RF Front End Circuitry Antenna Isolation for Carrier Aggregation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional RF front end circuitry for carrier aggregation suffers from signal degradation due to intermodulation distortion, particularly when simultaneously transmitting primary RF signals in certain operating bands, which can desensitize receiver circuitry and is challenging to mitigate within common design constraints of cost and size.
Innovation Solution
The RF front end circuitry configures primary and secondary communications circuitry to provide primary RF transmit signals in specific bands, achieving antenna-to-antenna isolation by reusing secondary communications circuitry to transmit in problematic bands, thereby reducing intermodulation distortion with minimal increase in area and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional RF front end circuitry transmits primary RF signals in multiple operating bands simultaneously, then carrier aggregation capability is achieved, but intermodulation distortion occurs causing signal degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the transmit signal path into separate primary communications circuitry and secondary communications circuitry. Each circuitry handles specific operating bands independently, preventing intermodulation between bands by eliminating the shared path that causes distortion in conventional single-circuitry designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The secondary communications circuitry acts as an intermediary for transmitting signals in problematic bands (e.g., Band 1 and Band 3). By routing these signals through a separate circuitry with dedicated antenna elements, the patent isolates them from the primary circuitry, preventing intermodulation distortion while maintaining carrier aggregation functionality.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If additional communications circuitry is added to reduce intermodulation, then signal quality improves, but device area and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary communications circuitry is designed to perform multiple functions: it transmits signals in problematic bands during carrier aggregation operations and can be repurposed for other communication functions when not needed for carrier aggregation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for dedicated separate circuitry, minimizing area overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically allocates the secondary communications circuitry based on operational needs. When carrier aggregation in problematic bands is not required, the secondary circuitry can be discarded from active use or recovered for other purposes, optimizing resource utilization and reducing effective area and power requirements.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If additional communications circuitry is added to reduce intermodulation, then signal quality improves, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of the secondary communications circuitry, activating it only when carrier aggregation in problematic bands is required and deactivating it when not needed. This dynamic operation significantly reduces average power consumption compared to having always-on separate circuitry for each band.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters by switching between single-circuitry and dual-circuitry modes based on the required operating bands. When carrier aggregation in problematic bands is not needed, the system operates in a lower-power single-circuitry mode, optimizing power consumption while maintaining signal quality when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
Radio frequency (RF) front end circuitry includes primary communications circuitry and secondary communications circuitry. The primary communications circuitry is configured to provide primary RF transmit signals and receive primary RF receive signals. The secondary communications circuitry is configured to provide primary RF transmit signals during certain uplink carrier aggregation configurations to provide antenna-to-antenna isolation between primary RF transmit signals and thus reduce intermodulation between signals in problematic operating band combinations.