Flexible beamforming architecture

An apparatus comprising:

• a wireless transceiver comprising:
• at least four dedicated transceiver paths configured to be respectively coupled to at least four antenna elements;
• at least four intermediate transceiver paths;
• and
• beamforming flexibility means for selectively:
• coupling the at least four dedicated transceiver paths to one of the at least four intermediate transceiver paths based on a first configuration,
• connecting each one of the at least four dedicated transceiver paths to a respective intermediate transceiver path of the at least four intermediate transceiver paths based on a second configuration, and
• coupling a first set of the at least four dedicated transceiver paths to a first intermediate transceiver path of the at least four intermediate transceiver paths and coupling a second set of the at least four dedicated transceiver paths to a second intermediate transceiver path of the at least four intermediate transceiver paths based on a third configuration, the beamforming flexibility means coupled between the set of dedicated transceiver paths and the set of intermediate transceiver paths.

A method for operating a flexible beamforming architecture, the method comprising:

• coupling, based on a first configuration, at least four dedicated transceiver paths of a radio-frequency integrated circuit to one of at least four intermediate transceiver paths of the radio-frequency integrated circuit;
• operating an analog beamformer in an active state based on the first configuration;
• connecting, based on a second configuration, each one of the at least four dedicated transceiver paths to a respective intermediate transceiver path of the at least four intermediate transceiver paths of the radio-frequency integrated circuit;
• operating a digital beamformer in the active state based on the second configuration;
• coupling, based on a third configuration, a first set of the at least four dedicated transceiver paths of the radio-frequency integrated circuit to a first intermediate transceiver path of the at least four intermediate transceiver paths;
• coupling, based on the third configuration, a second set of the at least four dedicated transceiver paths of the radio-frequency integrated circuit to a second intermediate transceiver path of the at least four intermediate transceiver paths;
• and
• operating a hybrid beamformer in the active state based on the third configuration.

An apparatus comprising:

• a set of dedicated transceiver paths comprising:
• a first dedicated transceiver path;
• a second dedicated transceiver path;
• a third dedicated transceiver path;
• and
• a fourth dedicated transceiver path;
• a set of intermediate transceiver paths comprising:
• a first intermediate transceiver path;
• a second intermediate transceiver path;
• a third intermediate transceiver path;
• and
• a fourth intermediate transceiver path;
• and
• a flexible beamforming network coupled between the set of dedicated transceiver paths and the set of intermediate transceiver paths, the flexible beamforming network comprising:
• a first coupler circuit coupled to the first intermediate transceiver path;
• a first dedicated switch comprising:
• a first pole coupled to the first dedicated transceiver path;
• a first throw coupled to the first coupler circuit;
• and
• a second throw coupled to the first intermediate transceiver path;
• a second dedicated switch comprising:
• a second pole coupled to the second dedicated transceiver path;
• a third throw coupled to the first coupler circuit;
• and
• a fourth throw coupled to the second intermediate transceiver path
• a second coupler circuit coupled to the first throw of the first dedicated switch and the third throw of the second dedicated switch;
• a third coupler circuit;
• a third dedicated switch comprising:
• a third pole coupled to the third dedicated transceiver path;
• a fifth throw coupled to the third coupler circuit;
• and
• a sixth throw coupled to the third intermediate transceiver path;
• a fourth dedicated switch comprising:
• a fourth pole coupled to the fourth dedicated transceiver path;
• a seventh throw coupled to the third coupler circuit;
• and
• an eighth throw coupled to the fourth intermediate transceiver path;
• a first intermediate switch comprising:
• a fifth pole coupled to the second coupler circuit;
• a ninth throw coupled to the first intermediate transceiver path;
• and
• a tenth throw coupled to the first coupler circuit;
• and
• a second intermediate switch comprising:
• a sixth pole coupled to the third coupler circuit;
• an eleventh throw coupled to the second intermediate transceiver path;
• and
• a twelfth throw coupled to the first coupler circuit.