Uplink Carrier Aggregation Front-End With Reused Duplexer Filters
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless devices supporting uplink carrier aggregation, simultaneous transmission across multiple frequency bands is constrained by power management units delivering efficient supply voltages, leading to issues with isolation, gain variation, and efficiency performance, particularly when mid-band and high-band PAiD modules share a common power management unit.
Innovation Solution
A front-end architecture is implemented with a filter-less power amplifier module that routes signals to integrated duplexer modules for filtering, reducing power consumption and eliminating the need for duplicate filters, thereby allowing efficient uplink carrier-aggregation operations across mid-band and high-band frequencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If mid-band and high-band PAiD modules share a common power management unit, then device complexity is reduced, but power consumption increases and efficiency performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the power management function by providing separate power management units for mid-band and high-band PAiD modules. This allows independent power control and optimization for each band, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic power management where power amplifiers can be selectively activated or deactivated based on which frequency band is currently in use. This dynamic control prevents simultaneous operation of both mid-band and high-band PAs, optimizing power consumption while maintaining simple power management unit design.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If separate filters are provided for mid-band and high-band PAiD modules, then signal isolation is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal filter configuration where a single set of filters serves both mid-band and high-band PAiD modules. The filters are designed to handle both frequency bands, eliminating the need for separate filter sets while maintaining adequate signal isolation through proper filter design and switching control.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of creating duplicate filter sets for each band, the patent uses a single filter configuration that can be dynamically assigned to different bands. This avoids the complexity and cost of duplicating filter hardware while maintaining the isolation benefits through selective activation.
3Manufacturing precision
If separate filters are provided for each PAiD module, then manufacturing precision requirements are reduced, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs universal filters that meet specification requirements for both mid-band and high-band operations. This single-specification approach simplifies manufacturing by reducing the number of different filter types that must be produced and quality-tested, thereby lowering manufacturing costs while maintaining adequate precision standards.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs filters with parameters optimized to handle both frequency bands within acceptable tolerance ranges. By selecting filter parameters that naturally accommodate both bands, the patent reduces the need for tight manufacturing precision while maintaining performance, thereby lowering manufacturing costs.
4Productivity
If full-duplex operation is implemented, then communication efficiency is improved, but isolation between transmit and receive paths becomes more difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the transmit and receive paths into separate, independently controlled channels with dedicated switching mechanisms. This segmentation allows full-duplex operation by providing distinct isolation paths while maintaining efficient simultaneous transmit and receive operations through coordinated switching control.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are systems, circuits, architectures and methods related to front-end architectures for wireless devices configured for uplink carrier aggregation. The disclosed methods dynamically route signals from a filter-less module to one of two modules with filters for filtering. The re-use of filters reduces the size of the filter-less module relative to a module that utilizes its own filters, thereby reducing costs, reducing size, and/or providing additional space for other modules or other functionality to be included in a wireless device.