Receiver with multi-spectrum parallel amplification

摘要

A radio receiver has a front end having a shared amplification path for both radio frequency signals and intermediate frequency signals. In one example, the shared amplification path can include a low noise amplifier and an attenuator. By amplifying both radio frequency (RF) signals and intermediate frequency (IF) signals with the same shared amplification path, gains in power efficiency, and reductions in cost and circuit size can be achieved.

主权项

1. An apparatus comprising:
a first N-plexer arranged to perform frequency multiplexing, the first N-plexer comprising:
a first port configured to receive signal(s) comprising one or more signals of a first radio frequency (RF) band and one or more signals of a second RF band;a second port configured to receive signal(s) comprising one or more signals of a first intermediate frequency (IF) band;a fourth port configured to receive signal(s) comprising one or more signals of a second IF band; anda third port configured to provide the signals of the first and second RF bands and the signals of the first and second IF bands in a frequency multiplexed fashion;wherein the first N-plexer is configured to substantially isolate the one or more signals of the first and second IF bands from the first port; a shared amplification path having an input node and an output node, wherein the input node is coupled to the third port of the first N-plexer; a second N-plexer arranged to perform frequency demultiplexing, the second N-plexer comprising:
a first port coupled to the output node of the shared amplification path to receive signals comprising one or more amplified signals of the first and second RF bands and one or more amplified signals of the first and second IF bands;a second port configured to provide signal(s) comprising one or more amplified signals of the first and second RF bands;a third port configured to provide signal(s) comprising one or more amplified signals of the first IF band; anda fourth port configured to provide signal(s) comprising one or more amplified signals of the second IF band; a mixer configured to multiply a local oscillator (LO) signal with signal(s) comprising the one or more amplified signals of the first and second RF bands to generate a plurality of signals including the one or more signals of the first and second IF bands; a third N-plexer arranged to perform frequency demultiplexing, the third N-plexer comprising:
a first port configured to receive signal(s) comprising the plurality of signals generated by the mixer;a second port configured to provide signal(s) comprising the one or more signals of the first IF band; anda third port configured to provide signal(s) comprising the one or more signals of the second IF band; a first IF filter arranged in a signal path between the second port of the third N-plexer and the second port of the first N-plexer, wherein the first IF filter is configured to reject signals outside the first IF band and to provide the one or more signals of the IF band to the first N-plexer; and a second IF filter arranged in a signal path between the third port of the third N-plexer and the fourth port of the first N-plexer, wherein the second IF filter is configured to reject signals outside the second IF band and to provide the one or more signals of the second IF band to the first N-plexer.