Wide bandwidth envelope trackers

• US 10,615,757 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2018
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Balteanu, Florinel G., Drogi, Serge Francois, Khesbak, Sabah, Modi, Hardik Bhupendra
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Patricia T
• Application Number:
  US16/011,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20180375483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0238 using supply converters
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/102 A non-specified detector of a signal envelope being used in an amplifying circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/555 A voltage generating circuit being realised for biasing different circuit elements
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/195 in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/245 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/45076 characterised by the way of implementation of the active amplifying circuit in the differential amplifier

Abstract

High bandwidth envelope trackers are provided herein. In certain embodiments, an envelope tracking system for a power amplifier includes a switching regulator that operates in combination with a high bandwidth amplifier to generate a power amplifier supply voltage for the power amplifier based on an envelope of a radio frequency (RF) signal amplified by the power amplifier. The high bandwidth amplifier includes an output that generates an output current for adjusting the power amplifier supply voltage, a first input that receives a reference signal, and a second input that receives an envelope signal indicating the envelope of the RF signal. The second input has lower input impedance than the first input to provide a rapid transient response and high envelope tracking bandwidth.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a transceiver configured to generate a radio frequency transmit signal;

a front end circuit including a power amplifier configured to amplify the radio frequency transmit signal; and

a power management circuit including an envelope tracker configured to generate a power amplifier supply voltage of the power amplifier, the envelope tracker including a differential amplifier including an output configured to provide an output current operable to adjust a voltage level of the power amplifier supply voltage, a first input configured to receive a reference voltage, and a second input configured to receive an envelope signal that changes in relation to an envelope of the radio frequency transmit signal, the second input having an input impedance that is lower than an input impedance of the first input.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the differential amplifier includes an amplification circuit biased by a control signal, and an input current reduction circuit configured to adjust the control signal via feedback so as to reduce an input current to the second input.

3. The mobile device of claim 2 wherein the input current reduction circuit includes a first voltage divider electrically connected between the output and the second input and operable to control the second input.

4. The mobile device of claim 3 wherein the input current reduction circuit includes a second voltage divider connected between the output and the second input and operable to provide a second divided voltage, and a control amplifier configured to generate the control signal based on a voltage difference between the first divided voltage and the second divided voltage.

5. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the input impedance of the second input is at least ten times lower than the input impedance of the first input.

6. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the first input connects to a transistor gate, and the second input connects to at least one of a transistor source or a transistor drain.

7. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the first input connects to a differential input buffer and the second input does not connect to any differential input buffer.

8. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the envelope tracker further includes a switching regulator configured to generate a regulated voltage, and a combiner configured to combine the regulated voltage and the output current to generate the power amplifier supply voltage.

9. The mobile device of claim 8 wherein the envelope tracker further includes a current source connected to the second input and a tracking circuit connected to the combiner and configured to control a current of the current source.

10. The mobile device of claim 8 wherein the differential amplifier is further configured to generate a sense signal that tracks the output current, the switching regulator configured to generate the regulated voltage based on the sense signal.

11. An envelope tracking system comprising:

a power amplifier configured to amplify a radio frequency signal; and

an envelope tracker configured to generate a power amplifier supply voltage of the power amplifier, the envelope tracker including a differential amplifier including an output configured to provide an output current operable to adjust a voltage level of the power amplifier supply voltage, a first input configured to receive a reference voltage, and a second input configured to receive an envelope signal that changes in relation to an envelope of the radio frequency signal, the second input having an input impedance that is lower than an input impedance of the first input.

12. The envelope tracking system of claim 11 wherein the differential amplifier includes an amplification circuit biased by a control signal, and an input current reduction circuit configured to adjust the control signal via feedback so as to reduce an input current to the second input.

13. The envelope tracking system of claim 12 wherein the input current reduction circuit includes a pair of voltage dividers electrically connected in parallel between the output and the second input, the input current reduction circuit configured to generate the control signal based on a voltage difference between the pair of voltage dividers.

14. The envelope tracking system of claim 11 wherein the input impedance of the second input is at least ten times lower than the input impedance of the first input.

15. The envelope tracking system of claim 11 wherein the first input connects to a transistor gate, and the second input connects to at least one of a transistor source or a transistor drain.

16. The envelope tracking system of claim 11 wherein the envelope tracker further includes a switching regulator configured to generate a regulated voltage, and a combiner configured to combine the regulated voltage and the output current to generate the power amplifier supply voltage.

17. A method of envelope tracking, the method comprising:

amplifying a radio frequency signal using a power amplifier; and

generating a power amplifier supply voltage of the power amplifier using an envelope tracker that includes a differential amplifier having a first input of a first input impedance and a second input of a second input impedance less than the first input impedance, generating the power amplifier supply voltage including receiving a reference voltage at the first input, receiving an envelope signal that changes in relation to an envelope of the radio frequency signal at the second input, and adjusting a voltage level of the power amplifier supply voltage using an output current of the differential amplifier.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising generating a control signal based on providing feedback from an output of the differential amplifier to the second input of the differential amplifier, and reducing an input current to the second input by biasing the differential amplifier with the control signal.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein generating the power amplifier supply voltage further includes generating a regulated voltage using a switching regulator of the envelope tracker, and combining the regulated voltage and the output current using a combiner.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising generating a sense signal that tracks the output current using the differential amplifier, and controlling the switching regulator using the sense signal.