Wireless Output Chip With Power Detector And Related Manufacturing Method

• US 20050127994A1
• Filed: 06/22/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: RichWave Technology Corp
• Original Assignee: RichWave Technology Corp
• Inventors: Chu, Chun-Hsueh
• Application Number:
  US10/710,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20050127994A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 330/140
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16552 in I.C. power supplies
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 2201/103 being an amplifying element
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 2201/206 being in radio frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 2201/307 being radio frequency signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 2201/40 Combined gain and bias control
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3042 in modulators, frequency-changers, transmitters or power amplifiers transmission power control in bidirectional transmission systems H04W52/04

Abstract

Wireless output chip with a power detector and related manufacturing method. A BiCMOS process is used to integrate a power amplifier and a power detector, which detects power outputted by the power amplifier, into one chip. The power amplifier including bipolar junction transistors is formed by using BJT forming procedures in the BiCMOS process. The power detector includes a charging unit of a capacitor, a controlled current source and a reference current source constructed by metal-oxide-semiconductor transistors formed by MOS forming procedures in the BiCMOS process. Thus, the power detector and the power amplifier can be integrated into one chip using the low-cost BiCMOS process.

Claims

1. An output chip comprising:

a power amplifier capable of performing power amplification of an input signal to generate a corresponding output signal and providing a secondary output signal according to the output signal; and

a power detector capable of generating a detection signal according to the secondary output signal such that a signal level of the detection signal corresponds to an average power of the output signal, the power detector comprising;

a controlled current source having an input end electrically connected to the power amplifier for receiving the secondary output signal and a control end, the controlled current source capable of providing a charging current corresponding to a signal difference between the input end and the control end;

a reference current source for providing a reference current; and

a charging unit having a voltage end electrically connected to the control end, the charging unit capable of storing charges provided by the charging current and the reference current and outputting the detection signal from the voltage end such that a signal level of the detection signal corresponds to the charges stored in the charging unit.

2. The output chip of claim 1 wherein the controlled current source is a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor, the input end is a gate of the MOS transistor, and the control end is a source of the MOS transistor.

3. The output chip of claim 1 wherein the reference current source comprises at least one MOS transistor.

4. The output chip of claim 1 wherein the charging unit comprises at least one capacitor.

5. The output chip of claim 1 wherein the output signal is a radio frequency (RF) signal.

6. The output chip of claim 1 wherein the power amplifier comprises at least one bipolar junction transistor (BJT).

7. The output chip of claim 1 wherein the power amplifier and the power detector are formed in a BiCMOS process.

8. A method of manufacturing an output chip comprising:

utilizing a BiCMOS process to form a power amplifier, the power amplifier capable of performing power amplification of an input signal to generate a corresponding output signal and providing a secondary output signal according to the output signal; and

while forming the power amplifier, performing a second procedure in the BiCMOS process to form a power detector, the second procedure comprising;

forming a controlled current source having an input end electrically connected to the power amplifier for receiving the secondary output signal and a control end, the controlled current source capable of providing a charging current corresponding to a signal difference between the input end and the control end;

forming a reference current source for providing a reference current; and

forming a charging unit having a voltage end electrically connected to the control end, the charging unit capable of storing charges provided by the charging current and the reference current and outputting the detection signal from the voltage end such that a signal level of the detection signal corresponds to the charges stored in the charging unit.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein a MOS forming procedure in the BiCMOS process is utilized to form the controlled current source such that the input end is a gate of a MOS transistor and the control end is a source of the MOS transistor.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein a MOS forming procedure in the BiCMOS process is utilized to form the reference current source.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein at least one capacitor is formed as the charging unit while the second procedure is performed.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the output signal is a RF signal.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein a BJT forming procedure in the BiCMOS process is utilized to form the power amplifier.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the BiCMOS process is a SiGe BiCMOS process.