TRANSMITTER WITH REPLACEABLE POWER AMPLIFIER

• US 20100238849A1
• Filed: 03/17/2009
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxlinear Israel Ltd. (Maxlinear Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Provigent Ltd. (Maxlinear Incorporated)
• Inventors: KLEIN, SHAUL
• Granted Patent: US 8,798,564 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/297
• 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 transmitter includes an up-converter and a modular receptable. The up-converter is coupled to convert an input signal into a Radio Frequency (RF) signal having an output frequency, and is configurable to adjust the output frequency over a frequency range containing multiple sub-bands. The modular receptacle includes a first interconnection adapter coupled to the up-converter and a second interconnection adapter for coupling to an antenna. The receptable is configured to receive between the first and second interconnection adapters a Power Amplifier (PA), which is selected from a group of power amplifiers each covering a respective sub-band in the frequency range.

Claims

1. A transmitter, comprising:

an up-converter, which is coupled to convert an input signal into a Radio Frequency (RF) signal having an output frequency, and is configurable to adjust the output frequency over a frequency range containing multiple sub-bands; and

a modular receptacle, which comprises a first interconnection adapter coupled to the up-converter and a second interconnection adapter for coupling to an antenna and which is configured to receive between the first and second interconnection adapters a Power Amplifier (PA), which is selected from a group of power amplifiers each covering a respective sub-band in the frequency range.

2. The transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the first and second interconnection adapters comprise respective first and second waveguides.

3. The transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the first and second interconnection adapters comprise respective first and second coaxial connectors.

4. The transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter is comprised in an Outdoor Unit (ODU) of a wireless communication link.

5. The transmitter according to claim 1, and comprising a pre-fabricated up-conversion assembly, which comprises the up-converter and the modular receptacle and covers the frequency range.

6. The transmitter according to claim 5, wherein the up-conversion assembly comprises a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) on which the up-converter is fabricated and to which the first interconnection adapter is coupled.

7. The transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the modular receptacle comprises a power supply connection for providing electrical power to the PA.

8. The transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the PA includes power sensing circuitry for detecting an output power of the PA, and wherein the modular receptacle comprises a power sense connection for accepting the detected output power from the PA.

9. The transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the modular receptacle comprises a mechanical fixture for attaching the PA to the transmitter.

10. The transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the modular receptable is configured to receive at least a first PA, which covers a given sub-band and has a first output power, and a second PA that covers the given sub-band and has a second output power, different from the first output power.

11. The transmitter according to claim 1, and comprising a diplexer, which is operative to connect the antenna to the transmitter and to a receiver, wherein the diplexer is connected to the second interconnection adapter.

12. A method, comprising:

providing a pre-fabricated up-conversion assembly, which includes an up-converter for converting an input signal into a Radio Frequency (RF) signal having an output frequency and is configurable to adjust the output frequency over a frequency range containing multiple sub-bands, and further includes a modular Power Amplifier (PA) receptacle that includes a first interconnection adapter coupled to the up-converter and a second interconnection adapter for coupling to an antenna;

selecting from a group of PAs, each covering a respective sub-band in the frequency range, a PA that covers a given sub-band containing a target value of the output frequency; and

connecting the selected PA between the first and second interconnection adapters of the modular PA receptable, so as to produce a transmitter covering the given sub-band.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first and second interconnection adapters comprise respective first and second waveguides.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first and second interconnection adapters comprise respective first and second coaxial connectors.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the transmitter is comprised in an Outdoor Unit (ODU) of a wireless communication link.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein providing the up-conversion assembly comprises fabricating the up-converter on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and connecting the first interconnection adapter to the PCB.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the modular PA receptacle includes a power supply connection, and wherein connecting the selected PA further comprises applying electrical power to the power supply connection so as to provide the electrical power to the PA.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein the selected PA includes power sensing circuitry for detecting an output power of the PA, wherein the modular PA receptacle includes a power sense connection, and wherein connecting the selected PA comprises connecting to the power sense connection so as to accept the detected output power from the PA.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein the modular PA receptacle includes a mechanical fixture for attaching the selected PA to the transmitter, and wherein connecting the selected PA comprises attaching the selected PA to the transmitter using the mechanical fixture.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein the group of the PAs includes at least a first PA, which covers the given sub-band and has a first output power, and a second PA that covers the given sub-band and has a second output power that is different from the first output power, and wherein selecting the PA comprises selecting one of the first and second PAs responsively to a target output power requirement.

21. The method according to claim 12, wherein connecting the selected PA comprises connecting a diplexer between the second interconnection adapter and the antenna.