Electronic device and method of controlling transmission power

• US 10,097,215 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2016
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Song, Seongjun, Jo, Kyunghwan, Song, Youngseok, Park, Sungchul
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Lana N
• Application Number:
  US15/071,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20160277044A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/30 Modifications of amplifiers to reduce influence of variations of temperature or supply voltage or other physical parameters in differential amplifiers H03F3/45479
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/447 the amplifier being protected to temperature influence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/468 the temperature being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/19 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/245 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/04 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/0416 having gain or transmission power control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A transmission power control method and an electronic device capable of adjusting a bias of a power amplifier are provided. The electronic device includes: a temperature sensor; a power amplifier (PA); and a controller configured to monitor signals from the temperature sensor, determine a bias value for the PA, based on the monitored signals, and control the PA to amplify a signal for transmission based on the determined bias value.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a temperature sensor;

a power amplifier (PA); and

a processor configured to;

determine a transmission power of the PA,

determine whether the determined transmission power is less than or equal to a preset threshold level, the preset threshold level being set to distinguish between a high power mode and a low power mode,

monitor, when the determined transmission power is less than or equal to the preset threshold level, signals from the temperature sensor,

determine a bias value for the PA, based on the monitored signals, and

control the PA to amplify a signal for transmission based on the determined bias value,

wherein the processor is further configured to select the bias value using a temperature-based compensation table including bias values that vary according to a plurality of temperatures, and

wherein the bias value is set to maintain a first amplification gain at a first temperature higher than a specified temperature and is set to maintain a second amplification gain higher than the first amplification gain at a second temperature lower than the specified temperature.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a transceiver.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive, from an external device via the transceiver, information regarding a transmission level; and

determine the transmission power based on the received information.

4. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to:

measure a feedback power output from a coupler configured to couple a signal output from the PA; and

determine the transmission power based on the measured feedback power.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to:

compare a transmission output power that is set corresponding to the transmission level with the measured feedback power,

vary the determined bias value, when an error range of a result of the comparing is greater than or equal to a threshold value, and

maintain the determined bias value when the error range is less than a threshold value.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises at least one of an application processor and a communication processor.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

measure an offset condition,

adjust the determined bias value, based on the measured offset condition, and

drive the PA with the adjusted bias value.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the offset condition comprises at least one of a battery status, a received signal status, a direct current (DC)-DC voltage, a transmission feedback power, and a PA load.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising an antenna configured to transmit the amplified signal.

10. A method of controlling transmission power, the method comprising:

determining a transmission power of a power amplifier (PA);

determining whether the determined transmission power is less than or equal to a preset threshold level, the preset threshold level being set to distinguish between a high power mode and a low power mode;

monitoring, when the determined transmission power is less than or equal to the preset threshold level, a temperature surrounding the PA;

determining a bias value for the PA based on the monitored temperature; and

controlling the PA to amplify a signal for transmission based on the determined bias value,

wherein determining the bias value comprises selecting the bias value using a temperature-based compensation table including bias values that vary according to a plurality of temperatures, and

wherein the bias value is set to maintain a first amplification gain at a first temperature higher than a specified temperature and is set to maintain a second amplification gain higher than the first amplification gain at a second temperature lower than the specified temperature.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the transmission power comprises:

receiving, from an external device, via a transceiver, information regarding a transmission level; and

determining the transmission power based on the received information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the transmission power further comprises:

measuring a feedback power output from a coupler configured to couple a signal output from the PA; and

determining the transmission power based on the measured feedback power.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

comparing a transmission output power that is set corresponding to the transmission level with the measured feedback power;

varying the determined bias value, when an error range of a result of the comparing is greater than or equal to a threshold value; and

maintaining the determined bias value when the error range is less than the threshold value.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

measuring an offset condition,

adjusting the determined bias value based on the measured offset condition, and

driving the PA with the adjusted bias value.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the offset condition comprises at least one of a battery status, a received signal status, a direct current (DC)-DC voltage, a transmission feedback power, and a PA load.