KR20090005039U - Signal processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

Signal processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes a switching unit for switching the signal path of the antenna to the fifth terminal; A first matching unit and a second matching unit connected to the switching unit and matching impedances of the third and fourth received signals transmitted through the fifth terminal; A first filter unit connected to the first matching unit and filtering the third received signal among the impedance matched signals to a fifth port; A second filter unit connected to the second matching unit and configured to filter the fourth received signal among the impedance matched signals and transmit the filtered fourth signal to a sixth port; And a first low pass filter for filtering a noise component of the third transmission signal or the fourth transmission signal transmitted through the third port.

According to the embodiment, since the signal processing apparatus can be manufactured using the smallest number of small components, it is possible to realize the low cost and the small size of the terminal. In addition, it is possible to implement a dual mode common terminal capable of roaming in all regions of the world that support both GSM and WCDMA schemes and use the GSM / WCDMA scheme.

Front end module, switching unit, decoder unit, WCDMA, GSM, EGSM, DCS, PCS

Description

Signal Processing Unit {SIGNAL PROCESSING DEVICE}

An embodiment discloses a signal processing apparatus for processing a multiband signal.

As mobile communication terminals have developed into high performance and miniaturization trends, components embedded in terminals have also been developed for the purpose of integration, miniaturization, and light weight.

In addition, a multi band front end module has been developed in which a terminal is integrated into a single module that can transmit or receive a multi band signal using one antenna.

For example, the front-end module that handles WCDMA transmit and receive signals, GSM transmit and receive signals in the 850 MHz band, PCS transmit and receive signals in the 1900 MHz band, EGSM transmit and receive signals in the 900 MHz band, and DCS transmit and receive signals in the 1800 MHz band, that is, dual If implemented as a mode multi-band front end module, it must handle 10 transmit and receive paths.

Therefore, even if the transmission / reception paths are reduced by grouping adjacent frequency bands, the signal processing apparatus must process seven transmission / reception paths.

In this case, first, the insertion loss increases because the number of components for processing the multi-band path increases, thus deteriorating signal characteristics.

Second, in the case of using the switching element, the number of control voltages increases as the transmission and reception paths increase, and the size of the logic control circuit of the decoder is significantly larger than that of the CMOS process, thereby limiting the size of the front end module.

Third, when the total chip size becomes large, there is a problem that the manufacturing cost increases to produce a large chip.

The embodiment provides a signal processing apparatus capable of improving signal characteristics and minimizing module size by constructing the smallest number of selection paths and improving the structure of a signal branch circuit in processing a multiband transmit / receive signal.

Signal processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes a switching unit for switching the signal path of the antenna to the fifth terminal; A first matching unit and a second matching unit connected to the switching unit and matching impedances of the third and fourth received signals transmitted through the fifth terminal; A first filter unit connected to the first matching unit and filtering the third received signal among the impedance matched signals to a fifth port; A second filter unit connected to the second matching unit and configured to filter the fourth received signal among the impedance matched signals and transmit the filtered fourth signal to a sixth port; And a first low pass filter for filtering a noise component of the third transmission signal or the fourth transmission signal transmitted through the third port.

According to the embodiment, the following effects are obtained.

First, since the signal processing device can be manufactured using the smallest number of small components, it is possible to realize the low cost and the small size of the terminal.

Second, the signal processing apparatus according to the present invention can be applied to a dual mode common terminal supporting both GSM and WCDMA schemes, and roaming is possible in all regions of the world using GSM / WCDMA schemes.

Third, an RF switch chip for switching the minimum path may be used by grouping signal ports in consideration of adjacent frequency bands and configuring matching and filter units according to the grouped ports.

Fourth, since the signal processing device can be manufactured using the minimum path RF switch chip and the minimum number of passive elements, the effect of insertion loss is minimized and the signal characteristics are improved.

The signal processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the embodiment, the signal processing apparatus 100 is implemented as a multi-band front end module, and supports a GSM scheme, a WCDMA scheme, and the like. It can be applied to a common terminal of dual mode or more.

1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating components of a signal processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1, the signal processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment includes a switching unit 103, a decoder unit 105, a first low pass filter unit 121, and a second low pass unit connected to an antenna 101. Filter unit 122, the first filter unit 131, the second filter unit 132, the third filter unit 133, the fourth filter unit 134, the first matching unit 111, the second matching unit 112, a third matching unit 113, and a fourth matching unit 114, and include eight ports 10 to 80.

Hereinafter, the eight ports are referred to as "first port 10" to "eighth port 80" from above. The first port 10 to the eighth port 80 may be connected to an RF chip, and input and output signals of different bands, respectively.

In addition, the decoder unit 105 includes one power supply terminal Vcc and three control voltage terminals Vc1, Vc2 and Vc3, and the switching unit 103 includes six input / output terminals a to f. Equipped.

Hereinafter, the input / output terminals are referred to as "first terminal a" to "sixth terminal f" from above.

The first terminal (a) is connected to the first port 10, the switching unit 103 is a WCDMA received signal (WCDMA Rx 900; below) of the 900 MHz band received from the antenna path 101; WCDMA transmission signal (WCDMA Tx 900; hereinafter referred to as " first transmission signal ") transmitted to the first port 10 and input through the first port 10. To the antenna 101.

The second terminal b is connected to the second port 20, and the switching unit 103 is a WCDMA reception signal (WCDMA Rx 2100; hereinafter referred to as “second”) received from the antenna path 101. WCDMA transmission signal (WCDMA Tx 2100; hereinafter referred to as " second transmission signal ") transmitted to the second port 20 and input through the second port 20. To the antenna 101.

The third terminal c is connected to the third port 30 through the first low pass filter 121. The GSM transmission signal (GSM Tx; hereinafter referred to as “third transmission signal”) or the EGSM transmission signal (EGSM Tx; hereinafter referred to as “fourth transmission signal”) input through the third port 30 may include a third signal. The first low pass filter 121 is transferred to the third terminal c, and the switching unit 103 transmits the third transmission signal or the fourth transmission signal to the antenna 101.

The first low pass filter 121 removes noise of a high frequency component mixed with the third transmission signal or the fourth transmission signal.

The fourth terminal d is connected to the fourth port 40 through the second low pass filter unit 122. The DCS transmission signal (DCS Tx; hereinafter referred to as “the fifth transmission signal”) or the PCS transmission signal (PCS Tx; hereinafter referred to as the “sixth transmission signal”) input through the fourth port 40 may be a second signal. 2 is passed to the fourth terminal (d) through the low pass filter unit 122, the switching unit 103 transmits the fifth transmission signal or the sixth transmission signal to the antenna (101).

The second low pass filter 122 removes noise of a high frequency component mixed with the fifth transmission signal or the sixth transmission signal.

The fifth terminal e is connected to the first matching unit 111 and the second matching unit 112, and the first matching unit 111 is connected to the fifth port 50 through the first filter unit 131. Connected with. In addition, the second matching unit 112 is connected to the sixth port 60 through the second filter unit 132.

The switching unit 103 is a GSM received signal (GSM Rx; hereinafter referred to as "third received signal") and EGSM received signal (EGSM Rx; hereinafter referred to as "fourth received signal" received through the antenna 101. The first matching unit 111 and the second matching unit 112.

The first matching unit 111 matches the impedance of the signal transmitted from the switching unit 103 to the first filter unit 131, and the second matching unit 112 transfers from the switching unit 103. The impedance of the signal is matched and transferred to the second filter unit 132.

The first filter unit 131 filters only the third received signal among the impedance matched signals and transmits the third received signal to the fifth port 50, and the second filter unit 132 filters only the fourth received signal among the impedance matched signals. To the sixth port 60.

The sixth terminal f is connected to the third matching part 113 and the fourth matching part 114, and the third matching part 113 is connected to the seventh port 70 through the third filter part 133. Connected with. In addition, the fourth matching unit 114 is connected to the eighth port 80 through the fourth filter unit 134.

The switching unit 103 is a DCS received signal (DCS Rx; hereinafter referred to as "the fifth received signal") and PCS received signal (PCS Rx; hereinafter referred to as "the sixth received signal" received through the antenna 101; The third matching unit 113 and the fourth matching unit 114.

The third matching unit 113 matches the impedance of the signal transmitted from the switching unit 103 to the third filter unit 133, and the fourth matching unit 114 is transferred from the switching unit 103. The impedance of the signal is matched and transferred to the fourth filter unit 134.

The third filter unit 133 filters only the fifth received signal among the impedance matched signals and transmits the fifth received signal to the seventh port 70, and the fourth filter unit 134 filters only the sixth received signal among the impedance matched signals. To the eighth port 80.

The first matching unit 111 to the fourth matching unit 114 may be implemented as a combination of one or more inductors and / or capacitor elements. For example, a combination of a series capacitor and a parallel inductor or a combination of parallel inductors may be used. Can be configured.

The first matching unit 111 to the fourth matching unit 114 may be implemented through a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) process, and include a capacitor, a resistor, Passive devices, such as an inductor, are formed inside the LTCC substrate to achieve high integration and light weight.

The first matching unit 111 to the fourth matching unit 114 may block adjacent frequency bands input to the first filter unit 131 to the fourth filter unit 134, respectively, and pass a desired frequency band. In this case, impedance matching may be performed.

In addition, the first filter unit 131 to the fourth filter unit 134 may be implemented including a SAW filter.

Although not shown in the drawings, an ESD protector may be included between the antenna 101 and the switching unit 103, and the electrostatic prevention unit may be formed from an electrostatic discharge (ESD) flowing from the antenna 101. The switching unit 103 is protected.

The signal processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment having such a configuration can reduce the chip size by configuring an RF switching circuit having fewer transmit / receive path ends than the actual transmit / receive path, thereby reducing costs and miniaturizing the module. There is an advantage.

As described above, the signal processing apparatus 100 processes a total of 12 signals, and summarizes the types of signals as shown in Table 1 below.

Communication method (use area) Signal band Signal type GSM (North America) 850 MHz or 1900 MHz Tx signal (third transmission signal) Rx signal (third received signal) EGSM (European Territory) 900 MHz or 1800 MHz Tx signal (4th transmission signal) Rx signal (4th received signal) WCDMA (European Territory) 900 MHz Tx signal (first transmission signal) Rx signal (first received signal) WCDMA (European Territory) 2100 MHz Tx signal (second transmission signal) Rx signal (second received signal) PCS (Korea, North America) 1900 MHz Tx signal (sixth transmission signal) Rx signal (sixth received signal) DCS (European Territory) 1800 MHz Tx signal (5th transmission signal) Rx signal (5th received signal)

The GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) is widely used in various regions of the world including Europe and North America, and means a digital mobile communication method using a time division multiple access (TDMA) method.

The WCDMA (also referred to as "UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System)") is a communication method based on the GSM standard, and combines terrestrial wireless communication technology and satellite transmission technology to deliver broadband packet-based text and digitized multimedia data at 2 Mbps. The above means a mobile communication method capable of high speed transmission.

The Personal Communications System (PCS) is a wireless telephone service using a connection with a base station, and is a method of expanding mobility with a focus on personal service.

The DCS (Digital Cellular System) refers to a European standard for processing digital mobile communication data in units of communication cells.

In this way, the 12 signals are grouped into eight ports 10 to 80, and the first and second ports 10 and 20, which are input and output ports, are directly connected to the switching unit 103, and are input ports. The third port 30 and the fourth port 40 are connected to the switching unit 103 through the low pass filter units 121 and 122, the fifth port 50 and the sixth port 60, which are output ports, The switching unit 103 through the filter unit 131, 132, 133, 134 and the matching unit 111, 112, 113, 114, which are respectively paired with the seventh port 70 and the eighth port 80. As shown in Table 1, the points connected with and are combined with factors such as the region of use (or service provider), signal band, and signal type.

For example, when the signal processing apparatus 100 processes GSM quad band and WCDMA dual band, EGSM of 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands may be used in Europe, and 850 MHz and 1900 MHz bands of North America. Both GSM are available.

This is because the four bands cannot be used at the same time due to regional differences, and because the bands allocated to one region have a large bandwidth, no channel interference occurs. For this reason, WCDMA in both the 900 MHz band and the 2100 MHz band can be used in the northern region.

In addition, even when the signal processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment is used in all regions of the world, one of 850 MHz and 900 MHz bands and one of 1800 MHz and 1900 MHz bands are used to process all 12 signals. The case cannot be generated.

For this reason, the switching unit 103 may be implemented as a single pole 6 throw (SP6T) device having six branch paths.

The switching unit 103 may be manufactured in the form of an RF switch chip. For example, the switching unit 103 may be manufactured using a compound semiconductor device such as a HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor) or a CMOS process, in order to minimize space in the module. It may be composed of a decoder unit 105 and a one-chip that enable logic control of the switching operation.

On the other hand, the decoder 105 is supplied with power through the power supply terminal (Vcc), and transfers the supplied power to the switching unit 103.

The decoder 105 receives a control voltage of a switching operation from the first voltage terminal Vc1, the second voltage terminal Vc2, and the third voltage terminal Vc3.

The decoder unit 105 logically operates the combination of the applied control voltages and generates a decoded signal.

The switching unit 103 opens and closes the signal paths of the first terminal a to the sixth terminal f according to the decoding signal.

When the signal processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment is used in a mobile communication terminal, the decoder 105 may receive a control voltage from a digital signal processor (DSP) of the mobile communication terminal.

The present invention has been described above with reference to its preferred embodiments, but this is merely an example and is not intended to limit the present invention, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs do not depart from the essential characteristics of the present invention. It will be appreciated that various modifications and applications are not possible that are not illustrated above. For example, each component specifically shown in the embodiments of the present invention can be modified. And differences relating to these modifications and applications will have to be construed as being included in the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating components of a signal processing apparatus according to an embodiment;

Claims (7)

A switching unit for switching the signal path of the antenna to the fifth terminal; A first matching unit and a second matching unit connected to the switching unit and matching impedances of the third and fourth received signals transmitted through the fifth terminal; A first filter unit connected to the first matching unit and filtering the third received signal among the impedance matched signals to a fifth port; A second filter unit connected to the second matching unit and configured to filter the fourth received signal among the impedance matched signals and transmit the filtered fourth signal to a sixth port; And a first low pass filter unit for filtering a noise component of the third transmission signal or the fourth transmission signal transmitted through the third port. The method of claim 1, The switching unit switches the signal path of the antenna to the sixth terminal, A third matching unit and a fourth matching unit connected to the switching unit and matching impedances of the fifth received signal and the sixth received signal transmitted through the sixth terminal; A third filter unit connected to the third matching unit and configured to filter the fifth received signal among the impedance matched signals to be transmitted to a seventh port; A fourth filter unit connected to the fourth matching unit and configured to filter the sixth received signal among the impedance matched signals and transmit the filtered sixth received signal to an eighth port; And a second low pass filter unit for filtering noise components of the fifth transmission signal or the sixth transmission signal transmitted through the fourth port. The method of claim 1, The switching unit switches the signal path of the antenna to the first terminal or the second terminal, The first terminal transmits a first transmission signal to the first port or receives a first reception signal from the first port, And the second terminal transmits a second transmission signal to a second port or receives a second reception signal from the second port. The method of claim 2, The third transmit / receive signal is a GSM transmit / receive signal, The fourth transmission / reception signal is an EGSM transmission / reception signal. The fifth transmit / receive signal is a DCS transmit / receive signal, And the sixth transmit / receive signal is a PCS transmit / receive signal. The method of claim 3, The first transmission signal is a WCDMA transmission signal of the 900 MHz band, The first received signal is a WCDMA received signal of the 900 MHz band, The second transmission signal is a WCDMA transmission signal of 2100 MHz band, And the second received signal is a WCDMA received signal in a 2100 MHz band. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, And the signals switched by the switching unit are grouped according to one or more criteria of a communication method, a frequency using region, a signal band, and a type of a transmitted / received signal. The method of claim 6, A decoder unit receiving a control voltage of the switching unit operation and generating a decoded signal by performing a logical operation on the combination of the control voltages according to the grouped signals; And the switching unit performs a switching operation according to the decoded signal.

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