Remote front-end for a multi-antenna station

Abstract

A multi-antenna station has multiple remote front-ends coupled to multiple antennas. Each remote front-end includes a power amplifier (PA), a low noise amplifier (LNA), and first and second coupling units. On the transmit path, a first RF signal is received via a first port, routed by the first coupling unit to the power amplifier, amplified to obtain the desired output power level, and routed by the second coupling unit to a second port for transmission via the antenna. On the receive path, a second RF signal is received via the second port, routed by the second coupling unit to the LNA, amplified to obtain a higher signal level, and routed by the first coupling unit to the first port for transmission to the transceiver.

1 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a first amplifier to receive and amplify a first radio frequency (RF) signal and provide a first amplified RF signal;    a second amplifier to receive and amplify a second RF signal and provide a second amplified RF signal;    a first coupling unit to couple the first RF signal from a first port to the first amplifier and to couple the second amplified RF signal from the second amplifier to the first port; and    a second coupling unit to couple the first amplified RF signal from the first amplifier to a second port and to couple the second RF signal from the second,port to the second amplifier.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second coupling units are switches.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second coupling units couple the first RF signal from the first port to the first amplifier and couple the first amplified RF signal from the first amplifier to the second port during a transmit portion, and further couple the second RF signal from the second port to the second amplifier and couple the second amplified RF signal from the second amplifier to the first port during a receive portion.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second coupling units are duplexers.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first amplifier is a power amplifier (PA).  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second amplifier is a low noise amplifier (LNA).  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first amplifier, the second amplifier, or both the first and second amplifiers are disabled when not used for communication.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first amplifier is disabled during a receive portion, and wherein the second amplifier is disabled during a transmit portion.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second port is coupled to one of the multiple antennas in the station.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first port is coupled to a transceiver in the station.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second ports are coupled to different types of connectors.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second ports are coupled to complementary types of connectors.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second amplifiers and the first and second coupling units are fabricated on an RF integrated circuit (RFIC).  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second amplifiers and the first and second coupling units are fabricated on a gallium arsenide (GaAs) integrated circuit (IC).  
   
   
       15 . An apparatus comprising: 
 means for amplifying a first radio frequency (RF) signal and generating a first amplified RF signal;    means for amplifying a second RF signal and generating a second amplified RF signal;    means for coupling the first RF signal from a first port to the means for amplifying the first RF signal;    means for coupling the first amplified RF signal to a second port;    means for coupling the second RF signal from the second port to the means for amplifying the second RF signal; and    means for coupling the second amplified RF signal to the first port.    
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the means for coupling the first RF signal and the means for coupling the first amplified RF signal are active during a transmit portion, and wherein the means for coupling the second RF signal and the means for coupling the second amplified RF signal are active during a receive portion.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 means for disabling the means for amplifying the first RF signal; and    means for disabling the means for amplifying the second RF signal.    
   
   
       18 . A station equipped with a plurality of antennas, comprising: 
 a plurality of transceivers, each transceiver performing signal conditioning for radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted and received via an associated antenna; and    a plurality of remote front-ends, each remote front-end coupled to an associated transceiver and an associated antenna, each remote front-end amplifying a first RF signal received from the associated transceiver to generate a first amplified RF signal for transmission from the associated antenna and further amplifying a second RF signal received from the associated antenna to generate a second amplified RF signal for transmission to the associated transceiver.    
   
   
       19 . The station of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of cables, each cable coupling one transceiver to the associated remote front-end.    
   
   
       20 . The station of  claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of cables comprises 
 a first cable to carry the first RF signal and the second amplified RF signal between the transceiver and the associated remote front-end.    
   
   
       21 . The station of  claim 20 , wherein the first cable further carries DC power for the associated remote front-end.  
   
   
       22 . The station of  claim 20 , wherein each of the plurality of cables further comprises 
 a second cable to carry at least one control signal for the associated remote front-end.    
   
   
       23 . The station of  claim 22 , wherein the first and second cables are bundled together.  
   
   
       24 . The station of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of transceivers are arranged in pairs, each pair of transceivers being implemented as a separate module.  
   
   
       25 . The station of  claim 24 , wherein the module for each pair of transceivers comprises an oscillator to generate local oscillator (LO) signals for the transceivers in the pair.  
   
   
       26 . The station of  claim 24 , wherein multiple modules are implemented for multiple pairs of transceivers, and wherein one module is designated to generate local oscillator (LO) signals for all transceivers in the multiple modules.  
   
   
       27 . A station equipped with a plurality of antennas, comprising: 
 means for performing signal conditioning for radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted and received via the plurality of antennas;    means for power amplifying RF modulated signals received from the means for performing signal conditioning to generate amplified RF modulated signals for transmission from the plurality of antennas; and    means for low noise amplifying RF input signals received from the plurality of antennas to generate amplified RF input signals for transmission to the means for performing signal conditioning, wherein the means for power amplifying and the means for low noise amplifying are separate from the means for performing signal conditioning.    
   
   
       28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , further comprising: 
 means for coupling the means for performing signal conditioning to the means for power amplifying and the means for low noise amplifying.    
   
   
       29 . A transceiver module, comprising: 
 first and second transceivers, each transceiver performing signal conditioning for radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted and received via an associated set of at least one antenna;    an oscillator to generate local oscillator (LO) signals used by the first and second transceivers for frequency conversion between baseband and RF; and    a driver to receive the LO signals from the oscillator and to drive the LO signals from the transceiver module.    
   
   
       30 . The transceiver module of  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 a buffer to receive external LO signals and to provide buffered LO signals used by the first and second transceivers for frequency conversion between baseband and RF.    
   
   
       31 . The transceiver module of  claim 30 , wherein the oscillator is disabled if the buffer is receiving the external LO signals.  
   
   
       32 . The transceiver module of  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 a phase locked loop (PLL) to control the oscillator to generate the LO signals at a predetermined frequency.    
   
   
       33 . The transceiver module of  claim 29  and fabricated on a single integrated circuit (IC) die.  
   
   
       34 . A transceiver module, comprising: 
 means for performing signal conditioning for radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted and received via at least two antennas;    means for generating local oscillator (LO) signals used for frequency conversion between baseband and RF; and    means for driving the LO signals from the transceiver module.    
   
   
       35 . The transceiver module of  claim 34 , further comprising: 
 means for buffering external LO signals and providing buffered LO signals used for frequency conversion between baseband and RF.    
   
   
       36 . The transceiver module of  claim 35 , further comprising: 
 means for disabling the means for generating the LO signals if the external LO signals are received.