Reconfigurable receiver approach for future wireless terminals

An overview on RF-front-end architectures and technologies for future reconfigurable mobile communication is given. A favourable solution for fourth mobile generation is an extension of traditional cellular parameters by OFDM-based systems like WLAN. Therefore, an approach for widely reconfigurable receivers considering a variety of different standards, with the example of combining WCDMA and WLAN front-end into one architecture, is presented in this paper. RF-front-end key components like low noise amplifiers, mixers, and frequency synthesizers, as well as baseband variable gain amplifiers and filters are treated, particularly with regard to reconfigurable systems.