METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING POWER AMPLIFIER EFFICIENCY IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS HAVING HIGH PEAK TO AVERAGE POWER RATIOS

• US 20100291887A1
• Filed: 07/30/2010
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Chan, Wen-Yen, Jiao, Qingzhong, Khan, Nasserullah, Jin, Xin, Sangary, Nagula Tharma, Habicher, Michael Franz
• Granted Patent: US 8,000,409 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/127.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/343 taking into account loading or congestion level

Abstract

A power management system and method for a wireless communication device generates an average desired transmit power signal based on at least one of a received signal strength indicator signal and a power control instruction signal from a base station. A power supply level adjustment signal is generated based on the data parameters of an outgoing data stream and at least one environmental information signal. A combination of the power supply level adjustment signal and the average desired transmit power or a gain control signal and an altered version of the power supply level adjustment signal is used to generate a variable power supply signal that is provided to an output amplifier block for sufficiently generating outgoing wireless device radio signals while reducing power loss in the output amplifier block.

Claims

1. A power management system for a transmitter of a wireless device, the power management system comprising:

an environmental sensor unit for providing at least one environmental information signal representing an operating environment of the mobile device; and

a power supply level adjustment generator configured to generate a power supply level adjustment signal by combining power supply level adjustment values stored in a plurality of look-up tables comprising one look-up table for each of the at least one environmental information signal and a data parameter indicator of a baseband outgoing data stream to be transmitted by the wireless device.

2. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter comprises a power amplification block for generating an amplified transmission signal, and the power supply level adjustment signal is combinable with an average desired transmit power signal to generate a variable power supply signal for the power amplification block, the average desired transmit power signal representing an average transmit power of the amplified transmission signal.

3. The power management system of claim 2, wherein the environmental sensor unit comprises at least one of:

a temperature sensor for providing a temperature information signal representing a hardware temperature in the wireless device;

or

a battery condition sensor for providing a battery condition information signal representing a charge level of a battery used to power the wireless device.

4. The power management system of claim 2, wherein the environmental sensor unit is configured to provide a frequency information signal related to a transmission frequency of the baseband outgoing data stream.

5. The power management system of claim 2, wherein the power supply level adjustment generator is further configured to generate an altered version of the power supply level adjustment signal that is combinable with a gain control signal to generate the variable power supply signal, the gain control signal for controlling pre-amplifier gain in the power amplification block.

6. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the power supply level adjustment generator is further configured to generate at least one of the power supply level adjustment values using a corresponding formula.

7. The power management system of claim 1, further comprising a data parameter detector connected to a baseband module of the wireless device and configured to provide the data parameter indicator.

8. A method of managing power in a transmitter of a wireless device, the method comprising:

generating at least one environmental information signal representing an operating environment of the mobile device;

storing power supply level adjustment values in a plurality of look-up tables comprising one look-up table for each of the at least one environmental information signal and a data parameter indicator of a baseband outgoing data stream to be transmitted by the wireless device;

outputting a power supply level adjustment value from each of the plurality of look-up tables based on the at least one environmental information signal and the data parameter indicator; and

combining the power supply level adjustment value outputted from each of the plurality of look-up tables to generate a power supply level adjustment signal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitter comprises a power amplification block for generating an amplified transmission signal, and the method further comprises combining the power supply level adjustment signal with an average desired transmit power signal to generate a variable power supply signal for the power amplification block, the average desired transmit power signal representing an average transmit power of the amplified transmission signal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein generating the at least one environmental signal comprises at least one of:

generating a temperature information signal representing a hardware temperature in the wireless device;

generating a battery condition information signal representing a charge level of a battery used to power the wireless device;

or

generating a frequency information signal representing a transmission frequency of the baseband outgoing data stream.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

generating an altered version of the power supply level adjustment signal; and

combining the altered version of the power supply level adjustment signal with a gain control signal to generate the variable power supply signal for the power amplification block, the gain control signal for controlling pre-amplifier gain in the power amplification block.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising using a corresponding formula to provide at least one of the power supply level adjustment values combined to generate the power supply level adjustment signal.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising detecting the data parameter indication based on at least one of a data type, data modulation or data rate of the baseband outgoing data stream.

14. A power management system for a transmitter of a wireless device, the power management system comprising:

a power supply level adjustment generator configured to generate a power supply level adjustment signal by combining power supply level adjustment values stored in a plurality of look-up tables comprising one look-up table for each of at least one environmental information signal representing an operating environment of the mobile device and a data parameter indicator of a baseband outgoing data stream to be transmitted by the wireless device; and

a power supply module configured to receive the power supply level adjustment signal and to generate a variable power supply signal.

15. The power management system of claim 14, wherein the transmitter comprises a power amplification block for generating an amplified transmission signal;

wherein the power supply module is configured to generate the variable power supply signal by combining the power supply level adjustment signal with an average desired transmit power signal that represents an average transmit power of the amplified transmission signal; and

wherein the power supply module is configured to provide the variable power supply signal to the power amplification block.

16. The power management system of claim 15, wherein the at least one environmental information signal comprises:

a temperature information signal related to a hardware temperature in the wireless device;

a battery condition information signal related to a battery used to power the wireless device;

or

a frequency information signal related to a transmission frequency of the transmission signal.

17. The power management system of claim 15, wherein the power supply module comprises:

a power supply control block configured to provide a power control signal based on the average desired transmit power signal and the power supply level adjustment signal; and

a switch converter connected to the power supply control block and configured to generate the variable power supply signal in response to the power control signal.

18. The power management system of claim 15, wherein the power supply module is configured to maintain the variable power supply signal above a minimum voltage level of the power amplification block.

19. The power management system of claim 14, wherein the power supply level adjustment generator is further configured to generate an altered version of the power supply level adjustment signal for combining with a gain control signal used to control pre-amplifier gain in the power amplification block.

20. The power management system of claim 19, wherein the transmitter comprises a power amplification block for generating an amplified transmission signal;

wherein the power supply module is configured to generate the variable power supply signal by combining the altered version of the power supply level adjustment signal with a gain control signal for controlling pre-amplifier gain in the power amplification block; and

,

wherein the power supply module is configured to provide the variable power supply signal to the power amplification block.

21. The power management system of claim 20, wherein the power supply module comprises:

a summer configured to generate a first power control signal by summing together the altered version of the power supply level adjustment signal and the gain control signal;

a clipper configured to receive the first power control signal and generate a second power control signal; and

a switch converter coupled to the clipper and configured to generate the variable power supply signal in response to the second power control signal.

22. The power management system of claim 21, wherein the power supply module further comprises a reverse mapper configured to generate a clipper adjustment signal based on the one or more environmental parameters of the wireless device and an altered version of the gain control signal, the clipper adjustment signal for adjusting at least one of positive saturation values, negative saturation values, or slope of the clipper.

23. A power supply level adjustment generator for a power supply module of a transmitter of a mobile device, the power management system comprising:

a plurality of look-up tables storing power supply level adjustment values for the power supply module, each look-up table indexed by one of a corresponding plurality of parameters comprising one or more environmental parameters of the wireless device and a data parameter indicator of a baseband outgoing data stream to be transmitted by the wireless device; and

an adder configured to generate a power supply level adjustment signal by adding together a power supply level adjustment value outputted from each of the plurality of look-up tables, the power supply level adjustment signal for combining with an average desired transmit power signal to generate a variable power supply signal for a power amplification block using the power supply module.