain reduction of the diversity RF module 320 can also be obtained by a 15dB increase in its linearity. In particular, the amplifiers 324a-324d of the diversity RF module 320 may be designed such that the linearity of the amplifiers increases as the gain decreases (or the current increases).

In some embodiments, the controller 120 controls the gain (and/or current) of the amplifiers 314a-314d of the DRx module 310 and the amplifiers 324a-324d of the diversity RF module 320. As in the example herein, the controller 120 may decrease the amount of gain provided by the amplifiers 324a-324d of the diversity RF module 320 in response to an increase in the amount of gain provided by the amplifiers 314a-314d of the DRx module 310. Thus, in some embodiments, the controller 120 is configured to generate downstream amplifier control signals (amplifiers 324a-324d for the diversity RF module 320) based on the amplifier control signals (amplifiers 314a-314d for the DRx module 310) to control the gain of one or more downstream amplifiers 324a-324d coupled to the output (output of the DRx module 310) via the transmission line 135. In some implementations, the controller 120 also controls the gain of other components of the wireless device, such as the amplifier in the Front End Module (FEM), based on the amplifier control signal.

As described above, in some embodiments, band pass filters 323a-323d are not included. Thus, in some embodiments, at least one of the downstream amplifiers 324a-324d is coupled to the output (the output of the DRx module 310) via transmission line 135 without passing through a downstream bandpass filter.

Fig. 4 shows that in some embodiments, the diversity receiver configuration 400 may include diversity RF modules 420 having fewer amplifiers than the diversity receiver (DRx) modules 310. The diversity receiver configuration 400 includes diversity antennas 140 and a DRx module 310 as described herein with respect to fig. 3. The output of the DRx module 310 is passed to the diversity RF module 420 via transmission line 135, which differs from the diversity RF module 320 in fig. 3 in that the diversity RF module 420 in fig. 4 includes fewer amplifiers than the DRx module 310.

As described herein, in some embodiments, the diversity RF module 420 does not include a band pass filter. Thus, in some embodiments, the one or more amplifiers 424 of the diversity RF module 420 need not be band specific. In particular, the diversity RF module 420 may include one or more paths, each path including an amplifier 424, that are not mapped to path 1 to 1 of the DRx module 310. A mapping of such paths (or corresponding amplifiers) may be stored in the controller 120.

Thus, while the DRx module 310 includes multiple paths, each path corresponding to a frequency band, the diversity RF module 420 may include one or more paths that do not correspond to a single frequency band.

In some embodiments (as shown in fig. 4), diversity RF module 420 includes a single wide band or tunable amplifier 424 that amplifies the signal received from transmission line 135 and outputs the amplified signal to multiplexer 421. Multiplexer 421 includes a plurality of multiplexer outputs, each corresponding to a respective frequency band. In some embodiments, the diversity RF module 420 does not include any amplifiers.

In some embodiments, the diversity signal is a single-band signal. Thus, in some embodiments, multiplexer 421 is an SPMT switch that routes the diversity signal to one of the plurality of outputs corresponding to a frequency band of the single-band signal based on the signal received from controller 120. In some embodiments, the diversity signal is a multi-band signal. Thus, in some embodiments, multiplexer 421 is a signal splitter that routes the diversity signal to two or more of the plurality of outputs corresponding to two or more frequency bands of the multi-band signal based on splitter control signals received from controller 120. In some embodiments, diversity RF module 420 may be combined with transceiver 330 as a single module.

In some embodiments, the diversity RF module 420 includes a plurality of amplifiers, each amplifier corresponding to a set of frequency bands. The signal from the transmission line 135 may be fed into a band splitter that outputs a high frequency to high frequency amplifier along a first path and a low frequency to low frequency amplifier along a second path. The output of each amplifier may be provided to a multiplexer 421, the multiplexer 421 configured to route the signal to a corresponding input of the transceiver 330.

Fig. 5 shows that in some embodiments, the diversity receiver configuration 500 may include a DRx module 510 coupled to an out-of-module filter 513. The DRx module 510 may include a package substrate 501 configured to house a plurality of components and a receiving system implemented on the package substrate 501. The DRx module 510 may include one or more signal paths that are routed out of the DRx module 510 and allow a system integrator, designer, or manufacturer to support filters for any desired frequency band.

The DRx module 510 includes a plurality of paths between the input and the output of the DRx module 510. The DRx module 510 includes a bypass path between the input and output that is activated by a bypass switch 519 controlled by the DRx controller 502. Although fig. 5 illustrates a single bypass switch 519, in some embodiments, the bypass switch 519 may include multiple switches (e.g., a first switch disposed physically near the input and a second switch disposed physically near the output). As shown in fig. 5, the bypass path does not include a filter or amplifier.

The DRx module 510 has a plurality of multiplexer paths including a first multiplexer 511 and a second multiplexer 512. The multiplexer path includes a plurality of on-module paths including a first multiplexer 511, band pass filters 313a-313d implemented on the package substrate 501, amplifiers 314a-314d implemented on the package substrate 501, and a second multiplexer 512. The multiplexer path includes one or more off-module paths including a first multiplexer 511, a bandpass filter 513 implemented outside the package substrate 501, an amplifier 514, and a second multiplexer 512. The amplifier 514 may be a broadband amplifier implemented on the package substrate 501 or may also be implemented outside the package substrate 501. As described herein, the amplifiers 314a-314d, 514 may be variable gain amplifiers and/or variable current amplifiers.

The DRx controller 502 is configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between the input and the output. In some implementations, the DRx controller 502 is configured to selectively activate one or more paths of the plurality of paths based on a band selection signal (e.g., from a communication controller) received by the DRx controller 502. The DRx controller 502 may selectively activate the paths by, for example, opening or closing a bypass switch 519, enabling or disabling the amplifiers 314a-314d, 514, controlling the

multiplexers

511, 512, or by other mechanisms. For example, the DRx controller 502 may turn off or on switches along the path (e.g., between the filters 313a-313d, 513 and the amplifiers 314a-314d, 514), or by setting the gains of the amplifiers 314a-314d, 514 to substantially zero.

Example a: variable gain amplifier

As described herein, the amplifier used to process the received signal may be a Variable Gain Amplifier (VGA). Accordingly, in some embodiments, the DRx module can include a plurality of Variable Gain Amplifiers (VGAs), each VGA disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and configured to amplify signals received at the VGAs with a gain controlled by an amplifier control signal received from the DRx controller.

In some embodiments, the gain of the VGA may be bypassed, step variable, continuously variable. Fig. 6 shows that in some embodiments, variable gain amplifier a350 may be bypassable. VGA a350 includes a fixed gain amplifier a351 and a bypass switch a352 that is controllable by an amplifier control signal generated by DRx controller a 302. Bypass switch a352 may (in a first position) turn the line from the input of fixed gain amplifier a351 to the output of the fixed gain amplifier, bypassing the signal through fixed gain amplifier a 351. The bypass switch a352 may open (in a second position) a line between the input of the fixed gain amplifier a351 and the output of the fixed gain amplifier a351, allowing a signal to pass through the fixed gain amplifier a 351. In some embodiments, when the bypass switch is in the first position, the fixed gain amplifier is disabled or otherwise reconfigured to accommodate the bypass mode. Referring to the example of FIG. 3, in some implementations, at least one of the VGAs 314a-314d may include a fixed gain amplifier and a bypass switch that may be controlled by an amplifier control signal.

Fig. 7 shows that in some embodiments, the gain of variable gain amplifier a360 may be step variable or continuously variable. In some embodiments, VGA a360 is stepwisely variable and amplifies a signal received at the input of VGA a360 with a gain of one of a plurality of configuration amounts indicated by a digital signal in response to a digital amplifier control signal generated by DRx controller a 302. In some embodiments, VGA a360 is continuously variable and amplifies a signal received at the input of VGA a360 with a gain proportional to a characteristic (e.g., voltage or duty cycle) of the analog signal in response to the analog amplifier control signal generated by DRx controller a 302. Referring to the example of fig. 3, in some implementations, at least one of VGAs 314a-314d may comprise a stepped variable gain amplifier configured to amplify a signal received at the VGA with a gain of one of a plurality of configured quantities as indicated by an amplifier control signal. In some embodiments, at least one of the VGAs 314a-314d of fig. 3 may comprise a continuously variable gain amplifier configured to amplify a signal received at the VGA with a gain proportional to an amplifier control signal.

In some embodiments, the amplifiers 314a-314d of FIG. 3 may be Variable Current Amplifiers (VCAs). The current drawn by the VCA may be bypassed, step variable, continuously variable. In some embodiments, at least one of the VCAs includes a fixed current amplifier and a bypass switch controllable by an amplifier control signal. The bypass switch may (in a first position) close a line between the input of the fixed current amplifier to the output of the fixed current amplifier, bypassing the signal through the fixed current amplifier. The bypass switch may (in a second position) open the line between the input and the output, allowing the signal to pass through the fixed current amplifier. In some embodiments, when the bypass switch is in the first position, the fixed current amplifier is disabled or otherwise reconfigured to accommodate the bypass mode.

In some embodiments, at least one of the VCAs includes a stepped variable current amplifier configured to amplify a signal received at the VCA by drawing a current of one of a plurality of configured quantities indicated by the amplifier control signal. In some embodiments, at least one of the VCAs includes a continuously variable current amplifier configured to amplify a signal received at the VCA by drawing a current proportional to the amplifier control signal.

In some embodiments, amplifiers 314a-314d of FIG. 3 are fixed gain, fixed current amplifiers. In some embodiments, amplifiers 314a-314d are fixed gain, variable current amplifiers. In some embodiments, amplifiers 314a-314d are variable gain, fixed current amplifiers. In some embodiments, amplifiers 314a-314d are variable gain, variable current amplifiers.

In some embodiments, DRx controller 302 generates the amplifier control signal based on a quality of service metric of the input signal received at the input of first multiplexer 311. In some implementations, DRx controller 302 generates the amplifier control signal based on a signal received from communication controller 120, which in turn may be based on a quality of service metric of the received signal. The QoS metric for the received signal may be based at least in part on a diversity signal received on diversity antenna 140 (e.g., an input signal received at an input). The QoS metric for the received signal may also be based on the signal received on the primary antenna. In some embodiments, DRx controller 302 generates the amplifier control signal based on the QoS metric of the diversity signal without receiving a signal from communication controller 120.

As described herein, the DRx module 310 of fig. 3 has an input to receive the diversity signal from the diversity antenna 140 and an output to provide the processed diversity signal to the transceiver 330 (via transmission line 135 and diversity RF module 320). Diversity RF module 320 receives the processed diversity signal via transmission line 135 and performs further processing. In particular, the processed diversity signals are separated or routed by diversity RF multiplexer 321 to one or more paths, where the separated or routed signals are filtered by corresponding band pass filters 323a-323d and amplified by corresponding amplifiers 324a-324 d. The output of each amplifier 324a-324d is provided to a transceiver 330.

For example, if the DRx module gain is 15dB and the receiver sensitivity is-100 dBm, then the diversity RF module 320 will see a sensitivity of-85 dBm. If the closed loop AGC of the diversity RF module 320 is active, its gain will automatically drop by 15 dB. However, both the signal component and the out-of-band blocker component are received and amplified by 15 dB. Thus, in some embodiments, a 15dB gain reduction of diversity RF module 320 is obtained by a 15dB increase in its linearity. In particular, the amplifiers 324a-324d of the diversity RF module 320 may be designed such that the linearity of the amplifiers increases as the gain decreases (or the current increases).

As described herein, in some embodiments, band pass filters 323a-323d are not included. Thus, in some embodiments, at least one of the downstream amplifiers 324a-324d is coupled to the output (the output of the DRx module 310) via transmission line 135 without passing through a downstream bandpass filter. An example relating to such an embodiment is described herein with reference to fig. 4.

Fig. 8 shows that in some embodiments, diversity receiver configuration a600 may include a DRx module a610 with adjustable matching circuitry. In particular, the DRx module a610 may include one or more adjustable matching circuits disposed at one or more of the inputs and outputs of the DRx module a 610.

It is unlikely that the multiple frequency bands received on the same diversity antenna 140 will all see the ideal impedance match. To match each frequency band using a compact matching circuit, an adjustable input matching circuit a616 may be implemented at the input of DRx module a610 and controlled by DRx controller a602 (e.g., based on a band selection signal from the communication controller). The DRx controller a602 may tune the tunable input matching circuit a616 based on a lookup table that associates frequency bands (or a set of frequency bands) with tuning parameters. The adjustable input matching circuit a616 may be an adjustable T circuit, an adjustable PI circuit, or any other adjustable matching circuit. In particular, adjustable input matching circuit a616 may include one or more variable components, such as resistors, inductors, and capacitors. The variable components may be connected in parallel and/or series, and may be connected between the input of the DRx module a610 and the input of the first multiplexer a311, or may be connected between the input of the DRx module a610 and the ground voltage.

Similarly, with only one transmission line 135 (or, at least, a small number of cables) carrying signals for many frequency bands, it is unlikely that all of the multiple frequency bands will see perfect impedance matching. To match each frequency band using a compact matching circuit, an adjustable output matching circuit a617 may be implemented at the output of DRx module a610 and controlled by DRx controller a602 (e.g., based on a band selection signal from the communication controller). The DRx controller a602 may tune the tunable output matching circuit a618 based on a lookup table that associates frequency bands (or a set of frequency bands) with tuning parameters. The adjustable output matching circuit a617 may be an adjustable T circuit, an adjustable PI circuit, or any other adjustable matching circuit. In particular, adjustable output matching circuit a617 may include one or more variable components, such as resistors, inductors, and capacitors. The variable components may be connected in parallel and/or series, and may be connected between the output of the DRx module a610 and the output of the second multiplexer a312, or may be connected between the output of the DRx module a610 and a ground voltage.

Fig. 9 shows that in some embodiments, diversity receiver configuration a700 may include multiple antennas. Although fig. 9 illustrates an embodiment with two antennas a740a-a740b and one transmission line 135, the aspects described herein may be implemented in embodiments with more than two antennas and/or two or more cables.

Diversity receiver configuration a700 includes a DRx module a710 coupled to a first antenna a740a and a second antenna a740 b. In some embodiments, the first antenna a740a is a high band antenna configured to receive signals transmitted in a high frequency band, and the second antenna a740b is a low band antenna configured to receive signals transmitted in a low frequency band.

The DRx module a710 includes a first tunable input matching circuit a716a at a first input of the DRx module a710 and a second tunable input matching circuit a716b at a second input of the DRx module a 710. The DRx module a710 also includes an adjustable output matching circuit a717 at the output of the DRx module a 710. The DRx controller a702 may tune each of the tunable matching circuits a716a-a716b, a717 based on a lookup table that associates frequency bands (or a set of frequency bands) with tuning parameters. Each of the tunable matching circuits a716a-a716b, a717 may be a tunable T circuit, a tunable PI circuit, or any other tunable matching circuit.

The DRx module a710 includes a plurality of paths between the input (coupled to the first input of the first antenna a740a and the second input coupled to the second antenna a740 b) and the output (coupled to the transmission line 135) of the DRx module a 710. In some embodiments, DRx module a710 includes one or more bypass paths (not shown) between the input and output that are activated by one or more bypass switches controlled by DRx controller a 702.

The DRx module a710 has a plurality of multiplexer paths, including one of a first input multiplexer a711a or a second input multiplexer a711b and including an output multiplexer a 712. The multiplexer path includes a plurality of on-module paths (as shown) including one of tunable input matching circuits a716a-a716b, one of input multiplexers a711a-a711b, bandpass filters a713a-a713h, amplifiers a714a-a714h, output multiplexer a712, and output matching circuit a 717. The multiplexer path may include one or more off-module paths (not shown) as described herein. As also described herein, amplifiers A714a-A714h may be variable gain amplifiers and/or variable current amplifiers.

DRx controller a702 is configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between an input and an output. In some embodiments, DRx controller a702 is configured to selectively activate one or more paths of the plurality of paths based on a band selection signal (e.g., from a communication controller) received by DRx controller a 702. In some implementations, the DRx controller a702 is configured to tune the tunable matching circuit a716a-a716b, a717 based on the band selection signal. The DRx controller a702 may selectively activate paths by, for example, enabling or disabling amplifiers a714a-a714h, controlling multiplexers a711a-a711b, a712, or by other mechanisms described herein.

FIG. 10 illustrates one embodiment of a flow representation of a method of processing RF signals. In some embodiments (and as an example as described in detail below), method a800 is performed by a controller, such as the DRx controller 302 of fig. 3 or the communication controller 120 of fig. 3. In some embodiments, method a800 is performed by processing logic comprising hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof. In some implementations, method a800 is performed by a processor executing code stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory). Briefly, method a800 includes receiving a band selection signal and routing the received RF signal along one or more gain controlled paths to process the received RF signal.

Method a800 begins at block a810 with the controller receiving a band select signal. The controller may receive the band selection signal from another controller or may receive the band selection signal from a cellular base station or other external source. The band selection signal may indicate one or more frequency bands in which the wireless device transmits and receives RF signals. In some embodiments, the band selection signal indicates a set of frequency bands for carrier aggregation communication.

In some embodiments, the controller tunes one or more tunable matching circuits based on the received band selection signal. For example, the controller may tune the tunable matching circuit based on a look-up table that associates frequency bands (or sets of frequency bands) indicated by the band selection signal with tuning parameters.

At block a820, the controller selectively activates one or more paths of a diversity receiver (DRx) module based on the band selection signal. As described herein, a DRx module can include multiple paths between one or more inputs (coupled to one or more antennas) and one or more outputs (coupled to one or more cables) of the DRx module. The paths may include bypass paths and multiplexer paths. The multiplexer path may include an on-module path and an off-module path.

The controller may selectively activate one or more of the plurality of paths by, for example, turning off or on one or more bypass switches, enabling or disabling amplifiers disposed along the paths via an amplifier enable signal, controlling one or more multiplexers via splitter control signals and/or combiner control signals, or by other mechanisms. For example, the controller may open or close switches disposed along the path, or by setting the gain of amplifiers disposed along the path to substantially zero.

At block a830, the controller sends an amplifier control signal to one or more amplifiers respectively disposed along one or more activation paths. The amplifier control signal controls the gain (or current) of the amplifier to which it is sent. In one embodiment, an amplifier includes a fixed gain amplifier and a bypass switch controllable by an amplifier control signal. Thus, in an embodiment, the amplifier control signal indicates whether the bypass switch is off or on.

In an embodiment, the amplifier comprises an amplifier with a stepwisely variable gain configured to amplify the signal received at the amplifier with a gain of one of a plurality of configured quantities indicated by the amplifier control signal. Thus, in one embodiment, the amplifier control signal indicates one of a plurality of configuration quantities.

In some embodiments, the amplifier comprises a continuously variable gain amplifier configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier with a gain proportional to the amplifier control signal. Thus, in one embodiment, the amplifier control signal indicates a proportional amount of gain.

In some embodiments, the controller generates the amplifier control signal based on a quality of service (QoS) metric of an input signal received at the input. In some embodiments, the controller generates the amplifier control signal based on a signal received from another controller, which may in turn be based on a QoS metric of the received signal. The QoS metric for the received signal may be based at least in part on a diversity signal received on the diversity antenna (e.g., an input signal received at an input). The QoS metric for the received signal may also be based on the signal received on the primary antenna. In some embodiments, the controller generates the amplifier control signal based on the QoS metric of the diversity signal without receiving a signal from another controller. For example, the QoS metric may include signal strength. As another example, the QoS metric may include a bit error rate, a data throughput, a transmission delay, or any other QoS metric.

In some embodiments, in block a830, the controller also sends a downstream amplifier control signal based on the amplifier control signal to control the gain of one or more downstream amplifiers coupled to the output via one or more cables.

Without being limited thereto, the foregoing example a relating to a variable gain amplifier may be summarized as follows.

According to some embodiments, the present application relates to a receiving system comprising a controller configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between an input of a first multiplexer and an output of a second multiplexer. The receiving system further includes a plurality of band pass filters. Each of the plurality of band pass filters is disposed along a corresponding path of the plurality of paths and is configured to filter a signal received at the band pass filter to a respective frequency band. The receiving system further includes a plurality of Variable Gain Amplifiers (VGAs). Each of the plurality of VGAs is disposed along a corresponding path of the plurality of paths and is configured to amplify a signal received at the VGA with a gain controlled by an amplifier control signal received from the controller.

In some embodiments, the controller may be configured to selectively activate one or more of the plurality of paths based on a band selection signal received by the controller. In some embodiments, the controller may be configured to selectively activate one or more of the plurality of paths by sending a splitter control signal to the first multiplexer and a combiner control signal to the second multiplexer. In some embodiments, the controller may be configured to selectively activate one or more of the plurality of paths by sending an amplifier enable signal to one or more of the plurality of VGAs respectively disposed along the one or more of the plurality of paths.

In some embodiments, at least one of the VGAs comprises a fixed gain amplifier and a bypass switch controllable by an amplifier control signal. In some embodiments, at least one of the VGAs comprises a stepped variable gain amplifier configured to amplify the signal received at the VGA with a gain of one of a plurality of configured quantities indicated by the amplifier control signal, or a continuously variable gain amplifier configured to amplify the signal received at the VGA with a gain proportional to the amplifier control signal. In some embodiments, at least one of the VGAs may comprise a variable current amplifier configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier by drawing an amount of current controlled by the amplifier control signal.

In some embodiments, the amplifier control signal is based on a quality of service metric of an input signal received at an input of the first multiplexer.

In some embodiments, at least one of the VGAs may comprise a low noise amplifier.

In some embodiments, the receiving system may further comprise one or more adjustable matching circuits provided at one or more of the input and the output.

In some embodiments, the receiving system may further include a transmission line coupled to an output of the second multiplexer and to a downstream module including one or more downstream amplifiers. In some embodiments, the controller may be further configured to generate a downstream amplifier control signal based on the amplifier control signal to control the gain of the one or more downstream amplifiers. In some embodiments, at least one of the downstream amplifiers may be coupled to the transmission line without passing through a downstream bandpass filter. In some embodiments, the number of the one or more amplifiers may be less than the number of VGAs.

In some embodiments, the present application relates to a Radio Frequency (RF) module including a package substrate configured to house a plurality of components. The RF module also includes a receiving system implemented on the package substrate. The receiving system includes a controller configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between an input of a first multiplexer and an output of a second multiplexer (e.g., an input of the RF module and an output of the RF module). The receiving system further includes a plurality of band pass filters. Each of the band pass filters is disposed along a corresponding path of the plurality of paths and is configured to filter a signal received at the band pass filter to a respective frequency band. The receiving system further includes a plurality of Variable Gain Amplifiers (VGAs). Each of the plurality of VGAs is disposed along a corresponding path of the plurality of paths and is configured to amplify a signal received at the VGA with a gain controlled by an amplifier control signal received from the controller.

In some embodiments, the plurality of paths includes an out-of-module path. The off-module path may include an off-module bandpass filter and one of the VGAs.

In accordance with some teachings, the present application relates to a wireless device including a first antenna configured to receive a first Radio Frequency (RF) signal. The wireless device also includes a first Front End Module (FEM) in communication with the first antenna. The first FEM includes a package substrate configured to house a plurality of components. The first FEM also includes a receiving system implemented on the package substrate. The receiving system includes a controller configured to selectively activate one or more paths of a plurality of paths between an input of a first multiplexer and an output of a second multiplexer. The receiving system further comprises a plurality of band pass filters. Each of the plurality of band pass filters is disposed along a corresponding path of the plurality of paths and is configured to filter a signal received at the band pass filter to a respective frequency band. The receiving system further includes a plurality of Variable Gain Amplifiers (VGAs). Each of the plurality of VGAs is disposed along a corresponding path of the plurality of paths and is configured to amplify a signal received at the VGA with a gain controlled by an amplifier control signal received from the controller. The wireless device also includes a communication module configured to receive the processed version of the first RF signal from the output via the cable and to generate data bits based on the processed version of the first RF signal.

In some embodiments, the wireless device further includes a second antenna configured to receive a second Radio Frequency (RF) signal and a second FEM in communication with the second antenna. The communication module may be configured to receive a processed version of a second RF signal from an output of the second FEM and generate data bits based on the processed version of the second RF signal.

In some embodiments, the wireless device includes a communication controller configured to control gains of the first FEM and one or more downstream amplifiers of the communication module.

Example B: phase shift element

Fig. 11 shows that in some embodiments, diversity receiver configuration B600 may include a DRx module B610 with one or more phase matching blocks B624 a-B624B. The DRx module B610 includes two paths from the input of the DRx module B610 coupled to the antenna 140 to the output of the DRx module B610 coupled to the transmission line 135.

In the DRx module B610 of fig. 11, the signal separator and the band pass filter are implemented as a diplexer B611. Diplexer B611 includes an input coupled to antenna 140, a first output coupled to first amplifier 314a, and a second output coupled to second amplifier 314B. At a first output, diplexer B611 outputs a signal received at an input (e.g., from antenna 140) filtered to a first frequency band. At the second output, diplexer B611 outputs signals received at the input, filtered to the second frequency band. In some embodiments, diplexer B611 may be replaced with a triplexer, a quadruplexer, or any other multiplexer configured to separate an input signal received at an input of DRx module B610 into a plurality of signals at a corresponding plurality of frequency bands that propagate along a plurality of paths.

As described herein, each of the amplifiers 314a-314b is disposed along a corresponding one of the paths and is configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier. The outputs of the amplifiers 314a-314B are fed through corresponding phase shifting elements B624a-B624B and then combined by a signal combiner B612.

The signal combiner B612 includes a first input coupled to the first phase shift unit B624a, a second input coupled to the second phase shift unit B624B, and an output coupled to the output of the DRx module B610. The signal at the output of the signal combiner is the sum of the signals at the first and second inputs. Thus, the signal combiner is configured to combine signals propagating along multiple paths.

When the signal is received by the antenna 140, the signal is filtered by the diplexer B611 to a first frequency band and propagates along a first path through the first amplifier 314 a. The filtered and amplified signal is phase shifted by a first phase shifting means B624a and fed to a first input of a signal combiner B612. In some embodiments, signal combiner B612 or second amplifier 314B does not prevent the signal from continuing along the second path in the reverse direction through signal combiner B612. Thus, the signal propagates through the second phase shifting element B624B and through the second amplifier 314B, where it is reflected off the diplexer B611. The reflected signal propagates through the second amplifier 314B and the second phase shifting component B624B to the second input of the signal combiner B612.

When the initial signal (at the first input of signal combiner B612) and the reflected signal (at the second input of signal combiner B612) are out of phase, the summation performed by signal combiner B612 results in a reduction of the signal at the output of signal combiner B612. Similarly, when the initial and reflected signals are in phase, the summation performed by signal combiner B612 results in an enhancement of the signal at the output of signal combiner B612. Thus, in some embodiments, the second phase shifting component B624B is configured to phase shift the signal (at least in the first frequency band) such that the initial signal and the reflected signal are at least partially in phase. In particular, the second phase shifting component B624B is configured to phase shift the signal (at least in the first frequency band) such that the magnitude of the sum of the original signal and the reflected signal is greater than the magnitude of the original signal.

For example, the second phase shifting block B624B may be configured to phase shift the signal passing through the second phase shifting block B624B by an amount that is-1/2 times the phase shift introduced by back propagation through the second amplifier 314B, reflection off the diplexer B611, and forward propagation through the second amplifier 314B. As another example, the second phase shifting component B624B may be configured to phase shift the signal passing through the second phase shifting component B624B by an amount that is half the difference between 360 degrees and the phase shift introduced by back propagating through the second amplifier 314B, reflecting off the diplexer B611, and forward propagating through the second amplifier 314B. In general, the second phase shift element B624B may be configured to phase shift the signal passing through the second phase shift element B624B such that the initial signal and the reflected signal have a phase difference that is an integer multiple of 360 degrees (including zero).

As an example, the initial signal may be 0 degrees (or any other reference phase), propagating back through the second amplifier 314B, reflecting off the diplexer B611, and propagating forward through the second amplifier 314B may introduce a phase shift of 140 degrees. Thus, in some embodiments, the second phase shift element B624B is configured to phase shift the signal passing through the second phase shift element B624B by-70 degrees. Accordingly, the initial signal is phase-shifted to-70 degrees by the second phase shifting element B624B, counter-propagated through the second amplifier 314B, reflected off the diplexer B611, and forward-propagated through the second amplifier 314B to 70 degrees, and returned to 0 degrees by the second phase shifting element B624B.

In some embodiments, the second phase shift element B624B is configured to phase shift the signal passing through the second phase shift element B624B by 110 degrees. Accordingly, the initial signal is phase-shifted to 110 degrees by the second phase shift unit B624B, to 250 degrees by back propagation through the second amplifier 314B, reflected off the diplexer B611, and forward propagation through the second amplifier 314B, and to 360 degrees by the second phase shift unit B624B.

Meanwhile, the signal received by the antenna 140 is filtered to a second frequency band by the duplexer B611 and propagates along a second path through the second amplifier 314B. The filtered and amplified signal is phase shifted by the second phase shifting means B624B and fed to a second input of the signal combiner B612. In some embodiments, signal combiner B612 or first amplifier 314a does not prevent the signal from continuing along the first path in the reverse direction through signal combiner B612. Thus, the signal propagates through the first phase shifting element B624a and through the second amplifier 314a, reflecting off the diplexer B611. The reflected signal propagates through the first amplifier 314a and the first phase shift element B624a to the first input of the signal combiner B612.

When the initial signal (at the second input of signal combiner B612) and the reflected signal (at the first input of signal combiner B612) are out of phase, the summation performed by signal combiner B612 results in a reduction of the signal at the output of signal combiner B612; when the initial and reflected signals are in phase, the summation performed by the signal combiner B612 results in an enhancement of the signal at the output of the signal combiner B612. Thus, in some embodiments, the first phase shifting component B624a is configured to phase shift the signal (at least in the second frequency band) such that the initial signal and the reflected signal are at least partially in phase.

For example, the first phase shifting element B624a may be configured to phase shift the signal passing through the first phase shifting element B624a by an amount that is-1/2 times the phase shift introduced by back propagation through the first amplifier 314a, reflection off the diplexer B611, and forward propagation through the first amplifier 314 a. As another example, the first phase shifting element B624a may be configured to phase shift the signal passing through the first phase shifting element B624a by an amount that is half the difference between 360 degrees and the phase shift introduced by back propagating through the first amplifier 314a, reflecting off the diplexer B611, and forward propagating through the first amplifier 314 a. In general, the first phase shift element B624a may be configured to phase shift the signal passing through the first phase shift element B624a such that the initial signal and the reflected signal have a phase difference that is an integer multiple of 360 degrees (including zero).

Phase shift elements B624a-B624B may be implemented as passive circuits. In particular, phase shift components B624a-B624B may be implemented as LC circuits and include one or more passive components, such as inductors and/or capacitors. The passive components may be connected in parallel and/or series and may be connected between the outputs of amplifiers 314a-314B and the input of signal combiner B612 or may be connected between the outputs of amplifiers 314a-314B and a ground voltage. In some embodiments, phase shift elements B624a-B624B are integrated into the same die or on the same package as amplifiers 314 a-314B.

In some embodiments (e.g., as shown in FIG. 11), phase shifting elements B624a-B624B are disposed along the path after amplifiers 314 a-314B. Thus, any signal attenuation caused by phase shift elements B624a-B624B does not affect the performance of module B610, e.g., the signal-to-noise ratio of the output signal. However, in some embodiments, phase shift elements B624a-B624B are disposed along the path before amplifiers 314 a-314B. For example, the phase shift elements B624a-B624B may be integrated into impedance matching elements disposed between the diplexer B611 and the amplifiers 314 a-314B.

Fig. 12 shows that in some embodiments, diversity receiver configuration B640 may include a DRx module B641 having one or more phase matching blocks B624a-B624B and two-stage amplifiers B614 a-B614B. The DRx module B641 of fig. 12 is substantially similar to the DRx module B610 of fig. 11, except that the amplifiers 314a-314B of the DRx module B610 of fig. 11 are replaced with dual stage amplifiers B614a-B614B in the DRx module B641 of fig. 12.

Fig. 13 shows that in some embodiments, diversity receiver configuration B680 may include a DRx module B681 with one or more phase matching components B624a-B624B and post-combiner amplifier B615. The DRx module B681 of fig. 13 is substantially similar to the DRx module B610 of fig. 11, except that the DRx module B681 of fig. 13 includes a post-combiner amplifier B615 disposed between the output of the signal combiner B612 and the output of the DRx module B681. Like the amplifiers 314a-314B, the post-combiner amplifier B615 may be a Variable Gain Amplifier (VGA) and/or a variable current amplifier controlled by a DRx controller (not shown).

Fig. 14 shows that in some embodiments, diversity receiver configuration B700 may include a DRx module B710 with adjustable phase shift components B724a-B724 d. Each of the adjustable phase shift units B724a-B724d may be configured to phase shift a signal passing through the adjustable phase shift unit by an amount controlled by a phase shift tuning signal received from DRx controller B702.

Diversity receiver configuration B700 includes a DRx module B710, DRx module B710 having an input coupled to antenna 140 and an output coupled to transmission line 135. The DRx module B710 includes a plurality of paths between the input and the output of the DRx module B710. In some embodiments, DRx module B710 includes one or more bypass paths (not shown) between the input and output that are activated by one or more bypass switches controlled by DRx controller B702.

The DRx module B710 has a plurality of multiplexer paths including an input multiplexer B311 and an output multiplexer B312. The multiplexer path includes a plurality of on-module paths (as shown) including an input multiplexer B311, band pass filters B313a-B313d, amplifiers B314a-B314d, adjustable phase shift units B724a-B724d, an output multiplexer B312, and a post-combiner amplifier B615. The multiplexer path may include one or more off-module paths (not shown) as described herein. As also described herein, the amplifiers B314a-B314d (including the post-gain amplifier B615) may be variable gain amplifiers and/or variable current amplifiers.

The adjustable phase shift components B724a-B724d may include one or more variable components, such as inductors and capacitors. The variable components may be connected in parallel and/or series and may be connected between the output of amplifiers B314a-B314d and the input of output multiplexer B312, or may be connected between the output of amplifiers B314a-B314d and a ground voltage.

The DRx controller B702 is configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between the input and the output. In some embodiments, the DRx controller B702 is configured to selectively activate one or more paths of the plurality of paths based on a band selection signal (e.g., from a communication controller) received by the DRx controller B702. The DRx controller B702 may selectively activate the paths by, for example, enabling or disabling amplifiers B314a-B314d, controlling multiplexers B311, 312, or by other mechanisms described herein.

In some embodiments, the DRx controller B702 is configured to tune the tunable phase shift components B724a-B724 d. In some implementations, the DRx controller B702 tunes the adjustable phase shift components B724a-B724d based on the band select signal. For example, the DRx controller B702 may tune the adjustable phase-shifting components B724a-B724d based on a lookup table that associates frequency bands (or sets of frequency bands) indicated by the band selection signal with tuning parameters. Thus, in response to the band select signal, the DRx controller B702 may send a phase-shift tuning signal to the adjustable phase-shift component B724a-B724d in each active path to tune the adjustable phase-shift component (or its variable component) according to the tuning parameters.

The DRx controller B702 may be configured to tune the adjustable phase shift units B724a-B724d such that the out-of-band reflected signal is in phase with the out-of-band initial signal at the output multiplexer B312. For example, if the band select signal indicates that a first path (through the first amplifier B314a) corresponding to a first frequency band, a second path (through the second amplifier B314B) corresponding to a second frequency band, and a third path (through the third amplifier B314c) are to be activated, the DRx controller B702 may tune the first adjustable phase shift component B724a such that (1) for a signal propagating along the second path (in the second frequency band), the initial signal is in phase with a reflected signal propagating in reverse along the first path, reflected off the band pass filter B313a, and propagating in forward through the first path, and (2) for a signal propagating along the third path (in the third frequency band), the initial signal is in phase with a reflected signal propagating in reverse along the first path, reflected off the band pass filter B313a, and propagating in forward through the first path.

DRx controller B702 may tune first adjustable phase shift component B724a so that the second frequency band is phase shifted by a different amount than the third frequency band. For example, if a signal in the second frequency band is phase shifted by 140 degrees and the third frequency band is phase shifted by 130 degrees by propagating back through the first amplifier B314a, reflecting off the band pass filter B313a, and propagating forward through the first amplifier B314B, the DRx controller B702 may tune the first adjustable phase shift block B724a to phase shift the second frequency band by-70 degrees (or 110 degrees) and phase shift the third frequency band by-65 degrees (or 115 degrees).

The DRx controller B702 may similarly tune the second phase shift unit B724B and the third phase shift unit B724 c.

As another example, if the band select signal indicates that the first path, the second path, and the fourth path (through the fourth amplifier B314d) are to be activated, the DRx controller B702 may tune the first adjustable phase-shifting component B724a such that (1) for a signal propagating along the second path (in the second frequency band), the initial signal is in phase with a reflected signal that propagates in reverse along the first path, reflects off the band-pass filter B313a, and propagates in forward through the first path, and (2) for a signal propagating along the fourth path (in the fourth frequency band), the initial signal is in phase with a reflected signal that propagates in reverse along the first path, reflects off the band-pass filter B313a, and propagates in forward through the first path.

DRx controller B702 may tune the variable components of adjustable phase shift components B724a-B724d to have different values for different sets of frequency bands.

In some embodiments, the adjustable phase shift unit B724a-B724d is replaced by a fixed phase shift unit that is not adjustable or controlled by the DRx controller B702. Each phase shifting element corresponding to a frequency band disposed along a corresponding one of the paths may be configured to phase shift each of the other frequency bands such that an initial signal along the corresponding other path is in phase with a reflected signal propagating in a reverse direction along the one path, reflected off the corresponding band pass filter, and propagating in a forward direction through the one path.

For example, the third phase shifting component B724c may be fixed and configured to (1) phase shift the first frequency band such that an initial signal (propagating along the first path) at the first frequency is in phase with a reflected signal (propagating back along the third path), reflected off the third band-pass filter B313c, and propagating forward through the third path, (2) phase shift the second frequency band such that an initial signal (propagating along the second path) at the second frequency is in phase with a reflected signal (propagating back along the third path), reflected off the third band-pass filter B313c, and propagating forward through the third path, and (3) phase shifting the fourth frequency band such that the initial signal (propagating along the fourth path) at the fourth frequency is in phase with the reflected signal propagating in reverse along the third path, reflected off the third band pass filter B313c, and propagating in forward direction via the third path. Other phase shifting components may be similarly fixed and configured.

Accordingly, the DRx module B710 includes a DRx controller B702 configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between the input of the DRx module B710 and the output of the DRx module B710. The DRx module B710 further includes a plurality of amplifiers B314a-B314d, each of the plurality of amplifiers B314a-B314d disposed along a corresponding one of a plurality of paths and configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier. The DRx module further includes a plurality of phase shift blocks B724a-B724d, each of the plurality of phase shift blocks B724a-B724d disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and configured to phase shift a signal passing through the phase shift block.

In some embodiments, the first phase shifting component B724a is disposed along a first path corresponding to a first frequency band (e.g., the frequency band of the first band pass filter B313 a) and is configured to phase shift a second frequency band (e.g., the frequency band of the second band pass filter B313B) of the signals passing through the first phase shifting component B724a such that the initial signals propagating along the second path corresponding to the second frequency band and the reflected signals propagating along the first path are at least partially in phase.

In some embodiments, the first phase shifting block B724a is further configured to phase shift a third frequency band (e.g., the frequency band of the third band pass filter B313 c) in the signal passing through the first phase shifting block B724a such that the initial signal propagating along the third path corresponding to the third frequency band and the reflected signal propagating along the first path are at least partially in phase.

Similarly, in some embodiments, the second phase shifting component B724B disposed along the second path is configured to phase shift a first frequency band in a signal passing through the second phase shifting component B724B such that the initial signal propagating along the first path and the reflected signal propagating along the second path are at least partially in phase.

Fig. 17 shows that in some embodiments, the diversity receiver configuration BC1000 may comprise a DRx module BC1010 with adjustable impedance matching components arranged at the input and output. The DRx module BC1010 may include one or more adjustable impedance matching components disposed at one or more of the input and output of the DRx module BC 1010. In particular, the DRx module BC1010 may include an input tunable impedance matching block BC1016 disposed at an input of the DRx module BC1010, an output tunable impedance matching block BC1017 disposed at an output of the DRx module BC1010, or both.

It is unlikely that the multiple frequency bands received on the same diversity antenna 140 will all see the ideal impedance match. To match each frequency band using a compact matching circuit, an adjustable input impedance matching block BC1016 may be implemented at the input of the DRx module BC1010 and controlled by the DRx controller BC1002 (e.g., based on a band selection signal from the communication controller). For example, the DRx controller BC1002 may tune the tunable input impedance matching component BC1016 based on a look-up table that associates frequency bands (or sets of frequency bands) indicated by the frequency band selection signal with tuning parameters. Thus, in response to the band select signal, the DRx controller BC1002 may send an input impedance tuning signal to the tunable input impedance matching block BC1016 to tune the tunable input impedance matching block (or variable component thereof) in accordance with the tuning parameters.

The adjustable input impedance matching component BC1016 may be an adjustable T circuit, an adjustable PI circuit, or any other adjustable matching circuit. In particular, the adjustable input impedance matching component BC1016 may include one or more variable components, such as resistors, inductors, and capacitors. The variable components may be connected in parallel and/or series, and may be connected between the input of the DRx module BC1010 and the input of the first multiplexer BC311, or may be connected between the input of the DRx module BC1010 and the ground voltage.

Similarly, with only one transmission line 135 (or, at least, a small number of transmission lines) carrying signals for many frequency bands, it is unlikely that all of the multiple frequency bands will see perfect impedance matching. To match each frequency band using a compact matching circuit, an adjustable output impedance matching block BC1017 may be implemented at the output of the DRx module BC1010 and controlled by the DRx controller BC1002 (e.g., based on a band selection signal from the communication controller). For example, the DRx controller BC1002 may tune the tunable output impedance matching block BC1017 based on a look-up table associating the frequency band (or set of frequency bands) indicated by the frequency band selection signal with tuning parameters. Thus, in response to the band select signal, the DRx controller BC1002 may send an output impedance tuning signal to the tunable output impedance matching block BC1017 according to the tuning parameters to tune the tunable output impedance matching block (or a variable component thereof).

The adjustable output impedance matching block BC1017 may be an adjustable T circuit, an adjustable PI circuit, or any other adjustable matching circuit. In particular, the adjustable output impedance matching component BC1017 may comprise one or more variable components, such as resistors, inductors and capacitors. The variable components may be connected in parallel and/or series and may be connected between the output of the second multiplexer BC312 and the output of the DRx module BC1010, or may be connected between the output of the second multiplexer BC312 and a ground voltage.

Fig. 18 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration BC1100 may include a DRx module BC1110 having a plurality of adjustable components. The diversity receiver configuration BC1100 comprises a DRx module BC1110, the DRx module BC1110 having an input coupled to the antenna 140 and an output coupled to the transmission line 135. The DRx module BC1110 includes a plurality of paths between the input and output of the DRx module BC 1110. In some embodiments, the DRx module BC1110 includes one or more bypass paths (not shown) between the input and the output that are activated by one or more bypass switches controlled by the DRx controller BC 1102.

The DRx module BC1110 has a plurality of multiplexer paths including an input multiplexer BC311 and an output multiplexer BC 312. The multiplexer path includes a plurality of on-module paths (as shown) including an adjustable input impedance matching block BC1016, an input multiplexer BC311, a band pass filter BC313a-BC313d, adjustable impedance matching blocks BC934a-BC934d, amplifiers BC314a-BC314d, adjustable phase shift blocks BC724a-BC724d, an output multiplexer BC312, and an adjustable output impedance matching block BC 1017. The multiplexer path may include one or more off-module paths (not shown) as described herein. As also described herein, the amplifiers BC314a-BC314d may be variable gain amplifiers and/or variable current amplifiers.

The DRx controller BC1102 is configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between the input and the output. In some embodiments, the DRx controller BC1102 is configured to selectively activate one or more paths of the plurality of paths based on a band selection signal (e.g., from the communication controller) received by the DRx controller BC 1102. The DRx controller BC902 may selectively activate the paths by, for example, enabling or disabling the amplifiers BC314a-BC314d, controlling the multiplexers BC311, BC312, or by other mechanisms described herein. In some embodiments, the DRx controller BC1102 is configured to send amplifier control signals to one or more amplifiers BC314a-BC314d respectively disposed along one or more activation paths. The amplifier control signal controls the gain (or current) of the amplifier to which it is sent.

The DRx controller BC1102 is configured to tune one or more of the adjustable input impedance matching block BC1016, the adjustable impedance matching blocks BC934a-BC934d, the adjustable phase shifting blocks BC724a-BC724d, and the adjustable output impedance matching block BC 1017. For example, the DRx controller BC1102 may tune the tunable component based on a look-up table that associates the frequency band (or set of frequency bands) indicated by the frequency band selection signal with tuning parameters. Thus, in response to the band selection signal, the DRx controller BC1101 may send a tuning signal to the tunable component (of the active path) to tune the tunable component (or the variable component thereof) in accordance with the tuning parameters. In some embodiments, the DRx controller BC1102 tunes the adjustable components based at least in part on amplifier control signals sent to control the gain and/or current of the amplifiers BC314a-BC314 d. In various embodiments, one or more of the adjustable components may be replaced with fixed components that are not controlled by the DRx controller BC 1102.

It will be appreciated that tuning of one of the tunable components may affect tuning of the other tunable components. Thus, the tuning parameters for the first tunable component in the look-up table may be based on the tuning parameters for the second tunable component. For example, the tuning parameters for the adjustable phase shifting blocks BC724a-BC724d may be based on the tuning parameters for the adjustable impedance matching blocks BC934a-BC934 d. As another example, the tuning parameters for the adjustable impedance matching block BC934a-BC934d may be based on the tuning parameters for the adjustable input impedance matching block BC 1016.

FIG. 19 illustrates one embodiment of a flow representation of a method of processing RF signals. In some embodiments (and as an example as described in detail below), the method BC1200 is performed by a controller, such as the DRx controller BC1102 of fig. 18. In some embodiments, the method BC1200 is performed by processing logic comprising hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the method BC1200 is performed by a processor executing code stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium (e.g., memory). Briefly, the method BC1200 includes receiving a band selection signal and routing the received RF signal along one or more tuning paths to process the received RF signal.

The method BC1200 starts with the controller receiving a band selection signal at block BC 1210. The controller may receive the band selection signal from another controller or may receive the band selection signal from a cellular base station or other external source. The band selection signal may indicate one or more frequency bands in which the wireless device transmits and receives RF signals. In some embodiments, the band selection signal indicates a set of frequency bands for carrier aggregation communication.

At block BC1220, the controller selectively activates one or more paths of a diversity receiver (DRx) module based on the band selection signal. As described herein, a DRx module can include multiple paths between one or more inputs (coupled to one or more antennas) and one or more outputs (coupled to one or more transmission lines) of the DRx module. The paths may include bypass paths and multiplexer paths. The multiplexer path may include an on-module path and an off-module path.

The controller may selectively activate one or more of the plurality of paths by, for example, turning one or more bypass switches off or on, enabling or disabling amplifiers disposed along the paths via an amplifier enable signal, controlling one or more multiplexers via splitter control signals and/or combiner control signals, or by other mechanisms. For example, the controller may open or close switches disposed along the path, or set the gain of amplifiers disposed along the path to substantially zero.

At block BC1230, the controller sends a tuning signal to one or more tunable components disposed along one or more activation paths. The adjustable components may include one or more of an adjustable impedance matching component disposed at an input of the DRx module, a plurality of adjustable impedance matching components disposed along a plurality of paths, respectively, a plurality of adjustable phase shift components disposed along a plurality of paths, respectively, or an adjustable output impedance matching component disposed at an output of the DRx module.

The controller may tune the tunable component based on a look-up table that associates frequency bands (or sets of frequency bands) indicated by the band selection signal with tuning parameters. Thus, in response to the band select signal, the DRx controller can send a tuning signal to the tunable component (of the active path) to tune the tunable component (or the variable component thereof) according to the tuning parameters. In some embodiments, the controller tunes the tunable component based at least in part on an amplifier control signal sent to control the gain and/or current of one or more amplifiers respectively disposed along the one or more activation paths.

Without being limited thereto, the foregoing example B related to the phase shift section can be summarized as follows.

According to some embodiments, the present application relates to a receiving system comprising a controller configured to selectively activate one or more paths of a plurality of paths between an input of the receiving system and an output of the receiving system. The receiving system further includes a plurality of amplifiers. Each of the plurality of amplifiers is disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and is configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier. The receiving system further comprises a plurality of phase shifting elements. Each of the plurality of phase shift elements is disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and is configured to phase shift a signal passing through the phase shift element.

In some embodiments, a first phase shift element of the plurality of phase shift elements disposed along a first path of the plurality of paths corresponding to a first frequency band may be configured to phase shift a second frequency band of the signals passing through the first phase shift element such that a second initial signal propagating along a second path of the plurality of paths corresponding to the second frequency band and a second reflected signal propagating along the first path are at least partially in phase.

In some embodiments, a second phase shifting component of the plurality of phase shifting components disposed along a second path may be configured to phase shift a first frequency band in a signal passing through the second phase shifting component such that a first initial signal propagating along the first path and a first reflected signal propagating along the second path are at least partially in phase.

In some embodiments, the first phase shifting component may be further configured to phase shift a third frequency band in the signal passing through the first phase shifting component such that a third initial signal propagating along a third path of the plurality of paths corresponding to the third frequency band and a third reflected signal propagating along the first path are at least partially in phase.

In some embodiments, the first phase shifting element may be configured to phase shift the second frequency band in the signal passing through the first phase shifting element such that the second initial signal and the second reflected signal have a phase difference that is an integer multiple of 360 degrees.

In some embodiments, the receiving system may further comprise a multiplexer configured to separate an input signal received at the input into a plurality of signals of a plurality of respective frequency bands propagating along the plurality of paths. In some embodiments, the receiving system may further include a signal combiner configured to combine signals propagating along the plurality of paths. In some embodiments, the receiving system may further include a post-combiner amplifier disposed between the signal combiner and the output, the post-combiner amplifier configured to amplify signals received at the post-combiner amplifier. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of phase shifting elements may be disposed between the signal combiner and a respective one of the plurality of amplifiers. In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of amplifiers may comprise a dual stage amplifier.

In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of phase shifting elements may be a passive circuit. In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of phase shifting elements may be an LC circuit.

In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of phase shifting elements may comprise a tunable phase shifting element configured to phase shift a signal passing through the tunable phase shifting element by an amount controlled by a phase shift tuning signal received from a controller.

In some embodiments, the receiving system may further include a plurality of impedance matching components, each impedance matching component disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and configured to reduce at least one of an out-of-band noise figure or an out-of-band gain of the corresponding one of the plurality of paths.

In some embodiments, the present application relates to a Radio Frequency (RF) module including a package substrate configured to house a plurality of components. The RF module also includes a receiving system implemented on the package substrate. The receiving system includes a controller configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between an input of the receiving system and an output of the receiving system. The receiving system further includes a plurality of amplifiers. Each of the plurality of amplifiers is disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and is configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier. The receiving system further comprises a plurality of phase shifting elements. Each of the plurality of phase shift elements is disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and is configured to phase shift a signal passing through the phase shift element.

In some embodiments, a first phase shift element of the plurality of phase shift elements disposed along a first path of the plurality of paths corresponding to a first frequency band is configured to phase shift a second frequency band of the signal passing through the first phase shift element such that a second initial signal propagating along a second path of the plurality of paths corresponding to the second frequency band and a second reflected signal propagating along the first path are at least partially in phase.

In accordance with some teachings, the present application relates to a wireless device including a first antenna configured to receive a first Radio Frequency (RF) signal. The wireless device also includes a first Front End Module (FEM) in communication with the first antenna. The first FEM includes a package substrate configured to house a plurality of components. The first FEM also includes a receiving system implemented on the package substrate. The receiving system includes a controller configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between an input of the receiving system and an output of the receiving system. The receiving system further includes a plurality of amplifiers. Each of the plurality of amplifiers is disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and is configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier. The receiving system further comprises a plurality of phase shifting elements. Each of the plurality of phase shift elements is disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and is configured to phase shift a signal passing through the phase shift element. The wireless device also includes a transceiver configured to receive the processed version of the first RF signal from the output via the transmission line and to generate data bits based on the processed version of the first RF signal.

In some embodiments, the wireless device may also include a second antenna configured to receive a second Radio Frequency (RF) signal and a second FEM in communication with the second antenna. The transceiver may be configured to receive a processed version of a second RF signal from an output of the second FEM and to generate data bits based on the processed version of the second RF signal.

Example C: impedance deviation component

Fig. 15 shows that in some embodiments, the diversity receiver configuration C800 may include a DRx module C810 with one or more impedance matching components C834a-C834 b. The DRx module C810 includes two paths from the input of the DRx module C810 coupled to the antenna 140 to the output of the DRx module C810 coupled to the transmission line 135.

In DRx module C810 of fig. 15 (as in DRx module B610 of fig. 11), the signal separator and band pass filter are implemented as a diplexer C611. The diplexer C611 includes an input coupled to an antenna, a first output coupled to a first impedance matching block C834a, and a second output coupled to a second impedance matching block C834 b. At a first output, diplexer C611 outputs a signal received at an input (e.g., from antenna 140) filtered to a first frequency band. At the second output, diplexer C611 outputs signals received at the input, filtered to the second frequency band.

Each impedance matching block C834a-C834b is disposed between the diplexer C611 and the amplifiers C314a-C314 b. As described herein, each of the amplifiers C314a-C314b is disposed along a corresponding one of the paths and is configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier. The outputs of the amplifiers C314a-C314b are fed to a signal combiner C612.

The signal combiner C612 includes a first input coupled to the first amplifier C314a, a second input coupled to the second amplifier C314b, and an output coupled to the output of the DRx module C610. The signal at the output of the signal combiner is the sum of the signals at the first and second inputs.

When the signal is received by the antenna 140, the signal is filtered by the diplexer C611 to a first frequency band and propagates along a first path through the first amplifier C314 a. Similarly, the signal is filtered to a second frequency band by diplexer C611 and propagates along a second path through second amplifier C314 b.

Each path may be characterized by a noise figure and a gain. The noise figure of each path is an indication of the reduction in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) caused by amplifiers and impedance matching components disposed along the path. In particular, the noise figure of each path is the difference in decibels between the SNR at the input of the impedance matching block C834a-C834b and the SNR at the output of the amplifier C314a-C314 b. Thus, the noise figure is a measure of the difference between the noise output of the amplifier and the noise output of an ideal amplifier (which does not produce noise) with the same gain. Similarly, the gain of each path is representative of the gain caused by amplifiers and impedance matching components disposed along the path.

The noise figure and gain of each path may be different for different frequency bands. For example, the first path may have an in-band noise figure and an in-band gain for a first frequency band and an out-of-band noise figure and an out-of-band gain for a second frequency band. Similarly, the second path may have an in-band noise figure and an in-band gain for the second frequency band and an out-of-band noise figure and an out-of-band gain for the first frequency band.

The DRx module C810 may also be characterized by noise figure and gain, which may be different for different frequency bands. In particular, the noise figure of DRx module C810 is the difference in dB between the SNR at the input of DRx module C810 and the SNR at the output of DRx module C810.

The noise figure and gain (at each frequency band) of each path may depend at least in part on the impedance (at each frequency band) of the impedance matching components C834a-C834 b. Thus, it may be advantageous for the impedance of the impedance matching components C834a-C834b to be such that the in-band noise figure of each path is minimized and/or the in-band gain of each path is maximized. Thus, in some embodiments, each of the impedance matching blocks C834a-C834b is configured to reduce the in-band noise figure and/or increase the in-band gain of its respective path (as compared to a DRx module lacking such impedance matching blocks C834a-C834 b).

Because the signals propagating along the two paths are combined by signal combiner C612, out-of-band noise generated or amplified by the amplifier may have a negative impact on the combined signal. For example, out-of-band noise generated or amplified by the first amplifier C314a may increase the noise figure at the second frequency for the DRx module C810. Thus, it may be advantageous for the impedance of the impedance matching components C834a-C834b to be such that the out-of-band noise figure of each path is minimized and/or the out-of-band gain of each path is minimized. Thus, in some embodiments, each of the impedance matching blocks C834a-C834b is configured to reduce the out-of-band noise figure and/or reduce the out-of-band gain of its respective path (as compared to a DRx module lacking such impedance matching blocks C834a-C834 b).

The impedance matching components C834a-C834b may be implemented as passive circuits. In particular, the impedance matching components C834a-C834b may be implemented as RLC circuitry and include one or more passive components, such as resistors, inductors, and/or capacitors. The passive components may be connected in parallel and/or series and may be connected between the output of the diplexer C611 and the inputs of the amplifiers C314a-C314b or may be connected between the output of the diplexer C611 and a ground voltage. In some embodiments, the impedance matching components C834a-C834b are integrated into the same die or on the same package as the amplifiers C314a-C314 b.

As described herein, for a particular path, it may be advantageous for the impedance of the impedance matching block C834a-C834b to minimize the in-band noise figure, maximize the in-band gain, minimize the out-of-band noise figure, and minimize the out-of-band gain. Designing an impedance matching component C834a-C834b may be challenging to achieve all four of these goals with only two degrees of freedom (e.g., impedance at the first frequency band and impedance at the second frequency band) or with other various constraints (e.g., part count, cost, wafer space). Thus, in some embodiments, the in-band measure of the in-band noise figure minus the in-band gain is minimized and the out-band measure of the out-band noise figure plus the out-band gain is minimized. Designing the impedance matching components C834a-C834b to achieve both goals with various constraints may still be challenging. Thus, in some embodiments, the in-band metric is minimized according to a set of constraints, and the out-of-band metric is minimized according to the set of constraints and an additional constraint that the in-band metric does not increase by more than a threshold amount (e.g., 0.1dB, 0.2dB, 0.5dB, or any other value). Thus, the impedance matching component is configured to reduce the in-band metric of the in-band noise figure minus the in-band gain to within a threshold amount of the in-band metric minimum, e.g., the minimum feasible in-band metric in accordance with any constraints. The impedance matching component is further configured to reduce the out-of-band metric of the out-of-band noise figure plus the out-of-band gain to an out-of-band minimum of an in-band constraint, e.g., a minimum feasible out-of-band metric in accordance with an additional constraint that the in-band metric does not increase by more than a threshold amount. In some embodiments, the composite metric of the in-band metric (weighted by the in-band factor) plus the out-of-band metric (weighted by the out-of-band factor) is minimized according to any constraints.

Thus, in some embodiments, each impedance matching block C834a-C834b is configured to reduce an in-band metric (in-band noise figure minus in-band gain) of its respective path (e.g., by reducing the in-band noise figure, increasing the in-band gain, or both). In some embodiments, each impedance matching block C834a-C834b is further configured to reduce an out-of-band metric (out-of-band noise figure plus out-of-band gain) of its respective path (e.g., by reducing the out-of-band noise figure, reducing the out-of-band gain, or both).

In some embodiments, the impedance matching components C834a-C834b reduce the noise figure at one or more frequency bands of the DRx module C810 by reducing the out-of-band metric without substantially increasing the noise figure at other frequency bands.

Fig. 16 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration C900 may include a DRx module C910 with adjustable impedance matching components C934a-C934 d. Each of the adjustable impedance matching components C934a-C934d may be configured to present an impedance controlled by an impedance tuning signal received from the DRx controller C902.

The diversity receiver configuration C900 includes a DRx module C910, the DRx module C910 having an input coupled to the antenna 140 and an output coupled to the transmission line 135. The DRx module C910 includes a plurality of paths between the input and the output of the DRx module C910. In some embodiments, DRx module C910 includes one or more bypass paths (not shown) between the input and output that are activated by one or more bypass switches controlled by DRx controller C902.

The DRx module C910 has a plurality of multiplexer paths including an input multiplexer C311 and an output multiplexer C312. The multiplexer path includes a plurality of on-module paths (as shown) including an input multiplexer C311, band pass filters C313a-C313d, adjustable impedance matching components C934a-C934d, amplifiers C314a-C314d, and an output multiplexer C312. The multiplexer path may include one or more off-module paths (not shown) as described herein. As also described herein, the amplifiers C314a-C314d may be variable gain amplifiers and/or variable current amplifiers.

The adjustable impedance matching components C934a-C934b may be adjustable T circuits, adjustable PI circuits, or any other adjustable matching circuits. The adjustable impedance matching components C934a-C934d may include one or more variable components, such as resistors, inductors, and capacitors. The variable components may be connected in parallel and/or series and may be connected between the output of the input multiplexer C311 and the inputs of the amplifiers C314a-C314d or may be connected between the output of the input multiplexer C311 and a ground voltage.

The DRx controller C902 is configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between the input and the output. In some embodiments, the DRx controller C902 is configured to selectively activate one or more paths of the plurality of paths based on a band selection signal (e.g., from a communication controller) received by the DRx controller C902. The DRx controller C902 may selectively activate paths by, for example, enabling or disabling the amplifiers C314a-C314d, controlling the multiplexers C311, C312, or by other mechanisms described herein.

In some embodiments, the DRx controller C902 is configured to tune the tunable impedance matching component C934a-C934 d. In some implementations, the DRx controller C902 tunes the adjustable impedance matching components C934a-C934d based on the band select signal. For example, the DRx controller C902 may tune the adjustable impedance matching components C934a-C934d based on a lookup table that associates frequency bands (or sets of frequency bands) indicated by the frequency band selection signal with tuning parameters. Thus, in response to the band select signal, the DRx controller C902 may send an impedance tuning signal to the tunable impedance matching component C934a-C934d of each active path to tune the tunable impedance matching component (or variable component thereof) according to the tuning parameters.

In some embodiments, the DRx controller C902 tunes the adjustable impedance matching blocks C934a-C934d based at least in part on amplifier control signals sent to control the gain and/or current of the amplifiers C314a-C314 d.

In some embodiments, the DRx controller C902 is configured to tune the adjustable impedance matching components C934a-C934d of each activation path such that the in-band noise figure is minimized (or reduced), the in-band gain is maximized (or increased), the out-of-band noise figure for each other activation path is minimized (or reduced), and/or the out-of-band gain for each other activation path is minimized (or reduced).

In some embodiments, the DRx controller C902 is configured to tune the adjustable impedance matching components C934a-C934d of each activation path such that the in-band metric (in-band noise figure minus in-band gain) is minimized (or reduced) and the out-of-band metric (out-of-band noise figure plus out-of-band gain) for each other activation path is minimized (or reduced).

In some embodiments, the DRx controller C902 is configured to tune the adjustable impedance matching components C934a-C934d of each activation path such that the in-band metric is minimized (or reduced) according to a set of constraints, the out-of-band metric for each other activation path is minimized (or reduced) according to the set of constraints and additional constraints, the additional constraints being that the in-band metric does not increase by more than a threshold amount (e.g., 0.1dB, 0.2dB, 0.5dB, or any other value).

Thus, in some embodiments, the DRx controller C902 is configured to tune the adjustable impedance matching components C934a-C934d of each active path such that the adjustable impedance matching components reduce the in-band measure of in-band noise figure minus in-band gain to within a threshold amount of the in-band measure minimum, e.g., the minimum feasible in-band measure in accordance with any constraints. The DRx controller C902 may be further configured to tune the adjustable impedance matching components C934a-C934d of each activation path such that the adjustable impedance matching components reduce the out-of-band metric of the out-of-band noise figure plus the out-of-band gain to an out-of-band minimum of an in-band constraint, e.g., the additional constraint being that the in-band metric does not increase by more than a threshold amount, in accordance with a minimum feasible out-of-band metric of the additional constraint.

In some embodiments, the DRx controller C902 is configured to tune the adjustable impedance matching components C934a-C934d of each activation path such that the composite metric of the in-band metric (weighted by the in-band factor) plus the out-of-band metric for each other activation path (weighted by the out-of-band factor for each other activation path) is minimized (or reduced) according to any constraints.

The DRx controller C902 may tune the variable components of the adjustable impedance matching components C934a-C934d to have different values for different sets of frequency bands.

In some embodiments, the adjustable impedance matching components C934a-C934d are replaced by fixed impedance matching components that are not adjustable or controlled by the DRx controller C902. Each impedance matching component disposed along a corresponding one of the paths corresponding to one frequency band may be configured to reduce (or minimize) an in-band metric for the one frequency band and to reduce (or minimize) an out-of-band metric for one or more other frequency bands (e.g., each other frequency band).

For example, the third impedance matching block C934C may be fixed and configured to (1) reduce an in-band metric for a third frequency band, (2) reduce an out-of-band metric for a first frequency band, (3) reduce an out-of-band metric for a second frequency band, and/or (4) reduce an out-of-band metric for a fourth frequency band. Other impedance matching components may be similarly fixed and configured.

Accordingly, the DRx module C910 includes a DRx controller C902 configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between an input of the DRx module C910 and an output of the DRx module C910. The DRx module C910 also includes a plurality of amplifiers C314a-C314d, each of the plurality of amplifiers C314a-C314d disposed along a corresponding one of a plurality of paths and configured to amplify signals received at the amplifier. The DRx module further includes a plurality of impedance matching blocks C934a-C934d, each of the plurality of impedance matching blocks C934a-C934d disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and configured to reduce at least one of an out-of-band noise figure or an out-of-band gain of the one of the plurality of paths.

In some embodiments, the first impedance matching component C934a is disposed along a first path corresponding to a first frequency band (e.g., the frequency band of the first band pass filter C313 a) and configured to reduce at least one of an out-of-band noise figure or an out-of-band gain of a second frequency band (e.g., the frequency band of the second band pass filter C313 b) corresponding to a second path.

In some embodiments, the first impedance matching component C934a is further configured to reduce at least one of an out-of-band noise figure or an out-of-band gain of a third frequency band corresponding to the third path (e.g., the frequency band of the third band-pass filter C313C).

Similarly, in some embodiments, the second impedance matching component C934b disposed along the second path is configured to reduce at least one of an out-of-band noise figure or an out-of-band gain of the first frequency band.

Without being limited thereto, the foregoing example C related to the impedance shift component may be summarized as follows.

According to some embodiments, the present application relates to a receiving system comprising a controller configured to selectively activate one or more paths of a plurality of paths between an input of the receiving system and an output of the receiving system. The receiving system further includes a plurality of amplifiers. Each of the plurality of amplifiers is disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and is configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier. The receiving system further includes a plurality of impedance matching components. Each of the plurality of impedance matching components is disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and is configured to reduce at least one of an out-of-band noise figure or an out-of-band gain of the one of the plurality of paths.

In some embodiments, a first impedance matching component of the plurality of impedance matching components disposed along a first path of the plurality of paths corresponding to a first frequency band may be configured to reduce at least one of an out-of-band noise figure or an out-of-band gain of a second frequency band corresponding to a second path of the plurality of paths.

In some embodiments, a second impedance matching component of the plurality of impedance matching components disposed along the second path may be configured to reduce at least one of an out-of-band noise figure or an out-of-band gain of the first frequency band. In some embodiments, the first impedance matching component may be further configured to reduce at least one of an out-of-band noise figure or an out-of-band gain of a third frequency band corresponding to a third path of the plurality of paths.

In some embodiments, the first impedance matching component may be further configured to reduce an in-band noise figure and/or increase an in-band gain for the first frequency band. In some embodiments, the first impedance matching component may be configured to reduce the in-band measure of the in-band noise figure minus the in-band gain to within a threshold amount of the in-band measure minimum. In some embodiments, the first impedance matching component may be configured to reduce an out-of-band metric of the out-of-band noise figure plus the out-of-band gain to an out-of-band minimum of the in-band constraint.

In some embodiments, the receiving system may further comprise a multiplexer configured to separate an input signal received at the input into a plurality of signals of a plurality of respective frequency bands propagating along the plurality of paths. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of impedance matching blocks may be disposed between the multiplexer and a respective one of the plurality of amplifiers. In some embodiments, the receiving system may further include a signal combiner configured to combine signals propagating along the plurality of paths.

In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of impedance components may be a passive circuit. In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of impedance matching blocks may be an RLC circuit.

In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of impedance matching components may comprise a tunable impedance matching component configured to present an impedance controlled by an impedance tuning signal received from the controller.

In some embodiments, the first impedance matching means disposed along a first path of the plurality of paths corresponding to the first frequency band may be further configured to phase shift a second frequency band of the signals passing through the first impedance matching means such that an initial signal propagating along a second path of the plurality of paths corresponding to the second frequency band and a reflected signal propagating along the first path are at least partially in phase.

In some embodiments, the present application relates to a Radio Frequency (RF) module including a package substrate configured to house a plurality of components. The RF module also includes a receiving system implemented on the package substrate. The receiving system includes a controller configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between an input of the receiving system and an output of the receiving system. The receiving system further includes a plurality of amplifiers. Each of the plurality of amplifiers is disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and is configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier. The receiving system further includes a plurality of impedance matching components. Each of the plurality of impedance matching components is disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and is configured to reduce at least one of an out-of-band noise figure or an out-of-band gain of the one of the plurality of paths. In some embodiments, the RF module may be a diversity receiver Front End Module (FEM).

In accordance with some teachings, the present application relates to a wireless device including a first antenna configured to receive a first Radio Frequency (RF) signal. The wireless device also includes a first Front End Module (FEM) in communication with the first antenna. The first FEM includes a package substrate configured to house a plurality of components. The first FEM also includes a receiving system implemented on the package substrate. The receiving system includes a controller configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between an input of the receiving system and an output of the receiving system. The receiving system further includes a plurality of amplifiers. Each of the plurality of amplifiers is disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and is configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier. The receiving system further includes a plurality of impedance matching components. Each of the plurality of impedance matching components is disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and is configured to reduce at least one of an out-of-band noise figure or an out-of-band gain of the one of the plurality of paths. The wireless device also includes a transceiver configured to receive the processed version of the first RF signal from the output via the transmission line and to generate data bits based on the processed version of the first RF signal.

In some embodiments, a first impedance matching component of the plurality of impedance matching components disposed along a first path of the plurality of paths corresponding to a first frequency band is configured to reduce at least one of an out-of-band noise figure or an out-of-band gain of a second frequency band corresponding to a second path of the plurality of paths.

Example D: post-amplifier filter

Fig. 20 shows that in some embodiments, the diversity receiver configuration D400 may include a diversity receiver (DRx) module D410, the DRx module D410 having a plurality of bandpass filters D423a-D423D disposed at the outputs of the plurality of amplifiers D314 a-D314D. The diversity receiver configuration D400 includes a DRx module D410, the DRx module D410 having an input coupled to the antenna 140 and an output coupled to the transmission line 135. The DRx module D410 includes a plurality of paths between the input and the output of the DRx module D410. Each path includes an input multiplexer D311, pre-amplifier bandpass filters D413a-D413D, amplifiers D314a-D314D, post-amplifier bandpass filters D423a-D423D, and an output multiplexer D312.

The DRx controller D302 is configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between the input and the output. In some embodiments, the DRx controller D302 is configured to selectively activate one or more paths of the plurality of paths based on a band selection signal (e.g., from a communication controller) received by the DRx controller D302. The DRx controller D302 may selectively activate the paths by, for example, enabling or disabling the amplifiers D314a-D314D, controlling the multiplexers D311, D312, or by other mechanisms.

The output of the DRx module D410 is passed to the diversity RF module D420 via the transmission line 135, which differs from the diversity RF module 320 in fig. 3 in that the diversity RF module D420 in fig. 20 does not include a downstream band pass filter. In some embodiments (e.g., as shown in fig. 20), the downstream multiplexer D321 may be implemented as a sampling switch.

The inclusion of the post-amplifier bandpass filters D423a-D423D within the DRx module D410 instead of the diversity RF module D420 may provide a number of advantages. For example, as described in detail below, such a configuration may improve the noise figure of the DRx module D410, simplify filter design, and/or improve path isolation.

Each path of the DRx module D410 may be characterized by a noise figure. The noise figure of each path is an indication of the reduction in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) caused by propagation along the path. In particular, the noise figure for each path may be represented as the difference in decibels (dB) between the SNR at the input to the pre-amplifier bandpass filter D413a-D413D and the SNR at the output of the post-amplifier bandpass filter D423a-D4234 b. The noise figure of each path may be different for different frequency bands. For example, the first path may have an in-band noise figure for a first frequency band and an out-of-band noise figure for a second frequency band. Similarly, the second path may have an in-band noise figure for the second frequency band and an out-of-band noise figure for the first frequency band.

The DRx module D410 may also be characterized by noise figure that may be different for different frequency bands. In particular, the noise figure of the DRx module D410 is the difference in dB between the SNR at the input of the DRx module D410 and the SNR at the output of the DRx module D410.

Because the signals propagating along the two paths are combined by output multiplexer D312, out-of-band noise generated or amplified by the amplifier may have a negative impact on the combined signal. For example, the out-of-band noise generated or amplified by the first amplifier D314a may increase the noise figure at the second frequency for the DRx module D410. Accordingly, the post-amplifier bandpass filter D423a disposed along the path may reduce out-of-band noise and reduce the noise figure of the DRx module D410 at the second frequency.

In some embodiments, the pre-amplifier band pass filters D413a-D413D and the post-amplifier band pass filters D423a-D423D may be designed to be complementary, thereby simplifying filter design and/or achieving similar performance with fewer components at reduced cost. For example, the post-amplifier bandpass filter D423a disposed along the first path may attenuate more strongly frequencies that the pre-amplifier bandpass filter D413a disposed along the first path attenuates less strongly. As an example, the pre-amplifier bandpass filter D413a may attenuate frequencies below the first frequency band more than frequencies above the first frequency band. Complementarily, the post-amplifier bandpass filter D423a may attenuate frequencies above the first frequency band more than frequencies below the first frequency band. Thus, together, the pre-amplifier band pass filter D413a and the post-amplifier band pass filter D423a attenuate all out-of-band frequencies with fewer components. In general, one of the band-pass filters disposed along the path may attenuate frequencies below the corresponding frequency band of the path more than frequencies above the corresponding frequency band, and the other band-pass filter disposed along the path may attenuate frequencies above the corresponding frequency band more than frequencies below the corresponding frequency band. The pre-amplifier band pass filters D413a-D413D and the post-amplifier band pass filters D423a-D423D may be otherwise complementary. For example, the pre-amplifier bandpass filter D413a disposed along the first path may phase shift the signal by a number of degrees and the post-amplifier bandpass filter D423a disposed along the first path may phase shift the signal by the opposite number of degrees.

In some embodiments, the post-amplifier bandpass filters D423a-D423D may improve path isolation. For example, without the post-amplifier bandpass filter, the signal propagating along the first path may be filtered to the first frequency by pre-amplifier bandpass filter D413a and amplified by amplifier D314 a. The signal may leak through the output multiplexer D312 to propagate back along the second path and reflect off the amplifier D314b, the pre-amplifier bandpass filter D413b, or other components disposed along the second path. If the reflected signal is out of phase with the original signal, this may result in a reduction of the signal when combined by output multiplexer D312. In contrast, with the post-amplifier bandpass filter, the leakage signal (primarily in the first frequency band) is attenuated by the post-amplifier bandpass filter D423b disposed along the second path and associated with the second frequency band, reducing the effect of any reflected signal.

Thus, the DRx module D410 includes a controller configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between an input of a first multiplexer (e.g., input multiplexer D311) and an output of a second multiplexer (e.g., output multiplexer D312). The DRx module D410 also includes a plurality of amplifiers D314a-D314D, each of the plurality of amplifiers D314a-D314D disposed along a corresponding one of a plurality of paths and configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier. The DRx module D410 includes a first plurality of bandpass filters (e.g., post-amplifier bandpass filters D423a-D423D), each of the first plurality of bandpass filters disposed at an output of a corresponding one of the plurality of amplifiers D314a-D314D along a corresponding one of a plurality of paths and configured to filter a signal received at the bandpass filter to a respective frequency band. As shown in fig. 20, in some embodiments, the DRx module D410 further includes a second plurality of band pass filters (e.g., pre-amplifier band pass filters D413a-D413D), each of the second plurality of band pass filters being disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths at an input of a corresponding one of the plurality of amplifiers D314a-D314D and configured to filter a signal received at the band pass filter to a respective frequency band.

Fig. 21 shows that in some embodiments, diversity receiver configuration D450 may include diversity RF module D460 having fewer amplifiers than diversity receiver (DRx) module D410. As described herein, in some embodiments, the diversity RF module D460 may not include a band pass filter. Thus, in some embodiments, the one or more amplifiers D424 of the diversity RF module D460 need not be band specific. In particular, the diversity RF module D460 may include one or more paths, each path including an amplifier D424, that are not mapped to path 1 to 1 of the DRx module 410. A mapping of such paths (or corresponding amplifiers) may be stored in the controller 120.

Thus, while the DRx module D410 includes multiple paths, each path corresponding to a frequency band, the diversity RF module D460 may include one or more paths (from the input of the diversity RF module D460 to the input of the multiplexer D321) that do not correspond to a single frequency band.

In some embodiments (as shown in fig. 21), the diversity RF module D460 includes a single wide band or tunable amplifier D424 that amplifies the signal received from the transmission line 135 and outputs the amplified signal to the multiplexer D321. In some embodiments, multiplexer D321 may be implemented as a sampling switch. In some embodiments, the diversity RF module D460 does not include any amplifiers.

In some embodiments, the diversity signal is a single-band signal. Thus, in some embodiments, multiplexer D321 is a Single Pole Multiple Throw (SPMT) switch that routes the diversity signal to one of the plurality of outputs corresponding to the frequency band of the single frequency band signal based on the signal received from controller 120. In some embodiments, the diversity signal is a multi-band signal. Thus, in some embodiments, multiplexer D421 is a band splitter that routes the diversity signal to two or more of the plurality of outputs corresponding to two or more frequency bands of the multi-band signal based on splitter control signals received from controller 120. In some embodiments, the diversity RF module D460 may be combined with the transceiver D330 as a single module.

In some embodiments, the diversity RF module D460 includes a plurality of amplifiers, each amplifier corresponding to a set of frequency bands. The signal from the transmission line 135 may be fed into a band splitter that outputs a high frequency to high frequency amplifier along a first path and a low frequency to low frequency amplifier along a second path. The output of each amplifier may be provided to a multiplexer D321, the multiplexer D321 configured to route the signal to a corresponding input of the transceiver D330.

Fig. 22 shows that in some embodiments, the diversity receiver configuration D500 may include a DRx module D510 coupled to one or more out-of-module filters D513, D523. The DRx module D510 may include a package substrate D501 configured to accommodate a plurality of components and a receiving system implemented on the package substrate D501. The DRx module D510 may include one or more signal paths that are routed out of the DRx module D510 and allow a system integrator, designer, or manufacturer to support filters for any desired frequency band.

The DRx module D510 includes a plurality of paths between the input and the output of the DRx module D510. The DRx module D510 includes a bypass path between the input and output that is activated by a bypass switch D519 controlled by the DRx controller D502. Although fig. 22 illustrates a single bypass switch D519, in some embodiments, the bypass switch D519 may include multiple switches (e.g., a first switch disposed physically near the input and a second switch disposed physically near the output). As shown in fig. 22, the bypass path does not include a filter or an amplifier.

The DRx module D510 has a plurality of multiplexer paths including a first multiplexer D511 and a second multiplexer D512. The multiplexer path includes a plurality of on-module paths including a first multiplexer D511, pre-amplifier bandpass filters D413a-D413D implemented on the package substrate D501, amplifiers D314a-D314D implemented on the package substrate D501, post-amplifier bandpass filters D423a-D423D implemented on the package substrate D501, and a second multiplexer D512. The multiplexer path includes one or more off-module paths including a first multiplexer D511, a pre-amplifier bandpass filter D513 implemented outside the package substrate D501, an amplifier D514, a post-amplifier bandpass filter D523 implemented outside the package substrate D501, and a second multiplexer D512. Amplifier D514 may be a broadband amplifier implemented on package substrate D501 or may be implemented outside package substrate D501. In some embodiments, one or more off-module paths do not include pre-amplifier bandpass filter D513, but do include post-amplifier bandpass filter D523. As described herein, the amplifiers D314a-D314D, D514 may be variable gain amplifiers and/or variable current amplifiers.

The DRx controller D502 is configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between the input and the output. In some embodiments, the DRx controller D502 is configured to selectively activate one or more paths of the plurality of paths based on a band selection signal (e.g., from a communication controller) received by the DRx controller D502. The DRx controller D502 may selectively activate the paths by, for example, opening or closing the bypass switch D519, enabling or disabling the amplifiers D314a-D314D, D514, controlling the multiplexer D511D512, or by other mechanisms. For example, the DRx controller D502 may turn off or on the switches along the path (e.g., between the filters D313a-D313D, D513 and the amplifiers D314a-D314D, D514), or by setting the gains of the amplifiers D314a-D314D, D514 to substantially zero.

Fig. 23 shows that in some embodiments, diversity receiver configuration D600 may include a DRx module D610 with adjustable matching circuitry. In particular, the DRx module D610 may include one or more adjustable matching circuits disposed at one or more of the inputs and outputs of the DRx module D610.

It is unlikely that the multiple frequency bands received on the same diversity antenna 140 will all see the ideal impedance match. To match each frequency band using a compact matching circuit, an adjustable input matching circuit D616 may be implemented at the input of the DRx module D610 and controlled by the DRx controller D602 (e.g., based on a band selection signal from the communication controller). The DRx controller D602 may tune the tunable input matching circuit D616 based on a look-up table that associates frequency bands (or a set of frequency bands) with tuning parameters. The tunable input matching circuit D616 may be a tunable T circuit, a tunable PI circuit, or any other tunable matching circuit. In particular, adjustable input matching circuit D616 may include one or more variable components, such as resistors, inductors, and capacitors. The variable components may be connected in parallel and/or series, and may be connected between the input of the DRx module D610 and the input of the first multiplexer D311, or may be connected between the input of the DRx module D610 and a ground voltage.

Similarly, with only one transmission line 135 (or, at least, a small number of cables) carrying signals for many frequency bands, it is unlikely that all of the multiple frequency bands will see perfect impedance matching. To match each frequency band using a compact matching circuit, an adjustable output matching circuit D617 may be implemented at the output of the DRx module D610 and controlled by the DRx controller D602 (e.g., based on a band selection signal from the communication controller). The DRx controller D602 may tune the tunable output matching circuit D618 based on a lookup table that associates frequency bands (or a set of frequency bands) with tuning parameters. The adjustable output matching circuit D617 may be an adjustable T circuit, an adjustable PI circuit, or any other adjustable matching circuit. In particular, adjustable output matching circuit D617 may include one or more variable components, such as resistors, inductors, and capacitors. The variable components may be connected in parallel and/or series, and may be connected between the output of the DRx module D610 and the output of the second multiplexer D312, or may be connected between the output of the DRx module D610 and a ground voltage.

Without being limited thereto, the foregoing example D relating to the post-amplifier filter may be summarized as follows.

According to some embodiments, the present application relates to a receiving system comprising a controller configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between an input of a first multiplexer and an output of a second multiplexer. The receiving system may include a plurality of amplifiers. Each of the plurality of amplifiers may be disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and may be configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier. The receiving system may include a first plurality of band pass filters. Each of the first plurality of band pass filters may be disposed at an output of a corresponding one of the plurality of amplifiers along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and may be configured to filter a signal received at the band pass filter to a respective frequency band.

In some embodiments, the receiving system may further comprise a second plurality of band pass filters. Each of the second plurality of band pass filters may be disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths at an input of a corresponding one of the plurality of amplifiers and may be configured to filter a signal received at the band pass filter to a respective frequency band.

In some embodiments, one of the first plurality of band pass filters disposed along a first path and one of the second plurality of band pass filters disposed along the first path may be complementary. In some embodiments, one of the band pass filters disposed along the first path may attenuate frequencies below the corresponding frequency band more than frequencies below the corresponding frequency band, and another of the band pass filters disposed along the first path may attenuate frequencies below the corresponding frequency band more than frequencies below the corresponding frequency band.

In some embodiments, the receiving system may further include a transmission line coupled to an output of the second multiplexer and to a downstream module including a downstream multiplexer. In some embodiments, the downstream module does not include a downstream band pass filter. In some embodiments, the downstream multiplexer comprises a sampling switch. In some embodiments, the downstream module may include one or more downstream amplifiers. In some embodiments, the number of the one or more downstream amplifiers may be less than the number of the plurality of amplifiers.

In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of amplifiers may comprise a low noise amplifier.

In some embodiments, the receiving system may further comprise one or more adjustable matching circuits provided at one or more of the input of the first multiplexer and the output of the second multiplexer.

In some embodiments, the controller may be configured to selectively activate one or more of the plurality of paths based on a band selection signal received by the controller. In some embodiments, the controller may be configured to selectively activate one or more of the plurality of paths by sending a splitter control signal to the first multiplexer and a combiner control signal to the second multiplexer.

In some embodiments, the present application relates to a Radio Frequency (RF) module including a package substrate configured to house a plurality of components. The RF module also includes a receiving system implemented on the package substrate. The receiving system includes a controller configured to selectively activate one or more paths of a plurality of paths between an input of a first multiplexer and an output of a second multiplexer. The receiving system further includes a plurality of amplifiers. Each of the plurality of amplifiers may be disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and may be configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier. The receiving system further includes a first plurality of band pass filters. Each of the first plurality of band pass filters may be disposed at an output of a corresponding one of the plurality of amplifiers along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and may be configured to filter a signal received at the band pass filter to a respective frequency band.

In some embodiments, the plurality of paths may include an off-module path including an off-module bandpass filter and one of the plurality of amplifiers.

In accordance with some teachings, the present application relates to a wireless device including a first antenna configured to receive a first Radio Frequency (RF) signal. The wireless device also includes a first Front End Module (FEM) in communication with the first antenna. The first FEM includes a package substrate configured to house a plurality of components. The first FEM also includes a receiving system implemented on the package substrate. The receiving system includes a controller configured to selectively activate one or more paths of a plurality of paths between an input of a first multiplexer and an output of a second multiplexer. The receiving system further includes a plurality of amplifiers. Each of the plurality of amplifiers may be disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and may be configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier. The receiving system further includes a first plurality of band pass filters. Each of the first plurality of band pass filters may be disposed at an output of a corresponding one of the plurality of amplifiers along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and may be configured to filter a signal received at the band pass filter to a respective frequency band. The wireless device also includes a communication module configured to receive the processed version of the first RF signal from the output via the transmission line and to generate data bits based on the processed version of the first RF signal.

In some embodiments, the receiving system further comprises a second plurality of band pass filters. Each of the second plurality of band pass filters may be disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths at an input of a corresponding one of the plurality of amplifiers and may be configured to filter a signal received at the band pass filter to a respective frequency band.

Example E: switching network

Fig. 24 shows that in some embodiments, the diversity receiver configuration E500 may include a DRx module E510 with a single pole single throw switch E519. The DRx module E510 includes two paths from the input of the DRx module E510 coupled to the antenna 140 to the output of the DRx module E510 coupled to the transmission line 135. The DRx module E510 includes a plurality of amplifiers E514a-E514b, each of the plurality of amplifiers E514a-E514b disposed along a corresponding one of a plurality of paths and configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier. In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 24, at least one of the plurality of amplifiers comprises a dual stage amplifier.

In the DRx module E510 of fig. 24, the signal separator and the band pass filter are implemented as a diplexer E511. The diplexer E511 comprises an input coupled to the antenna 140, a first output coupled to a phase shifting element E527a arranged along the first path, and a second output coupled to a second phase shifting element E527b arranged along the second path. At a first output, diplexer E511 outputs a signal received at an input (e.g., from antenna 140) filtered to a first frequency band. At a second output, diplexer E511 outputs the signal received at the input, filtered to a second frequency band. In some embodiments, diplexer E511 may be replaced with a triplexer, a quadruplexer, or any other multiplexer configured to split an input signal received at an input of DRx module E510 into a plurality of signals at a corresponding plurality of frequency bands that propagate along a plurality of paths.

In some embodiments, an output multiplexer or other signal combiner disposed at the output of the DRx module, such as the second multiplexer 312 of fig. 3, may degrade the performance of the DRx module when receiving single-band signals. For example, the output multiplexer may attenuate a single-band signal or introduce noise to a single-band signal. In some embodiments, when multiple amplifiers, such as amplifiers 314a-314d of fig. 3, are simultaneously enabled to support a multi-band signal, each amplifier may introduce not only in-band noise, but also out-of-band noise for each of the other multiple bands.

The DRx module E510 of fig. 24 solves some of these problems. The DRx module E510 includes a Single Pole Single Throw (SPST) switch E519 that couples the first path to the second path. To operate in single band mode for the first frequency band, the switch E519 is placed in an open position, the first amplifier E514a is enabled, and the second amplifier E514b is disabled. Accordingly, a single band signal of the first frequency band propagates along the first path from the antenna 140 to the transmission line 135 without switching loss. Similarly, to operate in the single band mode for the second frequency band, the switch E519 is placed in the open position, the first amplifier E514a is disabled, and the second amplifier E514b is enabled. Therefore, the single-band signal of the second frequency band propagates from the antenna 140 to the transmission line 135 along the second path without switching loss.

To operate in the multi-band mode for the first and second frequency bands, the switch E519 is placed in an on position, the first amplifier E514a is enabled, and the second amplifier E514b is disabled. Thus, a first frequency band portion in the multi-band signal propagates along a first path through the first phase shifting block E527a, the first impedance matching block E526a, and the first amplifier E514 a. The first frequency band portion is prevented from traversing switch E519 and propagating back along a second path through a second phase shifting element E527 b. In particular, the first phase shifting element E527a is configured to phase shift a first frequency band portion of a signal passing through the second phase shifting element E527b to maximize (or at least increase) impedance at the first frequency band.

A second band portion of the multi-band signal propagates along a second path through the second phase shifting component E527b, across the switch E519, and along a first path through the first impedance matching component E526a and the first amplifier E314 a. The second frequency band portion is prevented from propagating back along the first path through the first phase shifting element E527 a. In particular, the first phase shifting element E527a is configured to phase shift the second frequency band portion in the signal passing through the first phase shifting element E527a to maximize (or at least increase) the impedance at the second frequency band.

Each path may be characterized by a noise figure and a gain. The noise figure of each path is indicative of the reduction in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) caused by the amplifier and impedance matching blocks E526a-E526b disposed along the path. In particular, the noise figure of each path is the difference in decibels between the SNR at the input to the impedance matching blocks E526a-E526b and the SNR at the output of the amplifiers E314a-E314 b. Thus, the noise figure is a measure of the difference between the noise output of the amplifier and the noise output of an ideal amplifier (which does not produce noise) with the same gain.

The noise figure of each path may be different for different frequency bands. For example, the first path may have a first noise figure for a first frequency band and a second noise figure for a second frequency band. The noise figure and gain (at each frequency band) of each path may depend, at least in part, on the impedance (at each frequency band) of the impedance matching block E526a E526 b. Thus, it may be advantageous for the impedance of the impedance matching components E526a-E526b to minimize (or reduce) the noise figure of each path.

In some implementations, the second impedance matching component E526b presents an impedance that minimizes (or reduces) the noise figure of the second frequency band. In some embodiments, the first impedance matching block E526a minimizes (or reduces) the noise figure of the first frequency band. Since the second frequency band portion in the multi-band signal may partially propagate along the first portion, in some embodiments, the first impedance matching component E526a minimizes (or reduces) a metric including a noise figure of the first frequency band and a noise figure of the second frequency band.

The impedance matching components E526a-E526b may be implemented as passive circuits. In particular, the impedance matching components E526a-E526b may be implemented as RLC circuits and include one or more passive components, such as resistors, inductors, and/or capacitors. The passive components may be connected in parallel and/or series and may be connected between the outputs of the phase shift components E527a-E527b and the inputs of the amplifiers E514a-E514b or may be connected between the outputs of the phase shift components E527a-E527b and a ground voltage.

Similarly, phase shift elements E527a-E527b may be implemented as passive circuits. In particular, phase shifting components E527a-E527b may be implemented as LC circuits and include one or more passive components, such as inductors and/or capacitors. The passive components may be connected in parallel and/or series, and may be connected between the output of the diplexer E511 and the inputs of the impedance matching components E526a-E526b or may be connected between the output of the diplexer E511 and a ground voltage.

Figure 25 shows that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration E600 may include a DRx module E610 with adjustable phase shift components E627a-E627 d. Each of the adjustable phase shift components E627a-E627d may be configured to phase shift a signal passing through the adjustable phase shift component by an amount controlled by a phase shift tuning signal received from the controller.

The diversity receiver configuration E600 includes a DRx module E610, the DRx module E610 having an input coupled to the antenna 140 and an output coupled to the transmission line 135. The DRx module E610 includes a plurality of paths between the input and the output of the DRx module E610. Each path includes a multiplexer E311, a band pass filter E313a-E313d, adjustable phase shift components E627a-E627d, a switching network E612, adjustable impedance matching components E626a-E626d, and amplifiers E314a-E314 d. As also described herein, amplifiers E314a-E314d may be variable gain amplifiers and/or variable current amplifiers.

The adjustable phase shift components E627a-E627d may include one or more variable components, such as inductors and capacitors. The variable components may be connected in parallel and/or series, and may be connected between the output of the multiplexer E311 and the input of the switching network E612, or may be connected between the output of the multiplexer and a ground voltage.

The adjustable impedance matching components E626a-E626d may be adjustable T circuits, adjustable PI circuits, or any other adjustable matching circuit. The adjustable impedance matching components E626a-E626d may include one or more variable components, such as resistors, inductors, and capacitors. The variable components may be connected in parallel and/or series and may be connected between the output of the switching network E612 and the inputs of the amplifiers E314a-E314d or may be connected between the output of the switching network E612 and a ground voltage.

The DRx controller E602 is configured to selectively activate one or more of a plurality of paths between the input and the output. In some embodiments, the DRx controller E602 is configured to selectively activate one or more paths of the plurality of paths based on a band selection signal (e.g., from a communication controller) received by the DRx controller E602. The DRx controller E602 may selectively activate the paths by, for example, enabling or disabling the amplifiers E314a-E314d, controlling the multiplexer E311 and/or the switching network E612, or by other mechanisms.

In some embodiments, the DRx controller E602 controls the switching network E612 based on the band selection signal. The switch network includes a plurality of SPST switches, each switch coupling two of the plurality of paths. DRx controller E602 can send a switching signal (or signals) to the switching network to turn off or on the plurality of SPST switches. For example, if the band selection signal indicates that the input signal includes a first frequency band and a second frequency band, the DRx controller E602 may turn on a switch between the first path and the second path. The DRx controller E602 may turn on a switch between the second path and the fourth path if the band selection signal indicates that the input signal includes the second frequency band and the fourth frequency band. If the band select signal indicates that the input signal includes a first frequency band, a second frequency band, and a fourth frequency band, the DRx controller E602 may turn on both of the switches (and/or turn on the switch between the first path and the second path and the switch between the first path and the fourth path). If the band selection signal indicates that the input signal includes the second frequency band, the third frequency band, and the fourth frequency band, the DRx controller E602 may turn on the switch between the second path and the third path and the switch between the third path and the fourth path (and/or turn on the switch between the second path and the third path and the switch between the second path and the fourth path).

In some embodiments, the DRx controller E602 is configured to tune the adjustable phase shift units E627a-E627 d. In some implementations, the DRx controller E602 tunes the adjustable phase shifting components E627a-E627d based on the band select signal. For example, the DRx controller E602 may tune the adjustable phase shifting units E627a-E627d based on a lookup table that associates frequency bands (or sets of frequency bands) indicated by the band selection signal with tuning parameters. Thus, in response to the band select signal, the DRx controller E602 may send a phase shift tuning signal to the adjustable phase shift unit E627a-E627d in each active path to tune the adjustable phase shift unit (or its variable unit) according to the tuning parameters.

The DRx controller E602 may be configured to tune the adjustable phase shift components E627a-E627d in each activation path to maximize (or at least increase) the impedance at the frequency band corresponding to the other activation paths. Thus, if the first and third paths are active, the DRx controller E602 can tune the first phase shift section E627a to maximize (or at least increase) the impedance at the third frequency band, and if the first and fourth paths are active, the DRx controller E602 can tune the first phase shift section E627a to maximize (or at least increase) the impedance at the fourth frequency band.

In some embodiments, the DRx controller E602 is configured to tune the tunable impedance matching components E626a-E626 d. In some implementations, the DRx controller E602 tunes the adjustable impedance matching components E626a-E626d based on the band select signal. For example, the DRx controller E602 may tune the tunable impedance matching components E626a-E626d based on a lookup table that associates frequency bands (or a set of frequency bands) indicated by the frequency band selection signal with tuning parameters. Thus, in response to the band select signal, the DRx controller E602 may send an impedance tuning signal to the adjustable impedance matching components E626a-E626d in the path with the active amplifier according to the tuning parameters.

In some implementations, the DRx controller E602 tunes the adjustable impedance matching components E626a-E626d in the paths with active amplifiers to minimize (or reduce) a metric including the noise figure of the corresponding frequency band of each active path.

In various embodiments, one or more of the adjustable phase shift components E627a-E627d or adjustable impedance matching components E626a-E626d may be replaced by fixed components that are not controlled by the DRx controller E602.

FIG. 26 illustrates one embodiment of a flow representation of a method E700 of processing RF signals. In some embodiments (and as an example as described in detail below), method E700 is performed by a controller, such as DRx controller E602 of fig. 25. In some embodiments, method E700 is performed by processing logic comprising hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof. In some implementations, method E700 is performed by a processor executing code stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory). Briefly, method E700 includes receiving a band selection signal and routing the received RF signal along one or more paths to process the received RF signal.

Method E700 begins at block E710 with the controller receiving a band select signal. The controller may receive the band selection signal from another controller or may receive the band selection signal from a cellular base station or other external source. The band selection signal may indicate one or more frequency bands in which the wireless device transmits and receives RF signals. In some embodiments, the band selection signal indicates a set of frequency bands for carrier aggregation communication.

At block E720, the controller sends an amplifier enable signal to the amplifier of the DRx module based on the band selection signal. In some embodiments, the band selection signal indicates a single frequency band, and the controller sends an amplifier enable signal to enable amplifiers disposed along paths corresponding to the single frequency band. The controller may send the amplifier enable signal to disable other amplifiers disposed along other paths corresponding to other frequency bands. In some embodiments, the band selection signal indicates a plurality of frequency bands, and the controller transmits the amplifier enable signal to enable an amplifier disposed along a path of the plurality of paths corresponding to one of the plurality of frequency bands. The controller may send an amplifier enable signal to disable other amplifiers. In some embodiments, the controller enables an amplifier disposed along a path corresponding to the lowest frequency band.

At block E730, the controller sends a switch signal to control a switching network of Single Pole Single Throw (SPST) switches based on the band select signal. The switching network includes a plurality of SPST switches coupling a plurality of paths corresponding to a plurality of frequency bands. In some embodiments, the band select signal indicates a single frequency band, and the controller sends a switch signal that turns off all of the SPST switches. In some embodiments, the band selection signal indicates a plurality of frequency bands, and the controller sends a switching signal to turn on one or more SPST switches to couple paths corresponding to the plurality of frequency bands.

At block E740, the controller sends a tuning signal to the one or more tunable components based on the band selection signal. The adjustable components may include one or more of a plurality of adjustable phase shifting components or a plurality of adjustable impedance matching components. The controller may tune the tunable component based on a look-up table that associates frequency bands (or sets of frequency bands) indicated by the band selection signal with tuning parameters. Thus, in response to the band select signal, the DRx controller can send a tuning signal to the tunable component (of the active path) to tune the tunable component (or the variable component thereof) according to the tuning parameters.

Without being limited thereto, the foregoing example E relating to the switching network may be summarized as follows.

According to some embodiments, the present application relates to a receiving system comprising a plurality of amplifiers. Each of the plurality of amplifiers is disposed along a corresponding one of a plurality of paths between an input of the receive system and an output of the receive system and is configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier. Each of the switches couples two of the plurality of paths. The receiving system also includes a controller configured to receive a band selection signal and to enable one of the plurality of amplifiers and control the switching network based on the band selection signal.

In some embodiments, the controller may be configured to enable one of the plurality of amplifiers corresponding to a single frequency band and control the switching network to open all of the one or more switches in response to receiving a band select signal indicating the single frequency band.

In some embodiments, the controller may be configured to enable one of the plurality of amplifiers corresponding to one of the plurality of frequency bands and control the switching network to turn on at least one of the one or more switches between paths corresponding to the plurality of frequency bands in response to receiving a band selection signal indicating the plurality of frequency bands.

In some embodiments, the receiving system may further comprise a plurality of phase shift elements. Each of the plurality of phase shift elements may be disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and may be configured to phase shift a signal passing through the phase shift element to increase an impedance of a frequency band corresponding to another one of the plurality of paths. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of phase shifting elements may be disposed between the switching network and the input. In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of phase shifting elements may comprise a tunable phase shifting element configured to phase shift a signal passing through the tunable phase shifting element by an amount controlled by a phase shift tuning signal received from a controller. In some embodiments, the controller may be configured to generate the phase-shifted tuning signal based on the band selection signal.

In some embodiments, the receiving system may further include a plurality of impedance matching components. Each of the plurality of impedance matching components may be disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and may be configured to reduce a noise figure of the one of the plurality of paths. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of impedance matching components may be disposed between the switching network and a corresponding one of the plurality of amplifiers. In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of impedance matching components may comprise a tunable impedance matching component configured to present an impedance controlled by an impedance tuning signal received from the controller. In some embodiments, the controller may be configured to generate the impedance tuning signal based on the band selection signal.

In some embodiments, the receiving system may further comprise a multiplexer configured to separate an input signal received at the input into a plurality of signals of a plurality of respective frequency bands propagating along the plurality of paths.

In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of amplifiers may comprise a dual stage amplifier.

In some embodiments, the controller may be configured to enable one of the plurality of amplifiers and disable others of the plurality of amplifiers.

In some embodiments, the present application relates to a Radio Frequency (RF) module including a package substrate configured to house a plurality of components. The RF module also includes a receiving system implemented on the package substrate. The receiving system includes a plurality of amplifiers. Each of the plurality of amplifiers is disposed along a corresponding one of a plurality of paths between an input of the receiving system and an output of the receiving system and is configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier. The receiving system also includes a switch network that includes one or more single pole, single throw switches. Each of the switches couples two of the plurality of paths. The receiving system also includes a controller configured to receive a band selection signal and to enable one of the plurality of amplifiers and control the switching network based on the band selection signal.

In some embodiments, the receiving system may further comprise a plurality of phase shift elements. Each of the plurality of phase shift elements may be disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and may be configured to phase shift a signal passing through the phase shift element to increase an impedance of a frequency band corresponding to another one of the plurality of paths.

In accordance with some teachings, the present application relates to a wireless device including a first antenna configured to receive a first Radio Frequency (RF) signal. The wireless device also includes a first Front End Module (FEM) in communication with the first antenna. The first FEM includes a package substrate configured to house a plurality of components. The first FEM also includes a receiving system implemented on the package substrate. The receiving system includes a plurality of amplifiers. Each of the plurality of amplifiers is disposed along a corresponding one of a plurality of paths between an input of the receiving system and an output of the receiving system and is configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier. The receiving system also includes a switch network that includes one or more single pole, single throw switches. Each of the switches couples two of the plurality of paths. The receiving system also includes a controller configured to receive a band selection signal and to enable one of the plurality of amplifiers and control the switching network based on the band selection signal. The wireless device also includes a transceiver configured to receive the processed version of the first RF signal from the output via the cable and to generate data bits based on the processed version of the first RF signal.

In some implementations, the wireless device can also include a second antenna configured to receive a second Radio Frequency (RF) signal and a second FEM in communication with the second antenna. The transceiver may be configured to receive a processed version of a second RF signal from an output of the second FEM and to generate data bits based on the processed version of the second RF signal.

Example F: flexible band routing

Fig. 27 shows that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration F600 may include a DRx module F610 with adjustable matching circuitry. In particular, the DRx module F610 may include one or more adjustable matching circuits disposed at one or more of the inputs and outputs of the DRx module F610.

It is unlikely that the multiple frequency bands received on the same diversity antenna 140 will all see the ideal impedance match. To match each frequency band using a compact matching circuit, an adjustable input matching circuit F616 may be implemented at the input of the DRx module F610 and controlled by the DRx controller F602 (e.g., based on a band selection signal from the communication controller). The DRx controller F602 may tune the tunable input matching circuit F616 based on a lookup table that associates frequency bands (or a set of frequency bands) with tuning parameters. The adjustable input matching circuit F616 may be an adjustable T circuit, an adjustable PI circuit, or any other adjustable matching circuit. In particular, adjustable input matching circuit F616 may include one or more variable components, such as resistors, inductors, and capacitors. The variable components may be connected in parallel and/or series, and may be connected between the input of the DRx module F610 and the input of the first multiplexer F311, or may be connected between the input of the DRx module F610 and a ground voltage.

Similarly, with only one transmission line 135 (or, at least, a small number of cables) carrying signals for many frequency bands, it is unlikely that all of the multiple frequency bands will see perfect impedance matching. To match each frequency band using a compact matching circuit, an adjustable output matching circuit F617 may be implemented at the output of the DRx module F610 and controlled by the DRx controller F602 (e.g., based on a band selection signal from the communication controller). The DRx controller F602 may tune the tunable output matching circuit F618 based on a lookup table that associates frequency bands (or a set of frequency bands) with tuning parameters. The adjustable output matching circuit F617 may be an adjustable T circuit, an adjustable PI circuit, or any other adjustable matching circuit. In particular, adjustable output matching circuit F617 may include one or more variable components, such as resistors, inductors, and capacitors. The variable components may be connected in parallel and/or series, and may be connected between the output of the DRx module F610 and the output of the second multiplexer F312, or may be connected between the output of the DRx module F610 and a ground voltage.

Fig. 28 shows that in some embodiments, the diversity receiver configuration F700 may include multiple transmission lines. Although fig. 28 illustrates an embodiment with two transmission lines F735a-F735b and one antenna 140, aspects described herein may be implemented in embodiments with more than two transmission lines and/or (as described further below) two or more antennas.

The diversity receiver configuration F700 includes a DRx module F710 coupled to the antenna 140. The DRx module F710 includes a plurality of paths between an input of the DRx module F710 (e.g., an input coupled to the antenna 140 a) and an output of the DRx module (e.g., a first output coupled to the first transmission line F735a or a second output coupled to the second transmission line F735 b). In some embodiments, the DRx module F710 includes one or more bypass paths (not shown) between the input and the output that are activated by one or more bypass switches controlled by the DRx controller F702.

The DRx module F710 has a plurality of multiplexer paths including an input multiplexer F311 and an output multiplexer F712. The multiplexer path includes a plurality of on-module paths (as shown) including an input multiplexer F311, band pass filters F313a-F313d, amplifiers F314a-F314d, and an output multiplexer F712. The multiplexer path may include one or more off-module paths (not shown) as described herein. As also described herein, the amplifiers F314a-F314d may be variable gain amplifiers and/or variable current amplifiers.

The DRx controller F702 is configured to selectively activate one or more of the plurality of paths. In some implementations, the DRx controller F702 is configured to selectively activate one or more paths of the plurality of paths based on a band selection signal (e.g., from a communication controller) received by the DRx controller F702. The DRx controller F702 may selectively activate the paths by, for example, enabling or disabling the amplifiers F314a-F314d, controlling the multiplexers F311, F712, or by other mechanisms described herein.

To better utilize the plurality of transmission lines F735a-F735b, the DRx controller F702 may control the output multiplexer F712 to route each signal propagating along the path to a selected one of the transmission lines F735a-F735b (or output multiplexer outputs corresponding to the transmission lines F735a-F735 b) based on the band select signal.

In some implementations, if the band selection signal indicates that the received signal includes a single frequency band, the DRx controller F702 can control the output multiplexer F712 to route the signal propagating on the corresponding path to the default transmission line. The default transmission line may be the same for all paths (and corresponding frequency bands), such as the shorter of transmission lines F735a-F735b, the one that introduces less noise, or is otherwise preferred. The default transmission line may be different for different paths. For example, a path corresponding to a low frequency band may be routed to the first transmission line F735a, and a path corresponding to a high frequency band may be routed to the second transmission line F735 b.

Thus, in response to the band selection signal indicating that the one or more RF signals received at the input multiplexer F311 comprise a single frequency band, the DRx controller F702 may be configured to control the second multiplexer F712 to route the amplified RF signals received at the input of the output multiplexer corresponding to the single frequency band to the output of the default output multiplexer. As described herein, the output of the default output multiplexer may be different for different individual frequency bands or the same for all frequency bands.

In some embodiments, if the band select signal indicates that the received signal includes two frequency bands, the DRx controller F702 may control the output multiplexer F712 to route signals propagating along a path corresponding to the first frequency band to the first transmission line F735a and to route signals propagating along a path corresponding to the second frequency band to the second transmission line F735 b. Thus, even if both frequency bands are high frequency bands (or low frequency bands), signals propagating along the corresponding paths can be routed to different transmission lines. Similarly, in the case of three or more transmission lines, each of the three or more frequency bands may be routed to a different transmission line.

Thus, in response to the band selection signal indicating that the one or more RF signals received at the input multiplexer F311 include a first frequency band and a second frequency band, the DRX controller F702 may be configured to control the second multiplexer F712 to route amplified RF signals received at an input of an output multiplexer corresponding to the first frequency band to a first output multiplexer output and to route amplified RF signals received at an input of an output multiplexer corresponding to the second frequency band to a second output multiplexer output. As described herein, both the first frequency band and the second frequency band may be a high frequency band or a low frequency band.

In some embodiments, if the band selection signal indicates that the received signal includes three frequency bands, the DRx controller F702 may control the output multiplexer F712 to combine two signals propagating along two paths corresponding to two of the frequency bands and route the combined signal along one of the transmission lines and the signal propagating along a path corresponding to a third frequency band along the other transmission line. In some implementations, DRx controller F702 controls output multiplexer F712 to combine the two of the three frequency bands that are closest together (e.g., two low frequency bands or two high frequency bands). Such an implementation may simplify impedance matching at the output of the DRx module F710 or the input of the downstream module. In some embodiments, DRx controller F702 controls output multiplexer F712 to combine the two furthest apart of the three frequency bands. Such an implementation may simplify frequency band separation at downstream modules.

Thus, in response to the band selection signal indicating that the one or more RF signals received at the input multiplexer F311 include a first frequency band, a second frequency band, and a third frequency band, the DRx controller F702 may be configured to control the second multiplexer F712 to (a) combine the amplified RF signals received at the input of the output multiplexer corresponding to the first frequency band and the amplified RF signals received at the input of the output multiplexer corresponding to the second frequency band to generate a combined signal, (b) route the combined signal to the first output multiplexer output, and (c) route the amplified RF signals received at the input of the output multiplexer corresponding to the third frequency band to the second output multiplexer output. As described herein, the first frequency band and the second frequency band may be the two of the three frequency bands that are closest together or furthest apart.

In some embodiments, if the band select signal indicates that the received signal includes four frequency bands, the DRx controller F702 may control the output multiplexer F712 to combine two signals propagating along two paths corresponding to the two frequency bands and route the first combined signal along one of the transmission lines, combine two signals propagating along two paths corresponding to the other two frequency bands, and route the second combined signal along the other transmission line. In some implementations, the DRx controller F702 can control the output multiplexer F712 to combine three signals propagating along three paths corresponding to three frequency bands and route the combined signal along one of the transmission lines and route a signal propagating along a path corresponding to a fourth frequency band along another transmission line. Such an embodiment may be advantageous when the three frequency bands are close together (e.g., all low frequency bands) and the fourth frequency band is far apart (e.g., is a high frequency band).

In general, if the band selection signal indicates that the received signal includes more frequency bands than the transmission lines, the DRx controller F702 may control the output multiplexer F712 to combine two or more signals propagating along two or more paths corresponding to two or more of the frequency bands and route the combined signal to one of the transmission lines. DRx controller F702 may control output multiplexer F712 to combine multiple frequency bands that are closest together or furthest apart.

Thus, a signal propagating along one of the paths may be routed by output multiplexer F712 to a different transmission line depending on other signals being propagated along other paths. As an example, signals propagating along the third path through the third amplifier F314c may be routed to the second transmission line F735b when the third path is the only active path, and routed to the first transmission line F735a when the fourth path (through the fourth amplifier F314d) is also active (and to the second transmission line F735 b).

Thus, the DRx controller F702 may be configured to control the output multiplexer F712 to route the amplified RF signal received at the output multiplexer input to the first output multiplexer output in response to the first band selection signal, and to control the output multiplexer to route the amplified RF signal received at the output multiplexer input to the second output multiplexer output in response to the second band selection signal.

Thus, the DRx module F710 establishes a receiving system including a plurality of amplifiers F314a-F314d, each of the plurality of amplifiers F314a-F314d being disposed along a corresponding one of a plurality of paths between an input of the receiving system (e.g., an input of the DRx module F710 coupled to the antenna 140 and/or additional inputs of the DRx module F710 coupled to other antennas) and an output of the receiving system (e.g., an output of the DRx module F710 coupled to the transmission lines F735a-F735b and/or additional outputs of the DRx module F710 coupled to other transmission lines). Each of the amplifiers F314a-F314d is configured to amplify an RF signal received at the amplifier F314a-F314 d.

The DRx module F710 further includes an input multiplexer F311 configured to receive one or more RF signals at one or more input multiplexer inputs and output each of the one or more RF signals to one or more of a plurality of input multiplexer outputs for propagation along a respective one or more of a plurality of paths. In some implementations, the DRx module F710 receives a single RF signal at a single input multiplexer input and is controlled by the DRx controller F702 to output the single RF signal to one or more of the input multiplexer outputs corresponding to each frequency band indicated in the band selection signal. In some implementations, the DRx module F710 receives a plurality of RF signals (each corresponding to a different set of one or more frequency bands indicated in the band selection signal) at a plurality of input multiplexer inputs and is controlled by the DRx controller F702 to output each of the plurality of RF signals to one or more of the input multiplexer outputs corresponding to the set of one or more frequency bands of the respective RF signal. Thus, in general, input multiplexer F311 receives one or more RF signals, each RF signal corresponding to one or more frequency bands, and is controlled by the DRx controller to route each RF signal along one or more paths corresponding to the one or more frequency bands of the RF signal.

The DRx module F710 further includes an output multiplexer F712 configured to receive the one or more amplified RF signals propagating along one or more respective paths of the plurality of paths at one or more respective output multiplexer inputs and output each of the one or more amplified RF signals to a selected output of a plurality of output multiplexer outputs (each respectively coupled to one of a plurality of output transmission lines F735a-F735 b).

The DRx module F710 further includes a DRx controller F702 configured to receive the band selection signal and control the input multiplexer and the output multiplexer based on the band selection signal. As described herein, the DRx controller F702 controls the input multiplexer to route each of the one or more RF signals corresponding to the one or more frequency bands of the RF signal along one or more paths corresponding to the one or more frequency bands. As also described herein, the DRx controller F702 controls the output multiplexer to route each of the one or more amplified RF signals propagating along the one or more paths to a selected one of a plurality of output multiplexer outputs to better utilize the transmission lines F735a-F735b coupled to the DRx module F710.

In some implementations, if the band selection signal indicates that the received signal includes multiple frequency bands, the DRx controller F702 may control the output multiplexer F712 to combine all signals propagating along paths corresponding to the multiple frequency bands and route the combined signal to one of the transmission lines. Such an implementation may be used when other transmission lines are unavailable (e.g., corrupted or not present in a particular wireless communication configuration) and implemented in response to a controller signal received by the DRx controller F702 (e.g., from a communication controller) indicating that one of the transmission lines is unavailable.

Thus, in response to the band selection signal indicating that the one or more RF signals received at the input multiplexer F311 comprise multiple frequency bands, and in response to the controller signal indicating that the transmission line is unavailable, the DRx controller F702 may be configured to control the output multiplexer F712 to combine a plurality of amplified RF signals received at a plurality of output multiplexer inputs corresponding to the multiple frequency bands to generate a combined signal, and to route the combined signal to an output of the output multiplexer.

Fig. 29 shows an embodiment of an output multiplexer F812 that can be used for dynamic routing. The output multiplexer F812 includes a plurality of inputs F801a-F801d that may be respectively coupled to amplifiers disposed along a plurality of paths corresponding to a plurality of frequency bands. The output multiplexer F812 includes a plurality of outputs F802a-F802b, which may be coupled to a plurality of transmission lines, respectively. Each output F802a-F802b is coupled to the output of a respective combiner F820a-F820 b. Each input F801a-F801d is coupled to an input of each combiner F820a-F820b via one of a set of Single Pole Single Throw (SPST) switches F830. The switch F830 may be controlled via a control bus F803, and the control bus F803 may be coupled to a DRx controller.

Fig. 30 shows another embodiment of an output multiplexer F912 that may be used for dynamic routing. The output multiplexer F912 includes a plurality of inputs F901a-F901d that may be respectively coupled to amplifiers disposed along a plurality of paths corresponding to a plurality of frequency bands. The output multiplexer F912 includes a plurality of outputs F902a-F902b, which may be coupled to a plurality of transmission lines, respectively. Each output F902a-F902b is coupled to the output of a respective combiner F920a-F920 b. The first input F901a is coupled to an input of a first combiner F920a, and the fourth input F901d is coupled to an input of a second combiner F920 b. The second input F901b is coupled to a first Single Pole Multiple Throw (SPMT) switch F930a, the switch F930a having a plurality of outputs coupled to each of the combiners F920a-F920 b. Similarly, the third input F901c is coupled to a second SPMT switch F930b, switch F930b having a plurality of outputs coupled to each of the combiners F920a-F920 b. The switches F930a-F930b may be controlled via a control bus F903, and the control bus F903 may be coupled to a DRx controller.

Unlike output multiplexer 812 of FIG. 8, output multiplexer 912 of FIG. 9 does not allow each input 901a-901d to be routed to any of outputs 902a-902 b. Instead, the first input 901a is fixedly routed to the first output 902a and the fourth input 902d is fixedly routed to the second output 902 b. Such an implementation may reduce the size of the control bus 903 or simplify the control logic of the DRx controller attached to the control bus 903.

Both output multiplexer F812 of fig. 29 and output multiplexer F912 of fig. 30 comprise a first combiner F820a, F920a coupled to first output multiplexer outputs F802a, F902a and a second combiner F820b, F920b coupled to second output multiplexer outputs F802b, F902 b. Furthermore, output multiplexer F812 of fig. 29 and output multiplexer F912 of fig. 30 both comprise an output multiplexer input F801b, F901b coupled via one or more switches (controlled by a DRx controller) to both the first and second combiners F820a, F920a and F820b, F920 b. In the output multiplexer F812 of fig. 29, the input F801b of the output multiplexer is coupled to a first combiner F820a and a second combiner F820b via two SPST switches. In the output multiplexer F912 of fig. 30, the input F901b of the output multiplexer is coupled to the first combiner F920a and the second combiner F820b via a single SPMT switch.

Fig. 31 shows that in some embodiments, the diversity receiver configuration F1000 may include multiple antennas F1040a-F1040 b. Although fig. 31 illustrates an embodiment with two antennas F1040a-F1040b and one transmission line 135, the aspects described herein may be implemented in embodiments with more than two antennas and/or two or more transmission lines.

The diversity receiver configuration F1000 includes a DRx module F1010 coupled to a first antenna F1040a and a second antenna F1040 b. The DRx module F1010 includes a plurality of paths between an input of the DRx module F1010 (e.g., a first input coupled to the first antenna F1040a or a second input coupled to the second antenna F1040 b) and an output of the DRx module (e.g., an output coupled to the transmission line 135). In some implementations, the DRx module F1010 includes one or more bypass paths (not shown) between the input and the output that are activated by one or more bypass switches controlled by the DRx controller F1002.

The DRx module F1010 has a plurality of multiplexer paths including an input multiplexer F1011 and an output multiplexer F312. The multiplexer path includes a plurality of on-module paths (as shown) including an input multiplexer F1011, band pass filters F313a-F313d, amplifiers F314a-F314d, and an output multiplexer F312. The multiplexer path may include one or more off-module paths (not shown) as described herein. As also described herein, the amplifiers F314a-F314d may be variable gain amplifiers and/or variable current amplifiers.

The DRx controller F1002 is configured to selectively activate one or more of the plurality of paths. In some embodiments, the DRx controller F1002 is configured to selectively activate one or more paths of the plurality of paths based on a band selection signal (e.g., from a communication controller) received by the DRx controller F1002. The DRx controller F1002 may selectively activate the paths by, for example, enabling or disabling the amplifiers F314a-F314d, controlling the multiplexers F1011, F312, or by other mechanisms described herein.

Antennas F1040a-F1040b may support various frequency bands in various diversity receiver configurations. For example, in an embodiment, a diversity receiver configuration may include a first antenna F1040a supporting a low frequency band and a medium frequency band and a second antenna F1040b supporting a high frequency band. Another diversity receiver configuration may include a first antenna F1040a supporting a low frequency band and a second antenna F1040b supporting a medium frequency band and a high frequency band. Another diversity receiver configuration may include only the first wide band antenna F1040a supporting the low, mid, and high frequency bands, and may lack the second antenna F1040 b.

The same DRx module F1010 can be used for all of these diversity receiver configurations by controlling the input multiplexer F1011 by the DRx controller F1002 based on antenna configuration signals (e.g., received from the communication controller or stored in and read from persistent memory or other hardwired configuration).

In some embodiments, when the antenna configuration signal indicates that the diversity receiver configuration F1000 includes only a single antenna F1040a, the DRx controller F1002 may control the input multiplexer to route the signal received at the single antenna F1040a to all paths (or all active paths indicated by the band select signal).

Thus, in response to the antenna configuration signal indicating that the diversity receiver configuration includes a single antenna, the DRx controller F1002 may be configured to control the input multiplexer to route RF signals received at the single input multiplexer input to all of the plurality of input multiplexer outputs or to all of the plurality of input multiplexer outputs associated with the one or more frequency bands of RF signals.

In some embodiments, when the antenna configuration signal indicates that the diversity receiver configuration F1000 includes the first antenna F1040a supporting the low frequency band and the second antenna F1040b supporting the medium and high frequency bands, the DRx controller F1002 may control the input multiplexer F1011 to route the signal received at the first antenna F1040a to a first path (including the first amplifier F314a), and to route the signal received at the second antenna F1040b to a second path (including the second amplifier F314b), a third path (including the third amplifier F314c), and a fourth path (including the fourth amplifier F314d), or at least to those of the paths indicated as active by the band selection signal.

In some embodiments, when the antenna configuration signal indicates that the diversity receiver configuration F1000 includes the first antenna F1040a supporting the low and lower intermediate frequency bands and the second antenna F1040b supporting the higher intermediate and high frequency bands, the DRx controller F1002 may control the input multiplexer F1011 to route the signal received at the first antenna F1040a to the first and second paths and route the signal received at the second antenna F1040b to the third and fourth paths, or at least to those of the paths indicated as active by the band selection signal.

In some embodiments, when the antenna configuration signal indicates that the diversity receiver configuration F1000 includes a first antenna F1040a supporting a low frequency band and a medium frequency band and a second antenna F1040b supporting a high frequency band, the DRx controller F1002 may control the input multiplexer F1011 to route the signal received at the first antenna F1040a to a first path, a second path, and a third path, and to route the signal received at the second antenna F1040b to a fourth path, or at least to those of the paths indicated as active by the band selection signal.

Thus, signals propagating along a particular path (e.g., the third path) may be routed by input multiplexer F1011 from different ones of the input multiplexer inputs (coupled to one of antennas F1040a-F1040 b) according to the diversity receiver configuration (as indicated by the antenna configuration signals).

Thus, DRx controller F1002 may be configured to control input multiplexer F1011 to route RF signals received at a first input multiplexer input to an input multiplexer output in response to a first antenna configuration signal, and to control input multiplexer F1011 to route RF signals received at a second input multiplexer input to the input multiplexer output in response to a second antenna configuration signal.

In general, DRx controller F1002 may be configured to control input multiplexer F1011 to route received signals that each include one or more frequency bands along paths corresponding to the one or more frequency bands. In some embodiments, the input multiplexer F1011 may also function as a band splitter that outputs each of the one or more frequency bands along a path corresponding to the one or more frequency bands. As an example, the input multiplexer F1011 and the band pass filters F313a-F313d constitute such a band splitter. In other embodiments (as described further below), band pass filters F313a-F313d and input multiplexer F1011 may be otherwise integrated to form a band splitter.

FIG. 32 illustrates one embodiment of an input multiplexer F1111 that may be used for dynamic routing. The input multiplexer F1111 includes a plurality of inputs F1101a-F1101b, which may be respectively coupled to one or more antennas. The input multiplexer F1111 includes a plurality of outputs F1102a-F1102d that may be respectively coupled to amplifiers disposed along a plurality of paths corresponding to a plurality of frequency bands (e.g., via band pass filters). Each input F1101a-F1101b is coupled to each output F1102a-F1102d via one of a set of Single Pole Single Throw (SPST) switches F1130. The switch F1130 may be controlled via a control bus F1103, and the control bus F1103 may be coupled to a DRx controller.

Fig. 33 shows another embodiment of an input multiplexer F1211 that may be used for dynamic routing. The input multiplexer F1211 includes a plurality of inputs F1201a-F1201b, which may be coupled to one or more antennas, respectively. The input multiplexer F1211 includes a plurality of outputs F1202a-F1202d that may be respectively coupled to amplifiers disposed along a plurality of paths corresponding to a plurality of frequency bands (e.g., via band pass filters). The first input F1201a is coupled to a first output F1202a, a first multi-pole single-throw (MPST) switch F1230a, and a second MPST switch F1230 b. The second input F1201b is coupled to the first MPST switch F1230a, the second MPST switch F1230b, and the fourth output F1202 d. The switches F1230a-F1230b may be controlled via a control bus F1203, which control bus F1203 may be coupled to a DRx controller.

Unlike the output multiplexer F1111 of fig. 32, the output multiplexer F1211 of fig. 33 does not allow each of the inputs F1201a-F1201b to be routed to any of the outputs F1202a-F1202 d. Instead, the first input F1201a is fixedly routed to the first output F1202a, and the second input F1201b is fixedly routed to the fourth output F1202 d. Such an implementation may reduce the size of the control bus F903 or simplify the control logic of the DRx controller attached to the control bus F903. However, based on the antenna configuration signals, the DRx controller may control the switches F1230a-F1230b to route signals from any of the inputs F1201a-F1201b to the second output F1202b and/or the third output F1202 c.

Both the input multiplexer F1111 of fig. 32 and the input multiplexer F1211 of fig. 33 operate as a multi-pole multi-throw (MPMT) switch. In some embodiments, the input multiplexers F1111, F1211 include filters or matching components to reduce insertion loss. Such filters or matching components may be designed along with other components of the DRx module (e.g., band pass filters F313a-F313d of fig. 31). For example, the input multiplexer and the band pass filter may be integrated into a single component to reduce the number of total components. As another example, the input multiplexer may be designed for a particular output impedance (e.g., an impedance other than 50 ohms) and the band pass filter may be designed to match that impedance.

Figures 34-39 illustrate various embodiments of a DRx module with dynamic input routing and/or output routing. Fig. 34 shows that in some embodiments, DRx module F1310 may include a single input and two outputs. The DRx module F1310 includes a high-low diplexer F1311 as a band separator, a two-pole eight-throw switch F1312 (implemented as a first single-pole three-throw switch and a second single-pole five-throw switch), and various filters and band separating diplexers, the high-low diplexer F1311 separating an input signal into a low frequency band and a middle and high frequency band. As described herein, the high-low diplexer F1311 and various filters and band splitting diplexers may be designed together.

Fig. 35 shows that in some embodiments, the DRx module F1320 may include a single input and a single output. The DRx module F1320 includes a high-low diplexer F1321 as a band splitter, a two-pole eight-throw switch F1322 (implemented as a first single-pole three-throw switch and a second single-pole five-throw switch), and various filters and band splitting diplexers, the high-low diplexer F1321 splitting an input signal into a low frequency band and a middle and high frequency band. The high-low diplexer F1321 and various filters and band split diplexers may be designed together as described herein. The DRx module F1320 includes a high-low combiner F1323 as an output multiplexer that filters and combines signals received at two inputs and outputs a combined signal.

Fig. 36 shows that in some embodiments, DRx module F1330 may include two inputs and three outputs. The DRx module F1330 includes a high-low diplexer F1331 as a band separator, the high-low diplexer F1331 separating an input signal into a low frequency band and a middle and high frequency band, a three-pole eight-throw switch F1332 implemented as a first single-pole three-throw switch, a second single-pole two-throw switch, and a third single-pole three-throw switch, and various filters and band separation diplexers. As described herein, the high-low diplexer F1331 and various filters and band splitting diplexers may be designed together.

Fig. 37 shows that in some embodiments, the DRx module F1340 can include two inputs and two outputs. The DRx module F1340 includes a high-low diplexer F1341 as a band splitter, which high-low diplexer F1341 splits an input signal into a low frequency band and a middle and high frequency band, a three-pole eight-throw switch F1342 (implemented as a first single-pole three-throw switch, a second single-pole two-throw switch, and a third single-pole three-throw switch), and various filters and band splitting diplexers. The high-low diplexer F1341 and various filters and band split diplexers can be designed together as described herein. The DRx module F1340 includes a high-low combiner F1343, which filters and combines the signals received at the two inputs and outputs a combined signal, as part of an output multiplexer.

Fig. 38 shows that in some embodiments, the DRx module F1350 can include a multi-pole, multi-throw switch F1352. The DRx module F1340 includes a high-low diplexer F1351 as a band splitter, a three-pole eight-throw switch F1352, and various filters and band splitting diplexers, and the high-low diplexer F1351 splits an input signal into a low frequency band and a middle and high frequency band. The high-low diplexer F1341 and various filters and band split diplexers can be designed together as described herein. The three-pole eight-throw switch F1352 is implemented as a first single-pole three-throw switch and a second two-pole five-throw switch for routing signals received on the first pole to one of the five throws and for routing signals received on the second pole to one of the three throws.

Fig. 39 shows that in some embodiments, the DRx module F1360 can include an input selector F1361 and a multi-pole, multi-throw switch F1362. The DRx module F1360 includes an input selector F1361 (which operates as a two-pole four-throw switch and can be implemented as shown in fig. 32 and 33) as a band splitter, a four-pole ten-throw switch F1362, and various filters, matching components, and a band splitter diplexer. As described herein, the input selector F1361, switch F1362, and various filters, matching components, and band-split diplexers may be designed together. Input selector F1361 and switch F1362 together operate as a two-pole, ten-throw switch. The DRx module F1360 includes an output selector F1363, which is an output multiplexer, that can route inputs to a selected one of the outputs (which can include a combined signal). The output selector F1363 may be implemented using the aspects shown in fig. 29 and fig. 30.

FIG. 40 illustrates one embodiment of a flow representation of a method of processing RF signals. In some embodiments (and as an example as described in detail below), method F1400 is performed by a controller, such as DRx controller F702 of fig. 28 or communication controller 120 of fig. 3. In some embodiments, method F1400 is performed by processing logic comprising hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof. In some implementations, method F1400 is performed by a processor executing code stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory). Briefly, method F1400 includes receiving a band selection signal and routing the received RF signal along one or more paths to a selected output to process the received RF signal.

Method F1400 begins at block F1410 with the controller receiving a band selection signal. The controller may receive the band selection signal from another controller or may receive the band selection signal from a cellular base station or other external source. The band selection signal may indicate one or more frequency bands in which the wireless device transmits and receives RF signals. In some embodiments, the band selection signal indicates a set of frequency bands for carrier aggregation communication.

At block F1420, the controller determines an output terminal for each frequency band indicated by the band select signal. In some embodiments, the band selection signal indicates a single frequency band, and the controller determines a default output terminal for the single frequency band. In some embodiments, the band selection signal indicates two frequency bands, and the controller determines a different output terminal for each of the two frequency bands. In some embodiments, the band selection signal indicates more frequency bands than there are available output terminals, and the controller determines to combine two or more of the frequency bands (and thus determines that the same output terminal is used for two or more frequency bands). The controller may determine to combine the closest frequency bands or the furthest away frequency bands.

At block F1430, the controller controls the output multiplexer to route the signals of each frequency band to the determined output terminals. The controller may control the output multiplexer by opening or closing one or more SPST switches, determining the state of one or more SPMT switches, sending an output multiplexer control signal, or other mechanism.

Without being limited thereto, the foregoing example F related to flexible band routing may be summarized as follows.

According to some embodiments, the present application relates to a receiving system comprising a plurality of amplifiers. Each of the plurality of amplifiers is disposed along a corresponding one of a plurality of paths between an input of the receiving system and an output of the receiving system and is configured to amplify a Radio Frequency (RF) signal received at the amplifier. The receiving system also includes an input multiplexer configured to receive one or more RF signals at one or more input multiplexer inputs and output each of the one or more RF signals to one or more of a plurality of input multiplexer outputs for propagation along a respective one or more of a plurality of paths. The receiving system also includes an output multiplexer configured to receive one or more amplified RF signals propagating along a respective one or more of the plurality of paths at one or more respective output multiplexer inputs and output each of the one or more amplified RF signals to a selected one of a plurality of output multiplexer outputs. The receiving system also includes a controller configured to receive the band selection signal and control the input multiplexer and the output multiplexer based on the band selection signal.

In some embodiments, in response to the band selection signal indicating that the one or more RF signals include a single frequency band, the controller may be configured to control the output multiplexer to route amplified RF signals received at an output multiplexer input corresponding to the single frequency band to a default output multiplexer output. In some embodiments, the default output multiplexer output is different for different individual frequency bands.

In some embodiments, in response to the band selection signal indicating that the one or more RF signals include a first frequency band and a second frequency band, the controller may be configured to control the output multiplexer to route amplified RF signals received at an output multiplexer input corresponding to the first frequency band to the first output multiplexer output and to route amplified RF signals received at an output multiplexer input corresponding to the second frequency band to the second output multiplexer output. In some embodiments, both the first frequency band and the second frequency band may be a high frequency band or a low frequency band.

In some embodiments, in response to the band selection signal indicating that the one or more RF signals include a first frequency band, a second frequency band, and a third frequency band, the controller may be configured to control the output multiplexer to combine the amplified RF signal received at the output multiplexer input corresponding to the first frequency band and the amplified RF signal received at the output multiplexer input corresponding to the second frequency band to generate a combined signal, route the combined signal to the first output multiplexer output, and route the amplified RF signal received at the output multiplexer input corresponding to the third frequency band to the second output multiplexer output. In some embodiments, the first frequency band and the second frequency band may be those of the first frequency band, the second frequency band, and the third frequency band that are closest together. In some embodiments, the first frequency band and the second frequency band may be the most separated of the first frequency band, the second frequency band, and the third frequency band.

In some embodiments, in response to the band selection signal indicating that the one or more RF signals include multiple frequency bands and in response to the controller signal indicating that a transmission line is not available, the controller may be configured to control the output multiplexer to combine multiple amplified RF signals received at multiple output multiplexer inputs corresponding to the multiple frequency bands to generate a combined signal and to route the combined signal to an output multiplexer output.

In some embodiments, the controller may be configured to control the output multiplexer to route the amplified RF signal received at an output multiplexer input to the first output multiplexer output in response to a first band selection signal, and to control the output multiplexer to route the amplified RF signal received at the output multiplexer input to the second output multiplexer output in response to a second band selection signal.

In some embodiments, the output multiplexer may include a first combiner coupled to the first output multiplexer output and a second combiner coupled to the second output multiplexer output. In some embodiments, the output multiplexer input may be coupled to the first combiner and the second combiner via one or more switches. In some embodiments, the controller may control the output multiplexer by controlling the one or more switches. In some embodiments, the one or more switches may include two single pole/single throw (SPST) switches. In some embodiments, the one or more switches may comprise a single pole/multiple throw (SPMT) switch. In some embodiments, the receiving system further comprises a plurality of transmission lines coupled to the plurality of output multiplexer outputs, respectively.

In some embodiments, the present application relates to a Radio Frequency (RF) module including a package substrate configured to house a plurality of components. The RF module also includes a receiving system implemented on the package substrate. The receiving system includes a plurality of amplifiers. Each of the plurality of amplifiers is disposed along a corresponding one of a plurality of paths between an input of the receiving system and an output of the receiving system and is configured to amplify a Radio Frequency (RF) signal received at the amplifier. The receiving system also includes an input multiplexer configured to receive one or more RF signals at one or more input multiplexer inputs and output each of the one or more RF signals to a selected one or more of a plurality of input multiplexer outputs for propagation along a respective one or more of a plurality of paths. The receiving system also includes an output multiplexer configured to receive one or more amplified RF signals propagating along respective one or more of the plurality of paths at one or more respective output multiplexer inputs and to output each of the one or more amplified RF signals to a selected one of a plurality of output multiplexer outputs. The receiving system also includes a controller configured to receive the band selection signal and control the input multiplexer and the output multiplexer based on the band selection signal.

In accordance with some teachings, the present application relates to a wireless device including a first antenna configured to receive a first Radio Frequency (RF) signal. The wireless device also includes a first Front End Module (FEM) in communication with the first antenna. The first FEM includes a package substrate configured to house a plurality of components. The first FEM also includes a receiving system implemented on the package substrate. The receiving system includes a plurality of amplifiers. Each of the plurality of amplifiers is disposed along a corresponding one of a plurality of paths between an input of the receiving system and an output of the receiving system and is configured to amplify a Radio Frequency (RF) signal received at the amplifier. The receiving system also includes an input multiplexer configured to receive one or more RF signals at one or more input multiplexer inputs and output each of the one or more RF signals to a selected one or more of a plurality of input multiplexer outputs for propagation along a respective one or more of a plurality of paths. The receiving system also includes an output multiplexer configured to receive one or more amplified RF signals propagating along respective one or more of the plurality of paths at one or more respective output multiplexer inputs and to output each of the one or more amplified RF signals to a selected one of a plurality of output multiplexer outputs. The receiving system also includes a controller configured to receive the band selection signal and control the input multiplexer and the output multiplexer based on the band selection signal. The wireless device also includes a communication module configured to receive a processed version of a first RF signal from the output via a plurality of transmission lines respectively coupled to the plurality of output multiplexer outputs and to generate a data bit based on the processed version of the first RF signal.

Examples of combinations of features

Fig. 41A and 41B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein and one or more features of example B described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100.

In some embodiments, a combination of the foregoing features may provide some or all of the advantages and/or functionality associated with each example, all of the examples in the combination, or any combination thereof.

Fig. 42A and 42B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein and one or more features of example C described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100.

Fig. 43A and 43B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein and one or more features of example D described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100.

Fig. 44A and 44B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein and one or more features of example C described herein. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100.

Fig. 45A and 45B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein and one or more features of example D described herein. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100.

Fig. 46A and 46B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example C described herein and one or more features of example D described herein. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100.

Fig. 47A and 47B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, and one or more features of example C described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100.

Fig. 48A and 48B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, and one or more features of example D described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100.

Fig. 49A and 49B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, and one or more features of example D described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100.

Fig. 50A and 50B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, and one or more features of example D described herein. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100.

Fig. 51A and 51B illustrate that, in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, and one or more features of example D described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100.

Fig. 52A and 52B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100.

Fig. 53A and 53B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100.

Fig. 54A and 54B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100.

Fig. 55A and 55B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100.

Fig. 56A and 56B illustrate that, in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100.

Fig. 57A and 57B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100.

Fig. 58A and 58B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100.

Fig. 59A and 59B illustrate that, in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100.

Fig. 60A and 60B illustrate that, in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100.

Fig. 61A and 61B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100.

Fig. 62A and 62B illustrate that, in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example E described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100.

Fig. 63 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 64 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 65 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 66 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 67 shows that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 68 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 69 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 70 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 71 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 72 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 73 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 74 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 75 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 76 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration can include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 77 illustrates that, in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 78 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 79 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 80 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 81 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 82 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 83 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 84 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example D described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 85A and 85B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein and one or more features of example E described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100.

Fig. 86A and 86B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein and one or more features of example E described herein. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100.

Fig. 87A and 87B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration can include one or more features of example C described herein and one or more features of example E described herein. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100.

Fig. 88A and 88B illustrate that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example D described herein and one or more features of example E described herein. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100.

Fig. 89 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 90 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 91 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example C described herein and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 92 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example D described herein and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 93 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration can include one or more features of example E described herein and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 94 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example a described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example a are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 6-10, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 95 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example B described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example B are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 11-14, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 96 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration may include one or more features of example C described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example C are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 15, 16, 17-19, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Fig. 97 illustrates that in some embodiments, a diversity receiver configuration can include one or more features of example D described herein, one or more features of example E described herein, and one or more features of example F described herein. Additional details related to example D are described herein with reference to various figures, including fig. 1-5, 20-23, and 98-100. Additional details regarding example E are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 24-26, and 98-100. Additional details related to example F are described herein with reference to various figures, including FIGS. 1-5, 27-40, and 98-100.

Examples of products and architectures

Fig. 98 illustrates that in some embodiments, some or all of the diversity receiver configurations, including some or all of the diversity receiver configurations with feature combinations (e.g., fig. 41-97), may be implemented in whole or in part in a module. Such a module may be, for example, a Front End Module (FEM). Such a module may be, for example, a diversity receiver (DRx) FEM.

In the example of fig. 98, the module 1000 may include a package substrate 1002, and a plurality of components may be mounted on such package substrate 1002. For example, a controller 1004 (which may include a front-end power management integrated circuit [ FE-PIMC ]), a combiner component 1006 having one or more features described herein, a multiplexer component 1010, and a filter bank 1008 (which may include one or more bandpass filters) may be mounted and/or implemented on and/or within the package substrate 1002. Other components, such as a plurality of SMT devices 1012, may also be mounted on the package substrate 1002. While all of the various components are shown laid out on the package substrate 1002, it will be understood that some components may be implemented above others.

Fig. 99 illustrates that in some embodiments, some or all of the diversity receiver configurations, including some or all of the diversity receiver configurations with combinations of features (e.g., fig. 41-97), may be implemented in whole or in part in an architecture. Such an architecture may include one or more modules and may be configured to provide front end functionality such as Diversity Receiver (DRX) front end functionality.

In the example of fig. 99, architecture 1100 may include a controller 1104 (which may include a front-end power management integrated circuit FE-PIMC), a combining component 1106 having one or more features described herein, a multiplexer component 1110, and a filter bank 1108 (which may include one or more band pass filters). Other components, such as a plurality of SMT devices 1112, may also be implemented within architecture 1100.

In some implementations, devices and/or circuits having one or more of the features described herein may be included in RF electronic devices, such as wireless devices. Such devices and/or circuits may be implemented directly in the wireless device, in the form of modules as described herein, or in some combination thereof. In some embodiments, such wireless devices may include, for example, cellular telephones, smart phones, handheld wireless devices with or without telephone functionality, wireless tablets, and the like.

Diagram 100 illustrates an example wireless device 1400 having one or more of the advantageous features described herein. In the context of one or more modules having one or more features described herein, such modules may be generally represented by dashed-line box 1401 (which may be implemented as, for example, a front-end module), diversity RF module 1411 (which may be implemented as, for example, a downstream module), and diversity receiver (DRx) module 1000 (which may be implemented as, for example, a front-end module).

Referring to fig. 100, a Power Amplifier (PA)1420 may receive its corresponding RF signal from a transceiver 1410, and the transceiver 1410 may be configured and operated to generate an RF signal to be amplified and transmitted, and process the received signal. Transceiver 1410 is shown interacting with baseband subsystem 1408, and baseband subsystem 1408 is configured to provide conversion between data and/or voice signals appropriate for the user and RF signals appropriate for transceiver 1410. The transceiver 1410 may also communicate with a power management component 1406, the power management component 1406 configured to manage power for operation of the wireless device 1400. Such power management may also control the operation of baseband subsystem 1408 and

modules

1401, 1411, and 1000.

Baseband subsystem 1408 is shown connected to user interface 1402 to facilitate various inputs and outputs of voice and/or data provided to and received from a user. Baseband subsystem 1408 may also be coupled to memory 1404, with memory 1404 configured to store data and/or instructions to facilitate operation of the wireless device and/or to provide storage of user information.

In the example wireless device 1400, the output of the PA 1420 is shown as being matched (via a respective matching circuit 1422) and routed to its respective duplexer (duplexer) 1424. The signal thus amplified and filtered may be routed through antenna switch 1414 to main antenna 1416 for transmission. In some embodiments, the duplexer 1424 may allow transmit and receive operations to be performed simultaneously using a common antenna (e.g., the main antenna 1416). In diagram 100, a receive signal is shown as being routed to an "Rx" path, which may include, for example, a Low Noise Amplifier (LNA).

The wireless device also includes a diversity antenna 1426 and a diversity receiver module 1000 that receives signals from the diversity antenna 1426. The diversity receiver module 1000 processes the received signal and sends the processed signal via transmission line 1435 to the diversity RF module 1411, which diversity RF module 1411 further processes the signal before feeding it to the transceiver 1410.

In some embodiments, example a described herein may be considered to comprise a first feature of a Radio Frequency (RF) reception system and associated apparatus and methods. Similarly, example B described herein may be considered to include a second feature of a Radio Frequency (RF) receiving system and related apparatus and methods. Similarly, example C described herein can be considered to include a third feature of a Radio Frequency (RF) receiving system and related devices and methods. Similarly, example D described herein can be considered to include fourth features of a Radio Frequency (RF) receiving system and related devices and methods. Similarly, example E described herein can be considered to include fifth features of a Radio Frequency (RF) receiving system and related devices and methods. Similarly, example F described herein may be considered to include the sixth feature of a Radio Frequency (RF) receiving system and related apparatus and methods.

One or more features of the present application may be implemented with the various cellular frequency bands described herein. Examples of such bands are listed in table 1. It will be understood that at least some of the frequency bands may be divided into sub-bands. It will also be understood that one or more features of the present application may be implemented with frequency ranges that do not have a designation such as the examples of table 1.

TABLE 1

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the terms "comprise", "comprising", and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense, that is, in a sense of "including but not limited to". The term "coupled," as generally used herein, means that two or more elements may be connected directly or by way of one or more intermediate elements. Further, as used in this application, the terms "herein," "above," "below," and terms of similar import shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. Terms in the above description using the singular or plural number may also include the plural or singular number, respectively, as the context permits. The term "or" when referring to a list of two or more items, this term covers all of the following interpretations of the term: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list, and any combination of the items in the list.

The above detailed description of embodiments of the invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed above. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. For example, while processes or blocks are presented in a given order, alternative embodiments may perform processes having steps in a different order, or employ systems having blocks in a different order, and some processes or blocks may be deleted, moved, added, subtracted, combined, and/or modified. Each of these processes or blocks may be implemented in a variety of different ways. Likewise, while processes or blocks are sometimes shown as being performed in series, these processes or blocks may instead be performed in parallel, or may be performed at different times.

The teachings of the invention provided herein can be applied to other systems, not necessarily the systems described above. The elements and acts of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments.

While certain embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the application. Indeed, the novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the methods and systems described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the application. The drawings and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the application.

Claims

1. A receiving system, comprising:

a plurality of amplifiers, each of the plurality of amplifiers disposed along a corresponding one of a plurality of paths between an input of the receiving system and an output of the receiving system and configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier;

an input multiplexer configured to receive one or more signals at one or more input multiplexer inputs and output each of the one or more signals to one or more of a plurality of input multiplexer outputs for propagation along a respective one or more of the plurality of paths;

An output multiplexer configured to receive one or more amplified signals propagating along respective one or more of the plurality of paths at one or more respective output multiplexer inputs and to output each of the one or more amplified signals to a selected one of a plurality of output multiplexer outputs; and

a controller configured to receive a band selection signal and control the input multiplexer and the output multiplexer based on the band selection signal;

wherein the plurality of paths correspond to a plurality of frequency bands,

wherein, in response to the band selection signal indicating that one or more signals received at the input multiplexer comprise a single frequency band, the controller is configured to control the output multiplexer to route amplified signals received at an output multiplexer input corresponding to the single frequency band to a default output multiplexer output selected from the plurality of output multiplexer outputs for the frequency band to which the single frequency band belongs.

2. The receiving system of claim 1, wherein, in response to the band selection signal indicating that the one or more signals include a first frequency band and a second frequency band, the controller is configured to control the output multiplexer to route amplified signals received at an output multiplexer input corresponding to the first frequency band to a first output multiplexer output and to route amplified signals received at an output multiplexer input corresponding to the second frequency band to a second output multiplexer output.

3. The receiving system of claim 2, wherein the first frequency band and the second frequency band are both a high frequency band or a low frequency band of the plurality of frequency bands.

4. The receiving system of claim 1, wherein, in response to the band selection signal indicating that the one or more signals include a first frequency band, a second frequency band, and a third frequency band, the controller is configured to control the output multiplexer to combine the amplified signals received at the output multiplexer input corresponding to the first frequency band and the amplified signals received at the output multiplexer input corresponding to the second frequency band to generate a combined signal, route the combined signal to a first output multiplexer output, and route the amplified signals received at the output multiplexer input corresponding to the third frequency band to a second output multiplexer output.

5. The receiving system of claim 4, wherein the first frequency band and the second frequency band are two of the first frequency band, the second frequency band, and the third frequency band that are closest together.

6. The receiving system of claim 4, wherein the first frequency band and the second frequency band are two most separated frequency bands of a first frequency band, a second frequency band, and a third frequency band.

7. The receiving system of claim 1, wherein in response to the band selection signal indicating that the one or more signals include multiple frequency bands and in response to a controller signal indicating that a transmission line is not available, the controller is configured to control the output multiplexer to combine multiple amplified signals received at multiple output multiplexer inputs corresponding to the multiple frequency bands to generate a combined signal and to route the combined signal to an output multiplexer output.

8. The receiving system of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to control the output multiplexer to route an amplified signal received at an output multiplexer input to a first output multiplexer output in response to a first band selection signal and to route an amplified signal received at the output multiplexer input to a second output multiplexer output in response to a second band selection signal.

9. The receive system of claim 1 wherein the output multiplexer comprises a first combiner coupled to the first output multiplexer output and a second combiner coupled to the second output multiplexer output.

10. The receiving system of claim 9, wherein an output multiplexer input is coupled to the first combiner and the second combiner via one or more switches.

11. The receiving system of claim 10, wherein the controller controls the output multiplexer by controlling the one or more switches.

12. The receive system of claim 10, wherein the one or more switches comprise two single pole/single throw (SPST) switches.

13. The receive system of claim 10, wherein the one or more switches comprise a single pole/multiple throw (SPMT) switch.

14. The receiving system of claim 1, wherein the receiving system further comprises a plurality of transmission lines respectively coupled to the plurality of output multiplexer outputs.

15. The receiving system of claim 1, wherein the receiving system further comprises a plurality of phase shift elements, each of the plurality of phase shift elements disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and configured to phase shift a signal passing through the phase shift element.

16. The receiving system of claim 1, wherein the receiving system further comprises a plurality of impedance matching components, each of the plurality of impedance matching components disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and configured to reduce at least one of an out-of-band noise figure or an out-of-band gain of one of the plurality of paths.

17. The receiving system of claim 1, wherein the receiving system further comprises a plurality of post-amplifier bandpass filters, each of the plurality of post-amplifier bandpass filters disposed at an output of a corresponding one of the plurality of amplifiers along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and configured to filter a signal to a respective frequency band.

18. The receiving system of claim 1, wherein the receiving system further comprises a plurality of band pass filters, each of the plurality of band pass filters disposed along a corresponding one of the plurality of paths and configured to filter a signal received at the band pass filter to a respective frequency band, and at least some of the plurality of amplifiers are implemented as a plurality of variable gain amplifiers, each of the plurality of variable gain amplifiers configured to amplify a corresponding signal with a gain controlled by an amplifier control signal received from the controller.

19. A module, comprising:

a package substrate configured to accommodate a plurality of components; and

a receiving system implemented on the package substrate, the receiving system comprising a plurality of amplifiers, each of the plurality of amplifiers disposed along a corresponding one of a plurality of paths between an input of the receiving system and an output of the receiving system and configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier, the receiving system further comprising an input multiplexer, an output multiplexer, and a controller, the input multiplexer configured to receive one or more signals at one or more input multiplexer inputs and output each of the one or more signals to one or more of a plurality of input multiplexer outputs for propagation along a respective one or more of the plurality of paths; the output multiplexer is configured to receive one or more amplified signals propagating along respective one or more of the plurality of paths at one or more respective output multiplexer inputs and to output each of the one or more amplified signals to a selected one of a plurality of output multiplexer outputs; the controller is configured to receive a band selection signal and control the input multiplexer and the output multiplexer based on the band selection signal; wherein the plurality of paths correspond to a plurality of frequency bands, wherein in response to the band selection signal indicating that one or more signals received at the input multiplexer include a single frequency band, the controller is configured to control the output multiplexer to route amplified signals received at an output multiplexer input corresponding to the single frequency band to a default output multiplexer output selected from the plurality of output multiplexer outputs that corresponds to the frequency band to which the single frequency band belongs.

20. The module of claim 19, wherein the module is a diversity receiver front end module.

21. A wireless device, comprising:

an antenna;

a front-end module in communication with the antenna, comprising a receive system implemented on a package substrate, the receive system comprising a plurality of amplifiers, each of the plurality of amplifiers disposed along a corresponding one of a plurality of paths between an input of the receive system and an output of the receive system and configured to amplify a signal received at the amplifier, the receive system further comprising an input multiplexer, an output multiplexer, and a controller, the input multiplexer configured to receive one or more signals at one or more input multiplexer inputs and output each of the one or more signals to one or more of a plurality of input multiplexer outputs for propagation along a respective one or more of the plurality of paths; the output multiplexer is configured to receive one or more amplified signals propagating along respective one or more of the plurality of paths at one or more respective output multiplexer inputs and to output each of the one or more amplified signals to a selected one of a plurality of output multiplexer outputs; the controller is configured to receive a band selection signal and control the input multiplexer and the output multiplexer based on the band selection signal; wherein the plurality of paths correspond to a plurality of frequency bands, wherein in response to the band selection signal indicating that one or more signals received at the input multiplexer include a single frequency band, the controller is configured to control the output multiplexer to route amplified signals received at an output multiplexer input corresponding to the single frequency band to a default output multiplexer output selected from the plurality of output multiplexer outputs that corresponds to the frequency band to which the single frequency band belongs; and

A transceiver configured to receive a processed version of the one or more signals from the receiving system and to generate data bits based on the processed version of the one or more signals.

22. The wireless device of claim 21, wherein the wireless device is a cellular telephone.