PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10171124-B2
Application Number: US-201715655540-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Low noise amplifier arbiter for license assisted access systems

Abstract:
Methods and devices useful in concurrently receiving and supporting Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) and Long Term Evolution Licensed Assisted Access (LTE-LAA) wireless data signals are provided. By way of example, an electronic device includes a front end module having an arbiter device that controls one or more gain stages to selectively amplify the Wi-Fi and LTE-LAA signals.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a network interface configured to allow the electronic device to communicate over one or more channels of a wireless network; 
 a transceiver operably coupled to the network interface and configured to transmit data and to receive data over the one or more channels; and 
 a front end module (FEM) operably coupled to the transceiver and configured to receive licensed cellular signals and unlicensed cellular signals over the one or more channels, the FEM having an arbiter device configured to receive information related to the licensed cellular signals and the unlicensed cellular signals and to control at least one variable-gain amplifier and at least one gain adjustment device to independently amplify the licensed cellular signals and the unlicensed cellular signals. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the arbiter device is configured to provide respective low, medium and high gain control signals to the at least one variable-gain amplifier and the at least one gain adjustment device. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the FEM comprises a first path for the licensed cellular signals and a second path for the unlicensed cellular signals, and wherein the first path comprises a first variable-gain amplifier operably coupled to a first gain adjustment device, the first variable-gain amplifier configured to receive the licensed cellular signals and to provide amplified licensed cellular signals to the first gain adjustment device, and wherein the second path comprises a second variable-gain amplifier operably coupled to a second gain adjustment device, the second variable-gain amplifier configured to receive the unlicensed cellular signals and to provide amplified unlicensed cellular signals to the second gain adjustment device. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the FEM is configured to receive and route Long Term Evolution (LTE) signals and Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) signals concurrently. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the FEM is configured to transmit the data and to receive the data via one or more multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antennas of the network interface. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the FEM is configured to receive Long Term Evolution License Assisted Access (LTE-LAA) signals as the unlicensed cellular signals. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the arbiter device is configured to control at least one variable-gain amplifier and at least one gain adjustment device according to the Table  138  set forth in  FIG. 10 . 
     
     
       8. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the arbiter device is configured to control at least one variable-gain amplifier and at least one gain adjustment device according to the Table  142  set forth in  FIG. 12 . 
     
     
       9. An electronic device, comprising:
 a network interface configured to allow the electronic device to communicate over one or more channels of a wireless network; 
 a transceiver operably coupled to the network interface and configured to transmit data and to receive data over the one or more channels; and 
 a front end module (FEM) operably coupled to the transceiver and configured to receive Long Term Evolution License Assisted Access (LTE-LAA) signals and Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) signals over the one or more channels, the FEM having an arbiter device configured to receive information related to the LTE-LAA signals and the Wi-Fi signals and to control at least one variable-gain amplifier and at least one gain adjustment device to amplify the LTE-LAA signals and the Wi-Fi signals. 
 
     
     
       10. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the arbiter device is configured to provide respective low, medium and high gain control signals to the at least one variable-gain amplifier and the at least one gain adjustment device. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the FEM comprises a first path having a first variable-gain amplifier operably coupled to a signal splitter, the first variable-gain amplifier configured to receive the LTE-LAA signals and the Wi-Fi signals and to provide the received signals to the signal splitter, wherein the signal splitter has a first output operably coupled to a first gain adjustment device and a second output operably coupled to a second gain adjustment device, the first output configured to deliver the LTE-LAA signals to the first gain adjustment device and the second output configured to deliver the Wi-Fi signals to the second gain adjustment device. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device of  claim 11 , wherein the arbiter device is configured to control at least one variable-gain amplifier and at least one gain adjustment device according to the Table  142  set forth in  FIG. 12 . 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the FEM comprises a first path having a first variable-gain amplifier operably coupled to a signal splitter, the first variable-gain amplifier configured to receive the LTE-LAA signals and the Wi-Fi signals and to provide the received signals to the signal splitter, wherein the signal splitter has a first output operably coupled to a first gain adjustment device and a second output, the first output configured to deliver the LTE-LAA signals to the first gain adjustment device and the second output configured to deliver the Wi-Fi signals. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device of  claim 13 , wherein the arbiter device is configured to control at least one variable-gain amplifier and at least one gain adjustment device according to the Table  138  set forth in  FIG. 10 . 
     
     
       15. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the FEM is configured to transmit the data and to receive the data via one or more multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antennas of the network interface. 
     
     
       16. A method comprising:
 receiving, via an electronic device, a Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) signal and an unlicensed cellular signal; 
 determining characteristics of the Wi-Fi signal and the unlicensed cellular signal; and 
 independently amplifying the Wi-Fi signal and the unlicensed cellular signal based at least in part on the characteristics, wherein independently amplifying the Wi-Fi signal and the unlicensed cellular signal comprises using a first variable gain amplifier to amplify the Wi-Fi signal and using a second variable gain amplifier to amplify the unlicensed cellular signal. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the unlicensed cellular signal comprises a Long Term Evolution License Assisted Access (LTE-LAA) signal. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the Wi-Fi signal and the unlicensed cellular signal are received and independently amplified concurrently. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 16 , wherein independently amplifying the Wi-Fi signal and the unlicensed cellular signal comprises using a first gain adjustment device to amplify the Wi-Fi signal and using a second gain adjustment device to amplify the unlicensed cellular signal.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Non-Provisional Application claiming priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/505,364, entitled “LOW NOISE AMPLIFIER ARBITER FOR LICENSE ASSISTED ACCESS SYSTEMS,” filed May 12, 2017, which is herein incorporated in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates generally to cellular and wireless devices, and more particularly, to cellular and wireless devices utilized to support Long Term Evolution License Assisted Access (LTE-LAA) systems. 
     This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art. 
     Transmitters and receivers, or when coupled together as part of a single unit, transceivers, are commonly included in various electronic devices, and particularly, portable electronic devices such as, for example, phones (e.g., mobile and cellular phones, cordless phones, personal assistance devices), computers (e.g., laptops, tablet computers), internet connectivity routers (e.g., Wi-Fi routers or modems), radios, televisions, or any of various other stationary or handheld devices. Certain types of transceivers, known as wireless transceivers, may be used to generate and receive wireless signals to be transmitted and/or received by way of an antenna coupled to the transceiver. Specifically, the wireless transceiver is generally used to wirelessly communicate data over a network channel or other medium (e.g., air) to and from one or more external wireless devices. 
     Long Term Evolution (LTE) is a standard for wireless data communication or the network through which the data is communicated, and may involve the use of certain LTE transceivers within electronic devices. An LTE standard network may provide the advantages of a high data rate and relatively low latency and delay. An LTE standard network may also support various carrier bandwidths that may range, for example, from 1.4 megahertz (MHz) up to 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) in some cases. Most generally, the carrier bandwidth that is utilized by an LTE transceiver of an electronic device may be based upon the frequency band and the amount of frequency spectrum available from an LTE network provider or within a given LTE coverage region. With the exponentially increasing global demand for mobile data bandwidth, cellular carriers and operators may look to make use of the industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) frequency spectrum (e.g., unlicensed frequency spectrum) to offload the sometimes overly congested licensed LTE networks. As such, it may be useful to provide more advanced and improved LTE transceivers and devices to support the use of unlicensed frequency bands. 
     SUMMARY 
     A summary of certain embodiments disclosed herein is set forth below. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a brief summary of these certain embodiments and that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Indeed, this disclosure may encompass a variety of aspects that may not be set forth below. 
     Various embodiments of the present disclosure may be useful in concurrently receiving and supporting Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) and Long Term Evolution Licensed Assisted Access (LTE-LAA) wireless data signals. By way of example, an electronic device includes a network interface configured to allow the electronic device to communicate over one or more channels of a wireless network, and a transceiver configured to transmit data and to receive data over the one or more channels. The transceiver is configured to receive licensed cellular signals and unlicensed cellular signals over the one or more channels. 
     Various refinements of the features noted above may exist in relation to various aspects of the present disclosure. Further features may also be incorporated in these various aspects as well. These refinements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. For instance, various features discussed below in relation to one or more of the illustrated embodiments may be incorporated into any of the above-described aspects of the present disclosure alone or in any combination. The brief summary presented above is intended only to familiarize the reader with certain aspects and contexts of embodiments of the present disclosure without limitation to the claimed subject matter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various aspects of this disclosure may be better understood upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram of an electronic device including a transceiver, in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a notebook computer representing an embodiment of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of a hand-held device representing another embodiment of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of another hand-held device representing another embodiment of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of a desktop computer representing another embodiment of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a front view and side view of a wearable electronic device representing another embodiment of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram of the transceiver included within the electronic device of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of radio frequency (RF) front end circuitry the included within the transceiver of  FIG. 6 , in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the front end module (FEM) that may be included as part of the RF front end circuitry in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a truth table describing the function of the LNA arbiter device of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the front end module (FEM) that may be included as part of the RF front end circuitry in  FIG. 8 ; and 
         FIG. 12  is a truth table describing the function of the LNA arbiter device of  FIG. 11 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below. These described embodiments are only examples of the presently disclosed techniques. Additionally, in an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers&#39; specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure. 
     When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Additionally, it should be understood that references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a transceiver of an electronic device useful in concurrently receiving and supporting Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) and Long Term Evolution License Assisted Access (LTE-LAA) wireless data signals to increase data throughput and data processing speeds. In certain embodiments, the transceiver may include radio frequency (RF) front end circuitry (e.g., Wi-Fi and/or LTE RF circuitry) that may be used, for example, to support the Wi-Fi and LTE wireless communication standards. Indeed, in certain embodiments, the RF circuitry of the transceiver may, in addition to allowing the electronic device to support Wi-Fi and LTE wireless applications, be utilized to process and support 5 gigahertz (GHz) (e.g., frequency band of approximately 5.1 GHz to 5.8 GHz) LTE license assisted access (LTE-LAA) wireless communication applications. 
     For example, in certain embodiments, the RF circuitry may allow the transceiver of the electronic device to utilize the Wi-Fi signal processing circuitry (e.g., 5 GHz signal processing circuitry) of the electronic device to additionally process LTE-LAA wireless signals in order to conserve area, power, and cost of the transceiver, and, by extension, the electronic device  10 . Indeed, in some embodiments, the RF circuitry may allow for concurrent reception of both Wi-Fi and LTE-LAA wireless signals (e.g., 5 GHz band cellular signals) by splitting incoming signals (e.g., received signals) during the time, or just after the incoming signals are amplified by an low noise amplifier (LNA) of the RF circuitry. For example, in certain embodiments, the RF circuitry may arbitrate between LTE-LAA and Wi-Fi wireless signals to determine when to turn “ON” one or more LNAs of the RF circuitry to amplify either the LTE-LAA signals or the Wi-Fi wireless signals. 
     In particular, the present embodiments include LNA arbiter designs that can provide multi-stage gain control for both LTE-LAA and Wi-Fi signals, including simultaneous and independent control. Each signal path may include one or more LNAs with variable gain control, as well as one or more gain adjustment devices also with variable gain control. As incoming signals are received by an appropriate cellular modem, the modem provides information related to the characteristics of the incoming signals to the LNA arbiter. In response, the LNA arbiter provides control signals to the LNAs and gain adjustment devices to set gain levels appropriate for the incoming signals. 
     Thus, in accordance with the present embodiments, the RF circuitry of the transceiver may allow the electronic device to be utilized to allow cellular carriers and operators to utilize the 5 GHz unlicensed frequency spectrum to offload congested licensed LTE networks, and thus increase data throughput and data processing speeds. Furthermore, the RF circuitry may allow for concurrent reception of both Wi-Fi and LTE-LAA wireless signals while simultaneously allowing, for example, Wi-Fi and LTE operation of the electronic device to function asynchronously. As used herein, licensed cellular signals refer to cellular signals in a licensed frequency band and unlicensed cellular signals refer to cellular signals in an unlicensed frequency band. As further used herein, licensed antenna refers to an antenna receiving cellular signals in a licensed frequency band and unlicensed antenna refers to an antenna receiving cellular signals in an unlicensed frequency band. Further, as used herein, licensed path refers to a signal path for cellular signals in a licensed frequency band and unlicensed path refers to a signal path for cellular signals in an unlicensed frequency band. 
     With the foregoing in mind, a general description of suitable electronic devices that may employ a transceiver useful in concurrently receiving and supporting Wi-Fi and LTE-LAA wireless data signals will be provided below. Turning first to  FIG. 1 , an electronic device  10  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include, among other things, one or more processor(s)  12 , memory  14 , nonvolatile storage  16 , a display  18 , input structures  22 , an input/output (I/O) interface  24 , a network interface  26 , a transceiver  28 , and a power source  29 . The various functional blocks shown in  FIG. 1  may include hardware elements (including circuitry), software elements (including computer code stored on a computer-readable medium) or a combination of both hardware and software elements. It should be noted that  FIG. 1  is merely one example of a particular implementation and is intended to illustrate the types of components that may be present in electronic device  10 . 
     By way of example, the electronic device  10  may represent a block diagram of the notebook computer depicted in  FIG. 2 , the handheld device depicted in  FIG. 3 , the handheld device depicted in  FIG. 4 , the desktop computer depicted in  FIG. 5 , the wearable electronic device depicted in  FIG. 6 , or similar devices. It should be noted that the processor(s)  12  and other related items in  FIG. 1  may be generally referred to herein as “data processing circuitry.” Such data processing circuitry may be embodied wholly or in part as software, firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof. Furthermore, the data processing circuitry may be a single contained processing module or may be incorporated wholly or partially within any of the other elements within the electronic device  10 . 
     In the electronic device  10  of  FIG. 1 , the processor(s)  12  may be operably coupled with the memory  14  and the nonvolatile storage  16  to perform various algorithms. Such programs or instructions executed by the processor(s)  12  may be stored in any suitable article of manufacture that includes one or more tangible, computer-readable media at least collectively storing the instructions or routines, such as the memory  14  and the nonvolatile storage  16 . The memory  14  and the nonvolatile storage  16  may include any suitable articles of manufacture for storing data and executable instructions, such as random-access memory, read-only memory, rewritable flash memory, hard drives, and optical discs. Also, programs (e.g., an operating system) encoded on such a computer program product may also include instructions that may be executed by the processor(s)  12  to enable the electronic device  10  to provide various functionalities. 
     In certain embodiments, the display  18  may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), which may allow users to view images generated on the electronic device  10 . In some embodiments, the display  18  may include a touch screen, which may allow users to interact with a user interface of the electronic device  10 . Furthermore, it should be appreciated that, in some embodiments, the display  18  may include one or more organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays, or some combination of LCD panels and OLED panels. 
     The input structures  22  of the electronic device  10  may enable a user to interact with the electronic device  10  (e.g., pressing a button to increase or decrease a volume level). The I/O interface  24  may enable electronic device  10  to interface with various other electronic devices, as may the network interface  26 . The network interface  26  may include, for example, one or more interfaces for a personal area network (PAN), such as a Bluetooth network, for a local area network (LAN) or wireless local area network (WLAN), such as an 802.11x Wi-Fi network, and/or for a wide area network (WAN), such as a 3 rd  generation (3G) cellular network, 4 th  generation (4G) cellular network, long term evolution (LTE) cellular network, or long term evolution license assisted access (LTE-LAA) cellular network. The network interface  26  may also include one or more interfaces for, for example, broadband fixed wireless access networks (WiMAX), mobile broadband Wireless networks (mobile WiMAX), asynchronous digital subscriber lines (e.g., ADSL, VDSL), digital video broadcasting-terrestrial (DVB-T) and its extension DVB Handheld (DVB-H), ultra Wideband (UWB), alternating current (AC) power lines, and so forth. 
     In certain embodiments, to allow the electronic device  10  to communicate over the aforementioned wireless networks (e.g., Wi-Fi, WiMAX, mobile WiMAX, 4G, LTE, and so forth), the electronic device  10  may include a transceiver  28 . The transceiver  28  may include any circuitry the may be useful in both wirelessly receiving and wirelessly transmitting signals (e.g., data signals). Indeed, in some embodiments, as will be further appreciated, the transceiver  28  may include a transmitter and a receiver combined into a single unit, or, in other embodiments, the transceiver  28  may include a transmitter separate from the receiver. For example, the transceiver  28  may transmit and receive OFDM signals (e.g., OFDM data symbols) to support data communication in wireless applications such as, for example, PAN networks (e.g., Bluetooth), WLAN networks (e.g., 802.11x Wi-Fi), WAN networks (e.g., 3G, 4G, and LTE and LTE-LAA cellular networks), WiMAX networks, mobile WiMAX networks, ADSL and VDSL networks, DVB-T and DVB-H networks, UWB networks, and so forth. As further illustrated, the electronic device  10  may include a power source  29 . The power source  29  may include any suitable source of power, such as a rechargeable lithium polymer (Li-poly) battery and/or an alternating current (AC) power converter. 
     In certain embodiments, the electronic device  10  may take the form of a computer, a portable electronic device, a wearable electronic device, or other type of electronic device. Such computers may include computers that are generally portable (such as laptop, notebook, and tablet computers) as well as computers that are generally used in one place (such as conventional desktop computers, workstations and/or servers). In certain embodiments, the electronic device  10  in the form of a computer may be a model of a MacBook®, MacBook® Pro, MacBook Air®, iMac®, Mac® mini, or Mac Pro® available from Apple Inc. By way of example, the electronic device  10 , taking the form of a notebook computer  10 A, is illustrated in  FIG. 2  in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. The depicted computer  10 A may include a housing or enclosure  36 , a display  18 , input structures  22 , and ports of an I/O interface  24 . In one embodiment, the input structures  22  (such as a keyboard and/or touchpad) may be used to interact with the computer  10 A, such as to start, control, or operate a GUI or applications running on computer  10 A. For example, a keyboard and/or touchpad may allow a user to navigate a user interface or application interface displayed on display  18 . 
       FIG. 3  depicts a front view of a handheld device  10 B, which represents one embodiment of the electronic device  10 . The handheld device  10 B may represent, for example, a portable phone, a media player, a personal data organizer, a handheld game platform, or any combination of such devices. By way of example, the handheld device  10 B may be a model of an iPod® or iPhone® available from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. The handheld device  10 B may include an enclosure  36  to protect interior components from physical damage and to shield them from electromagnetic interference. The enclosure  36  may surround the display  18 . The I/O interfaces  24  may open through the enclosure  36  and may include, for example, an I/O port for a hard wired connection for charging and/or content manipulation using a standard connector and protocol, such as the Lightning connector provided by Apple Inc., a universal service bus (USB), or other similar connector and protocol. 
     User input structures  22 , in combination with the display  18 , may allow a user to control the handheld device  10 B. For example, the input structures  22  may activate or deactivate the handheld device  10 B, navigate user interface to a home screen, a user-configurable application screen, and/or activate a voice-recognition feature of the handheld device  10 B. Other input structures  22  may provide volume control, or may toggle between vibrate and ring modes. The input structures  22  may also include a microphone may obtain a user&#39;s voice for various voice-related features, and a speaker may enable audio playback and/or certain phone capabilities. The input structures  22  may also include a headphone input may provide a connection to external speakers and/or headphones. 
       FIG. 4  depicts a front view of another handheld device  10 C, which represents another embodiment of the electronic device  10 . The handheld device  10 C may represent, for example, a tablet computer, or one of various portable computing devices. By way of example, the handheld device  10 C may be a tablet-sized embodiment of the electronic device  10 , which may be, for example, a model of an iPad® available from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. 
     Turning to  FIG. 5 , a computer  10 D may represent another embodiment of the electronic device  10  of  FIG. 1 . The computer  10 D may be any computer, such as a desktop computer, a server, or a notebook computer, but may also be a standalone media player or video gaming machine. By way of example, the computer  10 D may be an iMac®, a MacBook®, or other similar device by Apple Inc. It should be noted that the computer  10 D may also represent a personal computer (PC) by another manufacturer. A similar enclosure  36  may be provided to protect and enclose internal components of the computer  10 D such as the display  18 . In certain embodiments, a user of the computer  10 D may interact with the computer  10 D using various peripheral input devices, such as the keyboard  22 A or mouse  22 B (e.g., input structures  22 ), which may connect to the computer  10 D. 
     Similarly,  FIG. 6  depicts a wearable electronic device  10 E representing another embodiment of the electronic device  10  of  FIG. 1  that may be configured to operate using the techniques described herein. By way of example, the wearable electronic device  10 E, which may include a wristband  43 , may be an Apple Watch® by Apple, Inc. However, in other embodiments, the wearable electronic device  10 E may include any wearable electronic device such as, for example, a wearable exercise monitoring device (e.g., pedometer, accelerometer, heart rate monitor), or other device by another manufacturer. The display  18  of the wearable electronic device  10 E may include a touch screen display  18  (e.g., LCD, OLED display, active-matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display, and so forth), as well as input structures  22 , which may allow users to interact with a user interface of the wearable electronic device  10 E. 
     In certain embodiments, as previously noted above, each embodiment (e.g., notebook computer  10 A, handheld device  10 B, handheld device  10 C, computer  10 D, and wearable electronic device  10 E) of the electronic device  10  may include a transceiver  28 , which may include an in-phase/quadrature (I/Q) transceiver (e.g., WLAN I/Q transceiver). Indeed, as will be further appreciated, the I/Q transceiver may include a transmitter path and receiver path, and may be used to reduce or substantially eliminate IQMM and/or LO leakage components that may otherwise become apparent in an RF transmission signal of the transceiver. 
     With the foregoing in mind,  FIG. 7  depicts a schematic diagram of the transceiver  28 . As illustrated, the transceiver  28  may include a transmitter  44  (e.g., transmitter path) and a receiver  46  (e.g., receiver path) coupled as part of a single unit. As depicted, the transmitter  44  may receive a signal  45  that may be initially modulated via a coordinate rotation digital computer (CORDIC)  48  that may, in some embodiments, be used to process individual Cartesian represented data symbols (e.g., OFDM symbols) into polar amplitude and phase components. In some embodiments, the CORDIC  48  may include a digital signal processor (DSP) or other processor architecture that may be used to process the incoming signal  45 . In some embodiments, the CORDIC  48  may also communicate with a transceiver processor  50  (e.g., on-board processor) that may be used to process transmitted and/or received WLAN (e.g., Wi-Fi) and/or cellular (e.g., LTE) signals. 
     In certain embodiments, during operation, the transmitter  44  may receive a Cartesian coordinate represented signal  45 , which may include, for example, data symbols encoded according to orthogonal I/Q vectors. Thus, when an I/Q signal is converted into an electromagnetic wave (e.g., radio frequency (RF) signal, microwave signal, millimeter wave signal), the conversion is generally linear as the I/Q may be frequency band-limited. The I/Q signals  45  may be then respectively passed to high pass filters (HPFs)  51  and  52 , which may be provided to pass the higher frequency components of the I/Q signals  45  and filter out the lower frequency components. As further illustrated, the I/Q signals  45  may be then respectively passed to mixers  54  and  56 , which may be used to mix (e.g., multiply or upconvert) the in-phase (I) component and the quadrature (Q) component of the I/Q signals  45 . 
     In certain embodiments, as further illustrated in  FIG. 7 , a transmitter phase lock loop (PLL-TX) or oscillator  58  may be provided to generate 90° out of phase oscillation signals by which to mix the orthogonal in-phase (I) component and the quadrature (Q) component to generate a carrier frequency and/or radio frequency (RF) signal. The in-phase (I) component and the quadrature (Q) component signals may be then recombined via a summer  62 , and then passed to a power amplifier (PA)  64  to amplify the summed signal, to generate an electromagnetic signal (e.g., RF signal, microwave signal, millimeter wave signal) to be provided to antennas  66  and  68  (e.g., multiple input multiple output [MIMO] antennas) for transmission. In some embodiments, the antennas  66  and  68  may be included on the same integrated chip as the transceiver  28  architecture. However, in other embodiments, the antennas  66  and  68  may be fabricated as part of a separate chip and/or circuitry that may be coupled to the other circuitry components (e.g., PA  64 ) of the transceiver  28 . 
     In certain embodiments, as previously noted, the transmitter  44  may be coupled together with the receiver  46 . Thus, as illustrated, the transceiver  28  may further include a transmitter/receiver (T/R) switch  69  or other circulator device, which may be useful in routing signals to be transmitted to the antennas  66  and  68  and routing signals received via the antennas  66  and  68  to the receiver  46  (e.g., receiver path). In certain embodiments, the transceiver processor  50  in conjunction with an RF front end circuitry  70  (e.g., Wi-Fi and/or LTE RF circuitry) of the transceiver  28  may be used, for example, to support the Wi-Fi and LTE wireless communication standards. Indeed, in certain embodiments, as will be further appreciated, the transceiver processor  50  and the RF front end circuitry  70  may, in addition to allowing the electronic device  10  to support Wi-Fi and LTE wireless applications, be utilized to process and support 5 gigahertz (GHz) (e.g., frequency band of approximately 5.1 GHz to 5.8 GHz) LTE license assisted access (LTE-LAA) wireless communication applications. 
     For example, in certain embodiments, the RF front end circuitry  70  may allow the transceiver  28  to utilize the dedicated Wi-Fi signal processing circuitry (e.g., 5 GHz signal processing circuitry) to additionally process LTE-LAA wireless signals in order to conserve area, power, and cost of the transceiver  28 , and, by extension, the electronic device  10 . Indeed, as will be further appreciated, the RF front end circuitry  70  may allow for concurrent reception of both Wi-Fi and LTE-LAA wireless signals (e.g., 5 GHz band cellular signals) by splitting incoming signals (e.g., received signals) during the time, or just after the incoming signals are amplified by a low noise amplifier (LNA) of the RF front end circuitry  70  and/or of the receiver  46 . For example, in certain embodiments, the RF front end circuitry  70  may arbitrate between LTE-LAA and Wi-Fi wireless signals to determine when to turn “ON” (e.g., activate) or “OFF” (e.g., deactivate) one or more LNAs of the RF circuitry  70 . In some embodiments, as will be further appreciated with respect to  FIG. 8 , the cellular RF circuitry (e.g., LTE RF circuitry) may signal the RF front end circuitry  70  through one or more relays of the RF front end circuitry  70  such that the LTE-LAA wireless signals are received and processed in a similar manner as the Wi-Fi wireless signals. 
     As further depicted in  FIG. 7 , during operation, the receiver  46  may receive RF signals (e.g., LTE and/or Wi-Fi signals) detected by the antennas  66  and  68 . For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , received signals may be received by the receiver  46 . The received signals may be then passed to a mixer  71  (e.g., downconverter) to mix (e.g., multiply) the received signals with an IF signal (e.g., 10-20 megahertz (MHz) signal) provided by a receiver phase lock loop (PLL-RX) or oscillator  72 . 
     In certain embodiments, as further illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the IF signal may be then passed to a low-pass filter  73 , and then mixer  76  that may be used to mix (e.g., downconvert a second time) with a lower IF signal generated by an oscillator  78  (e.g., numerically controlled oscillator). The oscillator  78  may include any oscillator device that may be useful in generating an analog or discrete-time and/or frequency domain (e.g., digital domain) representation of a carrier frequency signal. The IF signal may be then passed to the transceiver processor  50  to be processed and analyzed. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 8 , a detailed illustration of the RF front end circuitry  70  is depicted. For example, as illustrated, in certain embodiments, the antennas  66  and  68  (e.g., MIMO antennas) may include a dedicated cellular (e.g., 5 GHz Wi-Fi) licensed antenna  66  and a dedicated unlicensed (e.g., 5 GHz LTE-LAA) antenna  68 . In certain embodiments, as incoming RF data signals (e.g., Wi-Fi and/or LTE-LAA signals) are detected by the respective antennas  66  and  68 , the data signals may be passed through respective filters  82  and  84 . For example, data signals detected by the dedicated unlicensed (e.g., LTE-LAA) antenna  68  may be passed, for example, through the filter  82  (e.g., 5 GHz bandpass filter) and through a switch  88  (e.g., T x /R x  switch) of a front end module (FEM)  86 . 
     Data signals detected by the dedicated cellular (e.g., 5 GHz Wi-Fi) licensed antenna  66  may be passed, for example, through the filters  84  (e.g., 5 GHz high-pass filter and 2.4 GHz low-pass filter) and through a switch  90  (e.g., T x /R x  switch) of the FEM  86 . The switches  88  and  90  may be used to switch between, for example, transmitting and receiving signals (e.g., which may be controlled by a low noise amplifier (LNA) arbiter device  98  as discussed in further detail below). The filter  82  may include a bandpass filter (e.g., 2.4 GHz bandpass filter) provided to allow 2.4 GHz signals (e.g., and restricting other frequencies) to pass from the dedicated unlicensed (e.g., LTE-LAA) antenna  68  to the FEM  86 . Similarly, the filters  84  may include a low-pass filter (e.g., 2.4 GHz low-pass filter) and a high-pass filter (e.g., 5 GHz high-pass filter) provided to allow respective 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signals to pass from the dedicated cellular (e.g., 5 GHz Wi-Fi) licensed antenna  66  to the FEM  86 . 
     In certain embodiments, as further illustrated, the FEM  86  may include low noise amplifiers (LNAs)  94 A,  94 B,  96 A, and  96 B and an LNA arbiter device  98 . It should be appreciated that the FEM  86  may include any circuitry that may be generally used to process, for example, Wi-Fi data signals as part of the transceiver  28 , and, more generally, within the electronic device  10 . However, in accordance with the present techniques, the FEM  86  may include the LNAs  94 A,  94 B,  96 A, and  96 B, which may be switched between “ON” (e.g., activated) and “OFF” (e.g., deactivated) states based on, for example, a signal received from the LNA arbiter device  98 . In certain embodiments, the LNA arbiter device  98  may be used to, for example, arbitrate or distinguish between 5 GHz (e.g., approximately 5.0-5.8 GHz) and 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi incoming data signals and 5 GHz (e.g., approximately 5.0-5.8 GHz) and 2.4 GHz cellular (e.g., LTE-LAA) incoming data signals based on, for example, a received signal strength indication (RSSI) of the incoming signals. The LNA arbiter device  98  may also, in some embodiments, control the switches  88  and  90  to switch between, for example, transmitting and receiving signals. 
     For example, in certain embodiments, the LNA arbiter device  98  may sample the incoming 2.4 GHz and/or 5 GHz (e.g., approximately 5.1 GHz to 5.8 GHz band signals) data signals, and then the LNA arbiter device  98  may determine whether the incoming data signals are, for example, either Wi-Fi or LTE-LAA data signals. Based on whether the incoming data signals are Wi-Fi or LTE-LAA data signals, the LNA arbiter device  98  may transmit a signal to turn “ON,” for example, the LNAs  94 A,  94 B,  96 A, and  96 B. The incoming data signal may be then split (e.g., divided) via signal splitters  100  and  102  and transmitted to, for example, the LNAs  94 A,  94 B,  96 A, and  96 B, and lastly to the Wi-Fi specific RF circuitry and/or the cellular specific RF circuitry of the transceiver  28 . It should further be appreciated that the RF front end circuitry  70  may allow the transceiver  28  to selectively utilize the LTE-LAA unlicensed frequency bands (e.g., 5.1 GHz to 5.8 GHz) when it may be useful to do so in order to increase data throughput and data processing speeds (e.g., when the licensed LTE frequency bands are particularly congested). In other instances, the transceiver  28 , and, by extension, the electronic device  10  may process Wi-Fi data signals and LTE cellular signals using the LTE licensed frequency bands. 
     In this way, the RF front end circuitry  70  may allow the transceiver  28  to utilize the Wi-Fi signal processing circuitry (e.g., 5 GHz signal processing circuitry) to additionally process LTE-LAA wireless signals in order to conserve area, power, and cost of the transceiver  28 , and, by extension, the electronic device  10 . The RF front end circuitry  70  of the transceiver  28  may also allow the electronic device  10  to be utilized to allow cellular carriers and operators to utilize the 5 GHz unlicensed frequency spectrum to offload congested licensed frequency bands, and thus increase data throughput and data processing speeds. Furthermore, the RF front end circuitry  70  may allow for concurrent reception of both Wi-Fi and LTE-LAA wireless signals (e.g., 5 GHz wireless signals) while simultaneously allowing, for example, the asynchronous functioning of the Wi-Fi and LTE operation of the electronic device  10 . In other embodiments, although not illustrated, the transceiver  28  may include a dedicated RF circuitry (e.g., without the LNA arbiter device  98  and splitters  100  and  102 ) specifically provided to receive, process, and route LTE-LAA wireless signals. 
     Another, more detailed, embodiment of the FEM  86  is illustrated in  FIG. 9  as FEM  86 A. In addition to the elements previously described with respect to the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the FEM  86 A illustrated in  FIG. 9  includes gain adjustment devices  110  and  112  in the both the unlicensed and unlicensed paths, respectively. As illustrated, these gain adjustment devices may be variable resistors, but it should be understood any suitable gain adjustment device may be used. In addition, the FEM  86 A embodiment of  FIG. 9  also includes secondary switches  114  and  116  in the 5G LNA paths for both the unlicensed and licensed paths, respectively. As discussed in further detail below, with additional reference to the table illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the FEM  86 A provides a design that supports 5G/WLAN and LAA simultaneously reception. The LNA arbiter device  98  is responsible for determining the types of signals to be received and/or transmitted via the unlicensed and licensed paths and for controlling the various devices in the FEM  86 A accordingly. 
     Prior to discussing the specific operation of the LNA arbiter device  98 , however, it should be noted that the LNAs  94   a ,  94   b ,  96   a , and  96   b , are variable gain amplifiers. Further, it should be noted that LNAs  94   a  and  96   a  may be bypassed via the respective bypass switches  118  and  120 . Hence, the gain of the signals passing through the unlicensed and licensed paths can be adjusted by adjusting the gains of the LNAs  94   a  and  96   a  and the gain adjustment devices  110  and  112  as appropriate. Indeed, the gains provided by the LNAs  94   a  and  96   a  can be bypassed entirely by closing the bypass switches  118  and  120 , respectively. 
     To adjust the gains in the unlicensed and licensed paths, the LNA arbiter device  98  receives signals related to the WLAN baseband signals on the unlicensed path on lines  121  and receives signals related to the WLAN baseband signal on the licensed path on line  122 . The LNA arbiter device  98  also includes an RF front end (RFFE)  124  that receives signals on lines  126 . These various signals indicate the type of signal received and may be used to control a bus interface for control bus  132  and  134  used to control the various devices on the FEM  86 A. Based on these input signals, the LNA arbiter device  98  transmits control signals via the control bus  132  to devices in the unlicensed path, such as the first switch  88 , the second switch  114 , the gain adjustment device  110 , the bypass switch  118 , and the LNAs  94   a  and  94   b , and the LNA arbiter device  98  transmits control signals via the control bus  134  to devices on the unlicensed path, such as the first switch  90 , the second switch  116 , the gain adjustment device  112 , the bypass switch  120 , and the LNAs  96 A and  96   b . The LNA arbiter device  98  also transmits WLAN receive enable and LNA receive enable signals to a VDD mux  128  via lines  130  to ensure that an appropriate power source is delivered, as set forth in  FIG. 10 . 
     The stages A 1  and A 3  may have independent gain control. The LNAs  94   a  and  96   a  and the gain adjustment devices  110  and  112  may each have three gain states: high gain (H), medium gain (M), and low gain (L). The LNAs  94   a  and  96   a  may also have a bypass mode (OFF) when the respective bypass switches  118  and  120  are closed. As set forth in  FIG. 10 , the state of each of the circuit elements illustrated in  FIG. 9  is shown in the table  138  for each transmission or reception state  0 - 13 . Generally speaking, the bypass switches  118  and  120  may be closed to minimize gain when an incoming signal is very strong. The remaining gain levels L, M, H for the LNAs  94  and  96  and the gain adjustment devices  110  and  112  are selected based upon the input request (WLAN mode request or LAA mode request) coming from the respective cellular modems. In other words, each modem determines the incoming signal characteristics, e.g., signal strength, and causes the LNA arbiter device  98  to output appropriate signals to adjust the gains of the LNAs  94  and  96  and gain adjustment devices  110  and  112  accordingly, as set forth in  FIG. 10 . 
     Yet another embodiment of the FEM  86  is illustrated in  FIG. 11  as FEM  86 B. In addition to the elements previously described with respect to the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the FEM  86 B illustrated in  FIG. 11  includes a respective gain adjustment device  110 A and  110 B for both the LAA and 5G receive paths, respectively. It should be noted that  FIG. 11  illustrates only one core or path, but the LNA arbiter  98  may control two or more paths, similar to those set forth in  FIG. 9 . As illustrated, these gain adjustment devices  110 A and  110 B may be variable resistors, but it should be understood any suitable gain adjustment device may be used. In addition, the FEM  86 B embodiment of  FIG. 11  uses only a single switch  88  and does not include the secondary switches  114  and  116  as set forth in  FIG. 9 . As discussed in further detail below, with additional reference to the table illustrated in  FIG. 12 , the FEM  86 B provides a design that supports 5G/WLAN and LAA simultaneously reception. The LNA arbiter device  98  is responsible for determining the types of signals to be received and/or transmitted via the unlicensed and licensed paths and for controlling the various devices in the FEM  86 B accordingly. 
     Prior to discussing the specific operation of the LNA arbiter device  98 , however, it should be noted that the LNAs  94   a  and  94   b , are variable gain amplifiers. Further, it should be noted that LNA  94   a  may be bypassed via the bypass switch  118 . Hence, the gain of the signals passing through the path can be adjusted by adjusting the gains of the LNAs  94   a  and  94   b  and the gain adjustment devices  110 A and  110 B as appropriate. Indeed, the gains provided by the LNA  94   a  can be bypassed entirely by closing the bypass switch  118 . 
     To adjust the gains in the paths, the LNA arbiter device  98  receives signals related to the WLAN baseband signals on the path on lines  121 . The LNA arbiter device  98  also includes an RF front end (RFFE)  124  that receives signals on lines  126 . These various signals indicate the type of signal received and may be used to control a bus interface for control bus  132  used to control the various devices on the FEM  86 B. Based on these input signals, the LNA arbiter device  98  transmits control signals via the control bus  132  to devices in the path, such as the switch  88 , the gain adjustment devices  110 A and  110 B, the bypass switch  118 , and the LNAs  94   a  and  94   b . The LNA arbiter device  98  also transmits WLAN receive enable and LNA receive enable signals to a VDD mux  128  via lines  130  to ensure that an appropriate power source is delivered, as set forth in  FIG. 10 . 
     The stages A 1  and A 3  may have independent gain control. The LNA  94   a  and the gain adjustment devices  110 A and  110 B may each have three gain states: high gain (H), medium gain (M), and low gain (L). The LNA  94   a  may also have a bypass mode (OFF) when the bypass switch  118  is closed. As set forth in  FIG. 12 , the state of each of the circuit elements illustrated in  FIG. 11  is shown in the table  142  for each transmission or reception state  0 - 21 . Generally speaking, the bypass switch  118  may be closed to minimize gain when an incoming signal is very strong. The remaining gain levels L, M, H for the LNA  94   a  and the gain adjustment devices  110 A and  110 B are selected based upon the input request (WLAN mode request or LAA mode request) coming from the respective cellular modems. In other words, each modem determines the incoming signal characteristics, e.g., signal strength, and causes the LNA arbiter device  98  to output appropriate signals to adjust the gains of the LNA  94   a  and gain adjustment devices  110 A and  110 B accordingly, as set forth in  FIG. 12 . 
     The specific embodiments described above have been shown by way of example, and it should be understood that these embodiments may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms. It should be further understood that the claims are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed, but rather to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. 
     The techniques presented and claimed herein are referenced and applied to material objects and concrete examples of a practical nature that demonstrably improve the present technical field and, as such, are not abstract, intangible or purely theoretical. Further, if any claims appended to the end of this specification contain one or more elements designated as “means for [perform]ing [a function] . . . ” or “step for [perform]ing [a function] . . . ”, it is intended that such elements are to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f). However, for any claims containing elements designated in any other manner, it is intended that such elements are not to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f).

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20170720
Publication Date: 20190101
Grant Date: 20190101
Priority Date: 20170512
Inventors: KONG, DANIEL C.
GHOREISHI, ALI
NOELLERT, WILLIAM J.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H03G3/3042", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03F3/72", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03F2200/294", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03G3/3052", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W84/12", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W84/042", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03F3/245", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03F2200/451", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/40", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03F2200/111", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B7/0413", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/40", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03F2203/7236", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03F3/19", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03G3/3078", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03F2200/336", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03F2200/451", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03F2200/294", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W84/12", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/40", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B7/0413", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W84/042", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03F2200/294", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03F2200/451", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03G3/3042", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W84/12", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03F3/19", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03F3/195", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03G3/3078", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03F2200/336", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03G3/3052", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03F3/195", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03F2203/7236", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03F2200/111", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03F3/72", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03F3/245", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 64098038