High power wireless telephone with over-voltage protection

A wireless handset comprising:

• an antenna;
• a receiver for receiving a switched signal;
• a transmitter transmitting a transmitted signal;
• a switch having an antenna terminal connected to said antenna, a receive terminal connected to said receiver, and a transmitter terminal connected to said transmitter, said switch comprising a first transistor connected between said antenna terminal and said transmitter terminal, and a second transistor connected between said antenna terminal and said receiver terminal;
• and
• a limiting circuit which switches said switch to an attenuated mode by turning both said first transistor and said second transistor off to reduce a level of said switched signal when an output signal of said receiver exceeds a predetermined value;
• wherein said limiting circuit includes a trigger circuit for latching an output of said limiting circuit to turn on a transistor which shunts to ground a control input of said switch when said output signal exceeds said predetermined value in a reception sub-frame.

A transceiver comprising:

• a switch having a first terminal for receiving a received signal, a second terminal, and a third terminal, said switch comprising a first transistor connected between said first terminal and said second terminal, and a second transistor connected between said first terminal and said third terminal;
• a receiver connected to said second terminal of said switch for receiving a switched signal;
• and
• a limiting circuit which switches said switch to an attenuated mode by turning both said first transistor and said second transistor off to reduce a level of said switched signal when an output signal of said receiver exceeds a predetermined value;
• wherein said limiting circuit includes a trigger circuit for latching an output of said limiting circuit to turn on a transistor which shunts to ground a control input of said switch when said output signal exceeds said predetermined value in a reception sub-frame.

A transceiver comprising:

• a switch having a first terminal for receiving a received signal;
• a receiver connected to a second terminal of said switch for receiving a switched signal;
• and
• a limiting circuit which switches said switch to an attenuated mode to reduce a level of said switched signal when an output signal of said receiver exceeds a predetermined value;
• wherein said limiting circuit comprises a shunt circuit to maintain said attenuated mode during transmission of a transmission signal from a transmitter to reduce a transmitted level of said transmission signal;
• wherein said shunt circuit includes a trigger circuit for latching an output of said limiting circuit to turn on a transistor which shunts to ground a control input of said switch when said output signal exceeds said predetermined value in a reception sub-frame.

A wireless handset comprising:

• an antenna;
• a receiver for receiving a switched signal;
• a transmitter transmitting a transmitted signal;
• a switch including a first transistor and a second transistor for connecting said antenna, one at a time, to said receiver or to said transmitter, said switch having an attenuated mode for reducing levels of signal passing therethrough;
• and
• a limiting circuit which switches said switch to said attenuated mode by turning both said first transistor and said second transistor off when an output signal of said receiver exceeds a predetermined value;
• wherein said limiting circuit includes a trigger circuit for latching an output of said limiting circuit to turn on a transistor which shunts to ground a control input of said switch when said output signal exceeds said predetermined value in a reception sub-frame.

A transceiver comprising:

• a switching device having a first switch connected between a first terminal and a second terminal, and a second switch connected between said first terminal and a third terminal;
• a receiver connected to said second terminal for receiving a signal provided to said first terminal;
• a transmitter connected to said third terminal;
• and
• a controller which switches said switching device to close said first switch and open said second switch in a normal receive mode and to open said first switch and said second switch in an attenuated receive mode to reduce a level of said signal when said level exceeds a predetermined value;
• wherein said controller includes a trigger circuit for latching an output of said controller to turn on a transistor which shunts to ground a control input of said switch when said output signal exceeds said predetermined value in a reception sub-frame.

A wireless handset comprising:

• an antenna;
• a receiver for receiving a switched signal;
• a transmitter transmitting a transmitted signal;
• a switch for connecting said antenna, one at a time, to said receiver or to said transmitter, said switch having an attenuated mode for reducing levels of signal passing therethrough;
• and
• a limiting circuit which switches said switch to said attenuated mode when an output signal of said receiver exceeds a predetermined value;
• wherein said limiting circuit includes a trigger circuit for latching an output of said limiting circuit to turn on a transistor which shunts to ground a control input of said switch when said output signal exceeds said predetermined value in a reception sub-frame.