Reconfigurable communications circuit
AssigneeAgere Systems Inc.
InventorsChristopher Nicol, Tomasz Prokop, Dominic Yip
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A communications circuit can operate in a first mode, such as a diversity mode including space time transmit diversity (STTD). In this mode, a number of equalizer filter portions connected to a number of post-equalizer processors are employed. When the diversity mode is not required, the extra equalizer filter portions would represent a waste of power consumption and/or chip space. A combining circuit and suitable control circuitry are provided to allow use of the additional equalizer filter portions to be made in other operating modes. Appropriate trade-offs can be made based on power consumption and performance.
Claims22
A communications circuit operable in at least first and second operating modes, said circuit comprising:
- N equalizer filter portions, each having an equalizer filter portion output, N being an integer at least equal to two;
- N post-equalizer processors, each having a post-equalizer processor input and a post-equalizer processor output;
- and
- a combining circuit that is interconnected between said equalizer filter portion outputs and said post-equalizer processor inputs and that is configurable to:
- couple each of said equalizer filter portion outputs to a corresponding one of said post-equalizer processor inputs for said first operating mode;
- and
- couple said equalizer filter portion outputs to L post-equalizer processor inputs of L of said N post-equalizer processors that are to be used for said second operating mode, L being an integer less than N.
A method of operating a communications circuit comprising the steps of:
- operating said circuit in a space time transmit diversity mode configuration wherein said circuit is configurable with N equalizer filter portions, N being an integer at least equal to two, each of said N equalizer filter portions being coupled to a respective one of N post equalizer processors;
- reconfiguring said circuit, responsive to a command, into a second mode configuration wherein said N equalizer filter portions are coupled to L of said N post equalizer processors that are to be used in said second mode configuration, L being an integer less than N;
- and
- using said N equalizer filter portions to operate said circuit in said second mode configuration.
A communications apparatus operable in at least first and second operating modes, said apparatus comprising:
- N equalizer filter portions, each having an equalizer filter portion input and an equalizer filter portion output, N being an integer at least equal to two;
- N post-equalizer processors, each having a post-equalizer processor input and a post-equalizer processor output;
- a combining circuit that is interconnected between said equalizer filter portion outputs and said post-equalizer processor inputs and that is configurable to:
- couple each of said equalizer filter portion outputs to a corresponding one of said post-equalizer processor inputs for said first operating mode;
- and
- couple said equalizer filter portion outputs to L post-equalizer processor inputs of L of said N post-equalizer processors that are to be used for said second operating mode, L being an integer less than N;
- an input buffer module having N input ports and having N output ports coupled to said inputs of said equalizer filter portions, said input buffer module forming a virtual delay line that is reconfigurable between a first virtual delay line configuration associated with said first operating mode and a second virtual delay line configuration associated with said second operating mode;
- a control circuit configurable to switch said input buffer module and said combining circuit between said first and second operating modes;
- and
- a plurality of antenna modules coupled to said input ports of said input buffer module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.