What are the Benefits of a Single RF Pin on Transceivers

Lately, I hae been encountering a lot of devices (Bluetooth, UWB) that use a single RF pin for I/O. For example, on a Bluetooth chip that I am working with, the 48 QFN package only has 1 RF pin and it serves as both TX and RX (since the device can't do both simultaneously).

What is the motivation/advantage of this pin architecture?

The advantage is that there will be no need of an external RF switch from antenna, so it saves space on the board and money.
Mazz

this is only valid for TDD systems , so the TX and RX are working in different times

Khouly

Yes, that makes sense.

Do you foresee a lot more of the single-IO pin architecture moving forward?

I've seen it in Bluetooth and UltraWideBand devices. Where are some other areas that it is used?

Hi, I only see disadvantage unfortunately .. Analog Devices solved it very nicely by using an internal switch and still offering a TX and RX pin making it possible to amplify the signal with a PA or LNA chain. You will see that all real RF companies (Freescale, Analog etc..) are using a TX and RX pin and NOT a combined I/O pin.

I was under the impression that it is a significant advantage as we go to SOC and SIP packages with multiple features, like CDMA/GSM/UWB/Media/Bluetooth, all in a common package. By having the single IO pins, this reduces the RF pin count. Of course, this wouldn't work for the CDMA and GSM, but for a lot of the other features it could work.

Freescale is offering RF chips with and without a common RF pin but still not so many advantages only easy to use for RF-newbies.

Are any data sheets available showing parts with both pinouts? I'd be interested to see how tey market that optional offering.

http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/...01J4Fs25658166

have a look: TRANSMITT/RECEIVE SWITCH : External/Internal

Analog Devices is offering them only with internal switch BUT still two I/O, TX and RX !. This is much smarter than Freescale )..

Thanks for the links.