RFIC envelope power detection

• US 20040203543A1
• Filed: 08/20/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Regev, Dror
• Application Number:
  US10/223,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203543A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/127.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0458 Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages matching circuits in general H03H

Abstract

A method and system for signal envelope detection including a detection transistor to be biased at a threshold voltage and having an input port, such that when a signal is applied to the input port, a power of an envelope of the signal is detected.

Claims

1. A signal envelope detection system comprising:

a detection transistor to be biased at a threshold voltage and having an input port, such that when a signal is applied to the input port, a power of an envelope of the signal is detected.

2. The signal envelope detection system of claim 1 further comprising:

a current source to provide the threshold voltage to said detection transistor; and

a power supply to provide current to said detection transistor when the threshold voltage is exceeded.

3. The signal envelope detection system of claim 2 further comprising a DC reference device to receive current from said power supply when the threshold voltage of a DC reference transistor is exceeded.

4. The signal envelope detection system of claim 3 further comprising a signal manager to route a partial signal to said detection transistor.

5. The signal envelope detection system of claim 4, wherein said signal manager is a high impedance uneven power divider.

6. The signal envelope detection system of claim 4, wherein said detection transistor is a field-effect transistor.

7. The signal envelope detection system of claim 4, wherein said detection transistor is a bi-polar junction transistor.

8. The signal envelope detection system of claim 4, wherein said detection system has less than a 0.2 dB insertion loss.

9. The signal envelope detection system of claim 4, wherein said detection system has a return loss of greater than 20 dB.

10. The signal envelope detection system of claim 1, wherein said detection system has a current consumption of less than 0.1 mA.

11. The signal envelope detection system of claim 1, wherein said detection system detects signals whose power is greater than −

50 dBm.

12. A method comprising:

biasing a detection transistor at a threshold voltage; and

applying a signal to an input port of the detection transistor to detect a power of an envelope of the signal.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

supplying current to the detection transistor when the threshold voltage is exceeded.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

supplying current to a DC reference device when the threshold voltage of a DC reference transistor is exceeded.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

managing the signal routing.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein managing the signal comprises using a high impedance uneven power divider.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the detection transistor is a field-effect transistor.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the detection transistor is a bi-polar junction transistor.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

detecting the signal with less than a 0.2 dB insertion loss.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

detecting the signal with a return loss of greater than 20 dB.

21. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

detecting the signal with a current consumption of less than 0.1 mA.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the power of the signal is greater than −

50 dBm.

23. An envelope detection system comprising:

a detection transistor to be biased at a threshold voltage and having an input port, such that when a signal is applied to the input port, a power of an envelope of the signal is detected; and

a removable lithium battery to provide current to said detection transistor.

24. The envelope detection system of claim 23 wherein said battery provides power to a threshold voltage source and current to said detection transistor when the threshold voltage is exceeded.

25. The envelope detection system of claim 23 further comprising a DC reference device to receive current from the threshold voltage source when the threshold voltage of a DC reference transistor is exceeded.

26. The envelope detection system of claim 23 further comprising a signal manager to route a partial signal to said detection transistor.

27. The envelope detection system of claim 23, wherein said detection system has a current consumption of less than 0.1 mA.

28. The envelope detection system of claim 23, wherein said detection system detects signals whose power is greater than −

50 dBm.