Quadrature Hybrid Receiver Circuit for Multi-Band Carrier Aggregation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for data throughput necessitates carrier aggregation across different frequency bands, which poses significant performance challenges for antenna interfaces in wideband receivers due to varying spectrum allocations and the complexity of using multiple antennas.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a circuit for wireless communication that includes a quadrature hybrid and multiple mixers, along with a complex combiner, to efficiently handle multiple frequencies and reduce the complexity of antenna signal processing, utilizing quadrature hybrids to split and process signals effectively across various frequency bands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple antennas are used for each frequency band, then the performance requirements for wideband receivers are improved, but the device complexity and cost increase due to the large number of band combinations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple frequency band handling capabilities into a single antenna interface by implementing a wideband receiver that can process multiple frequency bands simultaneously. This merging approach eliminates the need for separate antennas for each band, reducing device complexity while maintaining the ability to meet performance requirements for wideband carrier aggregation.
Solution Approach 2:
The wideband receiver is designed with universal functionality to handle multiple frequency bands and carrier aggregation configurations. The antenna interface is engineered to universally support different band combinations through integrated filtering and signal processing, allowing a single interface to perform multiple functions that would otherwise require separate dedicated antennas.
2Adaptability or versatility
If filter banks and switches are used to split antenna signals, then multiple frequency bands can be processed, but the device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the complex filter bank and switch matrix architecture from the signal processing path. Instead, it employs a simplified wideband receiver approach that directly processes multiple frequency bands without requiring extensive signal splitting and recombination, thereby reducing device complexity while preserving adaptability to handle various frequency band combinations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/electrical switching and filtering system with a digital signal processing-based wideband receiver. This substitution eliminates the need for physical filter banks and switches, reducing device complexity while maintaining or enhancing the capability to handle multiple frequency bands through software-defined radio techniques.
3Device complexity
If a single antenna is used for multiple frequency bands, then device complexity is reduced, but signal processing challenges increase due to wideband requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the wideband signal processing into distinct functional blocks within the receiver, including separate filtering stages, downconversion paths, and baseband processing chains for different frequency bands. This segmentation allows the single antenna to effectively handle multiple bands by processing them through organized, modular signal processing stages, reducing the difficulty of detecting and measuring wideband signals.
Data Source
AI summary
Circuit for wireless communication are provided, the circuits comprising: a first quadrature hybrid having a first in port, a first iso port, a first cpl port, and a first thru port; a first mixer having a first input coupled to the first cpl port and having an output; a second mixer have a first input coupled to the first cpl port and having an output; a third mixer having a first input coupled to the first thru port and having an output; a fourth mixer having a first input coupled to the first thru port and having an output; and a first complex combiner having inputs coupled to the output of the first mixer, the output of the second mixer, the output of the third mixer, and the output of the fourth mixer that provides first I and Q outputs based the output of the first mixer and the output of the second mixer.