Electronic device for adjusting frequency of refrence signal used to generate RF signal

Abstract

In various embodiments, the electronic device may include an antenna; a processor; and an RFIC that mixes a first baseband signal received from the processor with a first reference signal to generate a first RF signal of a frequency band designated for use in cellular communication, outputs the first RF signal to the antenna, receives a second RF signal of a frequency band designated for use in cellular communication from the antenna, mixes the second RF signal with a second reference signal to generate a second baseband signal, and outputs the second baseband signal to the processor. The processor may be configured to obtain a control signal used to establish a communication channel between a base station and the electronic device from the second baseband signal received from the RFIC, identify a first condition in the control signal that causes disense of the second RF signal, and adjust the frequency of the first reference signal as the first condition is satisfied. In addition, various other embodiments are possible.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] Various embodiments of the present invention relate to an electronic device for adjusting the frequency of a reference signal (e.g., a local oscillator (LO) signal) used to generate an RF signal of a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC). Background Technology

[0002] The electronic device may be equipped with an RFIC for cellular communication (e.g., 5G, or legacy). The RFIC can generate a radio frequency (RF) signal in a frequency band designated for use in cellular communication by mixing a baseband signal received from the electronic device's modem (e.g., communication processor) with a reference signal for transmission and transmit it externally through an antenna. The RFIC can receive the RF signal through the antenna, mix it with a reference signal for reception to convert the received RF signal into a baseband signal, and output the baseband signal to the modem. The problem to be solved

[0003] Unwanted intermodulation distortion (IMD) signals may occur during the process of generating an RF signal (hereinafter referred to as the TX RF signal) to be transmitted externally through an antenna using a transmission reference signal. These generated IMD signals may combine with the TX RF signal to form a secondary IMD signal. The secondary IMD signal can adversely affect the RF signal (hereinafter referred to as the RX RF signal) received by the RFIC through the antenna. For example, the secondary IMD signal may leak into the receiving circuit of the RFIC. The frequency band of the leaked secondary IMD signal may overlap with at least a portion of the frequency band of the RX RF signal, and consequently, a phenomenon known as desense, which degrades the sensitivity of the RX RF signal, may occur. For instance, the narrower the frequency bands of the TX RF signal and the RX RF signal, and / or the higher the power of the TX RF signal, the higher the likelihood of desense occurring.

[0004] Various embodiments of the present invention can provide an electronic device capable of minimizing disense by adjusting the frequency band of a transmission reference signal so that the frequency band of a secondary IMD signal does not overlap with the frequency band of an RX RF signal.

[0005] The technical problems to be solved in this disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned technical problems will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below. means of solving the problem

[0006] In various embodiments, the electronic device may include an antenna; a processor; and an RFIC that mixes a first baseband signal received from the processor with a first reference signal to generate a first RF signal of a frequency band designated for use in cellular communication, outputs the first RF signal to the antenna, receives a second RF signal of a frequency band designated for use in cellular communication from the antenna, mixes the second RF signal with a second reference signal to generate a second baseband signal, and outputs the second baseband signal to the processor. The processor may be configured to acquire a control signal used to establish a communication channel between a base station and the electronic device from the second baseband signal received from the RFIC, identify a first condition in the control signal that causes disense of the second RF signal, and adjust the frequency of the first reference signal as the first condition is satisfied.

[0007] In various embodiments, the electronic device may include a plurality of antennas; a processor; an RFIC that mixes a first baseband signal received from the processor with a first reference signal to generate a first RF signal of a frequency band designated for use in cellular communication, outputs the first RF signal to a first antenna of the plurality of antennas, receives a second RF signal of a frequency band designated for use in cellular communication from the first antenna, mixes the second RF signal with a second reference signal to generate a second baseband signal, and outputs the second baseband signal to the processor; and a wireless communication circuit configured to support wireless communication other than the cellular communication. The processor may be configured to acquire information regarding the quality of a third RF signal received by the wireless communication circuit through a second antenna among the plurality of antennas, and, upon confirming that the quality is below a reference value, acquire a control signal used to establish a communication channel between a base station and the electronic device in a second baseband signal received from the RFIC, identify in the control signal a condition that causes disense of the third RF signal received by the wireless communication circuit through the second antenna, and, upon satisfying the condition, adjust the frequency of the first reference signal.

[0008] In various embodiments, a method for operating an electronic device may include: acquiring a control signal from the RFIC of the electronic device used to establish a communication channel between the base station and the electronic device; identifying a condition in the control signal that causes dissension of an RF signal received from the base station to the RFIC; and adjusting the frequency of a reference signal as the condition is satisfied. The reference signal may be a signal used by the RFIC to generate an RF signal to be sent to the base station. Effects of the invention

[0009] According to various embodiments, the electronic device can reduce disense by adjusting the frequency band of the transmitting reference signal so that the frequency band of the secondary IMD signal does not overlap with the frequency band of the RX RF signal. In addition, various effects that are directly or indirectly identified through this document may be provided. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0010] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to various embodiments. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electronic device for supporting legacy network communication and 5G network communication according to various embodiments. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an electronic device configured to adjust the frequency of a reference signal used to generate an RF signal to be transmitted to a base station, according to various embodiments. FIGS. 4, FIGS. 5, and FIGS. 6 are drawings for explaining the situation in which the frequency of a reference signal needs to be adjusted and the technical effects resulting from the adjustment of the frequency band of the reference signal. Figures 7 and 8 are diagrams illustrating the variation of a low-pass filter as the frequency of a reference signal changes. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating operations performed by a communication processor of an electronic device for reducing disense according to one embodiment. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating operations performed by a communication processor of an electronic device for reducing disense according to one embodiment. FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating operations performed by a communication processor of an electronic device for reducing disense according to one embodiment. FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating operations performed by a communication processor of an electronic device for reducing disense according to one embodiment. FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating operations performed by a communication processor of an electronic device for reducing disense according to one embodiment. FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating operations performed by a communication processor of an electronic device for reducing disense according to one embodiment. FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating operations performed by a communication processor of an electronic device for reducing disense according to one embodiment. FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating operations performed by a communication processor of an electronic device for reducing disense according to one embodiment. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0011] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device (101) in a network environment (100) according to various embodiments. Referring to FIG. 1, in the network environment (100), the electronic device (101) may communicate with an electronic device (102) through a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network) or may communicate with at least one of an electronic device (104) or a server (108) through a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may communicate with the electronic device (104) through a server (108). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a processor (120), memory (130), input module (150), sound output module (155), display module (160), audio module (170), sensor module (176), interface (177), connection terminal (178), haptic module (179), camera module (180), power management module (188), battery (189), communication module (190), subscriber identification module (196), or antenna module (197). In some embodiments, at least one of these components (e.g., connection terminal (178)) may be omitted from the electronic device (101), or one or more other components may be added. In some embodiments, some of these components (e.g., sensor module (176), camera module (180), or antenna module (197)) may be integrated into a single component (e.g., display module (160)).

[0012] The processor (120) can control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware or software component) of the electronic device (101) connected to the processor (120) by executing software (e.g., a program (140)), and can perform various data processing or operations. According to one embodiment, as at least part of the data processing or operations, the processor (120) can store commands or data received from other components (e.g., a sensor module (176) or a communication module (190)) in volatile memory (132), process the commands or data stored in volatile memory (132), and store the resulting data in non-volatile memory (134). According to one embodiment, the processor (120) may include a main processor (121) (e.g., a central processing unit or an application processor) or an auxiliary processor (123) that can operate independently or together with it (e.g., a graphics processing unit, a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor). For example, if the electronic device (101) includes a main processor (121) and an auxiliary processor (123), the auxiliary processor (123) may be configured to use lower power than the main processor (121) or to be specialized for a designated function. The auxiliary processor (123) may be implemented separately from the main processor (121) or as part thereof.

[0013] The auxiliary processor (123) may control at least some of the functions or states associated with at least one component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., display module (160), sensor module (176), or communication module (190)) on behalf of the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or together with the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an active (e.g., application execution) state. According to one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., image signal processor or communication processor) may be implemented as part of another functionally related component (e.g., camera module (180) or communication module (190)). According to one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., neural network processing unit) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing an artificial intelligence model. The artificial intelligence model may be generated through machine learning. Such learning may be performed, for example, on the electronic device (101) itself where the artificial intelligence model is executed, or through a separate server (e.g., server (108)). The learning algorithm may include, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but is not limited to the examples described above. The artificial intelligence model may include a plurality of artificial neural network layers.An artificial neural network may be a deep neural network (DNN), a convolutional neural network (CNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), a restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), a deep belief network (DBN), a bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), a deep Q-network, or a combination of two or more of the above, but is not limited to the examples described above. In addition to the hardware structure, the artificial intelligence model may include a software structure, either additionally or substantially.

[0014] The memory (130) can store various data used by at least one component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., processor (120) or sensor module (176)). The data may include, for example, input data or output data for software (e.g., program (140)) and related commands. The memory (130) may include volatile memory (132) or non-volatile memory (134).

[0015] The program (140) may be stored as software in memory (130) and may include, for example, an operating system (142), middleware (144), or an application (146).

[0016] The input module (150) can receive commands or data to be used for a component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., processor (120)) from outside the electronic device (101) (e.g., user). The input module (150) may include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, a key (e.g., a button), or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus pen).

[0017] The sound output module (155) can output a sound signal to the outside of the electronic device (101). The sound output module (155) may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker may be used for general purposes, such as multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver may be used to receive incoming calls. According to one embodiment, the receiver may be implemented separately from the speaker or as part thereof.

[0018] The display module (160) can visually provide information to an external (e.g., user) of the electronic device (101). The display module (160) may include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector and a control circuit for controlling said device. According to one embodiment, the display module (160) may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of the force generated by said touch.

[0019] The audio module (170) can convert sound into an electrical signal or, conversely, convert an electrical signal into sound. According to one embodiment, the audio module (170) can acquire sound through the input module (150) or output sound through the sound output module (155) or an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)) (e.g., speaker or headphones) connected directly or wirelessly to the electronic device (101).

[0020] The sensor module (176) can detect the operating state of the electronic device (101) (e.g., power or temperature) or the external environmental state (e.g., user state) and generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state. According to one embodiment, the sensor module (176) may include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an accelerometer sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biosensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

[0021] The interface (177) may support one or more specified protocols that can be used for the electronic device (101) to be connected directly or wirelessly to an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)). According to one embodiment, the interface (177) may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.

[0022] The connection terminal (178) may include a connector through which the electronic device (101) can be physically connected to an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)). According to one embodiment, the connection terminal (178) may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).

[0023] The haptic module (179) can convert an electrical signal into a mechanical stimulus (e.g., vibration or movement) or an electrical stimulus that can be perceived by the user through tactile or kinesthetic senses. According to one embodiment, the haptic module (179) may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electric stimulation device.

[0024] The camera module (180) can capture still images and video. According to one embodiment, the camera module (180) may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

[0025] The power management module (188) can manage power supplied to the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the power management module (188) can be implemented, for example, as at least part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0026] The battery (189) can supply power to at least one component of the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the battery (189) may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0027] The communication module (190) can support the establishment of a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between an electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102), electronic device (104), or server (108)), and the performance of communication through the established communication channel. The communication module (190) may include one or more communication processors that operate independently of the processor (120) (e.g., application processor) and support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module (190) may include a wireless communication module (192) (e.g., cellular communication module, short-range wireless communication module, or GNSS (global navigation satellite system) communication module) or a wired communication module (194) (e.g., LAN (local area network) communication module, or power line communication module). The corresponding communication module among these communication modules can communicate with an external electronic device (104) through a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, WIFI (wireless fidelity) direct or IrDA (infrared data association)) or a second network (199) (e.g., a legacy cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a LAN or WAN)). These various types of communication modules may be integrated into a single component (e.g., a single chip) or implemented as multiple separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module (192) can identify or authenticate the electronic device (101) within a communication network such as the first network (198) or the second network (199) using subscriber information (e.g., International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module (196).

[0028] The wireless communication module (192) can support 5G networks and next-generation communication technologies following 4G networks, for example, new radio access technology. NR access technology can support high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB)), minimization of terminal power and connection of multiple terminals (massive machine type communications (mMTC)), or high reliability and low latency (ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC)). The wireless communication module (192) can support a high-frequency band (e.g., mmWave band) to achieve a high data transmission rate, for example. The wireless communication module (192) can support various technologies for securing performance in the high-frequency band, such as beamforming, massive MIMO (multiple-input and multiple-output), full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antenna, analog beam-forming, or large-scale antenna. The wireless communication module (192) can support various requirements specified in the electronic device (101), external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (104)), or network system (e.g., second network (199)). According to one embodiment, the wireless communication module (192) may support a Peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for eMBB realization, loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for mMTC realization, or U-plane latency (e.g., downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) each 0.5 ms or less, or round trip 1 ms or less) for URLLC realization.

[0029] An antenna module (197) can transmit a signal or power to or from an external source (e.g., an external electronic device). According to one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include an antenna comprising a radiator made of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (e.g., a PCB). According to one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network, such as a first network (198) or a second network (199), may be selected from the plurality of antennas, for example, by a communication module (190). A signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module (190) and an external electronic device through the selected at least one antenna. According to some embodiments, in addition to the radiator, other components (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as part of the antenna module (197).

[0030] According to various embodiments, the antenna module (197) may form a mmWave antenna module. According to one embodiment, the mmWave antenna module may include a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent to a first surface (e.g., bottom surface) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a specified high frequency band (e.g., mmWave band), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., array antennas) disposed on or adjacent to a second surface (e.g., top surface or side surface) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving a signal of the specified high frequency band.

[0031] At least some of the above components can be connected to each other via a communication method between peripheral devices (e.g., bus, GPIO (general purpose input and output), SPI (serial peripheral interface), or MIPI (mobile industry processor interface)) and exchange signals (e.g., commands or data) with each other.

[0032] According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (104) through a server (108) connected to a second network (199). Each of the external electronic devices (102, or 104) may be the same or a different type of device as the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations performed on the electronic device (101) may be performed on one or more of the external electronic devices (102, 104, or 108). For example, if the electronic device (101) needs to perform a function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device (101) may request one or more external electronic devices to perform at least part of the function or service instead of performing the function or service itself or additionally. One or more external electronic devices that receive the above request may execute at least part of the requested function or service, or additional function or service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device (101). The electronic device (101) may provide the result as is or additionally processed as at least part of the response to the request. For this purpose, for example, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology may be used. The electronic device (101) may provide ultra-low latency services using, for example, distributed computing or mobile edge computing. In another embodiment, the external electronic device (104) may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. The server (108) may be an intelligent server using machine learning and / or neural networks. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device (104) or the server (108) may be included within a second network (199).The electronic device (101) can be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

[0033] FIG. 2 is a block diagram (200) of an electronic device (101) for supporting legacy network communication and 5G network communication according to various embodiments. Referring to FIG. 2, the electronic device (101) may include a first communication processor (212), a second communication processor (214), a first radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) (222), a second RFIC (224), a third RFIC (226), a fourth RFIC (228), a first radio frequency front end (RFFE) (232), a second RFFE (234), a first antenna module (242), a second antenna module (244), and an antenna (248). The electronic device (101) may further include a processor (120) and a memory (130). The network (199) may include a first network (292) and a second network (294). According to another embodiment, the electronic device (101) may further include at least one of the components described in FIG. 1, and the network (199) may further include at least one other network. According to one embodiment, a first communication processor (212), a second communication processor (214), a first RFIC (222), a second RFIC (224), a fourth RFIC (228), a first RFFE (232), and a second RFFE (234) may form at least a part of the wireless communication module (192). According to another embodiment, the fourth RFIC (228) may be omitted or included as part of the third RFIC (226).

[0034] The first communication processor (212) can establish a communication channel in a band to be used for wireless communication with the first network (292), and support legacy network communication through the established communication channel. According to various embodiments, the first network may be a legacy network including a second generation (2G), 3G, 4G, or long term evolution (LTE) network. The second communication processor (214) can establish a communication channel corresponding to a designated band (e.g., about 6 GHz to about 60 GHz) among the bands to be used for wireless communication with the second network (294), and support 5G network communication through the established communication channel. According to various embodiments, the second network (294) may be a 5G network as defined by 3GPP. Additionally, according to one embodiment, the first communication processor (212) or the second communication processor (214) may support the establishment of a communication channel corresponding to another designated band (e.g., about 6 GHz or less) among the bands to be used for wireless communication with the second network (294), and 5G network communication through the established communication channel. According to one embodiment, the first communication processor (212) and the second communication processor (214) may be implemented within a single chip or a single package. According to various embodiments, the first communication processor (212) or the second communication processor (214) may be formed within a single chip or a single package with the processor (120), the auxiliary processor (123), or the communication module (190).

[0035] The first RFIC (222) can convert a baseband signal (or data signal) generated by the first communication processor (212) during transmission into a radio frequency (RF) signal of about 700 MHz to about 3 GHz used in the first network (292) (e.g., legacy network). During reception, the RF signal is acquired from the first network (292) (e.g., legacy network) through an antenna (e.g., first antenna module (242)) and can be preprocessed through an RFFE (e.g., first RFFE (232)). The first RFIC (222) can convert the preprocessed RF signal into a baseband signal so that it can be processed by the first communication processor (212).

[0036] The second RFIC (224) can convert a baseband signal generated by the first communication processor (212) or the second communication processor (214) into an RF signal of the Sub6 band (e.g., about 6 GHz or less) used in the second network (294) (e.g., 5G network) (hereinafter, 5G Sub6 RF signal). When receiving, the 5G Sub6 RF signal is acquired from the second network (294) (e.g., 5G network) through an antenna (e.g., the second antenna module (244)) and can be preprocessed through an RFFE (e.g., the second RFFE (234)). The second RFIC (224) can convert the preprocessed 5G Sub6 RF signal into a baseband signal so that it can be processed by the corresponding communication processor among the first communication processor (212) or the second communication processor (214).

[0037] The third RFIC (226) can convert a baseband signal generated by the second communication processor (214) into an RF signal of the 5G Above6 band (e.g., approximately 6 GHz to approximately 60 GHz) to be used in the second network (294) (e.g., 5G network) (hereinafter, 5G Above6 RF signal). Upon reception, the 5G Above6 RF signal may be acquired from the second network (294) (e.g., 5G network) through an antenna (e.g., antenna (248)) and preprocessed through the third RFFE (236). The third RFIC (226) can convert the preprocessed 5G Above6 RF signal into a baseband signal so that it can be processed by the second communication processor (214). According to one embodiment, the third RFFE (236) may be formed as part of the third RFIC (226).

[0038] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a fourth RFIC (228) separately from or at least as part of the third RFIC (226). In this case, the fourth RFIC (228) may convert a baseband signal generated by the second communication processor (214) into an RF signal (hereinafter referred to as an IF signal) in an intermediate frequency band (e.g., about 9 GHz to about 11 GHz) and then transmit the IF signal to the third RFIC (226). The third RFIC (226) may convert the IF signal into a 5G Above6 RF signal. Upon reception, the 5G Above6 RF signal may be received from the second network (294) (e.g., a 5G network) through an antenna (e.g., antenna (248)) and converted into an IF signal by the third RFIC (226). The fourth RFIC (228) can convert the IF signal into a baseband signal so that the second communication processor (214) can process it.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the first RFIC (222) and the second RFIC (224) may be implemented as at least part of a single chip or a single package. According to one embodiment, the first RFFE (232) and the second RFFE (234) may be implemented as at least part of a single chip or a single package. According to one embodiment, at least one of the first antenna module (242) or the second antenna module (244) may be omitted or combined with another antenna module to process RF signals of a plurality of corresponding bands.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the third RFIC (226) and the antenna (248) may be placed on the same substrate to form a third antenna module (246). For example, a wireless communication module (192) or a processor (120) may be placed on the first substrate (e.g., main PCB). In this case, the third RFIC (226) may be placed on a portion of a second substrate (e.g., sub PCB) separate from the first substrate (e.g., bottom surface), and the antenna (248) may be placed on another portion of a second substrate (e.g., top surface) to form the third antenna module (246). By placing the third RFIC (226) and the antenna (248) on the same substrate, it is possible to reduce the length of the transmission line between them. This can, for example, reduce the loss (e.g., attenuation) of signals in the high-frequency band (e.g., about 6 GHz to about 60 GHz) used for 5G network communication by the transmission line. As a result, the electronic device (101) can improve the quality or speed of communication with the second network (294) (e.g., 5G network).

[0041] According to one embodiment, the antenna (248) may be formed as an antenna array comprising a plurality of antenna elements that can be used for beamforming. In this case, the third RFIC (226) may include a plurality of phase shifters (238) corresponding to the plurality of antenna elements, for example, as part of the third RFFE (236). During transmission, each of the plurality of phase shifters (238) can change the phase of a 5G Above6 RF signal to be transmitted to the outside of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a base station of a 5G network) through the corresponding antenna element. During reception, each of the plurality of phase shifters (238) can change the phase of a 5G Above6 RF signal received from the outside through the corresponding antenna element to the same or substantially the same phase. This enables transmission or reception through beamforming between the electronic device (101) and the outside.

[0042] The second network (294) (e.g., 5G network) may be operated independently of the first network (292) (e.g., legacy network) (e.g., Stand-Alone (SA)) or connected to it (e.g., Non-Stand Alone (NSA)). For example, the 5G network may only have an access network (e.g., 5G radio access network (RAN) or next generation RAN (NG RAN)) and no core network (e.g., next generation core (NGC)). In this case, the electronic device (101) can access the access network of the 5G network and then access an external network (e.g., the Internet) under the control of the core network of the legacy network (e.g., evolved packed core (EPC)). Protocol information for communication with a legacy network (e.g., LTE protocol information) or protocol information for communication with a 5G network (e.g., New Radio (NR) protocol information) is stored in memory (230) and can be accessed by other parts (e.g., processor (120), first communication processor (212), or second communication processor (214)).

[0043] The electronic device according to the various embodiments disclosed in this document may be of various forms. The electronic device may include, for example, a portable communication device (e.g., a smartphone), a computer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medical device, a camera, a wearable device, or a consumer electronics device. The electronic device according to the embodiments of this document is not limited to the devices described above.

[0044] The various embodiments of this document and the terms used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutions of said embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of said items unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. In this document, phrases such as "A or B," "at least one of A and B," "at least one of A or B," "A, B or C," "at least one of A, B and C," and "at least one of A, B, or C" may each include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish said components from other said components and do not limit said components in any other aspect (e.g., importance or order). Where any (e.g., 1st) component is referred to as "coupled" or "connected" to another (e.g., 2nd) component, with or without the terms "functionally" or "communicationly," it means that said any component may be connected to said other component directly (e.g., via a wire), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0045] The term “module” as used in the various embodiments of this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit, for example. A module may be a component formed integrally, or a minimum unit of said component or a part thereof that performs one or more functions. According to one embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0046] Various embodiments of the present document may be implemented as software (e.g., program (140)) comprising one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., internal memory (136) or external memory (138)) readable by a machine (e.g., electronic device (101)). For example, a processor (e.g., processor (120)) of the machine (e.g., electronic device (101)) may call at least one of the one or more instructions stored in the storage medium and execute it. This enables the machine to be operated to perform at least one function according to the at least one called instruction. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code that can be executed by an interpreter. The storage medium readable by the machine may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-temporary' simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain a signal (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and the term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where it is stored temporarily.

[0047] According to one embodiment, the method according to the various embodiments disclosed herein may be provided by being included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded between a seller and a buyer as a product. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a device-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)) or an application store (e.g., Play Store). TM It can be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) through ) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily created on a device-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.

[0048] According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., module or program) of the components described above may include a singular or multiple entities, and some of the multiple entities may be separated and placed in other components. According to various embodiments, one or more of the components or operations of the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Generally or additionally, multiple components (e.g., module or program) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the multiple components in the same or similar manner as those performed by the corresponding component among the multiple components prior to integration. According to various embodiments, operations performed by the module, program, or other components may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

[0049] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an electronic device (300) configured to adjust the frequency of a reference signal used to generate an RF signal to be transmitted to a base station according to various embodiments. FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 are diagrams for explaining the situation in which the frequency of the reference signal must be adjusted and the technical effect resulting from the adjustment of the frequency band of the reference signal. FIGS. 7 and 8 are diagrams for explaining the variation of a low-pass filter as the frequency of the reference signal changes.

[0050] Referring to FIG. 3, an electronic device (300) (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1) may include an antenna module (301), a cellular communication circuit (302), a WIFI communication circuit (303), a GPS communication circuit (304), an application processor (305), and / or a memory (306). The memory (306) may store frequency setting information (360) used to adjust the frequency band of a reference signal. In some embodiments, the WIFI communication circuit (303) and / or the GPS communication circuit (304) may be omitted from the electronic device (300). The prefixes indicating order, such as “first,” “second,” and “third” below, are intended only to distinguish components having the same name and are not given any special meaning in themselves.

[0051] According to one embodiment, the antenna module (301) may include a plurality of antennas (311, 312, 313). The first antenna (311) may be connected to a cellular communication circuit (302) to transmit and receive RF signals in a frequency band designated for use in cellular communication. The second antenna (312) may be connected to a WIFI communication circuit (303) to transmit and receive RF signals in a frequency band designated for use in WIFI communication. The third antenna (313) may receive GPS signals and output GPS signals to a GPS receiving circuit (304). In one embodiment, the cellular communication circuit (302) may include a first RFFE (320), a first RFIC (330), and / or a communication processor (340). In one embodiment, the WIFI communication circuit (303) may include a second RFFE (351) and a second RFIC (352). The second RFFE (351) may be configured to preprocess (e.g., signal amplification) an RF signal in a frequency band designated for use in WIFI communication. The second RFIC (352) may, upon transmission, convert a baseband signal (or data signal) received from the application processor (305) into an RF signal and output the RF signal to the second RFFE (351). Upon reception, the second RFIC (352) may convert the RF signal received from the second RFFE (351) into a baseband signal (or data signal) and output it to the application processor (305). In one embodiment, the GPS communication circuit (304) may include a third RFFE (361) and a third RFIC (362). The third RFFE (361) may be configured to preprocess (e.g., signal amplification) a GPS signal received from the GPS through the third antenna (313). The third RFIC (362) can be configured to convert the GPS signal into a baseband signal (or, data signal) and output it to the application processor (305).

[0052] According to one embodiment, a first RFFE (320) (e.g., the first RFFE (232), the second RFFE (234), or the third RFFE (236) of FIG. 2) may be configured to preprocess an RF signal of a first frequency band designated for use in cellular communication. In one embodiment, the first RFFE (320) may include a duplexer (321), a power amplifier (PA) (322), and / or a low noise amplifier (LNA) (323).

[0053] According to one embodiment, the duplexer (321) may include a first band-pass filter (BPF) (321a) that outputs an RF signal of a transmission frequency band designated for use in transmitting data to a network, a second BPF (321b) that outputs an RF signal of a reception frequency band designated for use in receiving data from a network, a first port (a) connected to a first antenna (311), a second port (b) connected to a PA (322), and a third port (c) connected to an LNA (323). The first BPF (321a) may be configured to filter out an RF signal having a transmission frequency band from a signal received from the PA (322) through the second port (b) and output it to the first antenna (311) through the first port (a). The second BPF (321b) may be configured to filter out an RF signal having a receiving frequency band from a signal received from the first antenna (311) through the first port (a) and output it to the LNA (323) through the third port (c). The first BPF (321a) may include, for example, a surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter configured to output an RF signal in the transmitting frequency band. The second BPF (321b) may include, for example, a SAW filter configured to output an RF signal in the receiving frequency band.

[0054] According to one embodiment, the PA (322) is positioned on a path connecting the first BPF (321a) and the first RFIC (330) to receive an RF signal from the first RFIC (330), amplify the received RF signal, and output the amplified RF signal to the first antenna (311) through the first BPF (321a).

[0055] According to one embodiment, the LNA (323) is positioned on a path connecting the second BPF (321b) and the first RFIC (330) to amplify the RF signal received from the first antenna (311) through the second BPF (321b) and output the amplified RF signal to the first RFIC (330).

[0056] According to one embodiment, in the first frequency band, the transmitting frequency band may include an uplink band in one of the frequency bands designated to be used for frequency division duplexing (FDD) communication in a 5G or legacy network defined by 3GPP (e.g., the second network (199) of FIG. 1). In the first frequency band, the receiving frequency band may include a downlink band corresponding to the uplink band. For example, if the first frequency band includes LTE Band 2, the transmitting frequency band may include the uplink band of LTE Band 2 (e.g., about 1850–1910 MHz). The receiving frequency band may include the downlink band of LTE Band 2 (e.g., about 1930–1990 MHz).

[0057] According to one embodiment, the first RFIC (330) may include a transmitting circuit (331) that converts a first baseband signal received from a communication processor (340) through a first input port (d) into an RF signal of a transmission frequency band and outputs it to a first RFFE (320) through a first output port (e), a receiving circuit (332) that converts an RF signal of a reception frequency band received from the first RFFE (320) through a second input port (f) into a second baseband signal and outputs it to a communication processor (340) through a second output port (g), and an interface module (e.g., MIPI (mobile industry processor interface)) (333) that supports a communication protocol for data communication between the transmitting circuit (331) and the communication processor (340). According to one embodiment, the transmitting circuit (331) receives a control signal from the communication processor (340) through the interface module (333), and based on the control signal, can change the frequency band of the reference signal (e.g., LO (local oscillator) signal) used when converting the first baseband signal into an RF signal of the transmission frequency band.

[0058] In one embodiment, the transmitting circuit (331) may include a digital analog converter (DAC) (331a), a first low-pass filter (LPF) (331b), a first local oscillator (331c), a first mixer (331d), and / or a PA (331e). The DAC (331a) may convert a digital signal having data received from a communication processor (340) through a first input port (d) into an analog signal. The first LPF (e.g., a SAW filter) (331b) may filter and output an analog signal having a specified first baseband from the analog signal received from the DAC (331a). The first local oscillator (331c) may generate a first reference signal used to convert the first baseband signal into an RF signal of a specified transmission frequency band. The first local oscillator (331c) can adjust the frequency band of the first reference signal by a control signal received from the communication processor (340) through the interface module (333). The first mixer (331d) can generate an RF signal by mixing the first reference signal with the first baseband signal received from the DAC (331a) through the first LPF (331b). The PA (331e) can amplify the RF signal received from the first mixer (331d) and output the amplified RF signal to the PA (322) in the first RFFE (320) through the first output port (e).

[0059] In one embodiment, the receiving circuit (332) may include an LNA (332a), a second local oscillator (332b), a second mixer (332c), a second LPF (332d), and / or an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) (332e). The LNA (332a) may receive an RF signal of a specified receiving frequency band from the first RFFE (320) through the second input port (f), amplify the received RF signal, and output the amplified RF signal. The second local oscillator (332b) may generate a second reference signal used to convert the RF signal into an analog signal having a specified second baseband. The second mixer (332c) may generate an analog signal by mixing the second reference signal with the RF signal received from the first RFFE (320) through the LNA (332a). The second LPF (e.g., SAW filter) (332d) can filter and output an analog signal having a second baseband from the analog signal received from the second mixer (332c). The ADC (332e) can convert the analog signal passed through the second LPF (332d) into a digital signal having data. The data signal converted to digital by the ADC (332e) can be output to the communication processor (340) through the second output port (g).

[0060] According to one embodiment, a communication processor (340) (e.g., the first communication processor (212) and the second communication processor (214) of FIG. 2) can adjust the frequency of a reference signal used to generate an RF signal to be output from the cellular communication circuit (302) to the first antenna (311) through communication with the first RFIC (330). The situation in which the frequency of the reference signal must be adjusted and the technical effects resulting from the adjustment of the frequency of the reference signal will be explained with reference to Tables 1 through 6, FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and FIG. 6.

[0061] Subcarrier spacing (SCS) represents the frequency spacing between subcarriers, which, for example, can be approximately 15KHz in the case of LTE. Referring to Table 1, in LTE Band 2, the channel bandwidth (hereinafter referred to as channel BW) and resource block (RB) can be up to 20MHz and 100RB, respectively. An RB is the minimum unit of transmission, and when the SCS is approximately 15KHz, one RB can be 180KHz. The actual number of RBs used can be changed from 1RB to 100RB at the base station depending on service conditions.

[0062] LTE Band 2 　 　 　 　 　 　 Channel BW(MHz) 1.4 3 5 10 15 20 RB 6 15 25 50 75 100

[0063] The frequency of the reference signal output from the first local oscillator (331c) (hereinafter, reference frequency) may coincide with the center of the channel BW. For example, if the center channel has a BW of 20 MHz in the uplink band of LTE Band 2 (e.g., about 1850 to 1910 MHz), the frequency band allocated to the center channel is about 1870 to 1890 MHz, and the reference frequency can be set to 1880 MHz regardless of the number of RBs. If the center channel has a BW of 10 MHz, the frequency band allocated to the center channel is about 1875 to 1885 MHz, but the reference frequency can be set to 1880 MHz without change.

[0064] Referring to FIG. 4, the cellular communication circuit (302) of the electronic device (300) can transmit an RF signal with a frequency band of 1 RB@99 to the base station through the first antenna (311) and receive an RF signal with a frequency band of 1 RB@50 from the base station through the first antenna (311). The cellular communication circuit (302) can also transmit an RF signal with a frequency band of 2 RB@98 to the base station through the first antenna (311) and receive an RF signal with a frequency band of 2 RB@50 from the base station through the first antenna (311). The number located before “@” above is the number of RBs, and the number located after “@” may be the order when the channel BW is divided, for example, from 0 to 99. For example, the transmission channel from the electronic device (330) to the base station may be a center channel (e.g., about 1870–1890 MHz) with a BW set to 20 MHz in the uplink band of LTE Band 2. The reception channel from the base station to the electronic device (330) may be a center channel (e.g., about 1950–1970 MHz) with a BW set to 20 MHz in the downlink band of LTE Band 2. The electronic device (300) (e.g., communication processor (340)) may receive a control signal from the base station through the first antenna (311). The control signal is information used to establish a communication channel between the base station and the electronic device (300), and may include, for example, information for identifying the frequency band and BW of the transmission channel, information for identifying the frequency band and BW of the reception channel, transmission RB information expressed in a format such as “number@number”, and reception RB information expressed in a format such as “number@number”. The electronic device (300) can determine the bandwidth and frequency band of the RF signal to be transmitted to the base station based on the received control signal. Additionally, the electronic device (300) can determine the bandwidth and frequency band of the RF signal received from the base station through the first antenna (311) from the control signal.

[0065] Referring to FIG. 5, an IMD signal may be generated as an unwanted spurious signal by a non-linear element (e.g., mixer, LNA, PA, or VGA (variable gain amplifier)) included in the cellular communication circuit (302). For example, a first reference signal (510) may be generated in a first local oscillator (331c). A first mixer (331d) may generate a first RF signal (520) by combining the first reference signal (510) with a baseband signal that has passed through a first BPF (331b). In this signal processing process, an unwanted first IMD signal (531) and a second IMD signal (532) may be generated by combining the first reference signal (510) with the first RF signal (520). The first IMD signal (531) and the second IMD signal (532) can be amplified by an amplifier (e.g., PA (322)) within the cellular communication circuit (302). The amplified IMD signal (e.g., the second IMD signal (532)) can be combined with the first RF signal (520) to generate a third IMD signal (533). The third IMD signal (533) may be an unwanted wave that overlaps in frequency band with at least a portion of the RF signal (540) received by the receiving circuit (332). This unwanted wave may cause dissense of the RF signal (540).

[0066] For example, referring to Table 2 below, the frequency of the first reference signal (510) may be 1880 MHz and the frequency of the RF signal (520) generated by it may be 1890 MHz. The frequencies of the first IMD signal (531) and the second IMD signal (532) generated by combining the first reference signal (510) and the first RF signal (520) may be 1853 MHz and 1924 MHz, respectively. The frequency of the third IMD signal (533) generated by combining the amplified second IMD signal (532) and the RF signal (520) is 1960 MHz, and this frequency overlaps with the frequency of the RF signal (540), thereby causing desensation of the RF signal (540) in the cellular communication circuit (302).

[0067] item Frequency [Mhz] First reference signal (510) 1880 RF signal (520) (transmission) 1890 First IMD signal (531) 1853 2nd IMD signal (532) 1924 3rd IMD signal (533) 1960 RF signal (540) (received) 1960

[0068] As the bandwidth of the RF signal received from the base station to the cellular communication circuit (302) through the first antenna (311) is narrower, the probability of interference from the RF signal transmitted by the cellular communication circuit (302) to the base station through the first antenna (311) may increase, and accordingly, the possibility of disense occurring may increase.

[0069] The higher the power of the RF signal that the cellular communication circuit (302) transmits to the base station through the first antenna (311), the greater the amount of power leaked to the receiving circuit (332), and accordingly, the higher the possibility of desensitization occurring. In Table 3 below, “sensitivity@MinPWR” represents the degree of degradation in the sensitivity of the RX RF signal measured in dBm when the electronic device (300) transmits the TX RF signal to the base station at a specified minimum power. “sensitivity@MaxPWR” represents the degree of degradation in the sensitivity of the RX RF signal measured in dBm when the electronic device (300) transmits the TX RF signal to the base station at a specified maximum power. Tests 2 and 5 are situations where the frequency band of the IMD signal overlaps with that of the RX RF signal, as shown in Table 2 above. Even in a situation where frequency bands overlap as described above, if the transmission power is set to minimum power, the sensitivity degradation is -90dBm or less in all tests, so desensitization may not occur. However, when the transmission power is set to maximum power in a situation where frequency bands overlap as described above, it can be seen that a desensitization of -81.4dBm, which is above the reference value (e.g., -90dBm), occurred in Test 2, and a desensitization of -87.7dBm occurred in Test 5.

[0070] LTE Band 2 20MHz BW Ch. 18900 Test # Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Test 4 Test 5 Test 6 Test 7 Test 8 Test 9 Test 10 Test 11 Test 12 DL RB 1@0 1@50 1@99 2@0 2@50 2@98 6@0 6@46 6@94 100@0 100@0 100@0 UL RB 1@99 1@99 1@99 2@98 2@98 2@98 6@94 6@94 6@94 12@88 50@0 100@0 Sensitivity @ minPWR -94.0 -91.0 -95.1 -96.1 -92.5 -96.0 -96.4 -93.5 -96.2 -96.7 -96.7 -96.7 Sensitivity@ maxPWR -92.8 -81.4 -93.0 -94.0 -87.7 -94.2 -94.3 -91.3 -94.4 -94.4 -95.0 -93.9

[0071] Referring to FIG. 6, the cellular communication circuit (302) can raise or lower the reference frequency by one step by a set unit frequency value (e.g., 5 MHz) so that a third IMD signal (533) with overlapping frequency bands with the RF signal (540) is not generated.

[0072] In one embodiment, the cellular communication circuit (302) can change the reference frequency from rf0 to rf1 by adding the unit frequency value to rf0, which is set as a default value. The cellular communication circuit (302) can change the reference frequency from rf0 to rf2 by subtracting the unit frequency value from rf0. The adjustment range of the reference frequency can be set within a range that prevents the frequency of the RF signal to be transmitted to the base station from exceeding the frequency band of the transmission channel. For example, the communication processor (340) can transmit a control signal to change the reference frequency to rf1 to the transmission circuit (331) through the interface module (333). In response to the control signal, the first local oscillator (331c) of the transmission circuit (331) can output a second reference signal (611) with a center frequency of rf1 to the first mixer (331d). The first mixer (331d) can combine the second reference signal (611) with the baseband signal that has passed through the first BPF (331b) to generate a second RF signal (621) that has a higher frequency than the first RF signal (520) but is located within the frequency band of the transmission channel. By combining the second reference signal (611) with the second RF signal (621), a fourth IMD signal (631a) and a fifth IMD signal (632a) can be generated. The fourth IMD signal (631a) and the fifth IMD signal (632a) are amplified by an amplifier, and the amplified IMD signal is combined with the second RF signal (621) to generate a sixth IMD signal (633a). As illustrated, the 6th IMD signal (633a) is located within the frequency band of the receiving channel, but the frequency band may not overlap with the RF signal (540) received by the receiving circuit (332). As another example, the communication processor (340) may transmit a control signal to change the reference frequency to rf2 to the transmitting circuit (331) through the interface module (333).In response to a control signal, the first local oscillator (331c) of the transmitting circuit (331) can output a third reference signal (612) with a center frequency of rf2 to the first mixer (331d). The first mixer (331d) can combine the third reference signal (612) with a baseband signal that has passed through the first BPF (331b) to generate a third RF signal (622) that has a frequency lower than the first RF signal (520) but is located within the frequency band of the transmitting channel. By combining the second reference signal (612) with the third RF signal (622), a seventh IMD signal (631b) and an eighth IMD signal (632b) can be generated. The 7th IMD signal (631b) and the 8th IMD signal (632b) are amplified by an amplifier, and the amplified IMD signal is combined with the 3rd RF signal (622) to generate the 9th IMD signal (633b). The 9th IMD signal (633b) is located within the frequency band of the receiving channel as illustrated, but the frequency band may not overlap with the RF signal (540) received by the receiving circuit (332). Consequently, the desensing of the RF signal (540) can be prevented or reduced by changing the reference frequency from rf0 to rf1 or rf2.

[0073] In one embodiment, the communication processor (340) obtains a control signal from a data signal (or baseband signal) received from a base station through a cellular communication circuit (302) and can compare the control signal with frequency setting information (360) (e.g., Table 4 below). Through the comparison between the control signal and the frequency setting information (360), the communication processor (340) can predict that the IMD signal caused during the process of generating the TX RF signal in the cellular communication circuit (302) will cause disense. If disense is predicted to occur, the communication processor (340) can adjust the frequency of the reference signal used to create the TX RF signal based on the frequency setting information (360). The communication processor (340) can read the frequency setting information (360) by directly accessing the memory (206) or read the frequency setting information (360) from the memory (206) through the application processor (305). Referring to Table 4, an example is described whereby the cellular communication circuit (302) can support LTE Band 2. The communication processor (340) can identify information regarding the communication schedule and settings determined by the base station (e.g., uplink band, channel number (e.g., Earfcn (evolved absolute radio frequency channel number)), TX RB, RX RB, or BW) from the control signal received from the base station through the cellular communication circuit (302). The communication processor (340) can identify that a desense trigger condition matching the identified information exists in Table 4. Accordingly, the communication processor (340) can adjust the frequency of the reference signal based on reference frequency information corresponding to the desense trigger condition identified in Table 4. For example, the information recorded in No. 1 in Table 4 (18900, 1RB@99, 1RB@50, 20MHz) may match the identified information.Accordingly, the reference frequency may be changed from 1880 MHz to 1885 MHz or 1875 MHz.

[0074] No. frequency band (Uplink) Channel number (Earfcn) TX RB RX RB BW Reference frequency 1 LTE Band 2 (1850-1910MHz) 18900 1RB@99 1RB@50 20MHz rf0(default) 1880 rf1 1885 rf2 1875 2 LTE Band 3 (1710-1785MHz) 19575 1RB@99 1RB@0 20MHz rf0(default) 1747.5 rf1 1752.5 rf2 1742.5

[0075] In one embodiment, the communication processor (340) can measure the error rate (e.g., signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or block error rate (BLER)) of a data signal (or baseband signal) received from a base station through the first antenna (311). The communication processor (340) can determine that the measured error rate is greater than or equal to a specified threshold. Here, the threshold may be a value used to determine whether disense has occurred. An error rate exceeding this threshold can be understood as an IMD signal being generated during the process of generating the TX RF signal in the cellular communication circuit (302), and this IMD signal causing disense. In response to the determination that the measured error rate is greater than or equal to a specified threshold, the communication processor (340) can raise or lower the reference frequency by one step by a preset unit frequency value (e.g., 5 MHz).

[0076] Referring to Table 4, an example is described whereby the cellular communication circuit (302) may support LTE Band 3. The communication processor (340) may control the transmission circuit (331) to set the reference frequency to a default value of rf0 (1747.5 MHz) based on a control signal (e.g., channel number = 19574) received from the base station. In this state, if the measured error rate exceeds the threshold, the communication processor (340) may change the reference frequency to one of rf1 (1752.5 MHz) and rf2 (1742.5 MHz). If the measured error rate exceeds the threshold even after the change, the communication processor (340) may change the reference frequency to the other one.

[0077] In one embodiment, the communication processor (340) can measure the error rate (e.g., signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or block error rate (BLER)) of a data signal (or baseband signal) received from a base station through the first antenna (311). If the communication processor (340) determines that the measured error rate is greater than or equal to a specified threshold, it can compare the control signal obtained from the data signal (or baseband signal) received from the base station through the cellular communication circuit (302) with frequency setting information (360) (e.g., Table 4 above). By comparing the control signal with the frequency setting information (360), the communication processor (340) can determine that an error rate greater than the threshold has occurred because the IMD signal generated during the process of generating the TX RF signal in the cellular communication circuit (302) causes disense. If it is determined that disense has been triggered, the communication processor (340) can adjust the frequency of the reference signal used to create the TX RF signal based on the frequency setting information (360).

[0078] In one embodiment, the communication processor (340) measures the strength of an RF signal (e.g., RSSI) received from a base station through the first antenna (311) via the receiving circuit (332) of the first RFIC (330), and can set the power of the RF signal to be transmitted to the base station through the first antenna (311) based on the measured received signal strength. For example, the communication processor (340) can increase the power of the RF signal to be transmitted as the received signal strength becomes weaker. When the power of the RF signal to be transmitted is set above a threshold (e.g., maximum power value), the communication processor (340) can compare the control signal obtained from the data signal (or baseband signal) received from the base station via the cellular communication circuit (302) with frequency setting information (360) (e.g., Table 4 above). The communication processor (340) can predict, through a comparison between the control signal and the frequency setting information (360), that the IMD signal caused during the process of generating the RF signal to be transmitted at a power level greater than the threshold in the cellular communication circuit (302) will cause desensation. If it is predicted that desensation will be caused, the communication processor (340) can adjust the frequency of the reference signal used to create the TX RF signal based on the frequency setting information (360).

[0079] The IMD signal generated during the process of generating the TX RF signal in the cellular communication circuit (302) may adversely affect the RF signal received by another wireless communication circuit. For example, the cellular communication circuit (302) may support LTE Band 40 (approx. 2300-2400 MHz). The IMD signal generated during the process of generating the TX RF signal in the cellular communication circuit (302) (e.g., the third IMD signal (533)) may leak to the WIFI communication circuit (303) through the second antenna (312). The frequency band of the IMD signal leaked to the WIFI communication circuit (303) may overlap with the frequency band (e.g., approximately 2.4 GHz) of the RF signal (hereinafter, WIFI signal) received by the WIFI communication circuit (303), and accordingly, disense of the WIFI signal may occur in the WIFI communication circuit (303). As another example, the cellular communication circuit (302) may support LTE Band 28 (approx. 703-748 MHz). In the process of generating an RF signal by mixing a reference signal with a baseband signal in the cellular communication circuit (302), a harmonic reference signal, which is a frequency component twice that of the reference signal, and a harmonic RF signal, which is a frequency component twice that of the RF signal, may be generated. By combining the harmonic components, an IMD signal may be generated in the cellular communication circuit (302) and leaked to the GPS receiving circuit (304) through the third antenna (313). The frequency band of the IMD signal leaked to the GPS receiving circuit (304) may overlap with the frequency band (e.g., approximately 1.5 GHz) of the RF signal (hereinafter, GPS signal) received by the GPS receiving circuit (304), and accordingly, disense of the GPS signal may occur in the GPS receiving circuit (304).

[0080] In one embodiment, the communication processor (340) obtains a control signal from a data signal (or baseband signal) received from a base station through a cellular communication circuit (302) and can compare the control signal with frequency setting information (360) (e.g., Table 5 or Table 6 below). By comparing the control signal with the frequency setting information (360), the communication processor (340) can predict that an IMD signal caused during the process of generating a TX RF signal in the cellular communication circuit (302) will cause desensing in another wireless communication circuit (e.g., WIFI communication circuit (303) or GPS receiving circuit (304)). If it is predicted that desensing will occur, the communication processor (340) can adjust the frequency of the reference signal used to generate the TX RF signal based on the frequency setting information (360). The communication processor (340) can directly access the memory (206) to read the frequency setting information (360) or read the frequency setting information (360) from the memory (206) through the application processor (305).

[0081] Referring to Table 5, an example is described whereby the cellular communication circuit (302) may support LTE Band 40. The WIFI communication circuit (303) may support WIFI communication in the 2.4 GHz band. The communication processor (340) can identify information regarding the communication schedule and settings determined by the base station (e.g., uplink band, channel number (e.g., Earfcn), TX RB, or BW) from the control signal received from the base station through the cellular communication circuit (302). The communication processor (340) can identify that Attack information (conditions that induce desensitization that adversely affect the Victim) matching the identified information exists in Table 5. Accordingly, the communication processor (340) can adjust the frequency of the reference signal based on the reference frequency information corresponding to the Attack information identified in Table 5. For example, the Attack information recorded in Table 5 (39150, 1RB@99, 20 MHz) may match the identified information. Accordingly, the reference frequency may be changed from 2350 MHz to 2355 MHz or 2345 MHz.

[0082] Victim Attack frequency band (Uplink) Channel number (Earfcn) TX RB BW Reference frequency WIFI 2.4G (2412-2472MHz) LTE Band 40 (2300-2400MHz) 39150 1RB@99 20MHz rf0 2350 rf1 2355 rf2 2345

[0083] Referring to Table 6, another example is described: the cellular communication circuit (302) may support LTE Band 28 (uplink band approximately 703–748 MHz). The GPS receiving circuit (304) may support GPS reception in the L1 band (approx. 1559–1591 MHz). The GPS may include Galileo, Glonass, and / or Beidu, and will be collectively referred to as GPS. The communication processor (340) can identify information regarding the communication schedule and settings determined by the base station (e.g., uplink band, channel number (e.g., Earfcn), TX RB, BW) from the control signal received from the base station through the cellular communication circuit (302). The communication processor (340) can identify that Attack information (conditions that trigger desensitization that adversely affect the Victim) matching the identified information exists in Table 5. Accordingly, the communication processor (340) can adjust the frequency of the reference signal based on reference frequency information corresponding to the Attack information identified in Table 5. For example, the Attack information (27635, 1RB@24, 5MHz) recorded in Table 6 may match the identified information. Accordingly, the reference frequency may be changed from 745.5 (=1491 / 2)MHz to 743 (1486 / 2)MHz.

[0084] Victim Attack frequency band (Uplink) Channel number (Earfcn) TX RB BW Reference frequency GPS L1(1559-1591MHz) LTE Band 28(2 nd harmonics: 1406-1496MHz) 27635 1RB@24 [5MHz] rf0 1491 / 2 rf1 1486 / 2

[0085] In one embodiment, the communication processor (340) may adjust the frequency of a reference signal used to generate a TX RF signal in a cellular communication circuit (302) based on the signal quality (e.g., RSSI (received signal strength indicator)) of an RF signal received by another wireless communication circuit. The communication processor (340) may receive information regarding the signal quality from an application processor (305). For example, upon a request from the communication processor (340), the application processor (305) may analyze a data signal received from another wireless communication circuit (e.g., WIFI communication circuit (303), GPS receiving circuit (304)) to obtain information regarding the signal quality and return the obtained signal quality information to the communication processor (340). As another example, the communication processor (340) may directly obtain information regarding the signal quality by being electrically connected to the WIFI communication circuit (303) and / or the GPS receiving circuit (304).

[0086] Referring to Table 5, an example is described whereby the cellular communication circuit (302) may support LTE Band 40. The WIFI communication circuit (303) may support WIFI communication in the 2.4 GHz band. The communication processor (340) can determine that the signal quality of the RF signal received by the WIFI communication circuit (303) through the second antenna (312) is below a specified threshold. The threshold may be a value used to determine whether disense has occurred. A quality that is lower than this threshold can be understood as an IMD signal being generated during the process of generating the TX RF signal in the cellular communication circuit (302), and this IMD signal causing disense in the WIFI communication circuit (303). In response to the confirmation that the signal quality is below the threshold, the communication processor (340) may change the reference frequency from 2350 MHz to 2355 MHz or 2345 MHz.

[0087] Referring to Table 6, another example is described: the cellular communication circuit (302) can support LTE Band 28 (uplink band approximately 703–748 MHz). The GPS receiving circuit (304) can support GPS reception in the L1 band (approx. 1559–1591 MHz). The communication processor (340) can determine that the signal quality of the RF signal received by the GPS receiving circuit (304) through the third antenna (313) is below a specified threshold. In response to the determination that the signal quality is below the threshold, the communication processor (340) can change the reference frequency from 729.5 (=1459 / 2) MHz to 750 (=1500 / 2) MHz or 745 (=1490 / 2) MHz.

[0088] In one embodiment, the communication processor (340) may obtain information regarding the signal quality of an RF signal received by another wireless communication circuit (e.g., a WIFI communication circuit (303) or a GPS receiving circuit (304)). If the communication processor (340) determines that the obtained signal quality is below a specified threshold, it may compare the control signal obtained from the data signal (or baseband signal) received from the base station via the cellular communication circuit (302) with the frequency setting information (360). If the signal quality below the threshold is for a WIFI signal, the target to be compared with the control signal may be the Attack information in Table 5. If the signal quality below the threshold is for a GPS signal, the target to be compared with the control signal may be the Attack information in Table 6. The communication processor (340) can determine, through a comparison between the control signal and the frequency setting information (360), that the IMD signal caused during the process of generating the TX RF signal in the cellular communication circuit (302) has caused desensitization in another communication circuit (e.g., WIFI communication circuit (303) or GPS receiving circuit (304)), resulting in signal quality degradation below a reference value. If it is determined that desensitization has occurred, the communication processor (340) can adjust the frequency of the reference signal used to generate the TX RF signal in the cellular communication circuit (302) based on the frequency setting information (360).

[0089] In one embodiment, the communication processor (340) measures the strength of an RF signal (e.g., RSSI) received from a base station through the first antenna (311) via the receiving circuit (332) of the first RFIC (330) and determines the power of the RF signal to be transmitted to the base station through the first antenna (311) based on the measured received signal strength. For example, the communication processor (340) may increase the power of the RF signal to be transmitted as the received signal strength becomes weaker. When the power of the RF signal to be transmitted is set above a threshold (e.g., maximum power value), the communication processor (340) may compare the control signal obtained from the data signal (or baseband signal) received from the base station via the cellular communication circuit (302) with frequency setting information (360) (e.g., Table 5 or Table 6). The communication processor (340) can predict, through a comparison between the control signal and the frequency setting information (360), that the IMD signal generated during the process of generating the TX RF signal in the cellular communication circuit (302) will cause desensation in another communication circuit (e.g., WIFI communication circuit (303) or GPS receiving circuit (304)). If it is predicted that desensation will be caused, the communication processor (340) can adjust the frequency of the reference signal used to generate the TX RF signal in the cellular communication circuit (302) based on the frequency setting information (360).

[0090] Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the first LPF (331b) can be implemented as a variable low-pass filter that varies the cut-off frequency in accordance with the adjustment of the reference frequency. For example, the frequency band of the transmission channel may be set to 1870–1880 MHz, and the frequency of the reference signal used to generate the RF signal to be transmitted to the base station may be set to 1880 MHz (rf0). The cut-off frequency of the first LPF (331b) may be set to cf0, which is higher than the frequency bb0 of the baseband signal. The first baseband signal (710) may pass through the first LPF (331b) without loss of data to be transmitted to the base station and be combined with the reference signal by the first mixer (331d) to be converted into an RF signal (720). According to the embodiment described above with reference to FIGS. 3 through 6, the frequency of the reference signal may be converted to 1875 MHz (rf2). Even if the reference frequency changes, the frequency of the RF signal (720) can be adjusted by the communication processor (340) by the changed bandwidth (rf0 - rf2) of the reference frequency so that the frequency of the RF signal (720) does not change. For example, the cutoff frequency can be increased from cf0 to cf1 by the bandwidth (rf0 - rf2). The frequency of the baseband signal can be increased from bb0 to bb1 by the bandwidth (rf0 - rf2). Accordingly, the second baseband signal (810) can pass through the first LPF (331b) without data loss and be combined with the reference signal by the first mixer (331d) to be converted into an RF signal (720).

[0091] In describing Figures 9 to 16 below, content that overlaps with content described with reference to Figures 3 to 6 may be omitted or briefly described.

[0092] FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining operations performed by a communication processor (340) of an electronic device (300) for reducing disense according to one embodiment.

[0093] In operation 910, the communication processor (340) can compare the control signal in the data signal received from the base station through the first RFIC (330) with frequency setting information (360) (e.g., Table 4).

[0094] In operation 920, the communication processor (340) can predict, based on the comparison result, that the RF signal generated in the cellular communication circuit (302) and transmitted to the base station through the first antenna (311) will cause dissension of the RF signal received from the base station through the first antenna (311).

[0095] In operation 930, the communication processor (340) can adjust the reference frequency based on frequency setting information (360). For example, if the cellular communication circuit (302) supports LTE Band 3 and the control signal matches the information recorded in No. 3 of Table 4, the reference frequency can be changed from 1747.5 MHz (rf0) to 1752.5 MHz (rf1) or 1742.5 MHz (rf2).

[0096] FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining operations performed by a communication processor (340) of an electronic device (300) for reducing disense according to one embodiment.

[0097] In operation 1010, the communication processor (340) can measure the error rate (e.g., SNR, BLER) of the data signal received from the base station through the first RFIC (330).

[0098] In operation 1020, the communication processor (340) can confirm that the measured error rate is above a threshold.

[0099] As the measured error rate is confirmed to be above a threshold in operation 1030, the communication processor (340) can adjust the reference frequency based on the frequency setting information (360). For example, if the cellular communication circuit (302) supports LTE Band 3, the communication processor (340) can set the reference frequency to 1747.5 MHz (rf0). As the measured error rate is confirmed to be above a threshold, the communication processor (340) can change the reference frequency from 1747.5 MHz (rf0) to 1752.5 MHz (rf1) or 1742.5 MHz (rf2).

[0100] FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining operations performed by a communication processor (340) of an electronic device (300) for reducing disense according to one embodiment.

[0101] In operation 1110, the communication processor (340) can measure the error rate (e.g., SNR, or BLER) of the data signal received from the base station through the first RFIC (330).

[0102] In operation 1120, if the error rate is greater than or equal to a threshold, the communication processor (340) can compare the control signal in the data signal received from the base station through the first RFIC (330) with frequency setting information (360) (e.g., Table 4).

[0103] In operation 1130, the communication processor (340) can determine, based on the comparison result, that the RF signal generated in the cellular communication circuit (302) and transmitted to the base station through the first antenna (311) causes the dissension of the RF signal received from the base station through the first antenna (311).

[0104] In operation 1140, the communication processor (340) can adjust the reference frequency based on frequency setting information (360). For example, if the cellular communication circuit (302) supports LTE Band 2 and the control signal matches the information recorded in No. 2 of Table 4, the reference frequency can be changed from 1880 MHz (rf0) to 1885 MHz (rf1) or 1875 MHz (rf2).

[0105] FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining operations performed by a communication processor (340) of an electronic device (300) for reducing disense according to one embodiment.

[0106] In operation 1210, the communication processor (340) can set the power of the RF signal to be transmitted to the base station through the first antenna (311) based on the received signal strength (e.g., RSSI) measured through the receiving circuit (332) of the first RFIC (330).

[0107] In operation 1220, the communication processor (340) can compare the control signal in the data signal received from the base station via the first RFIC (330) with frequency setting information (360) (e.g., Table 4) when the power is set above a threshold.

[0108] In operation 1230, the communication processor (340) can predict, based on the comparison result, that the RF signal generated in the cellular communication circuit (302) and transmitted to the base station through the first antenna (311) will cause dissension of the RF signal received from the base station through the first antenna (311).

[0109] In operation 1240, the communication processor (340) can adjust the reference frequency based on frequency setting information (360). For example, if the cellular communication circuit (302) supports LTE Band 2 and the control signal matches the information recorded in No. 1 of Table 4, the reference frequency can be changed from 1880 MHz (rf0) to 1885 MHz (rf1) or 1875 MHz (rf2).

[0110] FIG. 13 is a flowchart for explaining operations performed by a communication processor (340) of an electronic device (300) for reducing disense according to one embodiment.

[0111] In operation 1310, the communication processor (340) can compare the control signal in the data signal received from the base station through the first antenna (311) to the cellular communication circuit (302) with frequency setting information (360) (e.g., Table 5, Table 6).

[0112] In operation 1320, the communication processor (340) can predict that disense will be induced in another wireless communication circuit based on the comparison result. For example, if the cellular communication circuit (302) supports LTE Band 40 and the WIFI communication circuit (303) supports WIFI communication in the 2.4 GHz band, the target to be compared with the control signal may be the Attack information in Table 5. If the control signal matches the Attack information in Table 5, the communication processor (340) can predict that disense will be induced in the WIFI communication circuit (303). As another example, if the cellular communication circuit (302) supports LTE Band 28 (uplink band approx. 703–748 MHz) and the GPS receiving circuit (304) supports GPS reception in the L1 band (approx. 1559–1591 MHz), the target to be compared with the control signal may be the Attack information in Table 6. If the control signal matches the Attack information in Table 6, the communication processor (340) can predict that disense will be triggered in the GPS receiving circuit (304).

[0113] In operation 1330, the communication processor (340) can adjust the frequency of the reference signal used to generate an RF signal in the cellular communication circuit (302) based on frequency setting information (360). For example, if the control signal matches the Attack information in Table 5, the reference frequency can be changed from 2350 MHz (rf0) to 2355 MHz (rf1) or 2345 MHz (rf2). If the control signal matches the Attack information in Table 6, the reference frequency can be changed from 729.5 (=1459 / 2) MHz to 750 (=1500 / 2) MHz or 745 (=1490 / 2) MHz.

[0114] FIG. 14 is a flowchart for explaining operations performed by a communication processor (340) of an electronic device (300) for reducing disense according to one embodiment.

[0115] In operation 1410, the communication processor (340) can obtain information regarding the quality of an RF signal received by another wireless communication circuit. For example, the communication processor (340) can receive information regarding the quality of an RF signal received by a WIFI communication circuit (303) and / or information regarding the quality of an RF signal received by a GPS receiving circuit (304) from the application processor (305). As another example, the communication processor (340) may obtain the signal quality by receiving a data signal from the WIFI communication circuit (303) and analyzing it. Additionally, the communication processor (340) may obtain the signal quality by receiving a data signal from the GPS receiving circuit (304) and analyzing it.

[0116] In operation 1420, the communication processor (340) can confirm that the signal quality is below a threshold.

[0117] In operation 1430, the communication processor (340) can adjust the frequency of the reference signal used to generate an RF signal in the cellular communication circuit (302) based on frequency setting information (360) (e.g., Table 5, Table 6). For example, if the cellular communication circuit (302) supports LTE Band 40 and the WIFI communication circuit (303) supports WIFI communication in the 2.4 GHz band, the reference frequency can be changed from 2350 MHz (rf0) to 2355 MHz (rf1) or 2345 MHz (rf2). As another example, if the cellular communication circuit (302) supports LTE Band 28 (uplink band approximately 703–748 MHz) and the GPS receiving circuit (304) supports GPS reception in the L1 band (approx. 1559–1591 MHz), the reference frequency can be changed from 729.5 (=1459 / 2) MHz to 750 (=1500 / 2) MHz or 745 (=1490 / 2) MHz.

[0118] FIG. 15 is a flowchart for explaining operations performed by a communication processor (340) of an electronic device (300) for reducing disense according to one embodiment.

[0119] In operation 1510, the communication processor (340) can obtain information regarding the quality of the RF signal received by another wireless communication circuit (e.g., WIFI communication circuit (303) or GPS receiving circuit (304)).

[0120] In operation 1520, the communication processor (340) can compare a control signal in a data signal received from the base station through the first antenna (311) to the cellular communication circuit (302) with frequency setting information (360) (e.g., Table 5, Table 6) when the signal quality is below a reference value.

[0121] In operation 1530, the communication processor (340) may determine, based on the comparison result, that the RF signal generated in the cellular communication circuit (302) and transmitted to the base station through the first antenna (311) causes desensation of the RF signal received in another wireless communication circuit. For example, if the cellular communication circuit (302) supports LTE Band 40 and the WIFI communication circuit (303) supports WIFI communication in the 2.4 GHz band, the target to be compared with the control signal may be the Attack information in Table 5. If the control signal matches the Attack information in Table 5, the communication processor (340) may determine that desensation has been caused in the WIFI communication circuit (303). As another example, if the cellular communication circuit (302) supports LTE Band 28 (uplink band approximately 703–748 MHz) and the GPS receiving circuit (304) supports GPS reception in the L1 band (approx. 1559–1591 MHz), the target to be compared with the control signal may be the Attack information in Table 6. If the control signal matches the Attack information in Table 6, the communication processor (340) may determine that disense has been triggered in the GPS receiving circuit (304).

[0122] In operation 1540, the communication processor (340) can adjust the frequency of the reference signal used to generate an RF signal in the cellular communication circuit (302) based on frequency setting information (360). For example, if the control signal matches the Attack information in Table 5, the reference frequency can be changed from 2350 MHz (rf0) to 2355 MHz (rf1) or 2345 MHz (rf2). If the control signal matches the Attack information in Table 6, the reference frequency can be changed from 729.5 (=1459 / 2) MHz to 750 (=1500 / 2) MHz or 745 (=1490 / 2) MHz.

[0123] FIG. 16 is a flowchart for explaining operations performed by a communication processor (340) of an electronic device (300) for reducing disense according to one embodiment.

[0124] In operation 1610, the communication processor (340) can set the power of the RF signal to be transmitted from the transmitting circuit (331) of the cellular communication circuit (302) to the base station based on the received signal strength (e.g., RSSI) measured through the receiving circuit (332) of the cellular communication circuit (302).

[0125] In operation 1620, the communication processor (340) can compare a control signal in a data signal received from the base station through the first antenna (311) to the cellular communication circuit (302) with frequency setting information (360) (e.g., Table 5, Table 6) when the power is set above a threshold.

[0126] In operation 1630, the communication processor (340) can predict that disense will be induced in another wireless communication circuit based on the comparison result. For example, if the cellular communication circuit (302) supports LTE Band 40 and the WIFI communication circuit (303) supports WIFI communication in the 2.4 GHz band, the target to be compared with the control signal may be the Attack information in Table 5. If the control signal matches the Attack information in Table 5, the communication processor (340) can predict that disense will be induced in the WIFI communication circuit (303). As another example, if the cellular communication circuit (302) supports LTE Band 28 (uplink band approx. 703–748 MHz) and the GPS receiving circuit (304) supports GPS reception in the L1 band (approx. 1559–1591 MHz), the target to be compared with the control signal may be the Attack information in Table 6. If the control signal matches the Attack information in Table 6, the communication processor (340) can predict that disense will be triggered in the GPS receiving circuit (304).

[0127] In operation 1640, the communication processor (340) can adjust the frequency of the reference signal used to generate an RF signal in the cellular communication circuit (302) based on frequency setting information (360). For example, if the control signal matches the Attack information in Table 5, the reference frequency can be changed from 2350 MHz (rf0) to 2355 MHz (rf1) or 2345 MHz (rf2). If the control signal matches the Attack information in Table 6, the reference frequency can be changed from 729.5 (=1459 / 2) MHz to 750 (=1500 / 2) MHz or 745 (=1490 / 2) MHz.

[0128] In various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (300) of FIG. 3) may include an antenna; a processor; and an RFIC that mixes a first baseband signal received from the processor with a first reference signal to generate a first RF signal of a frequency band designated for use in cellular communication, outputs the first RF signal to the antenna, receives a second RF signal of a frequency band designated for use in cellular communication from the antenna, mixes the second RF signal with a second reference signal to generate a second baseband signal, and outputs the second baseband signal to the processor. The processor (e.g., the communication processor (340) of FIG. 3) may be configured to obtain a control signal used to establish a communication channel between a base station and the electronic device from the second baseband signal received from the RFIC, identify a first condition in the control signal that causes disense of the second RF signal, and adjust the frequency of the first reference signal as the first condition is satisfied.

[0129] The processor may be configured to obtain the received signal strength of a second RF signal received from the base station to the antenna through the RFIC, set the power of a first RF signal to be transmitted to the base station through the antenna based on the received signal strength, and adjust the frequency of the first reference signal as the power is set above a threshold and the first condition is satisfied.

[0130] The processor may be configured to measure the error rate of a second baseband signal received from the RFIC, and to adjust the frequency of the first reference signal as it is confirmed that the measured error rate is greater than or equal to a threshold and the first condition is satisfied. If the value that can be set as the frequency of the first reference signal is a default value, a first value greater than the default value, or a second value smaller than the default value, the processor may be configured to change the frequency of the first reference signal from the default value to one of the first value and the second value as it is confirmed that the measured error rate is greater than or equal to a threshold and the first condition is satisfied, and if the frequency of the reference signal is set to one of the first value and the second value and the measured error rate is confirmed to be greater than or equal to a threshold, the processor may be configured to change the frequency of the first reference signal to the other of the first value and the second value.

[0131] The first condition above may include: a number of a transmission channel; a bandwidth of the transmission channel; a frequency band of a first RF signal to be transmitted to the base station through the antenna in the transmission channel; and a frequency band of a second RF signal received from the base station in the reception channel.

[0132] If the electronic device further includes a wireless communication circuit configured to support wireless communication other than the above cellular communication (e.g., WIFI communication circuit (303) of FIG. 3, GPS receiving circuit (304)), the processor may be configured to check that a second condition causing dissension of a third RF signal received from the outside by the wireless communication circuit is included in the control signal, and to adjust the frequency of the first reference signal as the second condition is included in the control signal.

[0133] When the RFIC is configured to generate a first RF signal in an uplink band with a center frequency of approximately 2.4 GHz, the wireless communication circuit may include a WIFI communication circuit that supports wireless communication in a band of approximately 2.4 GHz. When the RFIC is configured to generate a first RF signal in an uplink band with a center frequency of approximately 725.5 MHz, the wireless communication circuit may include a GPS receiving circuit that receives a GPS signal in a band of approximately 1.5 GHz.

[0134] The second condition above may include the number of the transmission channel; the bandwidth of the transmission channel; and the frequency band of the first RF signal to be transmitted to the base station through the antenna in the transmission channel.

[0135] The processor may be configured to obtain information regarding the quality of a third RF signal received by the wireless communication circuit, and to adjust the frequency of the first reference signal as it is confirmed that the quality is below a reference value and the second condition is included in the control signal.

[0136] The processor may be configured to obtain the received signal strength of a second RF signal received from the base station to the antenna through the RFIC, set the power of a first RF signal to be transmitted to the base station through the antenna based on the received signal strength, and adjust the frequency of the first reference signal as the power is set above a threshold and the second condition is included in the control signal.

[0137] The above processor may include a communication processor that forms a cellular communication circuit together with the above RFIC.

[0138] If the RFIC includes a filter that filters and outputs an analog signal having a specified first baseband from an analog signal received from the processor, the processor may be configured to adjust the first baseband to pass through the filter by an amount equal to the frequency of the first reference signal adjusted.

[0139] In various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (300) of FIG. 3) may include a plurality of antennas; a processor; an RFIC that mixes a first baseband signal received from the processor with a first reference signal to generate a first RF signal of a frequency band designated for use in cellular communication, outputs the first RF signal to the first antenna of the plurality of antennas, receives a second RF signal of a frequency band designated for use in cellular communication from the first antenna, mixes the second RF signal with a second reference signal to generate a second baseband signal, and outputs the second baseband signal to the processor; and a wireless communication circuit configured to support wireless communication other than the cellular communication. The processor may be configured to obtain information regarding the quality of a third RF signal received by the wireless communication circuit through a second antenna among the plurality of antennas (e.g., operation 1510 of FIG. 15), obtain a control signal used to establish a communication channel between a base station and the electronic device in a second baseband signal received from the RFIC as it is confirmed that the quality is below a reference value, identify a condition in the control signal that causes dissensing of the third RF signal received by the wireless communication circuit through the second antenna (e.g., operations 1520 and 1530 of FIG. 15), and adjust the frequency of the first reference signal as the condition is satisfied (e.g., operation 1540 of FIG. 15).

[0140] When the above RFIC is configured to generate a first RF signal in an uplink band with a center frequency of approximately 2.4 GHz, the wireless communication circuit may include a WIFI communication circuit that supports wireless communication in a band of approximately 2.4 GHz. When the above RFIC is configured to generate a first RF signal in an uplink band with a center frequency of approximately 725.5 MHz, the wireless communication circuit may include a GPS receiving circuit that receives a GPS signal in a band of approximately 1.5 GHz. The above conditions are an electronic device comprising: a number of a transmission channel; a bandwidth of the transmission channel; and a frequency band of a first RF signal to be transmitted to the base station through the antenna in the transmission channel.

[0141] In various embodiments, a method of operating an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (300) of FIG. 3) may include: obtaining a control signal from the RFIC of the electronic device that is used to establish a communication channel between the base station and the electronic device; identifying a condition in the control signal that causes dissension of an RF signal received from the base station to the RFIC; and adjusting the frequency of a reference signal as the condition is satisfied. The reference signal may be a signal used by the RFIC to generate an RF signal to be sent to the base station.

[0142] The above method may further include the operation of obtaining the received signal strength of an RF signal received by the antenna at the base station through the RFIC; and the operation of setting the power of an RF signal to be transmitted to the base station through the antenna based on the received signal strength. The adjusting operation may be performed when the power is set above a threshold and the condition is satisfied.

[0143] The above method may further include an operation of measuring the error rate of a baseband signal obtained by the RFIC processing an RF signal received from the base station through the antenna. The adjusting operation may be performed when it is confirmed that the measured error rate is greater than or equal to a threshold and the condition is satisfied.

[0144] The embodiments of the present invention disclosed in this specification and drawings are merely specific examples provided to facilitate the explanation of the technical content according to the embodiments of the present invention and to aid in understanding the embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of the present invention. Accordingly, the scope of the various embodiments of the present invention should be interpreted to include all modifications or variations derived based on the technical concept of the various embodiments of the present invention, in addition to the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

Claim 1 In an electronic device, the device comprises: an antenna; a processor; and an RFIC that mixes a first baseband signal received from the processor with a first reference signal to generate a first RF signal of a frequency band designated for use in cellular communication and outputs the first RF signal to the antenna, receives a second RF signal of a frequency band designated for use in cellular communication from the antenna, mixes the second RF signal with a second reference signal to generate a second baseband signal, and outputs the second baseband signal to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to obtain a control signal used to establish a communication channel between a base station and the electronic device from the second baseband signal received from the RFIC, and to adjust the frequency of the first reference signal based on information matching a first condition that causes dissension of the second RF signal being identified in the control signal, and wherein the first condition comprises: a number of a transmission channel; a bandwidth of the transmission channel; and a frequency band of the first RF signal to be transmitted to the base station through the antenna in the transmission channel. and an electronic device including the frequency band of a second RF signal received from the base station in a receiving channel. Claim 2 An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the processor acquires the received signal strength of a second RF signal received by the antenna at the base station through the RFIC, sets the power of a first RF signal to be transmitted to the base station through the antenna based on the received signal strength, and adjusts the frequency of the first reference signal as the power is set above a threshold and the first condition is satisfied. Claim 3 An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the processor measures the error rate of a second baseband signal received from the RFIC, and adjusts the frequency of the first reference signal as it is confirmed that the measured error rate is greater than or equal to a threshold and the first condition is satisfied. Claim 4 An electronic device configured such that, in paragraph 3, the value settable as the frequency of the first reference signal is a default value, a first value greater than the default value, or a second value smaller than the default value, wherein the processor changes the frequency of the first reference signal from the default value to one of the first value and the second value as it is confirmed that the measured error rate is greater than or equal to a threshold value and the first condition is satisfied, and when the frequency of the first reference signal is set to one of the first value and the second value and it is confirmed that the measured error rate is greater than or equal to the threshold value, the frequency of the first reference signal is changed to the other of the first value and the second value. Claim 5 delete Claim 6 An electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication circuit configured to support wireless communication other than the cellular communication, wherein the processor confirms that a second condition causing dissension of a third RF signal received from the outside to the wireless communication circuit is included in the control signal, and is configured to adjust the frequency of the first reference signal as the second condition is included in the control signal. Claim 7 An electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the RFIC is configured to generate a first RF signal in an uplink band with a center frequency of approximately 2.4 GHz, and the wireless communication circuit includes a WIFI communication circuit that supports wireless communication in the approximately 2.4 GHz band. Claim 8 In claim 6, the RFIC is configured to generate a first RF signal in an uplink band with a center frequency of approximately 725.5 MHz, and the wireless communication circuit is an electronic device comprising a GPS receiving circuit that receives a GPS signal in a band of approximately 1.5 GHz. Claim 9 In claim 6, the second condition comprises: a number of a transmission channel; a bandwidth of the transmission channel; and a frequency band of a first RF signal to be transmitted to the base station through the antenna in the transmission channel. Claim 10 An electronic device configured such that, in claim 6, the processor obtains information regarding the quality of a third RF signal received by the wireless communication circuit, and adjusts the frequency of the first reference signal as the quality is confirmed to be below a reference value and the second condition is included in the control signal. Claim 11 An electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the processor acquires the received signal strength of a second RF signal received from the base station to the antenna through the RFIC, sets the power of a first RF signal to be transmitted to the base station through the antenna based on the received signal strength, and adjusts the frequency of the first reference signal as the power is set above a threshold and the second condition is included in the control signal. Claim 12 In claim 1, the processor is an electronic device comprising a communication processor that forms a cellular communication circuit together with the RFIC. Claim 13 An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the RFIC includes a filter that filters and outputs an analog signal having a specified first baseband from an analog signal received from the processor, and the processor is configured to adjust the first baseband to pass through the filter by an amount equal to the frequency of the first reference signal adjusted. Claim 14 In an electronic device, a plurality of antennas; a processor; and an RFIC that mixes a first baseband signal received from the processor with a first reference signal to generate a first RF signal of a frequency band designated for use in cellular communication, outputs the first RF signal to a first antenna among the plurality of antennas, receives a second RF signal of a frequency band designated for use in cellular communication from the first antenna, mixes the second RF signal with a second reference signal to generate a second baseband signal, and outputs the second baseband signal to the processor. The electronic device comprises a wireless communication circuit configured to support wireless communication other than the cellular communication described above, wherein the processor obtains information regarding the quality of a third RF signal received by the wireless communication circuit through a second antenna among the plurality of antennas, and obtains a control signal used to establish a communication channel between a base station and the electronic device in a second baseband signal received from the RFIC as it is confirmed that the quality is below a reference value, and is configured to adjust the frequency of the first reference signal based on information matching a condition that causes dissensing of the third RF signal received by the wireless communication circuit through the second antenna being confirmed in the control signal, wherein the condition includes: a number of a transmission channel; a bandwidth of the transmission channel; and a frequency band of a first RF signal to be transmitted to the base station through the first antenna in the transmission channel. Claim 15 An electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the RFIC is configured to generate a first RF signal in an uplink band with a center frequency of approximately 2.4 GHz, and the wireless communication circuit includes a WIFI communication circuit that supports wireless communication in the approximately 2.4 GHz band. Claim 16 In claim 14, the RFIC is configured to generate a first RF signal in an uplink band with a center frequency of approximately 725.5 MHz, and the wireless communication circuit is an electronic device comprising a GPS receiving circuit that receives a GPS signal in a band of approximately 1.5 GHz. Claim 17 delete Claim 18 A method for operating an electronic device comprises: acquiring a control signal from an RFIC of the electronic device used to establish a communication channel between a base station and the electronic device; and adjusting the frequency of a reference signal based on information found in the control signal that matches a condition causing dissension of an RF signal received from the base station to the RFIC, wherein the reference signal is a signal used by the RFIC to generate an RF signal to be transmitted to the base station, and the condition comprises: a number of a transmission channel; a bandwidth of the transmission channel; a frequency band of an RF signal to be transmitted to the base station through an antenna in the transmission channel; and a frequency band of an RF signal received from the base station in a reception channel. Claim 19 In claim 18, the method further comprises: an operation of obtaining the received signal strength of an RF signal received by the antenna at the base station through the RFIC; and an operation of setting the power of an RF signal to be transmitted to the base station through the antenna based on the received signal strength, wherein the adjusting operation is performed when the power is set above a threshold and the condition is satisfied. Claim 20 In claim 18, the method further includes an operation to measure the error rate of a baseband signal obtained by the RFIC processing an RF signal received from the base station through the antenna, wherein the adjusting operation is performed when it is confirmed that the measured error rate is greater than or equal to a threshold and the condition is satisfied.

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