On-Chip Switch Integration for RF Signal Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current radio transceiver designs are limited in their ability to flexibly extend the number of supported communications bands, requiring external switches that increase path loss, circuit area, and cost, while also necessitating additional control pins and circuit complexity.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates on-chip switches and a tunnel device within the radio transceiver chip, allowing primary and diversity receive ports to receive either primary or diversity signals, thereby extending the number of supported bands without the need for external components and reducing path loss and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If external switches are used to extend the number of supported bands, then the number of supported communications bands is increased, but path loss increases and circuit area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the switch functionality directly into the radio transceiver chip, eliminating the need for external switches. The on-chip switch is integrated within the chip architecture, allowing signal routing between different receive ports and signal-processing circuits without requiring separate external switching components, thereby reducing path loss and circuit area while maintaining the ability to support multiple communications bands
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested architecture where the switch is embedded within the radio transceiver chip structure. The on-chip switch is integrated into the chip's internal circuit architecture, allowing multiple receive ports to be dynamically connected to different signal-processing circuits through nested switching stages, thereby extending band support without proportionally increasing external circuit area
2Adaptability or versatility
If external switches are used to extend the number of supported bands, then the number of supported communications bands is increased, but circuit area increases and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the switch functionality with the radio transceiver chip architecture, eliminating the need for separate external switch components. This integration consolidates multiple functions (signal routing, band selection, and signal processing) within a single chip, thereby reducing the total circuit area and component count while maintaining support for multiple communications bands
Solution Approach 2:
The on-chip switch is designed to perform multiple functions: it can route signals from different receive ports to different signal-processing circuits, support dynamic band configuration, and enable flexible communications architecture. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate external switches and reduces overall circuit area while maintaining versatility
3Adaptability or versatility
If external switches are used to extend the number of supported bands, then the number of supported communications bands is increased, but device complexity increases due to additional control pins
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the switch control functionality directly into the radio transceiver chip, eliminating the need for separate external control pins. The on-chip switch is controlled through internal control signals generated within the chip architecture, thereby reducing the number of external control interfaces and simplifying the overall device complexity while maintaining the ability to dynamically configure supported bands
Data Source
AI summary
An RF signal processing device includes multiple first signal receive paths receiving multiple first signals, multiple second signal receive paths receiving multiple second signals and a radio transceiver. The radio transceiver includes a first signal-processing circuit designed for processing the first signals, a second signal-processing circuit designed for processing the second signals, multiple first receive ports coupled to the first signal-processing circuit, multiple second receive ports coupled to the second signal-processing circuit, a first switch and a tunnel device. The first switch is coupled between at least one first receive port and the first signal-processing circuit. The tunnel device is coupled between the first switch and the second signal-processing circuit. The at least one first receive port coupled to the first switch is utilized to receive the first signal or the second signal.