Systems and Methods for Minimizing Insertion Loss in a Multi-Mode Communications System

A circuital arrangement comprising a multifunctional filter, wherein:

• the circuital arrangement is configurable to operate in a plurality of modes each based on a respective filtering function of the multifunctional filter for propagation of a respective type of signal through the circuital arrangement, the plurality of modes comprising:
• a first mode based on a first filtering function of the multifunctional filter for propagation of a first type of signal through the circuital arrangement, and
• a second mode based on a second filtering function of the multifunctional filter for propagation of a second type of signal through the circuital arrangement, the second mode providing a lower insertion loss upon the second type of signal than the first mode, and
• configuration of the circuital arrangement to operate in one of the first mode and the second mode is respectively based on a configuration of the multifunctional filter to operate according to the first filtering function and the second filtering function,
• wherein the multifunctional filter comprises:
• one or more independently selectable serial filter components, one or more independently selectable shunt filter components, one or more parallel switches connected in parallel with said serial filter components and one or more serial switches connected in serial with said shunt filter components.

A multifunctional filter comprising a plurality of filtering functions, comprising:

• a first filtering function of the plurality of filtering functions for propagation of a first type of signal through the multifunctional filter during a first mode of operation of the multifunctional filter,
• a second filtering function of the plurality of filtering functions for propagation of a second type of signal through the multifunctional filter during a second mode of operation of the multifunctional filter, the second filtering function providing a lower insertion loss upon the second type of signal than the first filtering function,
• wherein the multifunctional filter comprises:
• one or more independently selectable serial filter components, one or more independently selectable shunt filter components, one or more parallel switches connected in parallel with said serial filter components and one or more serial switches connected in serial with said shunt filter components.

A method of minimizing insertion loss in a duplexer, the method comprising:

• configuring the duplexer to operate in a first mode of a plurality of modes when a first type of signal is propagated through the duplexer;
• and
• configuring the duplexer to operate in a second mode of the plurality of modes when a second type of signal is propagated through the duplexer, the second mode providing a lower insertion loss upon the second type of signal than the first mode,
• wherein configuring the duplexer to operate in one of the first or second modes comprises configuring a multifunctional filter contained in the duplexer to operate in one of the first or second modes, each of the first and second modes comprising a filtering function according to one of:
• a) a bandpass filter, b) a lowpass filter, c) a highpass filter, and d) a notch filter.