RF Front-End Quadplexer Architecture for Carrier Aggregation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional front-end architectures for wireless applications face challenges in efficiently supporting carrier aggregation and MIMO operations due to high insertion loss, inflexibility in band combinations, and difficulty in filtering across close frequency bands, especially when using single triplexers or diplexers.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a multiplexing architecture that includes split triplexers or diplexers, configured to support multiple frequency bands with each filter having a respective input node and a common output node, and the use of a quadplexer to split wide frequency ranges into smaller bands, reducing insertion loss and improving filtering capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single triplexer or diplexer is used to support multiple frequency bands, then the device complexity is reduced, but the insertion loss increases and filtering performance across close frequency bands deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the frequency bands into separate groups and assigns dedicated filters to each group. Specifically, it uses separate diplexers for different band combinations (e.g., one diplexer for low-band and mid-band, another for mid-band and high-band), rather than using a single triplexer to handle all bands. This segmentation allows each diplexer to be optimized for its specific frequency range, reducing insertion loss and improving filtering performance while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular architecture.
2Device complexity
If a single triplexer is used to support multiple frequency bands, then the device complexity is reduced, but the filtering capability across close frequency bands deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the frequency bands and assigns dedicated filters to each segment. By using separate diplexers for different band combinations (low-mid and mid-high bands), each diplexer can be optimized for its specific frequency range with appropriate filter characteristics. This segmentation improves filtering performance across close frequency bands by avoiding the compromise that would be necessary in a single triplexer design, while maintaining modular system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by designing each diplexer with filter characteristics optimized for its specific frequency range. The low-band diplexer uses filters optimized for low and mid bands, while the high-band diplexer uses filters optimized for mid and high bands. This localized optimization ensures that each filtering stage performs optimally for its designated frequency range, improving overall filtering performance while maintaining manageable system complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional front-end architectures are used, then the implementation is simpler, but the support for carrier aggregation and MIMO operations is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal multiplexing architecture that can support multiple operations including carrier aggregation and MIMO simultaneously. By using multiple diplexers configured to handle different frequency band combinations and integrating them with appropriate switching networks, the system achieves multi-functionality that enables both carrier aggregation across different bands and MIMO operations across multiple antennas, while maintaining a manageable implementation through standardized components.
Data Source
AI summary
A radio-frequency front-end architecture can include a quadplexer configured to support uplink carrier aggregation with a first antenna. The quadplexer can include a low-band filter, a mid-band filter, a first high-band filter, and a second high-band filter, with each filter having a respective input node, and the quadplexer including a common output node associated with the first antenna. The front-end architecture can further include a triplexer configured to support uplink carrier aggregation with a second antenna. The triplexer can include a mid-band filter, a first high-band filter, and a second high-band filter, with each filter having a respective input node, and the triplexer including a common output node associated with the second antenna.