Reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer (EBD) supporting frequency division duplex (FDD) and time division duplex (TDD)

An electronic device, comprising:

• a transceiver comprising a reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer that is configured to selectively operate in either a frequency division duplexing (FDD) mode or a time division duplexing (TDD) mode using reconfigurable circuitry of the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer that:
• when in a first configuration, operates the transceiver in the FDD mode;
• when in a second configuration, operates the transceiver in the TDD mode with transmission;
• and
• when in a third configuration, operates the transceiver in the TDD mode with reception;
• wherein the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer comprises a hybrid transformer couplable to:
• an antenna, a balancing impedance, a low noise amplifier, and a power amplifier;
• wherein the antenna is coupled to the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer, wherein the low noise amplifier is coupled to the hybrid transformer of the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer, wherein the power amplifier is coupled to the hybrid transformer of the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer;
• wherein the reconfigurable circuitry comprises a plurality of switches;
• wherein the plurality of switches comprise:
• a first switch disposed between the low noise amplifier and the hybrid transformer that selectively couples the low noise amplifier to ground;
• a second switch between the power amplifier and the hybrid transformer that selectively couples the power amplifier to ground;
• a third switch between the hybrid transformer and the balancing impedance that selectively couples the balancing impedance to the hybrid transformer;
• and
• wherein the second switch couples the power amplifier to ground, the third switch decouples the balancing impedance from the hybrid transformer, and the first switch decouples the low noise amplifier from ground when operating in the time division duplexing mode with reception.

An electronic device, comprising:

• a transceiver comprising a reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer that is configured to selectively operate in either a frequency division duplexing (FDD) mode or a time division duplexing (TDD) mode using reconfigurable circuitry of the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer that:
• when in a first configuration, operates the transceiver in the FDD mode;
• when in a second configuration, operates the transceiver in the TDD mode with transmission;
• and
• when in a third configuration, operates the transceiver in the TDD mode with reception;
• wherein the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer comprises a hybrid transformer couplable to:
• an antenna, a balancing impedance, a low noise amplifier, and a power amplifier;
• wherein the antenna is coupled to the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer, wherein the low noise amplifier is coupled to the hybrid transformer of the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer, wherein the power amplifier is coupled to the hybrid transformer of the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer;
• wherein the reconfigurable circuitry comprises a plurality of switches;
• wherein the plurality of switches comprise:
• a first switch disposed between the low noise amplifier and the hybrid transformer that selectively couples the low noise amplifier to ground;
• a second switch between the power amplifier and the hybrid transformer that selectively couples the power amplifier to ground;
• a third switch between the hybrid transformer and the balancing impedance that selectively couples the balancing impedance to the hybrid transformer;
• and
• wherein the first switch decouples the low noise amplifier from ground, the third switch couples the balancing impedance to the hybrid transformer, and the second switch decouples the power amplifier from ground, when operating in the frequency division duplexing mode.

A method for operating in either a frequency division duplexing (FDD) mode or a time division duplexing (TDD) in an electronic device comprising a transceiver using a reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer, the method comprising:

• receiving and transmitting communication signals in duplex on an antenna of the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer;
• amplifying received communication signals from the antenna using a low noise amplifier;
• amplifying transmission communication signals to the antenna using a power amplifier;
• isolating the received communication signals from the transmitted communication signals in the frequency division duplexing mode;
• communicatively decoupling the low noise amplifier from the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer in the time division duplexing mode when transmitting communication signals;
• communicatively decoupling the power amplifier from the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer in the time division duplexing mode when receiving communication signals;
• and
• performing the frequency division duplexing mode or the time division duplexing mode on the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer by selectively enabling a plurality of switches of the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer;
• wherein the plurality of switches comprise:
• a first switch on a receiver path disposed between the low noise amplifier and the antenna, selectively coupling the low noise amplifier to ground;
• a second switch on a transmission path disposed between the power amplifier and the antenna, selectively coupling the power amplifier to ground;
• a third switch disposed between a balancing impedance and the antenna, selectively coupling the balancing impedance to the antenna;
• and
• or any combination thereof;
• and
• wherein reconfiguring the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer to operate in the frequency division duplexing mode comprises decoupling the first switch to maintain connection between the antenna and the low noise amplifier, and decoupling the second switch from ground to maintain connection between the antenna and the power amplifier, and coupling the third switch to maintain connection between the antenna and the balancing impedance.

A method for operating in either a frequency division duplexing (FDD) mode or a time division duplexing (TDD) in an electronic device comprising a transceiver using a reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer, the method comprising:

• receiving and transmitting communication signals in duplex on an antenna of the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer;
• amplifying received communication signals from the antenna using a low noise amplifier;
• amplifying transmission communication signals to the antenna using a power amplifier;
• isolating the received communication signals from the transmitted communication signals in the frequency division duplexing mode;
• communicatively decoupling the low noise amplifier from the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer in the time division duplexing mode when transmitting communication signals;
• communicatively decoupling the power amplifier from the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer in the time division duplexing mode when receiving communication signals;
• and
• performing the frequency division duplexing mode or the time division duplexing mode on the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer by selectively enabling a plurality of switches of the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer;
• wherein the plurality of switches comprise:
• a first switch on a receiver path disposed between the low noise amplifier and the antenna, selectively coupling the low noise amplifier to ground;
• a second switch on a transmission path disposed between the power amplifier and the antenna;
• selectively coupling the power amplifier to ground;
• a third switch disposed between a balancing impedance and the antenna, selectively coupling the balancing impedance to the antenna;
• and
• or any combination thereof;
• and
• wherein reconfiguring the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer to operate in the time division duplexing mode and transmitting communication signals comprises coupling the first switch to ground to disconnect the receiver path from the antenna to the low noise amplifier, and decoupling the second switch from ground to maintain connection between the antenna and the power amplifier, and decoupling the third switch to disconnect the antenna and the balancing impedance.

A method for operating in either a frequency division duplexing (FDD) mode or a time division duplexing (TDD) in an electronic device comprising a transceiver using a reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer, the method comprising:

• receiving and transmitting communication signals in duplex on an antenna of the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer;
• amplifying received communication signals from the antenna using a low noise amplifier;
• amplifying transmission communication signals to the antenna using a power amplifier;
• isolating the received communication signals from the transmitted communication signals in the frequency division duplexing mode;
• communicatively decoupling the low noise amplifier from the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer in the time division duplexing mode when transmitting communication signals;
• and
• communicatively decoupling the power amplifier from the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer in the time division duplexing mode when receiving communication signals;
• and
• performing the frequency division duplexing mode or the time division duplexing mode on the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer by selectively enabling a plurality of switches of the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer;
• wherein the plurality of switches comprise:
• a first switch on a receiver path disposed between the low noise amplifier and the antenna, selectively coupling the low noise amplifier to ground;
• a second switch on a transmission path disposed between the power amplifier and the antenna;
• selectively coupling the power amplifier to ground;
• a third switch disposed between a balancing impedance and the antenna, selectively coupling the balancing impedance to the antenna;
• and
• or any combination thereof;
• and
• wherein reconfiguring the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer to operate in the time division duplexing mode when receiving communication signals comprises decoupling the first switch to maintain connection between the antenna and low noise amplifier, and coupling the second switch to ground to disconnect the transmission path from the antenna to the power amplifier, and decoupling the third switch to disconnect the antenna and the balancing impedance.

A tangible, non-transitory, machine readable medium comprising machine-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of the machine, cause the machine to:

• receive first communication signals and transmit second communication signals in duplex on an antenna of a reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer;
• amplify the first communication signals from the antenna using a low noise amplifier;
• amplify the second communication signals to the antenna using a power amplifier;
• isolate the received first communication signals from the transmitted second communication signals in a frequency division duplexing mode;
• communicatively decouple the low noise amplifier from the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer in a time division duplexing mode when transmitting the second communication signals;
• communicatively decouple the power amplifier from the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer in the time division duplexing mode when receiving the first communication signals;
• and
• selectively enable one or more of a plurality of switches of the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer to perform in the time division duplexing mode or the frequency division duplexing mode, wherein operating in either transmitting or receiving time division duplexing mode comprises decoupling a switch of the plurality of switches disposed between the antenna and a balancing impedance of the reconfigurable electrical balance duplexer.