Multi-band transceiver front-end architecture with reduced switch insertion loss

Abstract

A T/R and routing switch includes a plurality of banks of a plurality of switches that can be individually switched into or out of a transmit and receive circuit. A control module can be provided to switch one of the switches into the circuit to connect one of a receive signal path or a transmit signal path to one of a plurality of communication links.

1 . A T/R and routing switch for a communication transceiver, comprising;
 a first plurality of switches, each switch of the first plurality of switches having an input terminal, an output terminal and a control terminal, wherein the input terminals of each of the first plurality of switches are electrically connected to one another to form a common transmit signal path;   a second plurality of switches, each switch of the second plurality of switches having an input terminal, an output terminal and a control terminal, wherein the output terminals of each of the switches are electrically connected to one another to form a common receive signal path;   a plurality of interconnects, each interconnect connecting an output terminal of one of the first plurality of switches with an input terminal of one of the second plurality of switches to form an input/output link for interconnected pairs of switches; and   a plurality of communication link terminals, each communication link terminal electrically connected to one of the input/output links.   
     
     
         2 . The T/R and routing switch of  claim 1 , wherein the T/R and routing switch is configurable such that only a single one of the first and second plurality of switches is inserted in-line to perform front-end routing of either a transmit or a receive signal between a transmitter or receiver of the communication transceiver and one of a plurality communication links over which the communication transceiver communicates. 
     
     
         3 . The T/R and routing switch of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to actuate one of the plurality of switches to electrically connect one of a transmit and a receive signal path of a communication transceiver to one of a plurality of communication links. 
     
     
         4 . The T/R and routing switch of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to actuate one of the plurality of switches to electrically connect one of a transmit and a receive signal path of a communication transceiver to one of a plurality of communication links using only a single switch of the T/R and routing switch. 
     
     
         5 . The T/R and routing switch of  claim 4 , wherein each switch of the first and second plurality of switches comprises a transistor. 
     
     
         6 . The T/R and routing switch of  claim 5 , further comprising inductive elements configured to reduce an off capacitance of the plurality of transistors that are not turned on. 
     
     
         7 . The T/R and routing switch of  claim 6 , wherein the inductive elements comprise an inductor connected in series with the transmit signal path. 
     
     
         8 . The T/R and routing switch of  claim 6 , wherein the inductive elements comprise an inductive element connected between the common receive signal path and ground. 
     
     
         9 . The T/R and routing switch of  claim 6 , wherein the inductive elements comprise a plurality of inductors and a third plurality of switches each switch connected between one of the inductors and one of the first and second plurality switches. 
     
     
         10 . The T/R and routing switch of  claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the third plurality of switches to select a subset of at least one of the plurality of inductors to tune the bandwidth of at least one of the first and second plurality of switches. 
     
     
         11 . The T/R and routing switch of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more additional pluralities of switches each of the additional pluralities of switches configured to control one or more additional transmit signal paths and receive signal paths. 
     
     
         12 . A front-end signal routing switch for use with a communication transceiver comprising:
 a first plurality of switches each having a common terminal configured to be connected to a transmit signal path of the communication transceiver; and   a second plurality of switches each having a common terminal configured to be connected to a receive signal path of the communication transceiver;   wherein the signal routing and switching front and is configured such that only one of the switches of the first plurality of switches is electrically present in the transmit signal path during transmit operations of the communication transceiver, and only one of the switches of the second plurality of switches is electrically present in the receive signal path during receive operations of the communication transceiver.   
     
     
         13 . The front-end signal routing switch of  claim 12 , further comprising a control module having a plurality of output ports, each output port being electrically connected to one of the switches of the first and second plurality of switches. 
     
     
         14 . The front-end signal routing switch of  claim 13 , wherein each switch of the first and second plurality of switches comprises a transistor. 
     
     
         15 . The front-end signal routing switch of  claim 14 , further comprising inductive elements configured to reduce an off capacitance of the plurality of transistors that are not turned on. 
     
     
         16 . The front-end signal routing switch of  claim 15 , wherein the inductive elements comprise an inductor connected in series with the transmit signal path. 
     
     
         17 . The front-end signal routing switch of  claim 15 , wherein the inductive elements comprise an inductive element connected between the common receive signal path and ground. 
     
     
         18 . The front-end signal routing switch of  claim 15 , wherein the inductive elements comprise a plurality of inductors and a third plurality of switches each switch connected between one of the inductors and one of the first and second plurality switches. 
     
     
         19 . The front-end signal routing switch of  claim 18 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the third plurality of switches to select a subset of at least one of the plurality of inductors to tune the bandwidth of at least one of the first and second plurality of switches. 
     
     
         20 . The front-end signal routing switch of  claim 12 , wherein the communication transceiver is a TDD transceiver. 
     
     
         21 . A communication front-end, comprising:
 a communication transceiver comprising a transmitter and a receiver;   a plurality of communication links, each communication link comprising an antenna configured to transmit or receive communication signals;   T/R and routing switch comprising a first terminal communicatively coupled to the transmitter and a second terminal communicatively coupled to the receiver and a plurality of third terminals, each communicatively coupled to one of the plurality of communication links, the T/R and routing switch further comprising;
 a first plurality of switches, each switch of the first plurality of switches having an input terminal, an output terminal and a control terminal, wherein the input terminals of each of the first plurality of switches are electrically connected to the first terminal; 
 a second plurality of switches, each switch of the second plurality of switches having an input terminal, an output terminal and a control terminal, wherein the output terminals of each of the switches are electrically connected to the second terminal; 
 a plurality of interconnects, each interconnect connecting an output terminal of one of the first plurality of switches with an input terminal of one of the second plurality of switches hand with one of the plurality of third terminals. 
   
     
     
         22 . The communication front end of  claim 21 , wherein only a single switch of the T/R and routing switch is used to route a transmit or a receive signal between the communication transceiver and one of the communication links. 
     
     
         23 . The communication front-end of  claim 21 , wherein the T/R and routing switch is configurable such that only a single one of the first and second plurality of switches is inserted in-line to perform front-end routing of either a transmit or a receive signal between the transmitter or the receiver of the communication transceiver and one of the plurality communication links. 
     
     
         24 . The communication front-end of  claim 21 , further comprising a controller configured to actuate one of the plurality of switches to electrically connect one of a transmit and a receive signal path of a communication transceiver to one of a plurality of communication links. 
     
     
         25 . The communication front-end of  claim 21 , wherein each switch of the first and second plurality of switches comprises a transistor. 
     
     
         26 . The communication front-end of  claim 21 , wherein the communication transceiver is a TDD transceiver.