Apparatus and method for wireless communications

An apparatus for receiving and transmitting signals, comprising:

• a local oscillator (LO);
• a direct conversion transmitter coupled to the LO that is configured to up-convert baseband signals directly to transmit radio frequency (RF) signals for transmission;
• and
• a direct conversion receiver coupled to the LO that is configured to down-convert a received RF signal directly to In-phase (I) and Quadrature (Q) baseband signals, the direct conversion receiver including:
• a low noise amplifier (LNA) configured to receive the received RF signal;
• an I/Q direct down converter coupled to the LNA, the I/Q direct down converter configured to split the RF signal into real and imaginary components and to down convert the real and imaginary components directly to the I and Q baseband signals, wherein the I baseband signals are generated at a first output of the I/Q down converter, and wherein the Q baseband signals are generated at a second output of the I/Q down converter;
• first and second filters coupled directly to the first and second outputs, respectively, of the I/Q direct down converter, the first and second filters configured to filter the down converted respective I and Q baseband signals;
• and
• first and second wide dynamic range analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) coupled directly to the first and second filters, respectively, the first and second ADCs configured to convert the respective filtered I and Q baseband signals into digital signals, the first and second ADCs having a dynamic range that is sufficiently wide to directly convert the filtered I and Q baseband signals to digital signals without first amplifying the filtered I and Q baseband signals, and wherein the dynamic range of the ADCs is equal to or greater than approximately 74 dB.

An apparatus for use in a wireless communication system having a plurality of radio links, wherein information is communicated by operating the radio links in accordance with predefined communication protocols defined by a system specification, and wherein the protocols define at least one protocol action that must be performed by the apparatus when communicating in the system, comprising:

• a radio having a receiver for receiving data and a transmitter for transmitting data wherein the radio includes a plurality of individually-controlled radio blocks;
• a modem, coupled to the radio, configured to demodulate received data and modulate data for transmission;
• and
• a controller, coupled to the modem and the radio, including a digital interface for external communications through which received data and data for transmission is sent, wherein the controller controls the radio and modem to perform a protocol action specified by commands received through the digital interface, and wherein the controller includes:
• (a) a connection state machine responsive to the received commands, wherein the connection state machine controls operation of the radio and the modem to implement the protocol action specified by the received commands;
• and
• (b) a receive/transmit state machine, responsive to the connection state machine, wherein the receive/transmit state machine controls the radio by sequencing operation of the radio blocks in accordance with a pre-determined sequence;
• wherein the radio, modem and controller are integrated onto a single integrated circuit (IC).

A method of performing wireless communications in a communication system having a plurality of radio links, wherein communication on the links complies with communication protocols defining at least one protocol action, the method comprising:

• receiving commands from an external processor through a digital interface, the digital interface being integrated onto a single integrated circuit (IC), wherein the received commands specify a selected protocol action to be performed by a communications apparatus when communicating on a radio link;
• initiating a sequence of connection state control steps in response to the received commands, wherein the sequence of connection state control steps controls operation of a radio and a modem in the communications apparatus to implement the selected protocol action, and wherein the radio includes a plurality of individually-controlled radio blocks;
• sequentially controlling operation of the plurality of radio blocks in accordance with a pre-determined sequence, and in response to the initiated sequence of connection state control steps;
• and
• communicating data with the radio.