EFFICIENT OUTPHASING TRANSMITTER

• US 20110135035A1
• Filed: 12/09/2009
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
• Inventors: Reed, Jeffery H., Bose, Tamal, Chen, Xuetao
• Granted Patent: US 8,290,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/300
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0294 using vector summing of two or more constant amplitude phase-modulated signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/36 Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits

Abstract

Techniques for producing an output signal using an outphasing transmitter are disclosed. In some examples, constant modulation (CM) signals may be produced from a digital input signal. The CM signals may be converted to an analog state and filtered. The signals may then be modulated to produce modulated signals, which may be amplified. The amplified signals may be combined to produce combined signals, which may further be combined to produce an output signal.

Claims

1. A method for an outphasing transmitter to produce an output signal generated, at least in part, from a digital input signal, the method for the outphasing transmitter comprising:

producing a first constant modulation (CM) signal, a second constant modulation (CM) signal, a third constant modulation (CM) signal and a fourth constant modulation (CM) signal from the digital input signal;

converting each of the first CM signal, the second CM signal, the third CM signal and the fourth CM signal from a digital state to an analog state with a respective digital-to-analog converter;

filtering each of the first CM signal, the second CM signal, the third CM signal and the fourth CM signal with a respective pulse shaping filter to produce a respective complex signal, each complex signal comprising an in-phase component and a quadrature component;

modulating the first complex signal with a first quadrature modulator (QM) to produce a first modulated signal, modulating the second complex signal with a second quadrature modulator (QM) to produce a second modulated signal, modulating the third complex signal with a third quadrature modulator (QM) to produce a third modulated signal, and modulating the fourth complex signal with a fourth quadrature modulator (QM) to produce a fourth modulated signal;

amplifying each of the first modulated signal, the second modulated signal, the third modulated signal, and the fourth modulated signal with a respective power amplifier;

combining the first modulated signal and the second modulated signal to produce a first combined signal, and combining the third modulated signal and the fourth modulated signal to produce a second combined signal; and

combining the first combined signal and the second combined signal with a third power combiner to produce the output signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the output signal to at least one antenna.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first CM signal is defined by the equation

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second CM signal is defined by the equation

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the third CM signal is defined by the equation

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the fourth CM signal is defined by the equation

7. The method claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a shunt susceptance B to increase efficiency of the first power combiner, the second power combiner and/or the third power combiner; and

altering a supply voltage of at least one of the power amplifiers based, at least in part, on the shunt susceptance in the digital domain.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the shunt susceptance B is defined by the equation

9. The method claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a maximum average efficiency η

(B)_max for the first power combiner, the second power combiner and/or the third power combiner.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the maximum average efficiency η

(B)_max is defined by the equation η

(B)_max=√

{square root over (a²+b²)}, where a shunt susceptance B is defined by the equation

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

calculating a plurality of shunt susceptance B values to determine an improved combiner efficiency.

12. A method for an outphasing transmitter to produce an output signal generated, at least in part, from a digital input signal, the method for the outphasing transmitter comprising:

producing a first constant modulation (CM) signal, a second constant modulation (CM) signal, a third constant modulation (CM) signal and a fourth constant modulation (CM) signal from the digital input signal, the first CM signal comprising a first in-phase component and a first quadrature component, the second CM signal comprising a second in-phase component and a second quadrature component, the third CM signal comprising a third in-phase component and a third quadrature component, and the fourth CM signal comprising a fourth in-phase component and a fourth quadrature component;

converting each of the first in-phase component, the first quadrature component, the second in-phase component, the second quadrature component, the third in-phase component, the third quadrature component, the fourth in-phase component and the fourth quadrature component from a digital state to an analog state with a respective digital-to-analog converter;

filtering the first in-phase component with a first pulse shaping filter to produce a first filtered in-phase signal, filtering the first quadrature component with a second pulse shaping filter to produce a first filtered quadrature signal, filtering the second in-phase component with a third pulse shaping filter to produce a second filtered in-phase signal, filtering the second quadrature component with a fourth pulse shaping filter to produce a second filtered quadrature signal, filtering the third in-phase component with a fifth pulse shaping filter to produce a third filtered in-phase signal, filtering the third quadrature component with a sixth pulse shaping filter to produce a third filtered quadrature signal, filtering the fourth in-phase component with a seventh pulse shaping filter to produce a fourth filtered in-phase signal, and filtering the fourth quadrature component with an eighth pulse shaping filter to produce a fourth filtered quadrature signal;

modulating the first filtered in-phase signal and the first filtered quadrature signal with a first quadrature modulator (QM) to produce a first modulated signal, modulating the second filtered in-phase signal and the second filtered quadrature signal with a second quadrature modulator (QM) to produce a second modulated signal, modulating the third filtered in-phase signal and the third filtered quadrature signal with a third quadrature modulator (QM) to produce a third modulated signal, and modulating the fourth filtered in-phase signal and the fourth filtered quadrature signal with a fourth quadrature modulator (QM) to produce a fourth modulated signal;

amplifying each of the first modulated signal, the second modulated signal, the third modulated signal, and the fourth modulated signal with a respective power amplifier;

combining the first modulated signal and the second modulated signal with a first power combiner to produce a first combined signal, and combining the third modulated signal and the fourth modulated signal with a second power combiner to produce a second combined signal; and

combining the first combined signal and the second combined signal with a third power combiner to produce the output signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first CM signal is defined by the equation

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the second CM signal is defined by the equation

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the third CM signal is defined by the equation

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the fourth CM signal is defined by the equation

17. An outphasing transmitter to produce an output signal generated, at least in part, from a digital input signal, comprising:

a signal processing component operably coupled to the digital input signal, the processing component adapted to produce a first constant modulation (CM) signal, a second constant modulation (CM) signal, a third constant modulation (CM) signal or a fourth constant modulation (CM) signal from the digital input signal;

a plurality of digital-to-analog converters operably coupled to the signal processing component, each of the digital-to-analog converters adapted to convert a respective one of the first CM signal, the second CM signal, the third CM signal or the fourth CM signal from a digital state to an analog state;

a plurality of pulse shaping filters operably coupled to a respective one of the plurality of digital-to-analog converters, each of the pulse shaping filters adapted to filter a respective one of the first CM signal, the second CM signal, the third CM signal or the fourth CM signal to produce a respective complex signal, each complex signal comprising an in-phase component and a quadrature component;

a plurality of quadrature modulators (QMs) operably coupled to a respective one of the plurality of pulse shaping filters, each of the QMs adapted to modulate a respective one of the first complex signal, the second complex signal, the third complex signal and the fourth complex signal to produce a first modulated signal, a second modulated signal, a third modulated signal or a fourth modulated signal;

a plurality of power amplifiers operably coupled to a respective one of the plurality of QMs, each of the power amplifiers adapted to amplify a respective one of the first modulated signal, the second modulated signal, the third modulated signal or the fourth modulated signal;

a first power combiner adapted to receive the first modulated signal and the second modulated signal, and further adapted to combine the first modulated signal and the second modulated signal to produce a first combined signal;

a second power combiner adapted to receive the third modulated signal and the fourth modulated signal, and further adapted to combine the third modulated signal and the fourth modulated signal to produce a second combined signal;

a third power combiner adapted to receive the first combined signal and the second combined signal, and further adapted to combine the first combined signal and the second combined signal to produce the output signal.

18. The outphasing transmitter of claim 17, wherein the signal processing component comprises a digital signal processing component, a phase shifter component and/or a selective mapping component.

19. The outphasing transmitter of claim 18, wherein an optimal shunt susceptance B associated with the phase shifter component correlates to improved efficiency of the outphasing transmitter.

20. The outphasing transmitter of claim 17, wherein the signal processing component processes the digital input signal using a digital signal processing technique, a phase shifter technique and/or a selective mapping technique.