US-12627339-B2 - Front-end systems bypassing transmit band filter for antenna switching

Abstract

Front-end systems with antenna switching that bypasses a transmit band filter are disclosed herein. In certain embodiments, a front-end architecture is based on switching the RF transmit signal behind or before the bandpass filter of the band. This enables the switch-combining and filter ganging used to support carrier aggregation and EN-DC connectivity to be maintained, and the SRS switching done this way for a target TDD band does not impact, interrupt, and/or otherwise re-route the partner bands. Accordingly, both an anchor carrier and a secondary carrier can be maintained without interruption or impact. Furthermore, carrier aggregation features can be maintained and is not interrupted by SRS.

Inventors

• David Richard Pehlke

Assignees

• SKYWORKS SOLUTIONS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20230831

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A mobile device comprising: a plurality of antennas; and a front-end system coupled to the plurality of antennas, the front-end system including a power amplifier configured to receive a radio frequency transmit signal at an input, a first amplifier selection switch connected to an output of the power amplifier, a first antenna switch, a transmit band filter directly connected between the first antenna switch and the first amplifier selection switch, a second amplifier selection switch connected to the first amplifier selection switch, a second antenna switch, and a receive band filter directly connected between the second antenna switch and the second amplifier selection switch, the power amplifier corresponding to a final amplifier in a transmit signal path to the plurality of antennas.
2. 2 . The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of antennas include a first antenna, a second antenna, a third antenna, and a fourth antenna.
3. 3 . The mobile device of claim 2 wherein the radio frequency transmit signal is provided to the first antenna and the second antenna through the first amplifier selection switch and the first antenna switch.
4. 4 . The mobile device of claim 3 wherein the radio frequency transmit signal is provided to the third antenna and the fourth antenna through the first amplifier selection switch, the second amplifier selection switch, and the second antenna switch.
5. 5 . The mobile device of claim 4 wherein the first antenna switch and the second antenna switch are each a cross-bar switch.
6. 6 . The mobile device of claim 1 further comprising a low noise amplifier connected to the receive filter through the second amplifier selection switch.
7. 7 . The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the front-end system is configured to provide sounding reference signaling by transmitting the radio frequency transmit signal on four or more antennas of the plurality of antennas.
8. 8 . The mobile device of claim 7 wherein the sounding reference signaling does not interrupt reception of an anchor carrier on the four or more antennas.
9. 9 . The mobile device of claim 8 wherein the radio frequency transmit signal is a fifth generation n 41 signal and the anchor carrier is a long term evolution B25 signal.
10. 10 . The mobile device of claim 1 further comprising a transceiver configured to generate the radio frequency transmit signal.
11. 11 . A method of antenna switching in a mobile device, the method comprising: receiving a radio frequency transmit signal at an input of a power amplifier; providing the radio frequency transmit signal from an output of the power amplifier to a first amplifier selection switch, the power amplifier corresponding to a final amplifier in a transmit signal path to a plurality of antennas; providing the radio frequency transmit signal from the first amplifier selection switch to a first antenna switch through a transmit band filter in a first mode, the transmit band filter directly connected between the first antenna switch and the first amplifier selection switch; and providing the radio frequency transmit signal from the first amplifier selection switch to a second antenna switch through a second amplifier selection switch and a receive band filter in a second mode, the receive band filter directly connected between the second antenna switch and the second amplifier selection switch.
12. 12 . The method of claim 11 further comprising providing the radio frequency transmit signal to a first antenna and a second antenna of the plurality of antennas through the first amplifier selection switch and the first antenna switch.
13. 13 . The method of claim 12 further comprising providing the radio frequency transmit signal to a third antenna and a fourth antenna of the plurality of antennas through the first amplifier selection switch, the second amplifier selection switch, and the second antenna switch.
14. 14 . A front-end system comprising: a power amplifier configured to receive a radio frequency transmit signal at an input, the power amplifier corresponding to a final amplifier in a transmit signal path to a plurality of antennas; a first amplifier selection switch connected to an output of the power amplifier, and a second amplifier selection switch connected to the first amplifier selection switch; a first antenna switch and a second antenna switch; a transmit band filter directly connected between the first antenna switch and the first amplifier selection switch; and a receive band filter directly connected between the second antenna switch and the second amplifier selection switch.
15. 15 . The front-end system of claim 14 wherein the radio frequency transmit signal is provided to a first antenna and a second antenna of the plurality of antennas through the first amplifier selection switch and the first antenna switch.
16. 16 . The front-end system of claim 15 wherein the radio frequency transmit signal is provided to a third antenna and a fourth antenna of the plurality of antennas through the first amplifier selection switch, the second amplifier selection switch, and the second antenna switch.
17. 17 . The front-end system of claim 16 wherein the first antenna switch and the second antenna switch are each a cross-bar switch.
18. 18 . The front-end system of claim 14 further comprising a low noise amplifier connected to the receive filter through the second amplifier selection switch.
19. 19 . The front-end system of claim 14 wherein the front-end system is configured to provide sounding reference signaling by transmitting the radio frequency transmit signal on four or more antennas of the plurality of antennas.
20. 20 . The front-end system of claim 19 wherein the sounding reference signaling does not interrupt reception of an anchor carrier on the four or more antennas.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/375,807, filed Sep. 15, 2022 and titled “FRONT-END SYSTEMS BYPASSING TRANSMIT BAND FILTER FOR ANTENNA SWITCHING,” which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND Field Embodiments of the invention relate to electronic systems, and in particular, to radio frequency electronics. Description of Related Technology Radio frequency (RF) communication systems can be used for transmitting and/or receiving signals of a wide range of frequencies. For example, an RF communication system can be used to wirelessly communicate RF signals in a frequency range of about 30 kHz to 300 GHz, such as in the range of about 400 MHz to about 7.125 GHz for Frequency Range 1 (FR1) of the Fifth Generation (5G) communication standard or in the range of about 24.250 GHz to about 71.000 GHz for Frequency Range 2 (FR2) of the 5G communication standard. Examples of RF communication systems include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, tablets, base stations, network access points, customer-premises equipment (CPE), laptops, and wearable electronics. SUMMARY In certain embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a mobile device. The mobile device includes a plurality of antennas, and a front-end system coupled to the plurality of antennas. The front-end system includes a power amplifier configured to receive a radio frequency transmit signal at an input, a first amplifier selection switch connected to an output of the power amplifier, a first antenna switch, a transmit band filter connected between the first antenna switch and the first amplifier selection switch, a second amplifier selection switch connected to the first amplifier selection switch, a second antenna switch, and a receive band filter connected between the second antenna switch and the second amplifier selection switch. In some embodiments, the plurality of antennas include a first antenna, a second antenna, a third antenna, and a fourth antenna. According to several embodiments, the radio frequency transmit signal is provided to the first antenna and the second antenna through the first amplifier selection switch and the first antenna switch. In accordance with various embodiments, the radio frequency transmit signal is provided to the third antenna and the fourth antenna through the first amplifier selection switch, the second amplifier selection switch, and the second antenna switch. According to various embodiments, the first antenna switch and the second antenna switch are each a cross-bar switch. In several embodiments, the mobile device further includes a low noise amplifier connected to the receive filter through the second amplifier selection switch. In various embodiments, the first amplifier selection switch and the second amplifier selection switch are connected by a cable that crosses between a first side of the mobile device and a second side of the mobile device. In some embodiments, the front-end system is configured to provide sounding reference signaling by transmitting the radio frequency transmit signal on four or more antennas of the plurality of antennas. According to a several embodiments, the sounding reference signaling does not interrupt reception of an anchor carrier on the four or more antennas. In accordance with various embodiments, the radio frequency transmit signal is a fifth generation n41 signal and the anchor carrier is a long-term evolution B25 signal. In several embodiments, the mobile device further includes a transceiver configured to generate the radio frequency transmit signal. In certain embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a method of antenna switching in a mobile device. The method includes receiving a radio frequency transmit signal at an input of a power amplifier, providing the radio frequency transmit signal from an output of the power amplifier to a first amplifier selection switch, providing the radio frequency transmit signal from the first amplifier selection switch to a first antenna switch through a transmit band filter in a first mode, and providing the radio frequency transmit signal from the first amplifier selection switch to a second antenna switch through the second amplifier selection switch and a receive band filter in a second mode. In various embodiments, the method further includes providing the radio frequency transmit signal to a first antenna and a second antenna through the first amplifier selection switch and the first antenna switch. According to a number of embodiments, the method further includes providing the radio frequency transmit signal to a third antenna and a fourth antenna through the first amplifier selection switch, the second amplifier selection switch, and the second antenna switch. In certain embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a front-end system. The front-end system includes a power ampl