Phased array antenna module and communication device with the same

Abstract

Antenna module, comprising: a phased array (111; 220; 410) comprising a plurality of antennas (221a, 221b, 221c, 221d, 222) and designed to transmit a first radio frequency (RF) signal (RF1) and a second RF signal (RF2) polarized in different directions; an integrated front-end radio frequency circuit (HFIC) (112; 210; 420) comprising a first RF circuit (421; 600a; 600b) designed to process or generate the first RF signal (RF1), and a second RF circuit (422) designed to process or generate the second RF signal (RF2); and a switching circuit (430) designed to connect both the first RF circuit (421; 600a; 600b) and the second RF circuit (422) to a first terminal (441) or a second terminal (442) of the antenna module (400) according to a control signal, wherein the first terminal (441) and the second terminal (442) are connectable to a backend RFIC (150; 300; 700a; 700b; 810; 920) which processes or generates a baseband signal.

Description

field of technology

[0001] The principle of the invention relates generally to wireless communication, and more precisely to a phased-array antenna module and a communication device in which this is included. Description of the related technique

[0002] A wireless communication device can support a multiple-input / multiple-output (MIMO) system for high throughput and / or improved signal quality. These systems can support a diversity scheme that involves selecting one or more optimal antennas or beam directions depending on the signal environment. For this purpose, a device can include an antenna module containing multiple antennas forming a phased array, where the relative phase between antennas determines the beam direction, enabling beam steering and communication with an improved signal. To further increase throughput, MIMO can also incorporate multiplexing, where independent information signals representing different segments of a bitstream are simultaneously transmitted / received with different beam directions.

[0003] To support a high-frequency band characterized by strong linearity, such as millimeter waves (mmWave), where the waves do not efficiently circumvent or penetrate certain obstacles, the wireless communication device can incorporate multiple antenna modules. Each antenna module can itself be a phased array. The antenna modules are spaced apart to allow signal transmission via a selected single antenna module or a selected group of antenna modules. For example, if communication using an initially selected antenna module is interrupted by an obstacle or a change in the orientation / alignment of the wireless communication device, communication can be handed off to another antenna module or modules that communicate with better signal quality.Therefore, a structure for efficient processing of signals received via a plurality of antenna modules and of signals transmitted via a plurality of antenna modules is desirable.

[0004] Publication GB 2 517 217 A discloses a communication system, integrated circuit, method, or computer program product that applies multiple signals to a transmitter, applies independent beamforming weights to them, and combines them. The system can generate multiple sector beams via an antenna array, with the signals being transmitted on the same or overlapping frequencies. Optional features include frequency converters, filtering, signal processing, crest factor reduction, polarization, calibration, and distortion feedback.

[0005] Publication WO 20217 / 175964 A1 discloses an electronic device comprising several antenna units in a first area and at least one antenna unit in a second area, connected via a communication circuit. A first switch connects the antenna units of the first area to the communication circuit, and a second switch connects the antenna unit of the second area. The switches can be configured so that the respective antenna units are connected to the communication circuit via separate electrical paths.

[0006] In US patent application 2014 / 0227982A1, it is disclosed that an RF front-end circuit has multiple antenna ports and multiple RF switching ports connected via an RF switching matrix. The switching matrix includes a dual 4×4 multiplexer and is designed such that each antenna can be selectively coupled to one of the RF switching ports. SUMMARY

[0007] Embodiments of the inventive idea provide an antenna module for efficient signal processing and a communication device in which the antenna module is included.

[0008] According to one aspect of the inventive idea, an antenna module is provided comprising: a phased array having a plurality of antennas and designed to transmit a first RF signal and a second RF signal polarized in opposite directions; an integrated front-end RFIC comprising a first RF circuit designed to process or generate the first RF signal and a second RF circuit designed to process or generate the second RF signal; and a switching circuit designed to connect, according to a control signal, both the first RF circuit and the second RF circuit to a first terminal or a second terminal of the antenna module. The first and second terminals are connectable to a back-end RFIC that processes or generates a baseband signal.

[0009] According to another aspect of the inventive idea, a communication device is provided comprising: a first signal line and a second signal line; an integrated backend RFIC designed to process or generate a baseband signal; and a first antenna module connected to the backend RFIC via the first signal line and the second signal line, comprising a phased array designed to transmit a first RF signal and a second RF signal polarized in opposite directions, wherein the first antenna module is designed to communicate with the backend RFIC such that a first internal signal corresponding to the first RF signal and a second internal signal corresponding to the second RF signal are allowed to pass through the first signal line or the second signal line respectively, according to a control signal.

[0010] According to another aspect of the inventive idea, a communication device is provided which includes: an integrated backend radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) designed to process or generate a baseband signal;and a first to third antenna module, each comprising a phased array designed to transmit a first RF signal and a second RF signal polarized in opposite directions, wherein the backend RFIC comprises a first to fourth 4-way switch, the first antenna module being connected to a second terminal of the first 4-way switch and a first terminal of the second 4-way switch, the second antenna module being connected to a second terminal of the second 4-way switch and a first terminal of the third 4-way switch, and the third antenna module being connected to a second terminal of the third 4-way switch and a second terminal of the fourth 4-way switch. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Embodiments of the inventive idea will become more readily understandable from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals denote the same elements or functions, and wherein: Fig. 1 a block diagram of a wireless communication system which includes a communication device, according to one embodiment; Fig. 2 a perspective view of an antenna module according to an embodiment; Fig. 3 a cross-sectional view of part of an antenna module along lines III-III of Fig. 2 according to one embodiment; Fig. 4 a block diagram of an antenna module and an integrated backend radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) according to an embodiment; Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B diagrams are the respective switching states of an operation of a switching circuit. Fig. 4 according to embodiments are; Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B Block diagrams are shown, each illustrating examples of RF circuits included in a front-end RFIC according to embodiments; Fig. 7A and Fig. 7B Block diagrams are shown, each illustrating an example of a backend RFIC and a data processor according to embodiments; Fig. Figure 8 is a block diagram showing a backend RFIC and antenna modules according to one embodiment; Fig. 9 is a block diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment; Fig. 10 a flowchart of a method for operating a communication device according to an embodiment; and Fig. Figure 11 is a block diagram showing examples of a communication device having an antenna module according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXECUTION FORMS

[0012] The following describes embodiments to illustrate the inventive idea with reference to the drawings.

[0013] Herein, the term phased array can refer to at least two antennas that jointly transmit (i.e., send and / or receive) one or more information signals. In a phased array, an insertion phase of signal paths connected to the antennas is set or dynamically adjusted to produce a beam pointing in a desired direction. The term phased array, as used herein, can also refer to at least two sets of antennas arranged within the same antenna module, where each antenna set comprises a plurality of antenna elements. In this case, a first antenna set of the phased array can be used to transmit signal energy polarized in a first direction, and a second antenna set can be used to transmit signal energy polarized in a second direction.

[0014] The terms antenna element and antenna can be used interchangeably here.

[0015] If this states that an antenna transmits a signal, then the antenna is transmitting and / or receiving the signal.

[0016] Here, the term high frequency (HF) is used to encompass frequencies ranging from the kHz range up to mmWave frequencies.

[0017] Here, the words "receiving" and "transmitting" can be used adjectivally. For example, "a receiving signal" refers to a signal that is received, "a transmitting signal" refers to a signal that is sent, "receiving signal power" refers to the power of a received signal, etc.

[0018] Fig. Figure 1 is a block diagram of a wireless communication system 5 according to an embodiment, which includes a communication device. The wireless communication system 5 may include a wireless communication system that uses a cellular network, such as a 5 th -Generation Wireless (5G) system, a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) system, an LTE-Advanced system, a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) system, a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) system, or another type of wireless communication system. Hereinafter, Wireless Communication System 5 is primarily described as a wireless communication system utilizing a cellular network, but embodiments involving non-cellular networks are equally possible. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, five wireless communication devices, i.e., one base station (BS) 3 and one user or terminal device (UE) 100, can communicate with each other in the wireless communication system. Hereinafter, a wireless communication device can also be referred to as a communication device.

[0019] BS 3 can generally refer to a fixed station that communicates with a UE and / or another BS and can exchange data and control information through communication with the UE and / or the other BS. For example, the BS 3 can be a node or Node B, an evolved Node B (eNB), a sector, a location, a base transceiver system (BTS), an access point (AP), a relay node, a remote radio head (RRH), a radio unit (RU), or a small cell. In this disclosure, "cell" has a broad meaning that indicates a sub-region or function that is, for example, within the range of a base station controller (BSC) in CDMA, a node B in WCDMA, an eNB, or a sector (location) in LTE. Examples of a cell area include regions with varying ranges, such as megacells, macrocells, picocells, femtocells, relay nodes, RRHs, RUs, and small cell communication areas.

[0020] The UE 100 can be fixed or mobile and refers to any device capable of sending or receiving data and / or controlling information through communication with the BS 3. For example, the UE 100 can be a terminal, a mobile station (MS), a mobile terminal (MT), a user terminal (UT), a subscriber station (SS), a wireless device, or a handheld device.

[0021] A wireless communication network between the UE 100 and the BS 3 can support communication between users by making available network resources available for use. For example, information can be transmitted in the wireless communication network using various multi-access methods, such as CDMA, Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA), OFDM-FDMA, OFDM-TDMA, and OFDM-CDMA. As described in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, the UE 100 and the BS 3 can communicate with each other via an uplink (UL) and a downlink (DL). According to some embodiments, user devices can communicate with each other via a sidelink, as in device-to-device (D2D) communication.

[0022] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, the UE 100 can include a plurality of antenna modules 110, 120, 130, and 140, an integrated back-end radio frequency integration (RFIC) circuit 150, and a data processor 160. The antenna modules 110-140 can communicate with the back-end RFIC 150, and the back-end RFIC 150 can communicate with the data processor 160. Fig. 1. The UE 100 includes four antenna modules 110 to 140, but in alternative examples more or fewer antenna modules may be used.

[0023] A short-wavelength signal can exhibit strong linearity in a high-frequency band, such as a millimeter-wave band, and can therefore be easily attenuated by an obstacle. For short-wavelength signals, signal power received by an antenna can be reduced if the direction in which the antenna is pointed or oriented / polarized does not match that of the incoming signal. The opposite condition can occur when transmitting. The UE 100 can accommodate multiple antenna modules (110-140 mm), which can be spaced apart as shown in [reference to diagram]. Fig. Figure 1 shows that the received signal strength can vary at the locations of the antenna modules 110-140. Differences in received signal strength can be due to variations in multipath reflections at the different antenna module locations, which can, for example, cause changes in the polarization of the incoming signal. Furthermore, each antenna module can be preset to form a beam in a different direction, so that all antenna modules 110-140 together cover a wider area. By dynamically selecting one or more antenna modules 110-140 with a high-quality signal, communication with the BS 3 is still possible despite a less than optimal orientation of the UE 100 or the proximity of an obstacle, such as a user's body. In one example, the antenna modules 110-140 can be spaced apart along an edge of the UE 100.For example, if the UE 100 has a profile with the general shape of a rectangle, the antenna modules 110-140 can each be mounted at a corresponding corner of the rectangle.

[0024] Each of the antenna modules 110-140 can have a phased array. For example, antenna module 110 can have a phased array 111, which includes a plurality of antennas. According to some embodiments, the plurality of antennas of the phased array 111 can be used to form a single beam and can be used for a MIMO-based communication scheme. For example, using MIMO, antenna modules 110-140 can be used together to simultaneously transmit a plurality of independent signals occupying the same frequency band but traveling in different directions, thereby increasing the throughput.Similarly, according to some embodiments, the phased array 111 may have an antenna designed to transmit a signal polarized in a predetermined direction, or may include an antenna designed to transmit or receive at least two signals polarized in different directions simultaneously.

[0025] Each of the antenna modules 110-140 can have a front-end RFIC. For example, antenna module 110 can have a front-end RFIC 112, which can be coupled to a plurality of antennas of the phased array 111. The front-end RFIC 112 can provide a signal to the back-end RFIC 150 in receive mode, obtained by processing signals received from the phased array 111, or it can provide a signal to the phased array 111 in transmit mode, generated by processing a signal received from the back-end RFIC 150.

[0026] The backend RFIC 150 can process or generate a baseband signal. For example, the backend RFIC 150 can receive a baseband signal from the data processor 160 and provide a signal generated by processing the baseband signal to at least one of the antenna modules 110-140. Furthermore, the backend RFIC 150 can provide a signal to the data processor 160 that has been generated by processing a signal received from at least one of the antenna modules 110-140.

[0027] The data processor 160 can generate a baseband signal based on data to be sent to the BS 3 and provide the baseband signal to the backend RFIC 150, or it can extract data received from the BS 3 from a baseband signal received from the backend RFIC 150. For example, the data processor 160 can include at least one digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that outputs a baseband signal by converting digital data modulated from data to be sent to the BS 3. The data processor 160 can also include at least one analog-to-digital converter (ADC), wherein the at least one ADC can output digital data by converting a baseband signal. According to some embodiments, the data processor 160 can include at least one core that executes a set of instructions and can be referred to as a modem.

[0028] As described above, a phased array (for example, a Phased Array 111) contained in an antenna module can transmit multiple signals, such as signals with different polarizations. Since the UE 100 can contain multiple antenna modules 110-140, this can increase the number of connections between these modules and the backend RFIC 150. If the backend RFIC 150 requires a larger number of pins due to the increased number of connections, both the size of the backend RFIC 150 and the number of components corresponding to those connections may need to be increased. If the number of signal lines between the majority of antenna modules 110-140 and the backend RFIC 150 increases, the structure of the UE 100 can become complex, and the space utilization of the UE 100 can worsen due to the allocation of space for the arrangement of the signal lines.Consequently, the miniaturization of the UE 100 may be limited. According to the inventive idea explained below, such an increase in the number of connections and components can be slowed down.

[0029] Some of the majority of signals corresponding to the phased arrays of antenna modules 110-140 can be used for communication with the BS 3. For example, an antenna module from antenna modules 110-140 that provides unsatisfactory communication due to an obstruction and / or the direction in which the UE 100 is pointing can be excluded from communication with the BS 3. Furthermore, if communication over a signal polarized in a particular direction is unsatisfactory, the transmission of that signal can be excluded. As described below, the antenna modules 110-140 and the backend RFIC 150 in the UE 100 can be interconnected in such a way that some of the majority of signals corresponding to antenna modules 110-140 are omitted, while signals selected for communication are processed.For example, the omitted signals are not routed to / from the backend RFIC 150. Accordingly, the number of connections between the antenna modules 110-140 and the backend RFIC 150, which would otherwise be required to carry each signal every time, can be reduced in the UE 100, and the UE 100 can have a simpler structure. Furthermore, the UE 100 can support an increased number of MIMO streams for a given number of connections, and consequently, the UE 100 can provide a higher data transmission rate. At least one embodiment of the UE 100 is described below as an example of a communication device, but it should be clarified that other embodiments can be applied to other types of communication devices, such as the BS 3.

[0030] Fig. Figure 2 is a perspective view of an antenna module 200 according to an embodiment, Fig. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of part of the antenna module 200 along lines III-III of Fig. 2 according to one embodiment. More precisely, Fig. 3 a cross-sectional view showing the antenna module 200 of Fig. 2 is intersected in the ZY plane, with the Z-axis being perpendicular to a main surface of the antenna module 200.

[0031] For example, in Fig. 1 and Fig. As shown in Figure 2, antenna module 200 is an example of any of the antenna modules 110-140 and can be installed within the UE 100 such that its top surface (main surface) is parallel to the main surface (e.g., a front surface) of the UE 100. The thickness direction of antenna module 200 can coincide with the thickness direction of the UE 100. In this case, if the user holds the device so that its front surface is vertically oriented (e.g., the UE is lying face up on a flat surface), the following terminology can correspond to this orientation: an X-axis direction and a Y-axis direction that are perpendicular to each other can be referred to as the first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction, respectively, and the XY plane can be referred to as the horizontal plane. Likewise, a direction that is perpendicular to the horizontal plane, i.e.,A Z-axis direction is referred to as the vertical direction, whereby components arranged in a +Z-axis direction relative to other components can be described as lying above the other components, and components arranged in a -Z-axis direction relative to other components can be described as lying below the other components. Of the surfaces of a component, a surface in the +Z-axis direction can be described as the top, and a surface in the -Z-axis direction can be described as the bottom. Note that the antenna module 200 is in . Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 are only examples that can be exchanged for other suitable configurations.

[0032] As above with reference to Fig. As described in Figure 1, the antenna module 200 can comprise a phased array 220, which includes a plurality of antennas, and a front-end RFIC 210. According to some embodiments, the antenna module 200 can be fabricated using semiconductor processes, and as described in Figure 1, the antenna module 200 can be manufactured using semiconductor processes. Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the phased array 220 can be deployed on the front-end RFIC 210. For example, the antenna module 200 can have a first and a second substrate in a stacked configuration. The phased array 220 can be deployed on or within the first substrate, and the front-end RFIC 210 can be deployed on or within the second substrate. Since most loss parameters can worsen in a high-frequency band, such as a mmWave band, it can be difficult to internally house a layout for an antenna module used in a relatively low-frequency band, such as one below 6 GHz. More precisely, the phased array 220 and the front-end RFIC 210 can be arranged in a sandwich structure, as shown in Figure 2. Fig. Figure 2 shows a structure designed to reduce signal attenuation caused by a feed line supplying a signal to an antenna or extracting a signal from the antenna. A structure such as the one shown in Figure 2 is used to reduce signal attenuation caused by a feed line supplying a signal to an antenna or extracting a signal from the antenna. Fig. Figure 2, where the antennas, i.e. the phased array 220, are arranged on the frontend RFIC 210, can be described as a system-in-package (SiP) structure.

[0033] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the Phased Array 220 can include patches 222 (also called "patch antennas") and dipole antennas 221a, 221b, 221c, and 221d. For example, each of the patches 222 can transmit electromagnetic waves in the +Z-axis direction or absorb electromagnetic waves in the -Z-axis direction, while the dipole antennas 221a-221d can extend the range of the Phased Array 220. Arrangements of patch antennas and dipole antennas in Fig. The two examples are only examples. Each Phased Array 220 must have at least two antenna elements so that a phase relationship between the antenna elements can be used to form a beam in a desired direction. Furthermore, at least one of the antenna elements of each Phased Array 220 can be driven or arranged such that it has a polarization that differs from that of at least one other antenna element of the Phased Array 220. As already stated, each antenna module 110-140 can be designed to form a beam in a different direction, which can be achieved by different mutual phase relationships between the antenna elements.

[0034] For example, in the example of Fig. 1 and Fig. Any two patches 222 can be driven at a first feed point 228 near a first edge of the patch to form a beam with a first polarization in the Y direction. If the patch is driven at a second point 229 near a second side edge of the patch (where the second side is perpendicular to the first side), the resulting beam can have a second polarization in the X direction (an orthogonal direction). At least one of the patches 222 of a given phased array 220 can be driven to transmit / receive with the first polarization, while at least one of the other patches 222 can be driven to transmit / receive with the second polarization. As will be explained later, each antenna module 200 can have a power detector (e.g., a power detector 911 from Fig. 9) to measure the RF power received at the first and second polarizations. The polarization with the stronger signal can then be selected to provide a receive and / or transmit signal for this antenna module 200, while the signal for the unselected polarization could not be used. Note that the first and second polarizations can be orthogonal polarizations, as in the example above, but they can also be non-orthogonal in other embodiments.

[0035] In the example configuration of antenna module 200, dipoles 221a and 221b are aligned parallel to the first axis (e.g., the Y-axis), and dipoles 221c and 221d are aligned along the second axis (e.g., the X-axis). If the UE 100 is held by a user in an example configuration with its front essentially horizontal, the top of antenna module 200 can also be horizontally oriented. If antenna module 200 is mounted in a corner of the UE 100, dipoles 221a and 221b can be horizontally oriented, thus producing horizontal polarization, while dipoles 221c and 221d can be vertically oriented, producing vertical polarization. Accordingly, polarization diversity can be achieved using dipoles 221a-221d in this type of arrangement.

[0036] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 3, in the phased array 220, each patch 222 can be an upper patch that is electromagnetically driven by a lower patch 223. Alternatively, there could be only a single upper patch, driven directly by an antenna feed unit 225 that runs directly to it (where such a direct connection in Fig. 3 is not shown). In the case of Fig. 3. The upper and lower patches 222, 223 can be spaced parallel to each other in the Z-axis direction and can emit electromagnetic waves in the +Z direction. The upper patch 222 and the lower patch 223 can be made of a conductive material, such as a metal, and can have a rectangular shape as shown in Fig. 2 shown or may have a circular or other shape. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the phased array 220 can, according to some embodiments, further comprise a base plate 224 below the lower patch 223. The phased array 220 can also comprise the feed line 225 and a plurality of buried vias 226. The feed line 225 can be connected to the lower patch 223, while the plurality of buried vias 226 can be configured to be held at a constant potential and can, for example, be connected to the base plate 224, as shown in Figure 3. Fig. 3 is shown.

[0037] The front-end RFIC 210 can be mounted on a bottom surface of the phased array 220, and the front-end RFIC 210 can be electrically connected to the lower patch 223 via the feed line 225. According to some embodiments, the phased array 220 and the front-end RFIC 210 can be interconnected via a flip-chip (controlled collapsed chip) connection (C4). The structure of the antenna module 200 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 is just an example; it can be replaced with other suitable configurations.

[0038] Fig. Figure 4 is a block diagram of an antenna module 400 and a backend RFIC 300 according to one embodiment. The antenna module 400 is an example of any of the antenna modules 110-140 and 200, and the backend RFIC 300 is an example of the RFIC 150. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the antenna module 400 and the backend RFIC 300 can communicate with each other via a first signal line 301 and a second signal line 302, and according to some embodiments, each of the first and second signal lines 301 and 302 can have a differential line for transmitting a differential signal. Both the first signal line 301 and the second signal line 302 can be one of the conductors of a transmit line, such as a microstrip or strip line (where the other conductor is a ground plane), where the signal energy travels within the transmit line between the antenna module 400 and the backend RFIC 300. (In the case of a microstrip or other transmit line, the signal typically travels within the dielectric material between the signal line and the other conductor in the transmit line, e.g.,a ground plane of the microstrip, but here it can be expressed as a signal traveling between components at opposite ends of the transmit line by being "passed through" the signal line.

[0039] The antenna module 400 can have a first terminal 441 connected to the first line 301 and a second terminal 442 connected to the second line 302. A signal transmitted through the first terminal 441 and the first line 301 can be designated as the first internal signal INT1, and a signal transmitted through the second terminal 442 and the second line 302 can be designated as the second internal signal INT2. According to some embodiments, each of the first internal signal INT1 and the second internal signal INT2 can be a differential signal, and each of the first terminal 441 and the second terminal 442 can be a differential terminal for a differential signal. As above with reference to Fig. As described in Figure 1, the antenna module 400 can include a phased array 410 (an example being a phased array 111 or 220) and a front-end RFIC 420 (an example being the front-end RFIC 112 or 210), and can further include a switching circuit 430. According to some embodiments, the switching circuit 430 together with the front-end RFIC 210 of Fig. 2 below the phased array 220 if the antenna module 400 has a SiP structure, as referred to in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 described. Here, a switching circuit can be interchangeably referred to as a switch. Furthermore, the antenna module 400 can have the first and second connections 441 and 442 and can be connected to the backend RFIC 300 via the first and second connections 441 and 442.

[0040] The Phased Array 410 has multiple antennas and can transmit a first RF signal, RF1, polarized in a first direction, and a second RF signal, RF2, polarized in a second direction. For the purposes of this discussion, the first direction may be referred to as the horizontal direction, and the first RF signal, RF1, may be called a horizontal (H) wave; and the second direction may be referred to as the vertical direction, and the second RF signal, RF2, may be called a vertical (V) wave. Both the first and second RF signals, RF1 and RF2, may be a modulated carrier wave occupying the same RF band. (Hereinafter, the designations RF1 and RF2 may each denote either a received or a transmitted signal, as indicated by the context in which they are used.)

[0041] The front-end RFIC 420 can have a first RF circuit 421 and a second RF circuit 422. The first RF circuit 421 can, in a receive mode, generate a first front-end receive signal FE1-r by processing the first RF signal RF1 received from the phased array 410, and in a transmit mode, generate the first RF signal RF1 by processing the first front-end transmit signal FE1-t received from the switching circuit 430. The first RF circuit 422 can, in receive mode, generate a second front-end receive signal FE2-r by processing the second RF signal RF2 received from the phased array 410, and in transmit mode, generate the second RF signal RF2 by processing a second front-end transmit signal FE1-t received from the switching circuit 430. An example of the front-end RFIC 420 is described below with reference to Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B described. For the sake of simplicity, “FE1” will be used below to denote either the transmit signal FE1-t or the receive signal FE1-r or both of these signals; and “FE2” will be used to denote either the transmit signal FE2-t or the receive signal FE2-r or both of these signals.

[0042] The switching circuit 430 can connect each of the first and second RF circuits 421 and 422 to the first terminal 441 or the second terminal 442 according to a control signal. According to some embodiments, the switching circuit 430 can connect either the first or the second RF circuit 421 and 422 exclusively to the first terminal 441 or the second terminal 442, respectively, according to a control signal. For example, the switching circuit 430 can include a 4-way switch, which can be a switch with two switching states. In a first switching state (a “straight-ahead state”) of the 4-way switch, the first front-end signal FE1, which is provided at / output by the first RF circuit 421, is passed through the first terminal 441, and the second front-end signal FE2, which is provided at / output by the second RF circuit 422, is passed through the second terminal 442.In a second switching state (a "crossing state") of the 4-way switch, the inputs and outputs of the switching circuit 430 cross, so that the first front-end signal FE1 is passed through the second terminal 442 and the second front-end signal FE2 is passed through the first terminal 441. The first and second switching states of the switching circuit 430 can result from a first and a second control state of the control signal, respectively. Examples of operation of the switching circuit 430 are given below with reference to [reference missing]. Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B described. According to some embodiments, the 4-way switch can have a plurality of 2-way switches that are hierarchically connected. Optionally, the switching circuit 430 can also be configured to have a third and a fourth switching state, corresponding to a third and a fourth control state, respectively. In each of these states, one of the signal paths is open while the other is closed. In the third switching state, the first front-end signal FE1 is allowed through the first terminal 441, while the second front-end signal FE2 is not allowed through the switch. In the fourth switching state, the signal FE2 is allowed to the second terminal 442, while the signal FE1 is not allowed through the switch.A fifth and a sixth state can also be configured, in which the signal FE1 is allowed to the second terminal 442, while the signal FE2 is not allowed through the switch (fifth state); and in the sixth state, the signal is allowed to the first terminal 441, while the signal FE1 is not allowed through the switch.

[0043] As described above, a signal polarized in a specific direction can be sent via different lines according to a control signal, instead of being sent via a pre-determined line of lines connected to the antenna module 400 and the backend RFIC 300. Accordingly, the antenna module 400 and the backend RFIC 300 can communicate efficiently with each other over a limited number of lines. For example, signals with a polarization that is found to be received (or transmitted) inefficiently can be prevented from being exchanged between the antenna module 400 and the backend RFIC 300 (e.g., by truncating unwanted signals). This method reduces the number of signal lines compared to prior art designs in which each signal to / from each antenna is continuously exchanged with a backend RFIC.The switching circuit 430 can have a plurality of transistors and can have any structure that changes the path of a signal according to a control signal. As further described below with reference to... Fig. As described in section 9, a control signal for controlling the switching circuit 430 can be sent from a data processor, for example the data processor 160. Fig. 1. will be provided.

[0044] In Fig. In 4. The antenna module 400 and the backend RFIC 300 can process the first and second RF signals RF1 and RF2, which are polarized in two different directions. In other embodiments, the antenna module 400 and the backend RFIC 300 can process at least three RF signals that are polarized in different directions. For example, the frontend RFIC 420 can have three independent RF circuits for processing the at least three RF signals that are polarized in different directions, and the switching circuit 430 can connect each of the three RF circuits to one of three terminals connected to the backend RFIC 300 according to a control signal.

[0045] Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B are diagrams showing the respective switching states of an operation of the switching circuit 430. Fig. 4 according to embodiments. More precisely Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B signals are passed through the switching circuit 430 according to a control signal. As described above with reference to 4, the switching circuit 430 can connect each of the first and second RF circuits 421 and 422 to the first terminal 441 or the second terminal 442 according to a control signal. The following Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B with reference to Fig. 4 described.

[0046] According to some embodiments, the switching circuit 430 can connect either the first or the second RF circuit 421 and 422 exclusively to the first terminal 441 and the second terminal 442 according to a control signal. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 5A, in the first switching state (straight-through state) of the switching circuit 430, signal paths can be formed such that the first front-end signal FE1 and the first internal signal INT1 correspond to each other, and the second front-end signal FE2 and the second internal signal INT2 correspond to each other. Accordingly, the first RF circuit 421 can be connected to the first terminal 441, while the second RF circuit 422 is connected to the second terminal 442. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 5B, in the second switching state (the crossing state) of the switching circuit 430, signal paths are formed such that the first front-end signal FE1 and the second internal signal INT2 correspond to each other, and the second front-end signal FE2 and the first internal signal INT1 correspond to each other. Accordingly, depending on the control signal applied to the switching circuit 430, the first front-end signal FE1 can correspond to the first or second internal signal INT1 or INT2, and simultaneously, the second front-end signal FE2 can correspond to the second or first internal signal INT2 or INT1.As discussed above, the switching circuit 430 can also be designed to have a third, fourth, fifth and / or sixth switching state in which only one of the input signals FE1 or FE2 is allowed through the switch to a selected output port and the other signal is not allowed through the switch, the selected signal being allowed through and the selected output port being determined by another control state of the control signal.

[0047] Fig. 6A and Fig. Section 6B are block diagrams, each showing examples according to embodiments of first RF circuits 600a and 600b, which are included in a front-end RFIC. More precisely, they show Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B Examples for the first RF circuit 421 of Fig. 4, which processes or generates the first RF signal RF1, which is polarized in the first direction. According to some embodiments, the second RF circuit 422, which processes or generates the second RF signal RF2, which is polarized in the second direction, may have a structure similar to that shown in 6A and Fig. 6B is shown. Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B allows the first RF circuits 600a and 600b to communicate using four antennas contained in a phased array, and accordingly, the first RF signal RF1 can have four RF signals RF11 to RF14 polarized in the first direction. The following Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B with reference to Fig. 4 described and descriptions relating to Fig. Repetitions of 4 are omitted.

[0048] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 6A, the first RF circuit 600a can comprise four front-end RF circuits 610a, 620a, 630a, and 640a, RX and TX buffers 650a and 660a, and a transmit / receive (T / R) switch 670a. The four front-end RF circuits 610a to 640a can each process or generate the four RF signals RF11 to RF14 and can be connected to the buffers 650a and 660a. According to some embodiments, the four front-end RF circuits 610a to 640a can have the same structure. The front-end RF circuit 610a is described with reference to Fig. 6A described.

[0049] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 6A, the front-end RF circuit 610a can transmit or receive the RF signal RF11 from the first RF signal RF1 and can include a T / R switch 611a, a low-noise amplifier (LNA) 612a, an RX phase shifter 613a, a power amplifier (PA) 615a, and a TX phase shifter 616a. Although not shown, according to some embodiments, the front-end RF circuit 610a can further include at least one filter.

[0050] The T / R switch 611a can output the RF signal RF11 to the LNA 612a in a receive mode, while in a transmit mode it outputs a signal from the PA 615a as the RF signal RF11. Fig. Figure 6A shows an example of the T / R switch 611a in a switching position of the transmit mode, and according to some embodiments, the switch 611a can have a single-pole double-throw (SPDT) configuration. In receive mode, the LNA 612a can amplify the RF signal RF11 received by the T / R switch 611a, and the RX phase shifter 613a can shift a phase of an output signal of the LNA 612a. An output signal of the RX phase shifter 613a can be provided at the RX buffer 650a. In transmit mode, the TX phase shifter 616a can shift a phase of a signal received by the TX buffer 660a, and the PA 615a can amplify an output signal of the TX phase shifter 616a. An output signal of the PA 615a can be output as an RF signal RF11 through the T / R switch 611a.

[0051] In receive mode, the RX buffer 650a can buffer (or amplify) output signals provided by the four front-end RF circuits 610a to 640a, and an output signal from the RF buffer 650a can be made available at switch 670a. In transmit mode, the TX buffer 660a can buffer (or amplify) a signal provided by the T / R switch 670a, and an output signal from the TX buffer 660a can be made available at the four front-end RF circuits 610a to 640a. Switch 670a can provide paths for different signals according to the transmit and receive signals, similar to the T / R switch 611a included in the front-end RF circuit 610a. For example, in receive mode the T / R switch 670a can output a signal from the RX buffer 650a as the first frontend signal FE1, while in transmit mode it provides the first frontend signal FE1 at the TX buffer 660a.

[0052] The first RF circuit 600a can process or generate the first front-end signal FE1 in an RF band. For example, in receive mode, the first RF circuit 600a can generate the first front-end signal FE1 in the RF band by processing the first RF signal RF1 in the RF band, while in transmit mode, it generates the first RF signal RF1 in the RF band by processing the first front-end signal FE1 in the RF band. Accordingly, internal signals (for example, the first and second internal signals INT1 and INT2 of Fig. 4), which connects an antenna module (for example, the antenna module 400 from Fig. 4), which is the first RF circuit 600a from Fig. 6A, and a backend RFIC (for example, the backend RFIC 300 from Fig. 4) be transmitted, lie in an RF band.

[0053] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 6B, the first RF circuit 600b can include four front-end RF circuits 610b to 640b, RX and TX buffers 650b and 660b, and a T / R switch 670b. The front-end RF circuit 610b can transmit or receive the RF signal RF11 from the first RF signal RF1 and can include a T / R switch 611b, an LNA 612b, an RX phase shifter 613b, an RX mixer 614b, a PA 615b, a TX phase shifter 616b, and a TX mixer 617b. This is in comparison to the front-end RF circuit 610a of Fig. 6A features the front-end RF circuit 610b from Fig. 6B further includes the RX mixer 614b and the TX mixer 617b. Although not shown, according to some embodiments the front-end RF circuit 610b may also include at least one filter.

[0054] In receive mode, the RF signal RF11 can be supplied to the LNA 612b via switch 611b and processed sequentially by the LNA 612b, the RX phase shifter 613b, and the RX mixer 614b. According to some embodiments, the RX mixer 614b can step down an output signal from the RX phase shifter 613b in an RF band to a signal in an intermediate frequency (IF) band. An IF band can be any band between an RF band and a baseband. An output signal from the RX mixer 614b can be supplied to the RX buffer 650b, and an output signal from the RX buffer 650b can be output as the first front-end signal FE1 via switch 670b. Accordingly, the first front-end signal FE1 in receive mode can be in the IF band.

[0055] In transmit mode, the first front-end signal FE1 can be provided by switch 670b at the TX mixer 617b of the front-end RF circuit 610b and processed sequentially by the TX mixer 617b, the TX phase shifter 616b, and the PA 615b. According to some embodiments, the first front-end signal FE1 provided at switch 670b can be in the IF band, and the mixer 617b can step up the output signal of the TX buffer 660b in the IF band to a signal in the HF band. An output signal of the PA 615b can be output as the HF signal RF11 by switch 611b.

[0056] As described above, unlike the first RF circuit, the 600b can be used. Fig. 6A The first RF circuit 600b processes or generates the first front-end signal FE1 in the IF band. For example, in receive mode, the first RF circuit 600b can generate the first front-end signal FE1 in the IF band by processing the first RF signal RF1 in the IF band, while in transmit mode, it generates the first RF signal RF1 in the IF band by processing the first front-end signal FE1 in the IF band. Accordingly, internal signals (for example, the first and second internal signals INT1 and INT2 of Fig. 4), which connects an antenna module (for example, the antenna module 400 from Fig. 4), which is the first RF circuit 600b of Fig. 6B, and a backend RFIC (for example, the backend RFIC 300 from Fig. 4) be transmitted, lie in an IF band.

[0057] Fig. 7A and Fig. Section 7B are block diagrams, each showing examples of backend RFICs 700a and 700b and data processors 500a and 500b according to embodiments. Fig. 7A and Fig. Baseband signals can be sent / received between the backend RFICs 700a and 700b and the data processors 500a and 500b in the 7B version. The following descriptions contain redundant information. Fig. 7A and Fig. 7B omitted.

[0058] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 7A, the backend RFIC 700a can have four connection pairs, i.e., a first through a fourth connection pair P10 to P40, for connecting to antenna modules. For example, the first connection pair P10 can have a first connection P11 and a second connection P12, each of which can be connected to connections of an antenna module (for example, to the first and second connections 441 and 442 of...). Fig. 4) According to some embodiments, the first and second terminals P11 and P12 can be differential terminals for differential signals. Likewise, the second terminal pair P20 can have a first and a second terminal P21 and P22, the third terminal pair P30 can have a first and a second terminal P31 and P32, and the fourth terminal pair P40 can have a first terminal P41 and a second terminal P42. In embodiments, terminals P11, P12, etc., can interface with RF or IF transmit lines, such as a microstrip.

[0059] The backend RFIC 700a can have four circuit groups, corresponding to the first to fourth connection pairs P10 to P40. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 7A, the backend RFIC 700a can have a first through fourth switch 710a, 720a, 730a, 740a, each connected to the first through fourth terminal pairs P10, P20, P30, and P40, and can include circuitry for processing a signal between the first through fourth switches 710a to 740a and the data processor 500a. For example, a baseband signal received from a DAC 522a of the data processor 500a can be processed by a TX filter 711a, a TX mixer 712a, and an amplifier 713a, and an output signal from the amplifier 713a can be provided at the first switch 710a. According to some embodiments, the amplifier 713a can include a variable-gain (VGA) amplifier.Similarly, a signal received by the first switch 710a can be processed by an RX mixer 714a and an RX filter 715a, and an output signal from the RX filter 715a can be provided to an ADC 513a of the data processor 500a. Although not shown, according to some embodiments, the backend RFIC 700a can include a circuit, e.g., a phase-locked loop (PLL), that provides an oscillating signal to the RX filter 715a and the TX mixer 712a. Furthermore, the data processor 500a, 500b can be configured to perform MIMO processing with respect to at least one of the first RF signal RF1 and the second RF signal RF2.

[0060] If the backend RFIC 700a receives an internal signal in an RF band from an antenna module or provides an internal signal in an RF band to an antenna module, according to some embodiments, as described above with reference to Fig. As described in Section 6A, the TX mixer 712a can up-convert a baseband signal to an RF band, and the RX mixer 714a can down-convert a RF band signal to a baseband. On the other hand, if the backend RFIC 700a receives an internal IF band signal from an antenna module or provides an internal IF band signal to an antenna module, according to some embodiments, as described above with reference to Fig. As described in 7B, the TX mixer 712a can up-convert a signal in the baseband to an IF band, and the RX mixer 714a can down-convert a signal in an IF band to a baseband.

[0061] According to some embodiments, each of the first to fourth switches 710a to 740a can be a 4-way switch, as shown above in conjunction with Fig. 4, Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B described. For example, according to a control signal, the first switch 710a can connect both the first and second terminals P11 and P12 to the amplifier 713a or the RX mixer 714a. Likewise, according to some embodiments, the first switch 710a can, according to a control signal, connect only the first or the second terminal P11 or P12 to the amplifier 713a and the RX mixer 714a, similar to the switching circuit 430 from Fig. 4, which refers to Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B. Accordingly, a signal received by the backend RFIC 700a from an antenna module can be processed after being passed through either of the first and second terminals P11 and P12, and a signal provided by the backend RFIC 700a to an antenna module can also be passed through either of the first and second terminals P11 and P12. According to some embodiments, the 4-way switch can comprise a plurality of 2-way switches hierarchically connected in a known manner. If any of the switches 710a to 740a is configured to have the third, fourth, fifth, and / or sixth switching states, as described above, then, according to a control signal state, one of the switching paths can be controlled by the switch to be open while the other is closed.

[0062] The 500a data processor can incorporate multiple ADCs 511a, 512a, 513a, and 514a, multiple DACs 521a, 522a, 523a, and 524a, and a 550a controller. Each of the 511a to 514a ADCs can receive a baseband signal from the 700a backend RFIC and convert the baseband signal into a digital signal.

[0063] Each of the DACs 521a to 524a can generate a baseband signal for converting a digital signal and provide the baseband signal to the backend RFIC 700a. Fig. 7A the processor 500a can have four ADCs 511a to 514a and four DACs 521a to 524a, which correspond to the second, first, fourth and third connection pairs P20, P10, P40 and P30 respectively.

[0064] The 550a controller can generate at least one control signal and output the control signal not only to the backend RFIC 700a, but also to a plurality of antenna modules (e.g., the 110-140 antenna modules from Fig. 1. For example, the 550a controller can generate a control signal indicating a transmit mode or a receive mode, and a T / R switch of an antenna module (for example, the 611a and / or 670a T / R switch of Fig. 6A) can establish a path for a signal in response to the control signal. Likewise, the controller 550a can generate a control signal so that a signal path is formed with one antenna module from a multitude of antenna modules, enabling satisfactory communication, and a switch of an antenna module (e.g., the switching circuit 430) is activated. Fig. 4) and a switch of the backend RFIC 700a (e.g., switch 710a) can set a path for a signal in response to the control signal. Examples of operations of the controller 550a are given below with reference to Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 described.

[0065] In the embodiment of Fig. 7A provides four receive paths and four transmit paths to handle a total of eight receive signals, which can be selectively provided by the four antenna modules 110-140, and eight potential transmit signals that can be provided by the antenna modules 110-140. This is because each antenna module 110-140 can only provide RF signals of one and the same selected polarization during receive mode and can only transmit signals of one and the same selected polarization in transmit mode. In this way, the number of connections between the antenna modules 110-140 and the backend RFIC 150 (or 300) can be reduced by half (compared to the case where signals of all polarizations are continuously routed to a demodulator during receive and continuously provided to the antenna modules 110-140 during transmit).

[0066] With reference to Fig. 1, Fig. 4 and Fig. For example, consider that antenna module 110, configured with antenna module 400, is connected to a pair of terminals P10 via a connection from terminal 441 to terminal P11 and from terminal 440 to terminal P12. In receive mode, if a first-polarization receive signal is selected, e.g., signal RF1, and the switching circuit 430 is in the straight-through state, signal RF1 is output as signal INT1, which is provided at terminal P11. If switch 710a is in the fifth switching state, signal INT1 is routed along the receive path, which includes a mixer 714a, a filter 715a, and an ADC 512a, thus undergoing demodulation. Simultaneously, the signal energy of the second-polarization receive signal RF2 is not allowed to pass through switch 710a. However, if the first-polarization signal is selected, e.g.,With signal RF2, switch 430 can remain in the straight-through state, while switch 710a can be changed to the fourth switching state, in which signal INT2 (corresponding to signal RF2) is allowed to pass through the receive path with mixer 714a, while signal INT1 is not allowed through switch 710a. Similar switching schemes can be applied in transmit mode.

[0067] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 7B, the backend RFIC 700b can have the first to fourth connection pair P10 to P40 in an arrangement similar to that of the backend RFIC 700a. Fig. 7A is similar. Likewise, the backend RFIC 700b can have four switches 710b to 740b, corresponding to the first to fourth connection pairs P10 to P40. Compared to the backend RFIC 700a from Fig. 7A can also include a 750 SPDT switch on the backend RFIC 700b. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 7B, the SPDT switch 750 can receive a baseband signal from a DAC 522b of the data processor 500b and can provide the received baseband signal according to a control signal at a TX filter 711b corresponding to the first terminal pair P10, or a TX filter 741b corresponding to the fourth terminal pair P40.

[0068] The 500b data processor can have four ADCs 511b to 514b and one controller 550b, like the 500a data processor from Fig. 7A, and can have three DACs 521b to 523b, unlike the 500a data processor from Fig. 7A. In other words, a baseband signal that is output by the DAC 523b from Fig. The signal output by the 7B is processed by the backend RFIC 700b and output via the first pin pair P10 or the fourth pin pair P40. Similarly, the controller 550b can provide a control signal at the SPDT switch 750 of the backend RFIC 700b.

[0069] In the example of Fig. Figure 7B shows that the path from the SPDT 750 to the switch 740b includes the filter 741b, a mixer 742b, and an amplifier 743b; and it shows that the path from the SPDT 750 to the switch 710b includes the filter 711b, a mixer 712b, and an amplifier 713b. In an alternative embodiment, the path from the DAC 522b can be directly connected to the input of the filter 711b, and the SPDT switch 750 can be placed between the output of the amplifier 713b and the input of the switch 710b. The input of the switch 750 would then be connected to the output of the amplifier 713b; a first output of the SPDT switch 750 would be connected to an input of the switch 710b. and the second output of the SPDT switch 750 could then be directly connected to an input of the switch 750b.In this case, filter 741b, mixer 742b, and amplifier 743b can be omitted (provided that these components are otherwise designed to have the same properties as filter 711b, mixer 712b, and amplifier 713b). Likewise, elements 711b, 712b, and 713b on the left could alternatively be omitted while the elements on the right remain if switch 750 is connected between the output of amplifier 743b and an input of switch 740b.

[0070] Fig. Figure 8 is a block diagram showing a backend RFIC 810 and a first to third antenna module 821 to 823 according to one embodiment. More precisely, it shows Fig. 8, as above with reference to Fig. 7A and Fig. As described in Figure 7B, the first to third antenna modules 821, 822, and 823, and the backend RFIC 810, which has four connection pairs, are represented, and the first to fourth switches 811 to 814 are represented, in which a signal path is set according to a control signal. The backend RFIC 810 is an example of the backend RFIC 150 from [reference missing]. Fig. 1; and antenna modules 821, 822, and 823 are examples of any three of antenna modules 110, 120, 130, and 140. In the embodiment of Fig. 8. A fourth antenna module can be omitted from the user device (UE), which contains the backend RFIC 810 and the antenna modules 821-823 (thus the UE can have exactly three antenna modules).

[0071] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 8, the backend RFIC 810 can have the four terminal pairs, i.e., eight terminals, and the first through fourth switches 811 to 814. According to some embodiments, each of the first through fourth switches 811 to 814 can be a 4-way switch and can be connected to a terminal pair. Fig. The eight terminals can be the first and second terminals P11 and P12 of the first switch 811, the first and second terminals P21 and P22 of the second switch 812, the first and second terminals P31 and P32 of the third switch 813, and the first and second terminals P41 and P42 of the fourth switch 814. Fig. Figure 8 shows examples of switching states of switches 811-814 for a receive mode.

[0072] Each of the first to third antenna modules 821 to 823 can have a phased array and a front-end RFIC, wherein the phased array can transmit a signal polarized in a first direction, e.g., a horizontal direction, and a signal polarized in a second direction, e.g., a vertical direction. Thus, each of the first to third antenna modules 821 to 823 can be connected to the back-end RFIC 810 via a line 301a, 301b, or 301c for a signal polarized in a horizontal (H) direction and via a line 302a, 302b, or 302c for a signal polarized in a vertical (V) direction. (If the switching states of the 4-way switches 430 in Fig. 4. If any of the antenna modules 821-823 are changed, e.g. as a result of signal power measurements as discussed below, H can be swapped with V on the corresponding lines 301, 302.)

[0073] According to some embodiments, each of the first to third antenna modules 821-823 can be connected to the backend RFIC 810 via connections of different terminal pairs. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 8, for example, the first antenna module 821 can be connected to the second terminal P12 of the first switch 811 and the first terminal P21 of the second switch 812, the second antenna module 822 can be connected to the second terminal P22 of the second switch 812 and the first terminal P31 of the third switch 813, and the third antenna module 823 can be connected to the first terminal P31 of the third switch 813 and the second terminal P42 of the fourth switch 814. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 8, signals polarized in a horizontal direction can be received from the first and third antenna modules 821 and 823, while a signal polarized in a vertical direction and a signal polarized in a horizontal direction can be received from the second antenna module 822.

[0074] According to some embodiments, each of the first to third antenna modules 821 to 823 can have a switching circuit (for example, the switching circuit 430 of Fig. 4) Thus, each of the first to third antenna modules 821 to 823 can communicate with the backend RFIC 810 in such a way that each is left by an internal signal corresponding to a signal polarized in a horizontal direction and an internal signal corresponding to a signal polarized in a vertical direction according to a control signal through different switches of the backend RFIC 810.

[0075] For example, with reference to Fig. 4 and Fig. 8. Consider the case where antenna module 821 is configured as antenna module 400, terminal 441 is connected to terminal P12 via line 301a, and terminal 442 is connected to terminal P21 via line 302a. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 8, when the internal signal INT1 is H (corresponding to a received signal RF1 and a straight-through connection state of switch 430), the RF1 signal can be processed by the backend RFIC 810 for demodulation, whereas the received RF2 signal (corresponding to an internal signal INT2) is not processed. However, when the switching state of switch 430 is changed to the "cross-connected" state, the RF2 signal can be processed for demodulation, while the RF1 signal is not. A similar switching operation can be performed within the antenna module 823.

[0076] Fig. Figure 9 is a block diagram of a communication device 900 according to one embodiment. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 9, the communication device 900 can include a plurality of antenna modules 910, a backend RFIC 920 and a data processor 930.

[0077] The majority of 910 antenna modules can feature a phased array and a front-end RFIC as described above with reference to Fig. 1 described, and can have mutual spacings at the edge of the communication device 900. Likewise, the plurality of antenna modules 910 can communicate with the backend RFIC 920 via a plurality of internal signals INTS. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 9, according to some embodiments, the majority of antenna modules 910 can have a power detector 911. The power detector 911 can be connected in parallel to a signal path in the antenna module 910, detect the power of a signal traveling on the signal path, and provide a first detection signal DET1 based on the detected power to the data processor 930.

[0078] The backend RFIC 920 can communicate with most antenna modules 910 via the majority of internal signals (INTS) and with the data processor 930 via a baseband signal (BB). According to some embodiments, the backend RFIC 920 can include a power detector 921, as shown in Fig. Figure 9 shows that the power detector 921 can be connected in parallel to a signal path in the backend RFIC 920 and, by detecting the power of a signal traveling on the signal path, can provide a second detection signal DET2 at the data processor 930.

[0079] The data processor 930 can communicate with the backend RFIC 920 via the baseband signal BB and receive the first and second acquisition signals DET1 and DET2, respectively, from the majority of antenna modules 910 and the backend RFIC 920. A controller 931 can generate a control signal CTR1 based on the first and second acquisition signals DET1 and DET2. An operation of the controller 931 that generates the control signal CTRL is described below with reference to Fig. 10 described.

[0080] According to some embodiments, the CTRL control signal can be provided to the majority of antenna modules 910 and the backend RFIC 920 via at least one of the lines through which the majority of internal signals INTS and the baseband signal BB are transmitted. For example, the CTRL control signal can be provided to switches (for example, switches 710a, etc.) of Fig. 7A), which are contained in the backend RFIC 920, are provided over the same line as the baseband signal BB, while the baseband signal BB is not sent between the backend RFIC 920 and the data processor 930. After being sent to the backend RFIC 920 over the same line as the baseband signal BB, the control signal can be routed over the same lines as the majority of internal INTS signals to the switches (for example, switch 611a, etc.) of Fig. 6A), which are included in the majority of antenna modules 910, and / or the switching circuits (for example, switching circuit 430 of Fig. 4) are provided, while the majority of internal INTS signals are not transmitted between the majority of antenna modules 910 and the backend RFIC 920. For example, the switching circuit 430, which is located in antenna module 400 of Fig. 4 contains the control signal CTRL, which is received via the first terminal 441 and / or the second terminal 442. (These terminals can be connected to signal conductors of an RF or IF transmit line.)

[0081] According to some embodiments, the first and second detection signals DET1 and DET2 can be provided to the data processor 930 via at least one of the lines through which the majority of internal signals INTS and the baseband signal BB are transmitted. For example, the second detection signal DET2, generated by the power detector 921 contained in the backend RFIC 920, can be provided to the data processor 930 via the same line as the baseband signal BB, while the baseband signal BB is not transmitted between the backend RFIC 920 and the data processor 930.Likewise, the first detection signal DET1, generated by the power detector 911 contained in the antenna module 910, can be provided to the backend RFIC 920 via the same lines as the majority of internal signals INTS, while the majority of internal signals INTS are not sent between the majority of antenna modules 910 and the backend RFIC 920 and are provided to the data processor 930 via the same line as the baseband signal BB, as with the second detection signal DET2.

[0082] Fig. 10 is a flowchart of an operating mode of a communication device according to one embodiment. More precisely, it states Fig. 10. A method for operating a communication device comprising a plurality of antenna modules and a backend RFIC. For example, the operating method of Fig. 10 of the communication device 900 of Fig. 9 will be carried out and will be carried out with reference to Fig. 9 described.

[0083] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 10, power levels can be detected along signal paths in operation S20. For example, the power detector 911, contained in the antenna module 910, can detect signal power levels within signal paths in the antenna module 910, such as in a path carrying a signal polarized in a first direction, a path carrying a signal polarized in a second direction, and paths corresponding to a plurality of antennas in a phased array. Similarly, the power detector 921, contained in the backend RFIC 920, can detect power levels within signal paths in the backend RFIC 920, such as signal paths corresponding to a plurality of antenna modules 910. The first and second signals, DET1 and DET2, generated by detecting the power levels, can be provided to the controller 931 of the data processor 930.

[0084] In operation S40, the quality of signals can be evaluated. For example, the controller 931 can evaluate the quality of signals traveling along the paths based on the first and second detection signals DET1 and DET2. According to some embodiments, the controller 931 can calculate a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and, based on the SNR, determine which path carries a signal of satisfactory quality.

[0085] In operation S60, switches can be controlled. For example, the controller 931 can generate at least one control signal so that communication occurs on a path carrying a signal of satisfactory quality, while communication on a path carrying a signal of unsatisfactory quality is blocked. Thus, switches (for example, switches 611a, etc.) can be controlled. Fig. 6A), which are included in the majority of antenna modules 910, and / or switching circuits (for example, the switching circuit 430 from Fig. 4) can be controlled and switches (for example, switch 710a etc.) can be used. Fig. 7A), which are contained in the backend RFIC 920, are controlled.

[0086] Fig. Figure 11 is a block diagram showing examples of a communication device comprising an antenna module, according to one embodiment. More precisely, it shows Fig. Figure 11 presents an example in which various wireless communication devices communicate with each other in a wireless communication system using WLAN. Unlike the wireless communication system 5 of Fig. 1. Using a cellular network, the wireless communication devices of Fig. 11 communicate with each other via WLAN.

[0087] According to some embodiments, a household gadget 31, a household appliance 32, an entertainment device 33, and an access point (AP) 20 can form an Internet of Things (IoT) network system. The household gadget 31, the household appliance 32, the entertainment device 33, and the AP 20 can each have multiple antenna modules and a backend RFIC according to one or more embodiments. The household gadget 31, the household appliance 32, and the entertainment device 33 can communicate wirelessly with the AP 20, and the household gadget 31, the household appliance 32, and the entertainment device 33 can communicate with each other.

[0088] The terms used in this description are employed solely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventive idea. Even though the inventive idea has been specifically demonstrated and described with reference to embodiments thereof, it should be clarified that various modifications to the form and details can be made without departing from the concept and scope of the following claims.

Claims

[1] Antenna module comprising: a phased array (111; 220; 410) comprising a plurality of antennas (221a, 221b, 221c, 221d, 222) and designed to transmit a first radio frequency (RF) signal (RF1) and a second RF signal (RF2) polarized in different directions; an integrated front-end radio frequency circuit (HFIC) (112; 210; 420) comprising a first RF circuit (421; 600a; 600b) designed to process or generate the first RF signal (RF1), and a second RF circuit (422) designed to process or generate the second RF signal (RF2); and a switching circuit (430) designed to connect both the first RF circuit (421; 600a; 600b) and the second RF circuit (422) to a first terminal (441) or a second terminal (442) of the antenna module (400) according to a control signal, wherein the first terminal (441) and the second terminal (442) are connectable to a backend RFIC (150; 300; 700a; 700b; 810; 920) which processes or generates a baseband signal. [2] Antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the switching circuit (430) is further configured to connect the first RF circuit (421; 600a; 600b) and the second RF circuit (422) to the first terminal (441) and the second terminal (442) respectively in response to a first state of the control signal, and to connect the first RF circuit (421; 600a; 600b) and the second RF circuit (422) to the second terminal (442) and the first terminal (441) respectively in response to a second state of the control signal. [3] Antenna module according to claim 1, wherein both the first RF circuit (421; 600a; 600b) and the second RF circuit (422) comprise at least one of a power amplifier (615a; 615b), a low-noise amplifier (612a; 612b) and a phase shifter (613a, 616a; 613b, 616b). [4] Antenna module according to claim 1, wherein both the first RF circuit (421; 600a; 600b) and the second RF circuit (422) have at least one mixer (614b, 617b) designed to convert a signal between an RF band and an intermediate frequency (IF) band, and the switching circuit (430) is further designed to allow a signal of an IF band to pass through. [5] Antenna module according to claim 1, wherein both the first RF circuit (421; 600a; 600b) and the second RF circuit (622) have at least one switch (670a; 670b) designed for connection to the switching circuit (430) and to form different signal paths in a transmit and a receive mode. [6] Antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the switching circuit (430) is designed to receive the control signal from the first terminal (441) or from the second terminal (442). [7] Antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the antenna module (110, 120, 130, 140; 200; 400) has a first and a second substrate in a stacked configuration, wherein the phased array (111; 220; 410) is provided on or in the first substrate, the front-end RFIC is provided on or in the second substrate, and wherein the antenna module further comprises a plurality of feed lines through which the first RF signal and the second RF signal are passed, wherein the feed lines are arranged between the plurality of antennas (221a, 221b, 221c, 221d, 222) and the front-end RFIC. [8] Antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the different polarization directions are orthogonal to each other. [9] Antenna module according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of antennas (221a, 221b, 221c, 221d, 222) comprises a plurality of patch antennas (222) each fed to transmit the first RF signal or the second RF signal, and a plurality of dipoles (221a, 221b, 221c, 221d), wherein a first set of dipoles is oriented to transmit the first RF signal (RF1) which is polarized in a first direction from the different directions, and a second subset of dipoles is oriented to transmit the second RF signal (RF2) which is polarized in a second direction from the different directions. [10] Communication device comprising: a first signal line (301; 301a) and a second signal line (302; 302a); an integrated backend radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) (150; 300; 700a; 700b; 810; 920) designed to process or generate a baseband signal; and a first antenna module (110; 400; 821) connected to the backend RFIC (150; 300; 700a; 700b; 810; 920) via the first and second signal lines (301, 302; 301a, 302a) and comprising a phased array (111; 220; 410) designed to transmit a first and a second RF signal (RF1, RF2) polarized in different directions, wherein the first antenna module (110; 400; 821) is designed to communicate with the backend RFIC (150; 300; 700a; 700b; 810; 920) such that a first internal signal (INT1) corresponding to the first RF signal (RF1) and a second internal signal (INT2) corresponding to the second RF signal (RF2) are passed through the first signal line (301; 301a) or the second signal line (302; 302a) respectively, according to a control signal. [11] Communication device according to claim 10, wherein the first antenna module (110; 400; 821) is further designed to communicate with the backend RFIC (150; 300; 700a; 700b; 810; 920) in such a way that only the first internal signal (INT1) or the second internal signal (INT2) is sent through the first signal line (301; 301a) and the second signal line (302; 302a). [12] Communication device according to claim 10, wherein the first antenna module (110; 400; 821) further comprises a 4-way switch which is connected to both the first signal line (301; 301a) and the second signal line (302; 302a). [13] Communication device according to claim 10, wherein the first antenna module (110; 400; 821) further comprises a front-end RFIC (112; 210; 420) designed to process or generate the first RF signal (RF1) or to process or generate the first internal signal (INT1) and the second internal signal (INT2). [14] Communication device according to claim 13, wherein the frontend RFIC (112; 210; 420) comprises at least one mixer (614b, 617b) designed to convert a signal between an RF band and an intermediate frequency (IF) band, and the backend RFIC (150; 300; 700a; 700b; 810; 920) comprises at least one mixer (712a, 714a) designed to convert a signal between baseband and IF band. [15] Communication device according to claim 10, wherein the backend RFIC (150; 300; 700a; 700b; 810; 920) comprises a switch (710a, 720a, 730a, 740a; 710b, 720b, 730b, 740b; 811-814) which is designed to connect to the first signal line (301; 301a) and the second signal line (302; 302a) and to connect both the first signal line (301; 301a) and the second signal line (302; 302a) according to a transmit mode and a receive mode with different paths. [16] Communication device according to claim 10, wherein the backend RFIC (150; 300; 700a; 700b; 810; 920) has at least one mixer (712a; 712b, 742b) designed to convert a signal between the baseband and an RF band. [17] Communication device according to claim 10, wherein the first antenna module (110; 400; 821) is designed to receive the control signal via the first signal line (301) and the second signal line (302). [18] Communication device according to claim 10, further comprising a data processor (160) designed to receive a baseband signal from the backend RFIC (150; 300; 700a; 700b; 810; 920) to receive or to provide the baseband signal at the backend RFIC (150; 300; 700a; 700b; 810; 920) and to generate the control signal. [19] Communication device according to claim 10, further comprising: at least one second antenna module (120, 130, 140; 822, 823) comprising a phased array (220; 410); and at least one pair of lines (301b, 302b, 301c, 302c) designed to transmit internal signals (INT1, INT2) between the backend RFIC (150; 300; 700a; 700b; 810; 920) and the at least one second antenna module (120, 130, 140; 822, 823). [20] Communication device according to claim 19, wherein the first antenna module (110; 400; 821) and the at least one second antenna module (120, 130, 140; 822, 823) are spaced apart from each other at an edge of the communication device (100). [21] Communication device according to claim 20, wherein the communication device (100) has a rectangular profile, wherein the first antenna module (110; 400; 821) and the second antenna module (120, 130, 140; 822, 823) are mounted at respective corners of the rectangular profile and the backend RFIC (150; 300; 700a; 700b; 810; 920) is arranged in a central region of the rectangular profile. [22] Communication device according to claim 10, wherein both the first and the second signal line (301, 302; 301a, 302a) are a conductor of a microstrip transmit line. [23] Communication device comprising: an integrated backend radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) (810; 920) designed to process or generate a baseband signal; and a first, a second and a third antenna module (821-823), each comprising a phased array (410) designed to transmit a first RF signal (RF1) and a second RF signal (RF2) polarized in opposite directions, wherein the backend RFIC (810; 920) has a first, a second, a third and a fourth 4-way switch (811-814), the first antenna module (821) is connected to a second terminal (P12) of the first 4-way switch (811) and a first terminal (P21) of the second 4-way switch (812), the second antenna module (822) is connected to a second terminal (P22) of the second 4-way switch (812) and a second terminal (P32) of the third 4-way switch (813) and the third antenna module (823) is connected to a first terminal (P31) of the third 4-way switch (813) and a second terminal (P42) of the fourth 4-way switch (814). [24] Communication device according to claim 23, further comprising a data processor (930) designed to receive the baseband signal (BB) from the backend RFIC (810; 920) or to provide the baseband signal (BB) at the backend RFIC (920). [25] Communication device according to claim 23, wherein each of the first to third antenna modules (821-823) is designed to communicate with the backend RFIC (810; 920) in such a way that a first internal signal (INT1) corresponding to the first RF signal (RF1) and a second internal signal (INT2) corresponding to the second RF signal (RF2) are each allowed to pass through different 4-way switches according to a control signal.

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