Multiband radio with transmitter output power optimization

• US 20070259628A1
• Filed: 05/08/2006
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Global Communications, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beghini, Kenneth, Carmel, Travis
• Granted Patent: US 7,826,810 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/127.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0003 Software-defined radio [SDR] systems, i.e. systems wherein components typically implemented in hardware, e.g. filters or modulators/demodulators, are implented using software, e.g. by involving an AD or DA conversion stage such that at least part of the signal processing is performed in the digital domain digital baseband systems H04L25/00; digital modulation/demodulation H04L27/00; CDMA H04B1/707; TDMA H04B7/2643; image transmission H04N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/406 with more than one transmission mode, e.g. analog and digital modes

Abstract

Transmitter (116) designed to automatically reconfigure one or more circuit parameters associated with an RF power amplifier (210) in response to certain user input commands. Specifically, a transmitter circuit configuration is automatically modified under certain conditions to produce a higher RF output power. The higher RF power output is possible because the transmitter configuration is adjusted specifically for use under a particular set of operating conditions. The operating conditions that trigger the higher powered configuration include burst transmission mode.

Claims

1. A radio transmitter system, comprising:

an RF power amplifier comprising at least one RF power transistor;

a control processor that generates at least one control signal responsive to a user input;

at least one circuit configured for selectively varying at least one operating characteristic of said RF power amplifier responsive to said at least one control signal;

wherein said control processor is programmed to automatically generate said control signal in response to at least one user command that directly or indirectly causes said transmitter to be excited by signals having at least one of a predetermined data transmission rate, a predetermined duty cycle, a predetermined modulation type, and a predetermined frequency band.

2. The radio transmitter system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one control signal is a bias control signal, and said at least one circuit comprises a bias control circuit configured to control a bias setting for said at least one RF power transistor, said bias control circuit responsive to said bias control signal for varying said bias setting.

3. The radio transmitter system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one control signal is a voltage control signal, and said at least one circuit comprises a variable power supply circuit having at least one variable DC voltage output coupled to said at least one RF power transistor, said variable power supply circuit responsive to said voltage control signal to vary said DC voltage output.

4. The radio transmitter system according to claim 3, wherein RF power transistor is a field effect transistor and said DC voltage output is coupled to a drain of said RF power transistor.

5. The radio transmitter system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one control signal is an RF power output control signal, and said at least one circuit comprises a RF power output control circuit including a feedback loop, said RF power output control circuit responsive to said RF power output control signal for selectively varying an RF power output of said RF power amplifier.

6. The radio transmitter system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one operating characteristic comprises a bias setting for said at least one RF power transistor, a DC power supply voltage applied to said at least one RF power transistor, and an RF power output control loop for said RF power amplifier.

7. The radio transmitter system according to claim 1, wherein said operating characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a bias setting for said at least one RF power transistor, a DC power supply voltage applied to said at least one RF power transistor, and an RF power output control loop for said RF power amplifier.

8. The radio transmitter system according to claim 7, further comprising at least one data store containing data specifying a plurality of parameters configured for controlling at least one of said bias setting for said at least one RF power transistor, said DC power supply voltage applied to said at least one RF power transistor, and said RF power output control loop for said RF power amplifier

9. The radio transmitter system according to claim 8, wherein said data store specifies said parameters for at least a first transmitter configuration and a second transmitter configuration.

10. The radio transmitter system according to claim 9, wherein said first transmitter configuration defines a set of operating characteristic for said RF power amplifier that results in a higher maximum RF power output for said RF power amplifier as compared to said second transmitter configuration.

11. The radio transmitter system according to claim 10, wherein said control processor is programmed to automatically configure said transmitter in said first transmitter configuration when said user input command directly or indirectly indicates that the transmitter will be transmitting bursts of data.

12. The radio transmitter system according to claim 9, wherein said control processor is programmed to automatically configure said transmitter in said first transmitter configuration when said user input command directly or indirectly indicates that the transmitter will be transmitting on an operating band including a frequency selected for communicating with an earth orbiting satellite.

13. A method for operating a radio transmitter system, comprising:

generating a control signal in response to a user input command that directly or indirectly causes said radio transmitter system to be excited by signals having at least one of a predetermined data transmission rate, a duty cycle, a modulation type, and a frequency band; and

selectively varying at least one operating characteristic of a power amplifier circuit of said transmitter system responsive to said control signal.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising selecting said at least one operating characteristic to include a bias setting for at least one RF power transistor of said radio transmitter system.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising selecting said at least one operating characteristic to include a DC power supply voltage coupled to at least one RF power transistor of said radio transmitter system.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising selecting said at least one RF power transistor to include a field effect transistor and coupling said DC power supply voltage to a drain of said RF power transistor.

17. The method according to claim 13, further comprising selecting said at least one operating characteristic to include an RF power output of said radio transmitter system.

18. The method according to claim 13, further comprising selecting said at least one operating characteristic to include a bias setting for said at least one RF power transistor, a DC power supply voltage applied to said at least one RF power transistor, and an RF power output of said radio transmitter system.

19. The method according to claim 13, further comprising selecting said at least one operating characteristic to include at least one of a bias setting for said at least one RF power transistor, a DC power supply voltage applied to said at least one RF power transistor, and an RF power output of said radio transmitter system.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising storing in at least one data store a plurality of parameters for controlling said bias setting for said at least one RF power transistor, said DC power supply voltage applied to said at least one RF power transistor, and said RF power output of said radio transmitter system.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising selecting said parameters to include at least a first transmitter configuration and a second transmitter configuration.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising selecting said first transmitter configuration to include a set of operating characteristic for said RF power amplifier that results in a higher maximum RF power output for said RF power amplifier as compared to said second transmitter configuration.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising automatically configuring said transmitter in said first transmitter configuration when said user input command directly or indirectly indicates that the transmitter will be transmitting bursts of data.

24. The method according to claim 22, further comprising automatically configuring said transmitter in said first transmitter configuration when said user input command directly or indirectly indicates that the radio transmitter system will be transmitting on an operating band including a frequency selected for communicating with an earth orbiting satellite.