Communication device, electronic equipment and communication method

Abstract

This application provides a communication device, electronic device, and communication method, relating to the field of communication technology, which saves on the cost and area of ​​the communication device. Specifically, a processor sends control signals to a radio frequency transceiver. The radio frequency transceiver includes a first interface and a second interface. The first interface supports a first interface protocol, and the second interface supports a second interface protocol. The first and second interface protocols are different. The radio frequency transceiver controls at least one of the first and second interfaces to transmit radio frequency signals with a shared radio frequency front-end module based on the control signals. The shared radio frequency front-end module supports cellular communication mode and short-range communication mode. The first interface is used for transmitting cellular communication radio frequency signals with the shared radio frequency front-end module, and the second interface is used for transmitting short-range communication radio frequency signals with the shared radio frequency front-end module. This application embodiment describes the process of transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication device, electronic device, and communication method. Background Technology

[0002] With the commercialization of 5G cellular communication technology and Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) wireless LAN technology, scenarios often require supporting multiple operating modes in parallel within a single electronic device. For example, electronic devices that simultaneously support Wi-Fi and 5G modes, or satellite communication and 5G modes, are gradually becoming industry standard. Typically, each mode requires a separate set of radio frequency hardware, which poses significant challenges to the cost and size of the electronic device. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a communication device, electronic device, and communication method, which allows different radio frequency signals to share the same set of radio frequency hardware, saving the cost and area of ​​the communication device.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of this application adopt the following technical solutions.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a communication device, comprising a processor and a radio frequency transceiver. The processor is used to send control signals to the radio frequency transceiver. The radio frequency transceiver includes a first interface and a second interface. The first interface supports a first interface protocol, and the second interface supports a second interface protocol. The first interface protocol and the second interface protocol are different. The radio frequency transceiver is used to control at least one of the first and second interfaces to transmit radio frequency signals with a shared radio frequency front-end module based on the control signals. The shared radio frequency front-end module supports cellular communication mode and short-range communication mode. The radio frequency signals include cellular communication radio frequency signals and short-range communication radio frequency signals. The first interface is used to transmit cellular communication radio frequency signals with the shared radio frequency front-end module, and the second interface is used to transmit short-range communication radio frequency signals with the shared radio frequency front-end module.

[0006] Therefore, in the communication device provided in this application embodiment, a first interface and a second interface are provided in the radio frequency transceiver. The radio frequency transceiver can transmit radio frequency signals with a shared radio frequency front-end module through at least one of the first and second interfaces. The shared radio frequency front-end module supports both cellular communication mode and short-range communication mode, meaning different radio frequency signals can share the same set of radio frequency hardware, reducing radio frequency channel resources, decreasing the cost and area of ​​the communication device, and improving the integration of the communication device. Furthermore, the first interface can transmit cellular communication radio frequency signals with the shared radio frequency front-end module, and the second interface can transmit short-range communication radio frequency signals with the shared radio frequency front-end module. Different radio frequency signals can be transmitted using different interfaces; for example, high-speed radio frequency signals can be transmitted using a high-speed interface to achieve efficient signal transmission and improve the overall communication experience.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the first interface protocol is the Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) protocol, and the second interface protocol is the General Purpose Input / Output (GPIO) protocol.

[0008] In this implementation, the MIPI protocol can control multiple devices simultaneously and has clock and data lines, allowing for the representation of numerous states. However, the transmission time of a single MIPI instruction is relatively slow. Conversely, the GPIO protocol has a faster transmission time for a single instruction, but it requires a larger number of transmission lines and lacks a clock line, resulting in fewer representable states. Therefore, the communication device provided in this application uses the MIPI protocol to transmit cellular communication RF signals and the GPIO protocol to transmit short-range communication RF signals. This satisfies the transmission time requirements for single instructions in short-range communication modes while also considering the cost and integration of the communication device.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the shared RF front-end module also supports satellite communication mode, and the RF signal includes satellite communication RF signal. The first interface is used to transmit satellite communication RF signal with the shared RF front-end module.

[0010] In this implementation, the shared radio frequency front-end module can support cellular communication mode, short-range communication mode and satellite communication mode, or it can also support other communication modes. This can further reduce radio frequency channel resources, reduce the cost and area of ​​the communication device, and improve the integration of the communication device.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the transmission of radio frequency signals includes at least one of transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals.

[0012] In this implementation, the communication device provided in this application embodiment can transmit or receive radio frequency signals, which can save radio frequency channel resources when transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals, reduce the cost and area of ​​the communication device, and improve the integration of the communication device.

[0013] In one possible implementation, at any given time, only one of the first and second interfaces transmits radio frequency signals.

[0014] In this implementation, the communication device provided in this application embodiment can realize time-division transmission of radio frequency signals, and the radio frequency signals can be processed in time-division by a shared radio frequency front-end module.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the processor is also used to control the transmit and receive switching of the RF switches in the shared RF front-end module, and the RF transceiver is also used to control the gain switching of at least one of the power amplifier and the low-noise amplifier in the shared RF front-end module.

[0016] In this implementation, devices with slower switching rates in the shared RF front-end module can be directly controlled by the processor, while devices with faster switching rates in the shared RF front-end module can be controlled by the RF transceiver. As a result, the shared RF front-end module can achieve rapid switching between different communication modes, avoiding additional latency.

[0017] In one possible implementation, the radio frequency transceiver includes: a first radio frequency transceiver for generating or processing cellular communication radio frequency signals, and for generating short-range communication radio frequency signals.

[0018] In this implementation, the RF transceiver corresponding to cellular communication RF signals and the RF transceiver corresponding to short-range communication RF signals can be integrated into the same chip, which can improve the integration of the communication device.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the radio frequency transceiver includes a first radio frequency transceiver and a second radio frequency transceiver, the first radio frequency transceiver being used to generate or process cellular communication radio frequency signals, and the second radio frequency transceiver being used to generate or process short-range communication radio frequency signals.

[0020] In this implementation, the RF transceiver for cellular communication RF signals and the RF transceiver for short-range communication RF signals can be two independent chips, which can improve the layout flexibility of the communication device.

[0021] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device, which includes a shared radio frequency front-end module and a communication device of the first aspect. The shared radio frequency front-end module is used to amplify cellular communication radio frequency signals or short-range communication signals, and the amplification process includes transmitting amplification or receiving amplification.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the electronic device further includes an antenna for air interface processing of cellular communication radio frequency signals or short-range communication radio frequency signals, the air interface processing including air interface transmission or air interface reception.

[0023] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a communication method, which includes: a processor sending a control signal to a radio frequency transceiver, the radio frequency transceiver controlling at least one of a first interface and a second interface to transmit radio frequency signals with a shared radio frequency front-end module based on the control signal. The shared radio frequency front-end module supports cellular communication mode and short-range communication mode, and the radio frequency signals include cellular communication radio frequency signals and short-range communication radio frequency signals. The first interface is used for transmitting cellular communication radio frequency signals with the shared radio frequency front-end module, and the second interface is used for transmitting short-range communication radio frequency signals with the shared radio frequency front-end module.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the first interface protocol is the MIPI protocol, and the second interface protocol is the GPIO protocol.

[0025] In one possible implementation, the shared RF front-end module also supports satellite communication mode, and the RF signal includes satellite communication RF signal. The first interface is used to transmit satellite communication RF signal with the shared RF front-end module.

[0026] In one possible implementation, the transmission of radio frequency signals includes at least one of transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals.

[0027] In one possible implementation, at any given time, only one of the first and second interfaces transmits radio frequency signals.

[0028] In one possible implementation, the communication method further includes: the processor controlling the transmitting and receiving switching of the RF switch in the shared RF front-end module, and the RF transceiver controlling the gain switching of at least one of the power amplifier and the low-noise amplifier in the shared RF front-end module.

[0029] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium including computer instructions that, when executed on an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform the communication method in any possible implementation of the third aspect described above.

[0030] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer program product that, when run on a computer or processor, causes the computer or processor to execute the communication method in any possible implementation of the third aspect described above.

[0031] It is understood that any of the communication methods, electronic devices, computer-readable storage media or computer program products provided above are related to the communication devices provided above. Therefore, the beneficial effects they can achieve can be referred to the beneficial effects in the corresponding communication devices, and will not be repeated here.

[0032] These or other aspects of this application will become more readily apparent in the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This application provides a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system.

[0034] Figure 2 An architecture diagram and timing diagram of a communication circuit provided for embodiments of this application;

[0035] Figure 3 This application provides a timing diagram for receiving and controlling WIFI according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0036] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a WiFi frame in the 802.11ac protocol provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 6 A timing diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an arbitration module provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 8 A timing diagram of a shared radio frequency front-end module provided for an embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another communication device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0043] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 13 A flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0046] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise stated, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of the embodiments, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" means two or more.

[0047] Furthermore, the term "coupling" is used to refer to electrical connections, including direct connections via wires or terminals or indirect connections via other devices. Therefore, "coupling" should be considered a broad type of electronic communication connection.

[0048] It should be noted that, in this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is being described as an example, illustration, or illustration. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design solutions. Specifically, the use of terms such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner.

[0049] It should be understood that the system architecture and business scenarios provided in the embodiments of this application are mainly for explaining possible implementations of the technical solutions of this application, and should not be construed as a unique limitation on the technical solutions of this application. Those skilled in the art will recognize that as the system evolves and newer business scenarios emerge, the technical solutions provided in this application will still be applicable to the same or similar technical problems.

[0050] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, the communication system applicable to the embodiments of this application will first be described in detail.

[0051] This communication system can be a cellular communication system, and is suitable for Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) systems, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) systems, the fifth generation (5G) systems, or next-generation wireless communication systems, etc.

[0052] In cellular communication systems, equipment can be divided into devices that provide wireless network services and devices that use wireless network services. Devices that provide wireless network services refer to those that make up the wireless communication network, and can be simply referred to as network equipment or network elements. Network equipment typically belongs to operators or infrastructure providers, who are responsible for its operation and maintenance. Network equipment can be further divided into radio access network (RAN) equipment and core network (CN) equipment. Typical RAN equipment includes base stations (BS).

[0053] It should be understood that a base station can be a generation Node B (gNB) in a 5G new radio (NR) system or an evolutionary Node B (eNB) in a 4G long term evolution (LTE) system. Depending on their physical form or transmission power, base stations can be classified as macro base stations or micro base stations; micro base stations are sometimes also referred to as small base stations or small cells.

[0054] Devices using wireless network services are typically located at the network edge and can be simply referred to as terminals. Terminals can establish connections with network devices and provide specific wireless communication services to users based on the network devices' services. It should be understood that because terminals have a closer relationship with users, they are sometimes called user equipment (UE) or subscriber units (SU). Furthermore, unlike base stations which are usually placed in fixed locations, terminals often move with the user and are sometimes called mobile stations (MS). Additionally, some network devices, such as relay nodes (RNs) or wireless routers, can sometimes be considered terminals because they possess UE identity or belong to the user.

[0055] Besides base stations primarily covering outdoor cellular communication scenarios, wireless communication systems also include wireless local area networks (WLAN) devices specifically designed to cover indoor communication scenarios. Base stations generally adhere to the third-generation partnership project (3GPP) wireless communication standards, while WLAN devices typically comply with other wireless communication standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802 series wireless communication standards (e.g., 802.11, 802.15, or 802.20).

[0056] Communication devices in the 802 series include access points (APs) and stations (STAs). An AP, or wireless access point, is the creator of a wireless network and the central node of the network. A typical home or office wireless router is an AP. A STA is any terminal device connected to the wireless network (such as a laptop or other internet-connected user device).

[0057] Therefore, the terminals corresponding to base stations and wireless local area networks can be mobile phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, wearable devices (such as smartwatches, smart bracelets, smart helmets, or smart glasses), and other devices with wireless access capabilities, such as smart cars, various Internet of Things (IoT) devices, including various smart home devices (such as smart meters and smart appliances) and smart city devices (such as smart road traffic facilities).

[0058] Furthermore, all or part of the functional modules of the network equipment can be deployed on an airborne platform or satellite, or other forms of communication equipment deployed in the high atmosphere. Correspondingly, network equipment can refer to an airborne platform, satellite, or other similar equipment that connects terminal devices to the network equipment. The airborne platform can include at least one of the following: a satellite, a drone, or a hot air balloon.

[0059] For ease of explanation, the embodiments of this application use base stations, wireless routers, satellites, and terminals as examples to describe the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application in detail.

[0060] For example, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 As shown, the communication system includes terminals, base stations, wireless routers, and satellites.

[0061] In this communication system, a base station can provide communication coverage to a specific geographical area through integrated or external antenna devices. One or more terminals located within the communication coverage area of ​​a base station can access the base station, and a base station can manage one or more cells. Each cell has an identification, also known as a cell identity (cell ID). From a radio resource perspective, a cell is a combination of downlink radio resources and its paired uplink radio resources (optional).

[0062] In this communication system, the terminal and base station support one or more of the same radio access technology (RAT), such as 5G New Radio (NR), 4G-LTE, or the RAT of future evolution systems. Specifically, the terminal and base station use the same air interface parameters, coding schemes, and modulation schemes, and communicate with each other based on the radio resources specified by the communication system. It should be understood that this communication system may comply with the wireless communication standards of the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).

[0063] Furthermore, Figure 1 It also includes wireless routers and satellites; in addition to accessing the cellular network, the terminal can also support wireless routers and satellites. The terminal, wireless router, and satellite can comply with wireless communication standards such as the IEEE 802 series.

[0064] It should be understood that Figure 1 Although only one base station, one terminal, one wireless router, and one satellite are shown in the diagram, the communication system may include a number of other devices. Furthermore, the communication system may also include electronic devices based on other communication standards, such as IoT.

[0065] Currently, electronic devices often need to support multiple operating modes in parallel, such as simultaneously supporting Wi-Fi and 5G modes, or simultaneously supporting satellite communication and 5G modes. However, each mode typically requires a separate set of radio frequency hardware, which poses a significant challenge to the cost and size of the electronic device.

[0066] In one possible implementation, a communication circuit is proposed, such as Figure 2 As shown, Figure 2 Figure (a) shows an architecture diagram of a communication circuit. Figure 2(b) shows a timing diagram of a communication circuit.

[0067] The communication circuit includes a shared radio frequency (RF) circuit, a baseband processing circuit, and an antenna. The antenna is used to transmit and receive first-mode and second-mode signals. The shared RF circuit is coupled between the baseband processing circuit and the antenna, and is used for time-division multiplexing of the first-mode and second-mode signals. The shared RF circuit includes a slave control interface, and the baseband processing circuit includes a master control interface. The master control interface is coupled to the slave control interface via a control bus and is used to configure the shared RF circuit to perform time-division multiplexing of the first-mode and second-mode signals. An RF integrated circuit may be present between the baseband processing circuit and the shared RF circuit. Figure 2 (not shown in (a)) This RF integrated circuit is also called an RF transceiver. A shared RF circuit is also called a shared RF front-end module. The baseband processing circuit can be integrated into a processor.

[0068] like Figure 2 As shown in (b), the communication system continuously switches between transmitting a first mode signal and transmitting a second mode signal. For example, when the first mode signal has a high priority, the shared radio frequency circuit switches from the second mode signal to the first mode signal at time t1. After completing the first mode signal transmission task, the shared radio frequency circuit switches back to the second mode signal state at time t2.

[0069] By setting a master-slave control interface in the shared radio frequency circuit and baseband processing circuit used for time-division processing of the first mode signal and the second mode signal, the shared processing of the two modes of signals can be realized in one circuit. At the same time, by setting a master-slave control interface to share the two sets of mode control signals, real-time and efficient mode switching can be achieved.

[0070] The control bus can use either the Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) protocol or the General-Purpose Input / Output (GPIO) protocol. However, if the baseband processing circuit transmits Wi-Fi signals via the MIPI protocol, timing discrepancies and other issues may occur. The specific reasons are as follows.

[0071] The MIPI protocol typically includes a clock signal line and multiple data transmission lines, allowing control of multiple devices. For example, a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) uses the MIPI protocol to control multiple front-end modules (FEMs) in a shared RF circuit. The standard MIPI protocol typically supports frequencies from 32kHz to 26MHz (corresponding to a period of 32µs to 38.3ns), while the extended MIPI protocol typically supports frequencies from 26MHz to 52MHz (corresponding to a period of 38.4ns to 19.2ns). This means that writing one word using the highest-rate extended MIPI protocol takes 0.6µs to 0.8µs, and controlling signals in a shared RF circuit generally requires 1 to 6 words of instruction.

[0072] The receiving control timing for WIFI is as follows: Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 The timing diagrams for the receive enable (RX_EN) and transmit enable (TX_EN) signals are shown in detail. The shared RF circuitry may include a power amplifier (PA) and a low-noise amplifier (LNA). Figure 3 The timing diagrams for the power amplifier enable (PA_EN) and low-noise amplifier enable (LNA_EN) signals are also shown in detail. When switching from a receive frame to a transmit frame, before transmitting valid (TX) data, the shared RF circuit needs to switch between the power amplifier and the low-noise amplifier. This switching is typically achieved through a switch in the shared RF circuit. The power amplifier switches between receive and transmit for 1µs, and the low-noise amplifier switches for 0.5µs. Similarly, when switching from a transmit frame to a receive frame, before receiving valid (RX) data, the power amplifier switches between transmit and receive for 1µs, and the low-noise amplifier switches for 1µs.

[0073] in addition, Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a WiFi frame in the 802.11ac protocol is shown. Figure 4As shown, the WiFi frame structure includes: an 8µs legacy short training field (L-STF), an 8µs legacy long training field (L-LTF), a 4µs legacy signal field (L-SIG), an 8µs VHT-SIG-A, a 4µs VHT-STF, a VHT-LTF with each VHT-LTF symbol having a length of 4µs, a 4µs VHT-SIG-B, and a data portion.

[0074] The L-STF can include 5.6µs of automatic gain control (AGC) and 2.4µs of coarse synchronization. The 5.6µs AGC can include four rounds of AGC, each round of which includes 0.8µs of power statistics, 0.15µs of control command transmission, and 0.4µs ​​of RF stabilization. Additionally, the L-LTF can be used for fine synchronization and channel estimation. Furthermore, if bandpass filtering (BF) begins at the VHT-STF during transmission, an increase in power will trigger AGC. This frame performs secondary AGC, involving feedback information exchange between the time and frequency domains. For example, the frequency domain needs to notify the time domain of the start position of the secondary AGC.

[0075] In other words, when the communication circuit performs Tx power control for Wi-Fi, it needs to anticipate the changes within 0.5µs. When performing Rx power control, it needs to quickly lock the Rx gain within 2-4 rounds, with each round having a statistical duration of 0.8µs, ensuring minimal control processing latency for each round. Furthermore, when performing active power control for Wi-Fi transmission, the communication circuit needs to maintain a real-time control processing latency of less than 0.5µs, and when performing passive power control for Wi-Fi reception, it needs to maintain a real-time control processing latency of less than 0.55µs for each round.

[0076] However, the instruction transmission time of a single RF device in the MIPI protocol is greater than 0.6µs, which does not meet the control time of a single RF device, the timing of RF serial control, and the timing of adjusting the gain of the power amplifier and low noise amplifier.

[0077] Therefore, this application provides a communication device in which a first interface and a second interface are provided in a radio frequency transceiver. The radio frequency transceiver can transmit radio frequency signals to a shared radio frequency front-end module through one or both of the first and second interfaces. The transmission includes signal sending and signal receiving. This can realize the sharing of the same set of shared radio frequency front-end hardware for different radio frequency signals, reduce radio frequency channel resources, reduce the cost and area of ​​the communication device, and improve the integration of the communication device.

[0078] The communication device provided in the embodiments of this application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0079] This application provides a communication device, such as... Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a communication device is shown. This communication device can be a single chip or chipset, a hardware module including at least one chip, a terminal device as previously described, or other electronic equipment. The communication device includes a processor and a radio frequency transceiver, which is used to couple with a shared radio frequency front-end module. The shared radio frequency front-end module can be a module external to the communication device. Alternatively, in one possibility, the shared radio frequency front-end module can be built into the communication device. It is understood that... Figure 5 The communication devices shown are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute a limitation on the communication devices. The communication devices may include those that are more advanced than those shown in the image. Figure 5 The number of components shown may be more or less, or some components may be combined, or different component arrangements may be made.

[0080] The processor is used to send control signals to the radio frequency transceiver. For example, the processor can be a system-on-a-chip (SoC) or include multiple chips. Optionally, the processor includes one or more of a central processing unit (CPU), a baseband signal processor, or a microcontroller. The processor may also include other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc.

[0081] For example, taking a processor as a system-on-a-chip (SoC), a SoC can integrate various wireless communication algorithms to interact with an RF transceiver. The SoC may include a modem, also called a baseband signal processor. During RF signal transmission, the modem can send the encoded RF signal to the RF transceiver for subsequent processing, such as modulation or encoding, according to the wireless communication protocol. During RF signal reception, the modem can acquire the demodulated baseband signal from the RF transceiver and perform reception processing, including demodulation or decoding.

[0082] In one example of an embodiment of this application, the processor may include a shared processing module and multiple baseband chips. The baseband chips have a built-in modem and can be used to synthesize a baseband signal to be transmitted or to process received baseband signals. In some scenarios, the baseband chip is the modem described above. Additionally, the shared processing module can be used to acquire signals from multiple baseband chips to generate control signals to control the operation of the radio frequency transceiver.

[0083] The radio frequency transceiver includes a first interface and a second interface. The first interface supports a first interface protocol, and the second interface supports a second interface protocol. The first interface protocol and the second interface protocol are different.

[0084] The radio frequency transceiver is used to control at least one of the first and second interfaces to transmit radio frequency signals with a shared radio frequency front-end module based on control signals. The shared radio frequency front-end module supports cellular communication mode and short-range communication mode, and the radio frequency signals include cellular communication radio frequency signals and short-range communication radio frequency signals. Specifically, the first interface is used for transmitting cellular communication radio frequency signals with the shared radio frequency front-end module, and the second interface is used for transmitting short-range communication radio frequency signals with the shared radio frequency front-end module.

[0085] For example, the cellular communication mode can be 4G mode, 5G mode, or any mobile communication standard. The short-range communication mode can include at least one of Wi-Fi communication mode, Bluetooth communication mode, or satellite communication mode, and the Wi-Fi communication mode can be any Wi-Fi standard.

[0086] Optionally, the shared radio frequency front-end module processes cellular communication radio frequency signals and short-range communication radio frequency signals in a time-division manner, for example, processing cellular communication radio frequency signals in a first time period and processing short-range communication radio frequency signals in a second time period.

[0087] Taking short-range communication mode as Wi-Fi communication mode as an example, to avoid resource contention between cellular communication RF signals and Wi-Fi communication RF signals for the shared RF front-end module, the control signal can include the priorities of cellular communication mode and Wi-Fi communication mode. In one possible example, the control signal can include priority control bits, such as 000X, where X=1 configures the shared RF front-end module to have high priority in cellular communication mode, and X=0 configures the shared RF front-end module to have low priority in cellular communication mode. The shared RF front-end module can respond accordingly based on the priority of the control signal. For example, when receiving high priority for cellular communication mode, it can switch to processing cellular communication mode first, or when receiving high priority for Wi-Fi communication mode, it can switch to processing Wi-Fi communication mode first.

[0088] In one possible example, the shared RF front-end module can be preferentially applied to cellular communication mode, then to WIFI communication mode when cellular communication is idle, and then switch back to cellular communication mode when WIFI communication mode ends.

[0089] Specifically, the priority strategy for cellular communication mode and Wi-Fi communication mode can be as follows: the priority of service signals in cellular communication mode is higher than that in Wi-Fi communication mode, or the priority of non-service signals in cellular communication mode is lower than that in Wi-Fi communication mode. Service signals in cellular communication mode can include both transmit and receive services, and service signals in Wi-Fi communication mode can also include both transmit and receive services. Non-service signals in cellular communication mode can be measured only through the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), meaning that control information is transmitted only through the PDCCH and does not involve other control channels. Therefore, the processor can identify the service and non-service scenarios in cellular communication mode to perform priority switching, thereby further expanding the utilization rate of the shared RF front-end module.

[0090] Optionally, the first interface protocol is the MIPI protocol, and the second interface protocol is the GPIO protocol.

[0091] For example, the Mobile Industry Process Interface (MIPI) is a high-speed serial interface protocol for mobile devices, offering good flexibility by allowing the selection of transmission protocols and bandwidth based on the device's operational needs. MIPI typically includes a D-PHY (supporting data transmission rates of up to 1.5 Gbps) and a C-PHY (supporting data transmission rates of up to 2.5 Gbps). Taking the D-PHY as an example, the D-PHY is the physical layer of the MIPI protocol, used for transmitting data between the transmitting and receiving devices. The D-PHY may include clock signal lines and multiple data transmission lines, which may include high-speed data lines (capable of transmitting 16 bits of high-speed data) and low-speed data lines (capable of transmitting 1 to 3 bits of low-speed data).

[0092] For example, general-purpose input / output ports (GPIOs) are hardware interfaces that are not bound to a specific function and can be configured into input or output modes. When a GPIO is configured as an output, the voltage level physically connected to that pin can be changed by writing data to the corresponding register. When a GPIO is configured as an input, the current status value can be read back from the corresponding address to determine whether a signal has been received, etc.

[0093] In other words, the MIPI protocol can control multiple devices simultaneously and has both clock and data lines, allowing for the representation of numerous states. However, the transmission time of a single MIPI instruction is relatively slow. Conversely, the GPIO protocol has a faster transmission time for a single instruction (less than 0.15µs), but it requires a larger number of transmission lines and lacks a clock line, resulting in fewer representable states. Therefore, the communication device provided in this application uses the MIPI protocol to transmit cellular communication RF signals and the GPIO protocol to transmit short-range communication RF signals. This satisfies the transmission time requirements for a single instruction in short-range communication RF signals while also considering the cost and integration of the communication device.

[0094] Continuing with the example of short-range communication mode for Wi-Fi, such as... Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6The diagram illustrates a timing diagram of a communication device. During time periods 0 and 1, the shared RF front-end module outputs a status response to MIPI commands. From time periods 2 to 5, the cellular communication mode is in a service scenario, and the Wi-Fi communication mode is in standby / connected state. During this time, MIPI in the control signals has high priority (MIPI H), GPIO has low priority, and the shared RF front-end module outputs a status response to MIPI commands. From time periods 6 to 9, the cellular communication mode is in a non-service scenario, and the Wi-Fi communication mode is in a service scenario. During this time, MIPI in the control signals has low priority, GPIO has high priority (GPIO H), and the shared RF front-end module outputs a status response to GPIO commands. From time periods 9 to 11, the cellular communication mode is in flight mode, and the Wi-Fi communication mode is in standby / connected state. The shared RF front-end module outputs a status response to GPIO commands.

[0095] For example, the shared RF front-end module may include an arbitration module. When the RF transceiver transmits RF signals to the shared RF front-end module simultaneously through the first interface and the second interface, the arbitration module can be used to determine the priority of the RF signals from the first interface and the second interface.

[0096] In one possible implementation, such as Figure 7 As shown, Figure 7 The diagram illustrates the structure of an arbitration module. The shared RF front-end module can parse RF signals from the first and second interfaces to obtain the MIPI control word, the RF signal from the MIPI, the GPIO control word, and the RF signal from the GPIO. The RF signal from the MIPI is stored in the MIPI register, and the RF signal from the GPIO is stored in the GPIO register. The arbitration module may include NOT gates, AND gates, and selectors. The first input of the selector is coupled to the MIPI register, and the second input of the selector is coupled to the GPIO register. The input of the NOT gate is used to input the MIPI control word; the output of the NOT gate is coupled to the first input of the AND gate; the second input of the AND gate is used to input the GPIO control word; and the output of the AND gate is coupled to the control terminal of the selector. The logic table of the arbitration module is shown in Table 1.

[0097] Table 1

[0098]

[0099] In other words, when MIPI is "1", regardless of whether GPIO is "1" or "0", the shared RF front-end module processes the RF signal from MIPI. When MIPI is "0" and GPIO is "0", the shared RF front-end module processes the RF signal from MIPI. When MIPI is "0" and GPIO is "1", the shared RF front-end module processes the RF signal from GPIO.

[0100] Optionally, the shared RF front-end module also supports satellite communication mode, and the RF signal includes satellite communication RF signal. The first interface is used for transmitting satellite communication RF signals with the shared RF front-end module. Of course, the shared RF front-end module can also support other communication modes, and this application embodiment does not limit this.

[0101] For example, satellite communication mode can be any non-terrestrial network (NTN).

[0102] For example, such as Figure 8 As shown, Figure 8 The diagram illustrates a timing diagram of a shared RF front-end module. The RF signals transmitted between the RF transceiver and the shared RF front-end module can have different communication modes prioritized, meaning the shared RF front-end module can continuously switch between cellular communication mode, short-range communication mode, and satellite communication mode. For example, when the short-range communication mode has a high priority, the shared RF front-end module switches from cellular communication mode to short-range communication mode at time t1. After completing its short-range communication mode task, the shared RF front-end module switches back to cellular communication mode at time t2. When the satellite communication mode has a high priority, the shared RF front-end module switches from short-range communication mode to satellite communication mode at time t3. After completing its satellite communication mode task, the shared RF front-end module switches back to cellular communication mode at time t4.

[0103] Optionally, the shared RF front-end module can remain in running mode when switching between different communication modes to avoid the power consumption and startup time caused by shutting down the shared RF front-end module to release resources.

[0104] For example, the control signals may include the priority of cellular communication mode and satellite communication mode. Specifically, the shared radio frequency front-end module may be preferentially applied to satellite communication mode, and then applied to cellular communication mode when satellite communication is idle.

[0105] Specifically, when the satellite performs network search and other services, the satellite communication mode is high priority, and the shared radio frequency front-end module is used to transmit satellite communication radio frequency signals. When the satellite enters sleep mode, the satellite communication mode releases its priority, and the cellular communication mode becomes high priority, with the shared radio frequency front-end module used to transmit cellular communication radio frequency signals.

[0106] Taking cellular communication modes of 4G and 5G as examples, in one possible implementation, the communication device can achieve time-division sharing of 4G and 5G radio frequency signals for a shared radio frequency front-end module. The shared processing module can preset the priorities of 4G and 5G modes. For example, if the priority of 5G mode is higher than that of 4G mode, MIPI or GPIO instructions for 4G mode radio frequency signals are suppressed when the shared radio frequency front-end module processes 5G mode radio frequency signals. Conversely, if the priority of 4G mode is higher than that of 5G mode, MIPI or GPIO instructions for 5G mode radio frequency signals are suppressed when the shared radio frequency front-end module processes 4G mode radio frequency signals.

[0107] In another possible implementation, the communication device can simultaneously process 4G and 5G radio frequency signals. The shared radio frequency front-end module can process 4G and 5G radio frequency signals using carrier aggregation (CA), where CA is a method of aggregating the bandwidth of multiple consecutive or non-consecutive carriers into a larger bandwidth.

[0108] Optionally, the transmission of radio frequency signals includes at least one of transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals. That is, the transmission mentioned in this embodiment includes bidirectional transfer, i.e., transmission and reception.

[0109] For example, the RF transceiver can receive RF signals from the shared RF front-end module, and the RF transceiver can also send RF signals to the shared front-end module. This can save RF channel resources when sending and receiving RF signals, reduce the cost and area of ​​the communication device, and improve the integration of the communication device.

[0110] Optionally, at any given time, only one of the first and second interfaces can transmit radio frequency signals. That is, the operation of the first and second interfaces is time-division multiplexing. It can be understood that, in one possibility, the first and second interfaces can operate simultaneously. In this case, the shared radio frequency front-end module simultaneously transmits two types of radio frequency signals with both the first and second interfaces, and achieves parallel processing through built-in identical or different processing modules to realize radio frequency transmission or reception.

[0111] For example, the control signals received by the RF transceiver from the processor may include the priorities of the first interface and the second interface. When the priority of the first interface is high, the RF transceiver and the shared RF front-end module transmit RF signals through the first interface. When the priority of the second interface is high, the RF transceiver and the shared RF front-end module transmit RF signals through the second interface.

[0112] For example, the processor can determine the priority of the first interface and the second interface based on the rate of the radio frequency signal under different communication modes. For instance, if the rate of the radio frequency signal is greater than a preset threshold, the radio frequency signal is transmitted through the second interface, which has a higher priority. If the rate of the radio frequency signal is less than or equal to the preset threshold, the radio frequency signal is transmitted through the first interface, which also has a higher priority. The preset threshold can be set by those skilled in the art according to their needs, and this embodiment does not limit its setting.

[0113] Optionally, the processor is also used to control the transmission and reception switching of the RF switches in the shared RF front-end module, that is, to enable or disable the shared RF front-end module to transmit or receive RF signals in one or more modes. Optionally, the RF transceiver is also used to control the gain switching of at least one of the power amplifier and low-noise amplifier in the shared RF front-end module, that is, the RF transceiver is used to adjust the gain of any amplifier.

[0114] For example, such as Figure 9 As shown, Figure 9 The diagram shows the structure of another communication device, in which the processor may include a first control module, and the radio frequency transceiver may include a second control module and a bypass module.

[0115] The first control module can be used to control the transmission and reception switching of the RF switch in the shared RF front-end module, the second control module can be used to control the gain switching of at least one of the power amplifier and low noise amplifier in the shared RF front-end module, and the bypass module can transmit the non-gain control switching commands sent by the first control module.

[0116] Because the switching rate of the RF switch is relatively slow, the transmission and switching of the RF switch can be controlled by the first control module in the processor. The non-gain control switching commands sent by the first control module are transmitted to the shared RF front-end module through the bypass module, so that the shared RF front-end module can cooperate with the processor to operate. In addition, the gain switching rate of the power amplifier and low noise amplifier is relatively fast and does not require processor operation. Therefore, the gain switching of the power amplifier and low noise amplifier can be controlled by the second control module in the RF receiver. In other words, the devices with slower switching rates in the shared RF front-end module can be directly controlled by the processor, while the devices with faster switching rates in the shared RF front-end module can be controlled in real time by the RF transceiver. As a result, the shared RF front-end module can realize rapid switching between different communication modes and avoid additional latency.

[0117] The RF transceiver may also include on-chip memory, which can be used to store the gain levels of different power amplifiers and low-noise amplifiers. The second control module can determine the on / off state and gain status of the power amplifiers and low-noise amplifiers based on input conditions.

[0118] Optionally, the radio frequency transceiver includes: a first radio frequency transceiver for generating or processing cellular communication radio frequency signals and generating or processing short-range communication radio frequency signals. That is, the radio frequency transceiver for cellular communication radio frequency signals and the radio frequency transceiver for short-range communication radio frequency signals can be integrated into the same chip, improving the integration of the communication device. Generating cellular, short-range communication, or satellite radio frequency signals includes converting baseband / IF signals into the radio frequency signals through upmixing to achieve transmission; processing cellular, short-range communication, or satellite radio frequency signals includes converting the radio frequency signals into baseband / IF signals through downmixing to achieve reception. For example, during radio frequency signal transmission, the first radio frequency transceiver modulates the baseband signal to the radio frequency band and provides it to the shared radio frequency front-end module. During radio frequency signal reception, the first radio frequency transceiver receives the radio frequency signal from the shared radio frequency front-end module, demodulates the radio frequency signal, and transmits it to the processor.

[0119] For example, the first radio frequency transceiver can also convert radio frequency signals from analog to digital. When transmitting radio frequency signals, the first radio frequency transceiver converts digital radio frequency signals into analog radio frequency signals; when receiving radio frequency signals, the first radio frequency transceiver converts analog radio frequency signals into digital radio frequency signals.

[0120] Optional, such as Figure 10 As shown, Figure 10The diagram illustrates the structure of yet another communication device. The radio frequency transceiver includes a first radio frequency transceiver and a second radio frequency transceiver. The first radio frequency transceiver is used to generate or process cellular communication radio frequency signals, and the second radio frequency transceiver is used to generate or process short-range communication radio frequency signals. That is, the radio frequency transceiver for cellular communication signals and the radio frequency transceiver for short-range communication signals can be two independent chips, which can improve the layout flexibility of the communication device.

[0121] The first radio frequency transceiver may include a first interface and a second interface, and the second radio frequency transceiver may include a third interface and a fourth interface. The third interface supports the first interface protocol, and the fourth interface supports the second interface protocol. Their functions are similar to those of the first and second interfaces, and will not be described in detail.

[0122] For example, during cellular communication radio frequency signal transmission, the first radio frequency transceiver modulates the cellular baseband signal onto the radio frequency band to obtain the cellular communication radio frequency signal, and provides it to the shared radio frequency front-end module. During cellular communication radio frequency signal reception, the first radio frequency transceiver receives the cellular communication radio frequency signal from the shared radio frequency front-end module, demodulates the cellular communication radio frequency signal, and transmits it to the processor.

[0123] For example, the first radio frequency transceiver can also convert the analog signals of cellular communication radio frequency signals to digital signals. When transmitting cellular communication radio frequency signals, the first radio frequency transceiver converts the digital cellular communication radio frequency signals into analog cellular communication radio frequency signals; when receiving radio frequency signals, the first radio frequency transceiver converts the analog cellular communication radio frequency signals into digital cellular communication radio frequency signals.

[0124] For example, during short-range communication radio frequency signal transmission, the second radio frequency transceiver modulates the short-range baseband signal onto the radio frequency band to obtain a short-range communication radio frequency signal, which is then provided to the shared radio frequency front-end module. During short-range communication radio frequency signal reception, the second radio frequency transceiver receives the short-range communication radio frequency signal from the shared radio frequency front-end module, demodulates the signal, and transmits it to the processor. In one possibility, the modem corresponding to the short-range communication radio frequency signal is located within the processor.

[0125] In one possible implementation, the modem corresponding to the short-range communication radio frequency signal can be located in the second radio frequency transceiver. Thus, the second radio frequency transceiver can perform encoding / modulation processing and decoding / demodulation processing of the short-range communication radio frequency signal. This embodiment does not limit the specific layout location of the modem corresponding to the short-range communication radio frequency signal.

[0126] For example, the second RF transceiver can also convert short-range communication RF signals from analog to digital. When transmitting short-range communication RF signals, the first RF transceiver converts the digital short-range communication RF signals into analog short-range communication RF signals; when receiving RF signals, the first RF transceiver converts the analog short-range communication RF signals back into digital short-range communication RF signals.

[0127] This application also provides an electronic device, such as... Figure 11 As shown, Figure 11 The diagram shows a schematic of an electronic device. The electronic device includes a shared radio frequency front-end module and a communication device. The shared radio frequency front-end module is used to amplify cellular communication radio frequency signals or short-range communication radio frequency signals, and the amplification process includes transmitting amplification or receiving amplification.

[0128] For example, a shared RF front-end module may include a power module, a power amplifier, a filter, an RF switch, and a low-noise amplifier. The shared RF front-end module may also include other devices, but this application embodiment does not limit this.

[0129] Specifically, during radio frequency signal transmission, the power amplifier receives the signal modulated by the radio frequency transceiver and amplifies it (i.e., transmits the signal). The filter then filters the amplified signal before transmitting it to the radio frequency switch. At this point, the radio frequency switch switches to transmit mode, i.e., transmits the radio frequency signal through the antenna.

[0130] When receiving radio frequency signals, the radio frequency switch switches to receive mode. The radio frequency switch transmits the radio frequency signal received from the antenna to the filter for filtering, then through the low noise amplifier for signal amplification (i.e., receive amplification), and then transmits it to the radio frequency transceiver.

[0131] Correspondingly, the shared radio frequency front-end module is also used to amplify satellite communication radio frequency signals.

[0132] Taking a power amplifier as an example, it can be designed as a broadband power amplifier to simultaneously cover cellular communication RF signals and short-range communication RF signals. Continuing with the example of a low-noise amplifier, it can also be designed as a broadband amplifier to simultaneously cover cellular communication RF signals and short-range communication RF signals.

[0133] In one possible implementation, the shared RF front-end module may include a fifth interface and a sixth interface. The fifth interface is coupled to the first interface of the RF transceiver, and the sixth interface is coupled to the second interface of the RF transceiver. The fifth or sixth interface receives RF signals and controls other devices within the shared RF front-end module. This control method can be called hierarchical control, where decisions from the processor are received by the devices within the shared RF front-end module via the RF transceiver's interface.

[0134] In another possible implementation, each device in the shared RF front-end module can include its own interface that can communicate with the processor without going through an RF transceiver. This control method can be called direct control.

[0135] Continue reading Figure 11 The electronic device also includes an antenna, which is used to perform air interface processing on cellular communication radio frequency signals or short-range communication radio frequency signals. The air interface processing includes air interface transmission or air interface reception.

[0136] For example, during radio frequency signal transmission, the shared radio frequency front-end module transmits cellular communication radio frequency signals or short-range communication radio frequency signals to the antenna for outward radiation. During radio frequency signal reception, the antenna transmits the received cellular communication radio frequency signals or short-range communication radio frequency signals to the shared radio frequency front-end module.

[0137] Correspondingly, the antenna is also used for air interface processing of satellite communication radio frequency signals.

[0138] In addition, electronic devices may also include other radio frequency front-end modules, such as Figure 12 As shown, Figure 12 The diagram shows the structure of another electronic device. Figure 12 The diagram specifically illustrates a first RF transceiver and a second RF transceiver. The first RF transceiver is used to generate or process cellular communication RF signals, and the second RF transceiver is used to generate or process short-range communication RF signals. Cellular communication RF signals can include multiple frequency bands, such as Sub3G 1st, Sub3G 2nd, Sub6G 1st, and Sub6G 2nd, with each band corresponding to one RF front-end module. Short-range communication RF signals can also include multiple frequency bands, such as 2.4G C1, 2.4G C0, 5G C1, and 5G C0, with each band corresponding to one RF front-end module.

[0139] In this embodiment, the RF front-end module corresponding to Sub3G 2nd and Sub6G 2nd can be used as a shared RF front-end module. That is, the RF front-end module corresponding to Sub3G 2nd and Sub6G 2nd can process RF signals from different modes of the two RF transceivers in a time-division multiplexing manner. This saves the RF front-end modules corresponding to 2.4G C1 and 5G C1 (as shown by the dashed line), thus conserving RF channel resources in the 2.4G C1 and 5G C1 bands and improving the integration of the communication device.

[0140] Applied to the aforementioned communication device, embodiments of this application provide a communication method, such as... Figure 13 As shown, Figure 13 A flowchart of a communication method is shown. The communication method includes the following steps.

[0141] S1301, The processor sends control signals to the radio frequency transceiver.

[0142] S1302, the radio frequency transceiver controls at least one of the first interface and the second interface to transmit radio frequency signals with the shared radio frequency front-end module based on the control signal.

[0143] The shared RF front-end module supports both cellular and short-range communication modes, and the RF signals include both cellular and short-range communication RF signals. The first interface is used for transmitting cellular communication RF signals to the shared RF front-end module, and the second interface is used for transmitting short-range communication RF signals to the shared RF front-end module.

[0144] Therefore, in the communication method provided in this application embodiment, the RF transceiver can transmit RF signals with a shared RF front-end module through at least one of the first and second interfaces. The shared RF front-end module supports both cellular communication and short-range communication modes, meaning different RF signals can share the same RF hardware, reducing RF channel resources, decreasing the cost and area of ​​the communication device, and improving the integration of the communication device. Furthermore, the first interface can transmit cellular communication RF signals with the shared RF front-end module, and the second interface can transmit short-range communication RF signals with the shared RF front-end module. Different RF signals can be transmitted using different interfaces; for example, high-speed RF signals can be transmitted using a high-speed interface to achieve efficient signal transmission and improve the overall communication experience.

[0145] Optionally, the first interface protocol is the MIPI protocol, and the second interface protocol is the GPIO protocol.

[0146] Optionally, the shared RF front-end module also supports satellite communication mode, and the RF signal includes satellite communication RF signal. The first interface is used to transmit satellite communication RF signal with the shared RF front-end module.

[0147] Optionally, the transmission of radio frequency signals includes at least one of transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals.

[0148] Optionally, at any given time, only one of the first and second interfaces may transmit radio frequency signals.

[0149] Optionally, the communication method further includes: the processor controlling the transmitting and receiving switching of the RF switch in the shared RF front-end module, and the RF transceiver controlling the gain switching of at least one of the power amplifier and low-noise amplifier in the shared RF front-end module.

[0150] This application also provides an electronic device, including one or more processors (as described above) and one or more memories. The one or more memories are coupled to the one or more processors, and the one or more memories are used to store computer program code, including computer instructions. When the one or more processors execute the computer instructions, the electronic device performs the aforementioned method steps to implement the communication method in the above embodiments.

[0151] Embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions that, when executed on an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform the aforementioned method steps to implement the communication method in the above embodiments.

[0152] Embodiments of this application also provide a computer program product that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the aforementioned related steps to implement the communication method executed by the electronic device in the above embodiments.

[0153] The communication method, electronic device, computer-readable storage medium, computer program product or chip provided in this embodiment all relate to the communication device described above. Therefore, the beneficial effects they can achieve can be referred to the beneficial effects in the communication device provided above, and will not be repeated here.

[0154] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, only the division of the above functional modules is used as an example. In actual applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above.

[0155] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication device, characterized in that, include: The processor is used to send control signals to the radio frequency transceiver; The radio frequency transceiver includes a first interface and a second interface. The first interface supports a first interface protocol, and the second interface supports a second interface protocol. The first interface protocol and the second interface protocol are different. The radio frequency transceiver is used to: control at least one of the first interface and the second interface to transmit radio frequency signals with a shared radio frequency front-end module based on the control signal. The shared radio frequency front-end module supports cellular communication mode and short-range communication mode. The radio frequency signals include cellular communication radio frequency signals and short-range communication radio frequency signals. The first interface is used to transmit the cellular communication radio frequency signals with the shared radio frequency front-end module, and the second interface is used to transmit the short-range communication radio frequency signals with the shared radio frequency front-end module.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first interface protocol is the Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) protocol, and the second interface protocol is the General Purpose Input / Output (GPIO) protocol.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The shared radio frequency front-end module also supports satellite communication mode, and the radio frequency signal includes satellite communication radio frequency signal. The first interface is used to transmit the satellite communication radio frequency signal with the shared radio frequency front-end module.

4. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The transmission of the radio frequency signal includes at least one of transmitting and receiving the radio frequency signal.

5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, At any given time, only one of the first interface and the second interface transmits the radio frequency signal.

6. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The processor is also used to: control the transmission and reception switching of the radio frequency switch in the shared radio frequency front-end module; The radio frequency transceiver is also used to control the gain switching of at least one of the power amplifier and the low noise amplifier in the shared radio frequency front-end module.

7. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The radio frequency transceiver includes: a first radio frequency transceiver, used to generate or process the cellular communication radio frequency signal, and to generate or process the short-range communication radio frequency signal.

8. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The radio frequency transceiver includes a first radio frequency transceiver and a second radio frequency transceiver; The first radio frequency transceiver is used to generate or process the cellular communication radio frequency signal; The second radio frequency transceiver is used to generate or process the short-range communication radio frequency signal.

9. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: A shared radio frequency front-end module and the communication device according to any one of claims 1-8; The shared radio frequency front-end module is used to amplify cellular communication radio frequency signals or short-range communication radio frequency signals, and the amplification process includes transmitting amplification or receiving amplification.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9, characterized in that, Also includes: An antenna is used to perform air interface processing on the cellular communication radio frequency signal or the short-range communication radio frequency signal, wherein the air interface processing includes air interface transmission or air interface reception.

11. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: The processor sends control signals to the radio frequency transceiver; The radio frequency transceiver controls at least one of the first and second interfaces to transmit radio frequency signals with the shared radio frequency front-end module based on the control signal. The shared radio frequency front-end module supports cellular communication mode and short-range communication mode. The radio frequency signals include cellular communication radio frequency signals and short-range communication radio frequency signals. The first interface is used to transmit the cellular communication radio frequency signals with the shared radio frequency front-end module, and the second interface is used to transmit the short-range communication radio frequency signals with the shared radio frequency front-end module.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The first interface protocol is the MIPI protocol, and the second interface protocol is the GPIO protocol.

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that, The shared radio frequency front-end module also supports satellite communication mode, and the radio frequency signal includes satellite communication radio frequency signal. The first interface is used to transmit the satellite communication radio frequency signal with the shared radio frequency front-end module.

14. The method according to any one of claims 11-13, characterized in that, The transmission of the radio frequency signal includes at least one of transmitting and receiving the radio frequency signal.

15. The method according to any one of claims 11-14, characterized in that, At any given time, only one of the first interface and the second interface transmits the radio frequency signal.

16. The method according to any one of claims 11-15, characterized in that, The method further includes: The processor controls the switching of the radio frequency switch in the shared radio frequency front-end module for transmitting and receiving; The radio frequency transceiver controls the gain switching of at least one of the power amplifier and low noise amplifier in the shared radio frequency front-end module.

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