RF Front-End Duplexer for Carrier Aggregation

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional radio-frequency front-end architectures for carrier aggregation of cellular bands, such as B39 and B41, require separate antennas and complex calibration procedures, leading to higher bill-of-materials costs and performance degradation due to timing synchronization challenges and overlapping transmit/receive slots.

Innovation Solution

A carrier aggregation architecture that utilizes a duplexer with a common antenna and amplification paths, including a TX/RX switch for time-division duplexing, reduces component count and eliminates the need for a B39 RX filter, enabling simultaneous operation of multiple bands with a single antenna and improved RF performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate antennas are used for B39 and B41 bands, then timing synchronization and overlapping transmit/receive slot issues are avoided, but bill-of-materials costs increase and device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetiming synchronizationVSAvoidantenna configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple frequency band handling into a single antenna interface by implementing a duplexer that can simultaneously or sequentially handle both B39 and B41 bands through one common antenna, eliminating the need for separate antennas and reducing device complexity while maintaining timing synchronization through coordinated switching

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs dynamic switching mechanisms including TX/RX switches and band-selection switches that can dynamically reconfigure signal paths between different bands and modes (transmit/receive, band selection), allowing a single antenna to adaptively serve multiple functions without permanent hardware duplication

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Device complexity

If a common antenna is used for B39 and B41 bands with a duplexer, then component count and bill-of-materials costs are reduced, but timing synchronization challenges and overlapping transmit/receive slot issues arise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent countVSAvoidtiming synchronization

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs dynamic switching mechanisms including TX/RX switches and band-selection switches that can dynamically reconfigure signal paths between different bands and modes (transmit/receive, band selection), allowing a single antenna to adaptively serve multiple functions without permanent hardware duplication

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent incorporates controllers that monitor and coordinate the operation of duplexers, switches, and amplification paths, enabling real-time adjustment of signal routing and timing to prevent overlapping transmit/receive slots and maintain proper synchronization across aggregated bands

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If conventional front-end architecture is used, then separate band processing is achieved, but RF performance degrades due to timing synchronization issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveband processing isolationVSAvoidfront-end architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple frequency band handling into a single antenna interface by implementing a duplexer that can simultaneously or sequentially handle both B39 and B41 bands through one common antenna, eliminating the need for separate antennas and reducing device complexity while maintaining timing synchronization through coordinated switching

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent divides the signal processing into separate amplification paths for different bands (B39 and B41), each with its own power amplifier and control, allowing independent optimization of each band's RF performance while still using a shared antenna interface through the duplexer

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11664963B2Devices and methods related to radio-frequency front-end architecture for carrier aggregation of cellular bands

Publication Date: 2023.05.30 SKYWORKS SOLUTIONS INC

AI summary

Circuits and methods related to radio-frequency (RF) architectures having carrier aggregation. In some implementations, a method for performing carrier aggregation (CA) can include providing a duplexer configured to provide duplexing functionality for a first frequency band and a second frequency band with a common antenna. The method can further include providing a first amplification path and a second amplification path coupled to respective ports of the duplexer, each of the first amplification path and the second amplification path configured to amplify a signal in its respective frequency band, each amplification path including a transmit/receive (TX/RX) switch configured to provide time-division duplexing (TDD) functionality for the amplified signal and a received signal. In some implementations, the first frequency band includes a B39 band, and the second frequency band includes a B41 band.