RADIO-FREQUENCY POWER AMPLIFIER DEVICE AND WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME

• US 20100273535A1
• Filed: 04/13/2010
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: OTA, Yorito, INAMORI, Masahiko, MAEDA, Masahiro, IWATA, Motoyoshi, MOTOYOSHI, Kaname
• Application Number:
  US12/758,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20100273535A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/571
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/21175 An output signal of a power amplifier being on/off switched
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/211 using a combination of several amplifiers H03F3/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 of transmitter output stages
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/006 using switches for selecting the desired band H04B1/0057 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0483 Transmitters with multiple parallel paths

Abstract

A radio-frequency power amplifier device includes an input terminal for which a first radio-frequency signal for a CDMA mode within a first frequency band and a third radio-frequency signal for a TDMA mode within the first frequency band are selectively provided, a second input terminal for which a second radio-frequency signal for a CDMA mode within a second frequency band and a fourth radio-frequency signal for a TDMA mode within the second frequency band are selectively provided, a first power amplifier unit which to amplifies the provided first radio-frequency signal, a second power amplifier unit which amplifies the provided second radio-frequency signal, a third power amplifier unit which amplifies the provided third radio-frequency signal, and a fourth power amplifier unit which amplifies the provided fourth radio-frequency signal. These power amplifier units are arranged in order of the first power amplifier unit to the fourth power amplifier unit.

Claims

1. A radio-frequency power amplifier device which amplifies power of high-frequency signals for communication modes including a first mode and a second mode which is a communication method different from the first mode, said radio-frequency power amplifier device comprising:

a first input terminal to which a first radio-frequency signal for the first mode and within a first frequency band and a third radio-frequency signal for the second mode and within the first frequency band are selectively provided;

a second input terminal to which a second radio-frequency signal for the first mode and within a second frequency band and a fourth radio-frequency signal for the second mode and within the second frequency band are selectively provided, the second frequency band being different from the first frequency band;

a first power amplifier unit configured to amplify the first radio-frequency signal provided to said first input terminal;

a second power amplifier unit configured to amplify the second radio-frequency signal provided to said second input terminal;

a third power amplifier unit configured to amplify the third radio-frequency signal provided to said first input terminal; and

a fourth power amplifier unit configured to amplify the fourth radio-frequency signal provided to said second input terminal,

wherein said first to fourth power amplifier units are arranged in order of said first power amplifier unit, said second power amplifier unit, said third power amplifier unit, and said fourth power amplifier unit.

2. The radio-frequency power amplifier device according to claim 1,

wherein said first to fourth power amplifier units are formed on at least one semiconductor substrate,

said radio-frequency power amplifier device further comprises:

a board on which said at least one semiconductor substrate is mounted;

a receive unit mounted on said board;

a first transmit line formed on said at least one semiconductor substrate and having a first end connected to an output terminal of said first power amplifier unit;

a second transmit line formed on said at least one semiconductor substrate and having a first end connected to an output terminal of said second power amplifier unit;

a third transmit line formed on said at least one semiconductor substrate and having a first end connected to an output terminal of said third power amplifier unit; and

a fourth transmit line formed on said at least one semiconductor substrate and having a first end connected to an output terminal of said fourth power amplifier unit,

said first to fourth transmit lines have no intersection with each other, and

said receive unit is disposed closer to said first transmit line and said second transmit line than to said third transmit line and said fourth transmit line.

3. The radio-frequency power amplifier device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a fifth transmit line formed on said board and having a first end connected to a second end of said first transmit line;

a sixth transmit line formed on said board and having a first end connected to a second end of said second transmit line;

a seventh transmit line formed on said board and having a first end connected to a second end of said third transmit line;

an eighth transmit line formed on said board and having a first end connected to a second end of said fourth transmit line;

a first receive line and a second receive line formed on said board and each having a first end connected to said receive unit;

a first duplexer being mounted on said board and having a first transmission terminal, a first transmit-receive terminal, and a first reception terminal, the first transmission terminal being connected to a second end of said fifth transmit line, and the first reception terminal being connected to a second end of said first receive line; and

a second duplexer being mounted on said board and having a second transmission terminal, a second transmit-receive terminal, and a second reception terminal, the second transmission terminal being connected to a second end of said sixth transmit line, and the second reception terminal being connected to a second end of said second receive line,

wherein said first receive line has no intersection with said seventh transmit line or said eighth transmit line, and

said second receive line has no intersection with said seventh transmit line or said eighth transmit line.

4. The radio-frequency power amplifier device according to claim 3,

wherein said first receive line is disposed at a distance of 100 μ

m or longer from both of said seventh transmit line and said eighth transmit line, and

said second receive line is disposed at a distance of 100 μ

m or longer from both of said seventh transmit line and said eighth transmit line.

5. The radio-frequency power amplifier device according to claim 3,

wherein said first receive line is formed in a wiring layer in which neither said seventh transmit line nor said eighth transmit line is formed, and

said second receive line is formed in a wiring layer in which neither said seventh transmit line nor said eighth transmit line is formed.

6. The radio-frequency power amplifier device according to claim 3,

wherein said at least one semiconductor substrate includes a first semiconductor substrate and a second semiconductor substrate,

said first power amplifier unit and said second power amplifier unit are formed on said first semiconductor substrate, and

said third power amplifier unit and said fourth power amplifier unit are formed on said second semiconductor substrate.

7. The radio-frequency power amplifier device according to claim 3,

wherein said at least one semiconductor substrate includes a first semiconductor substrate, a second semiconductor substrate, and a third semiconductor substrate,

said first power amplifier unit is formed on said first semiconductor substrate,

said second power amplifier unit is formed on said second semiconductor substrate, and

said third power amplifier unit and said fourth power amplifier unit are formed on said third semiconductor substrate.

8. The radio-frequency power amplifier device according to claim 3,

wherein said at least one semiconductor substrate includes a first semiconductor substrate, a second semiconductor substrate, and a third semiconductor substrate,

said first power amplifier unit and said second power amplifier unit are formed on said first semiconductor substrate,

said third power amplifier unit is formed on said second semiconductor substrate, and

said fourth power amplifier unit is formed on said third semiconductor substrate.

9. The radio-frequency power amplifier device according to claim 3,

wherein said at least one semiconductor substrate includes a first semiconductor substrate, a second semiconductor substrate, a third semiconductor substrate, and a fourth semiconductor substrate,

said first power amplifier unit is formed on said first semiconductor substrate,

said second power amplifier unit is formed on said second semiconductor substrate,

said third power amplifier unit is formed on said third semiconductor substrate, and

said fourth power amplifier unit is formed on said fourth semiconductor substrate.

10. The radio-frequency power amplifier device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a first input line having a first end connected to said first input terminal and a second end connected to an input terminal of said first power amplifier unit;

a second input line having a first end connected to said second input terminal and a second end connected to an input terminal of said second power amplifier unit;

a third input line having a first end connected to said first input line and a second end connected to an input terminal of said third power amplifier unit; and

a fourth input line having a first end connected to said second input line and a second end connected to an input terminal of said fourth power amplifier unit,

wherein the first end of said third input line is connected to said first input line in said at least one semiconductor substrate, and

the first end of said fourth input line is connected to said second input line in said at least one semiconductor substrate.

11. The radio-frequency power amplifier device according to claim 10,

wherein said at least one semiconductor substrate includes a first semiconductor substrate and a second semiconductor substrate,

said first power amplifier unit and said second power amplifier unit are formed on said first semiconductor substrate,

said third power amplifier unit and said fourth power amplifier unit are formed on said second semiconductor substrate,

the first end of said third input line is connected to said first input line in said first semiconductor substrate, and

the first end of said fourth input line is connected to said second input line in said second semiconductor substrate.

12. The radio-frequency power amplifier device according to claim 10,

wherein said at least one semiconductor substrate includes a first semiconductor substrate and a second semiconductor substrate,

said first power amplifier unit and said second power amplifier unit are formed on said first semiconductor substrate,

said third power amplifier unit and said fourth power amplifier unit are formed on said second semiconductor substrate,

the first end of said third input line is connected to said first input line in one of said first semiconductor substrate and said second semiconductor substrate, and

the first end of said fourth input line is connected to said second input line in the one of said first semiconductor substrate and said second semiconductor substrate.

13. The radio-frequency power amplifier device according to claim 3,

wherein each of said first power amplifier unit and said second power amplifier unit includes m multi-stage amplifier elements, where m is a natural number,

each of said third power amplifier unit and said fourth power amplifier unit includes n multi-stage amplifier elements, where n is a natural number greater than m,

said radio-frequency power amplifier device, so as to supply power to each of said m amplifier elements and said n amplifier elements, further comprises:

m first power lines provided to all of said first to fourth power amplifier units; and

(n-m) second power lines provided to both of said third power amplifier unit and said fourth power amplifier unit, and

said m first power lines have no intersection with said (n-m) second power lines.

14. The radio-frequency power amplifier device according to claim 13,

wherein said at least one semiconductor substrate includes a first semiconductor substrate and a second semiconductor substrate,

said first power amplifier unit and said second power amplifier unit are formed on said first semiconductor substrate, and

said third power amplifier unit and said fourth power amplifier unit are formed on said second semiconductor substrate.

15. The radio-frequency power amplifier device according to claim 3,

wherein the first mode is a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) mode, and the second mode is Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) mode.

16. The radio-frequency power amplifier device according to claim 15, further comprising:

a fifth power amplifier unit configured to amplify the fifth radio-frequency signal for the first mode;

a sixth power amplifier unit configured to amplify the sixth radio-frequency signal for the first mode; and

a seventh power amplifier unit configured to amplify the seventh radio-frequency signal for the first mode,

wherein the first frequency band and the second frequency band include five communication bands,

the five communication bands correspond to said first power amplifier unit, said second power amplifier unit, and said fifth to seventh power amplifier units on a one-to-one basis, and

the five communication bands correspond to said first radio-frequency signal, said second radio-frequency signal, and said fifth to seventh radio-frequency signals on a one-to-one basis,

wherein said fifth power amplifier unit to said seventh power amplifier units, said first power amplifier unit, and said second power amplifier unit are arranged in order of said fifth power amplifier unit, said sixth power amplifier unit, said seventh power amplifier unit, said first power amplifier unit, and said second power amplifier unit.

17. A wireless communication device comprising

a radio-frequency power amplifier device according to claim 1.

18. A wireless communication device comprising the radio-frequency power amplifier device according to claim 3, said wireless communication device further comprising:

an antenna; and

an antenna switch provided between said antenna and said radio-frequency power amplifier device,

wherein said antenna switch includes;

a first input switch terminal connected to said first transmit-receive terminal;

a second input switch terminal connected to said second transmit-receive terminal;

a third input switch terminal connected to the second end of said seventh transmit line;

a fourth input switch terminal connected to the second end of said eighth transmit line;

a fifth input switch terminal and a sixth input switch terminal connected to said receive unit; and

an output switching terminal connected to said antenna, and connects said output switching terminal to one of said first to sixth input switch terminals.