FEEDFORWARD CONTROLLED ENVELOPE MODULATOR AND FEEDFORWARD CONTROL CIRCUIT THEREOF

• US 20110273235A1
• Filed: 05/07/2010
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Chen, Chun-Jen, Lee, Chih-Chang
• Granted Patent: US 8,237,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 330/295
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0266 by using a signal derived from the input signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/336 A I/Q, i.e. phase quadrature, modulator or demodulator being used in an amplifying circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/555 A voltage generating circuit being realised for biasing different circuit elements
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/195 in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 of transmitter output stages

Abstract

The present disclosure illustrates a feedforward controlled envelope modulator and a feedforward control circuit thereof. The feedforward controlled envelope modulator comprises a linear amplifier circuit, a switching amplifier, and a feedforward control circuit. The linear amplifier circuit amplifies an input voltage signal, so as to output an output voltage signal to a load node. The switching amplifier receives a comparison signal, and outputs a switching current to the load node according to the comparison signal. The feedforward control circuit comprises a duplicate linear amplifier circuit and a hysteresis comparator. The duplicate linear amplifier circuit amplifies the input voltage signal, so as to output a reference voltage signal, wherein an amplifying gain of the duplicate linear amplifier circuit is identical to an amplifying gain of the linear amplifier circuit. The hysteresis comparator compares the output voltage signal and the reference voltage signal, so as to output the comparison signal.

Claims

1. A feedforward controlled envelope modulator, comprising:

a linear amplifier circuit, for amplifying an input voltage signal, so as to output an output voltage signal to a load node;

a switching amplifier, for receiving a comparison signal, and outputting a switching current to the load node according to the comparison signal; and

a feedforward control circuit, comprising;

a duplicate linear amplifier circuit, for amplifying the input voltage signal, so as to output a reference voltage signal, wherein an amplifying gain of the duplicate linear amplifier circuit is identical to an amplifying gain of the linear amplifier circuit; and

a hysteresis comparator, for comparing the output voltage signal and the reference voltage signal, so as to output the comparison signal.

2. The feedforward controlled envelope modulator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power amplifier, having a bias terminal coupled to the load node.

3. The feedforward controlled envelope modulator according to claim 1, wherein the linear amplifier circuit comprising:

a first resistor;

a second resistor; and

a linear amplifier, having a positive input end, a negative input end, and an output end, wherein the positive input end receives the input voltage signal, and the negative input end is coupled to a ground via the second resistor, and coupled to the output end via the first resistor.

4. The feedforward controlled envelope modulator according to claim 1, wherein the duplicate linear amplifier circuit comprising:

a first resistor;

a second resistor; and

a linear amplifier, having a positive input end, a negative input end, and an output end, wherein the positive input end receives the input voltage signal, and the negative input end is coupled to a ground via the second resistor, and coupled to the output end via the first resistor.

5. The feedforward controlled envelope modulator according to claim 1, wherein the switching amplifier comprising:

a first buffer, for buffering the comparison signal;

a second buffer, for buffering the comparison signal;

a first switching transistor, being a P-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (PMOS) transistor, wherein the first buffer is coupled between a gate of the first switch transistor and the hysteresis comparator;

a second switching transistor, being a N-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) transistor, wherein the second buffer is coupled between a gate of the second switching transistor and the hysteresis comparator; and

an inductive load, one end thereof is coupled to drains of the first and second switching transistors, and the other end thereof is coupled to the load node;

wherein sources of the first and second switching transistors are respectively coupled to a power voltage and a ground.

6. The feedforward controlled envelope modulator according to claim 5, wherein switching amplifier further comprising:

a diode, an input end thereof is coupled to the ground, and an output end thereof is coupled to the drains of the first and second switching transistors.

7. The feedforward controlled envelope modulator according to claim 1, wherein the switching amplifier comprising:

a dead time generator, for receiving the comparison signal, preventing a shoot-through loss, and outputting a first processed signal and a second processed signal;

a first and second N-stage buffers, wherein the first N-stage buffer buffers the first processed signal and the second N-stage buffer buffers the second processed signal, and N is an positive integer larger than 0;

a first switching transistor, being a PMOS transistor, a gate thereof is coupled to an output of the first N-stage buffer, and a source thereof is coupled to the power voltage;

a second switching transistor, being a NMOS transistor, a gate thereof is coupled to an output of the second N-stage buffer, and a source thereof is coupled to the ground; and

an inductive load, one end thereof is coupled to drains of the first and second switching transistors, and the other end thereof is coupled to the load node.

8. The feedforward controlled envelope modulator according to claim 7, wherein the dead time generator further comprises:

a first inverter, for receiving the comparison signal;

a second inverter, an input thereof is coupled to an output of the first inverter, and an output thereof outputs the first processed signal;

a third inverter, for receiving the first processed signal;

a NAND gate, having a first input terminal, a second input terminal, and a third input terminal, the first input terminal thereof is coupled to the output of the first inverter, the second input terminal thereof is coupled to an output of the third inverter, and the output thereof outputs the second processed signal.

9. The feedforward controlled envelope modulator according to claim 8, wherein the first inverter comprises a first PMOS transistor and a first NMOS transistor, the second inverter comprises a second PMOS transistor and a second NMOS transistor, the third inverter comprises a fifth PMOS transistor and a fifth NMOS transistor, the NAND gate comprises a sixth PMOS transistor, a sixth NMOS transistor, and a ninth PMOS transistor, the first N-stage buffer comprises a third PMOS transistor, a fourth PMOS transistor, a third NMOS transistor, and a fourth NMOS transistor, the second N-stage buffer comprises a seventh PMOS transistor, a eighth PMOS transistor, a seventh NMOS transistor, and a eighth NMOS transistor;

gates of first NMOS and PMOS transistors receive the comparison signal, drains of the first NMOS and PMOS transistors are coupled to each other, gates of second NMOS and PMOS transistors are coupled to the drains of the first NMOS and PMOS transistors, drains of the second NMOS and PMOS transistors are coupled to each other, gates of third NMOS and PMOS transistors are coupled to the drains of the second NMOS and PMOS transistors, drains of the third NMOS and PMOS transistors are coupled to each other, gates of fourth NMOS and PMOS transistors are coupled to the drains of the third NMOS and PMOS transistors, drains of the fourth NMOS and PMOS transistors are coupled to each other, gates of the fifth NMOS and PMOS transistors are coupled to the drains of the second NMOS and PMOS transistors, drains of the fifth NMOS and PMOS transistors are coupled to each other, a gate of the ninth PMOS transistor is coupled to the drains of the fifth NMOS and PMOS transistors, gates of the sixth NMOS and PMOS transistors are coupled to the drains of the first NMOS and PMOS transistors, drains of the ninth PMOS transistor and sixth NMOS transistor are coupled to each other, a drain of the sixth PMOS transistor is coupled to a source of the ninth PMOS transistor, gates of the seventh NMOS and PMOS transistors are coupled to the drains of the ninth PMOS transistor and sixth NMOS transistor, drains of the seventh NMOS and PMOS transistors are coupled to each other, gates of the eighth NMOS and PMOS transistors are coupled to the drains of the seventh NMOS and PMOS transistors, drains of the eighth NMOS and PMOS transistors are coupled to each other, sources of the first through eighth PMOS transistors are coupled to a power voltage, and sources of the first through eighth NMOS transistors are coupled to a ground;

a gate of the first switching transistor is coupled to the drains of the fourth NMOS and PMOS transistors, a gate of the second switching transistor is coupled to the drains of the eighth NMOS and PMOS transistors.

10. The feedforward controlled envelope modulator according to claim 1, wherein the switching amplifier comprising:

a first inverter, for inverting the comparison signal;

a second inverter, for inverting the comparison signal;

a first switching transistor, being a PMOS transistor, wherein the first inverter is coupled between a gate of the first switch transistor and the hysteresis comparator;

a second switching transistor, being a NMOS transistor, wherein the second inverter is coupled between a gate of the second switching transistor and the hysteresis comparator; and

an inductive load, one end thereof is coupled to drains of the first and second switching transistors, and the other end thereof is coupled to the load node;

wherein sources of the first and second switching transistors are respectively coupled to a power voltage and a ground.

11. The feedforward controlled envelope modulator according to claim 1, wherein the switching amplifier comprising:

a push-pull switch, a first end thereof is coupled to a power voltage, and a second end thereof is coupled to the load node;

a switch, a control end thereof is used to receive the comparison signal, and a first end thereof is coupled to a power voltage; and

an inductive load, one end thereof is coupled to a second end of the switch, and the other end thereof is coupled to the load node.

12. The feedforward controlled envelope modulator according to claim 1, wherein the switching amplifier comprising:

an switching controller, for converting the comparison signal to a plurality of switching control signals;

a voltage controlled current source, for providing a determined current according to the switching control signals; and

a switching regulator, for regulating the determined current, so as to output a switching current to the load node.

13. The feedforward controlled envelope modulator according to claim 12, wherein the voltage controlled current source comprising:

a first through n^th switches, wherein a control end of the i^th switch is used to receive a i^th one of the switching control signals, a first end of the i^th switch is coupled i^th to a power voltage, and a second end of the i^th switch is coupled to an input end of the switching regulator, wherein the input end of the switching regulator is used to receive the determined current, n is an integer larger than 1, and i is an integer from 1 through n.

14. The feedforward controlled envelope modulator according to claim 1, wherein a biasing current for driving the duplicate linear amplifier circuit is less than a biasing current for driving the linear amplifier circuit.

15. The feedforward controlled envelope modulator according to claim 3, wherein the linear amplifier comprising:

a transconductor amplifier, having the positive end, the negative end, and a current output end, for converting the input voltage signal, so as to provide an output current flow through the current output end;

a feedback capacitor and a feedback resistor, both of them are coupled between the output end and the current output end; and

a first and second NMOS transistors, a first and second PMOS transistors, and a first and second current sources;

wherein gates of the first NMOS and PMOS transistors are coupled to the current output end, sources of the first NMOS and PMOS transistors are respectively coupled to gates of the second NMOS and PMOS transistors, drains of the second NMOS and PMOS transistors are coupled to the output end, sources of the second NMOS and PMOS transistors are respectively coupled to the ground and a power voltage, and the first and second current sources respectively coupled to the sources of the first NMOS and PMOS transistors.

16. The feedforward controlled envelope modulator according to claim 15, wherein the transconductor amplifier comprising:

a third and fourth PMOS transistors, gates thereof are respectively coupled to the negative input end and the positive input end;

a source resistor, coupled between sources of the third and fourth PMOS transistors;

a fifth and sixth PMOS transistors, drains thereof are respectively coupled to the sources of the third and fourth PMOS transistors, and sources thereof are coupled to the power voltage;

a seventh and eighth PMOS transistors, gates thereof are respectively coupled to drains of the third and fourth PMOS transistors, drains thereof are coupled the ground, and sources thereof are respectively coupled to gates of the fifth and sixth PMOS transistors;

a third through sixth current sources, wherein the third and fourth current sources are respectively coupled to the sources of the seventh and eighth PMOS transistors, and the fifth and sixth current sources are respectively coupled to the drains of third and fourth PMOS transistors; and

a ninth and tenth PMOS transistors, sources thereof are coupled to the power voltage, gates thereof are respectively coupled to the sources of the seventh and eighth PMOS transistors, and drains thereof respectively provide an negative and positive output currents forming the output current.

17. The feedforward controlled envelope modulator according to claim 4, wherein the duplicate linear amplifier circuit comprising:

a transconductor amplifier, having the positive input end, the negative input end, and a current output end, for converting the input voltage signal, so as to provide an output current flow through the current output end;

a feedback capacitor and a feedback resistor, both of them are coupled between the output end and the current output end; and

a first and second NMOS transistors, a first and second PMOS transistors, and a first and second current sources;

wherein gates of the first NMOS and PMOS transistors are coupled to the current output end, sources of the first NMOS and PMOS transistors are respectively coupled to gates of the second NMOS and PMOS transistors, drains of the second NMOS and PMOS transistors are coupled to the output end, sources of the second NMOS and PMOS transistors are respectively coupled to the ground and a power voltage, and the first and second current sources respectively coupled to the sources of the first NMOS and PMOS transistors.

18. The feedforward controlled envelope modulator according to claim 17, wherein transconductor amplifier comprising:

a third and fourth PMOS transistors, gates thereof are respectively coupled to the negative input end and the positive input end;

a source resistor, coupled between sources of the third and fourth PMOS transistors;

a fifth and sixth PMOS transistors, drains thereof are respectively coupled to the sources of the third and fourth PMOS transistors, and sources thereof are coupled to the power voltage;

a seventh and eighth PMOS transistors, gates thereof are respectively coupled to drains of the third and fourth PMOS transistors, drains thereof are coupled the ground, and sources thereof are respectively coupled to gates of the fifth and sixth PMOS transistors;

a third through sixth current sources, wherein the third and fourth current sources are respectively coupled to the sources of the seventh and eighth PMOS transistors, and the fifth and sixth current sources are respectively coupled to the drains of third and fourth PMOS transistors; and

a ninth and tenth PMOS transistors, sources thereof are coupled to the power voltage, gates thereof are respectively coupled to the sources of the seventh and eighth PMOS transistors, and drains thereof respectively provide an negative and positive output currents forming the output current.

19. The feedforward controlled envelope modulator according to claim 1, wherein the hysteresis comparator comprising:

a first through third transmission gates, a first capacitor, a first and second NMOS transistors, a first and second PMOS transistors, and a first buffer, wherein a first end of the first transmission gate receives the reference voltage signal, a control and inversed control ends of the first transmission gate respectively receive a first control and inversed control signals, a second end of the first transmission gate is coupled to a first end of the first capacitor and a second end of the second transmission gate, a first end of the second transmission gate is coupled to a power voltage, a control and inversed control ends of the second transmission gate respectively receive a second control and inversed control signals, a second end of the first capacitor is coupled to a gate of the first NMOS transistor, a second end of the third transmission gate is coupled to the gate of the first NMOS transistor, a first end of the third transmission gate is coupled to a ground, a control and inversed control ends of the third transmission gate respectively receive the first control and inversed control signals, a source of the first NMOS transistor is coupled to the ground, a drain of the first NMOS transistor is coupled to a source of the second NMOS transistor, a gate of the second NMOS transistor is coupled to a gate of the first PMOS transistor, a drain of the second NMOS transistor is coupled to an input end of the first buffer, an output end of the first buffer outputs a negative comparison signal, drains of the first and second PMOS transistor are coupled to the input end of the first buffer, a gate of the second PMOS transistor receives the second control signal, and sources of the first and second PMOS transistors are coupled to the power voltage; and

a fourth through sixth transmission gates, a second capacitor, a third and fourth NMOS transistors, a third and fourth PMOS transistors, and a second buffer, wherein a first end of the fourth transmission gate receives the output voltage signal, a control and inversed control ends of the fourth transmission gate respectively receive the first control and inversed control signals, a second end of the fourth transmission gate is coupled to a first end of the second capacitor and a second end of the fifth transmission gate, a first end of the fifth transmission gate is coupled to the power voltage, a control and inversed control ends of the fifth transmission gate respectively receive the second control and inversed control signals, a second end of the second capacitor is coupled to a gate of the third NMOS transistor, a second end of the sixth transmission gate is coupled to the gate of the third NMOS transistor, a first end of the sixth transmission gate is coupled to the ground, a control and inversed control ends of the sixth transmission gate respectively receive the first control and inversed control signals, a source of the third NMOS transistor is coupled to the ground, a drain of the third NMOS transistor is coupled to a source of the fourth NMOS transistor, a gate of the fourth NMOS transistor is coupled to a gate of the third PMOS transistor, a drain of the fourth NMOS transistor is coupled to an input end of the second buffer, an output end of the second buffer outputs a positive comparison signal, drains of the third and fourth PMOS transistor are coupled to the input end of the second buffer, a gate of the fourth PMOS transistor receives the second control signal, and sources of the third and fourth PMOS transistors are coupled to the power voltage;

wherein the input end of the first buffer is further coupled to the gates of the fourth NMOS and third PMOS transistors, the input end of the second buffer is further coupled to the gates of the second NMOS and first PMOS transistors, and the positive and negative comparison signals form the comparison signal.

20. A feedforward control circuit, used in a feedforward controlled envelope modulator, comprising:

a duplicate linear amplifier circuit, for amplifying an input voltage signal, so as to output a reference voltage signal, wherein an amplifying gain of the duplicate linear amplifier circuit is identical to an amplifying gain of a linear amplifier circuit of the feedforward controlled envelope modulator, and the linear amplifier circuit amplifies an input voltage signal, so as to output an output voltage signal to a load node of the feedforward controlled envelope modulator; and

a hysteresis comparator, for comparing the output voltage signal and the reference voltage signal, so as to output the comparison signal to a switching amplifier of the feedforward controlled envelope modulator, wherein the a switching amplifier receives a comparison signal, and outputs a switching current to the load node according to the comparison signal.

21. The feedforward control circuit according to claim 20, wherein the duplicate linear amplifier circuit comprising:

a first resistor;

a second resistor; and

a linear amplifier, having a positive input end, a negative input end, and an output end, wherein the positive input end receives the input voltage signal, and the negative input end is coupled to a ground via the second resistor, and coupled to the output end via the first resistor.

22. The feedforward control circuit according to claim 21, wherein the linear amplifier comprising:

a transconductor amplifier, having the positive end, the negative end, and a current output end, for converting the input voltage signal, so as to provide an output current flow through the current output end;

a feedback capacitor and a feedback resistor, both of them are coupled between the output end and the current output end; and

a first and second NMOS transistors, a first and second PMOS transistors, and a first and second current sources;

wherein gates of the first NMOS and PMOS transistors are coupled to the current output end, sources of the first NMOS and PMOS transistors are respectively coupled to gates of the second NMOS and PMOS transistors, drains of the second NMOS and PMOS transistors are coupled to the output end, sources of the second NMOS and PMOS transistors are respectively coupled to the ground and a power voltage, and the first and second current sources respectively coupled to the sources of the first NMOS and PMOS transistors.

23. The feedforward control circuit according to claim 22, wherein the transconductor amplifier comprising:

a third and fourth PMOS transistors, gates thereof are respectively coupled to the negative input end and the positive input end;

a source resistor, coupled between sources of the third and fourth PMOS transistors;

a fifth and sixth PMOS transistors, drains thereof are respectively coupled to the sources of the third and fourth PMOS transistors, and sources thereof are coupled to the power voltage;

a seventh and eighth PMOS transistors, gates thereof are respectively coupled to drains of the third and fourth PMOS transistors, drains thereof are coupled the ground, and sources thereof are respectively coupled to gates of the fifth and sixth PMOS transistors;

a third through sixth current sources, wherein the third and fourth current sources are respectively coupled to the sources of the seventh and eighth PMOS transistors, and the fifth and sixth current sources are respectively coupled to the drains of third and fourth PMOS transistors; and

a ninth and tenth PMOS transistors, sources thereof are coupled to the power voltage, gates thereof are respectively coupled to the sources of the seventh and eighth PMOS transistors, and drains thereof respectively provide an negative and positive output currents forming the output current.

24. The feedforward control circuit according to claim 20, wherein the hysteresis comparator comprising:

a first through third transmission gates, a first capacitor, a first and second NMOS transistors, a first and second PMOS transistors, and a first buffer, wherein a first end of the first transmission gate receives the reference voltage signal, a control and inversed control ends of the first transmission gate respectively receive a first control and inversed control signals, a second end of the first transmission gate is coupled to a first end of the first capacitor and a second end of the second transmission gate, a first end of the second transmission gate is coupled to a power voltage, a control and inversed control ends of the second transmission gate respectively receive a second control and inversed control signals, a second end of the first capacitor is coupled to a gate of the first NMOS transistor, a second end of the third transmission gate is coupled to the gate of the first NMOS transistor, a first end of the third transmission gate is coupled to a ground, a control and inversed control ends of the third transmission gate respectively receive the first control and inversed control signals, a source of the first NMOS transistor is coupled to the ground, a drain of the first NMOS transistor is coupled to a source of the second NMOS transistor, a gate of the second NMOS transistor is coupled to a gate of the first PMOS transistor, a drain of the second NMOS transistor is coupled to an input end of the first buffer, an output end of the first buffer outputs a negative comparison signal, drains of the first and second PMOS transistor are coupled to the input end of the first buffer, a gate of the second PMOS transistor receives the second control signal, and sources of the first and second PMOS transistors are coupled to the power voltage; and

a fourth through sixth transmission gates, a second capacitor, a third and fourth NMOS transistors, a third and fourth PMOS transistors, and a second buffer, wherein a first end of the fourth transmission gate receives the output voltage signal, a control and inversed control ends of the fourth transmission gate respectively receive the first control and inversed control signals, a second end of the fourth transmission gate is coupled to a first end of the second capacitor and a second end of the fifth transmission gate, a first end of the fifth transmission gate is coupled to the power voltage, a control and inversed control ends of the fifth transmission gate respectively receive the second control and inversed control signals, a second end of the second capacitor is coupled to a gate of the third NMOS transistor, a second end of the sixth transmission gate is coupled to the gate of the third NMOS transistor, a first end of the sixth transmission gate is coupled to the ground, a control and inversed control ends of the sixth transmission gate respectively receive the first control and inversed control signals, a source of the third NMOS transistor is coupled to the ground, a drain of the third NMOS transistor is coupled to a source of the fourth NMOS transistor, a gate of the fourth NMOS transistor is coupled to a gate of the third PMOS transistor, a drain of the fourth NMOS transistor is coupled to an input end of the second buffer, an output end of the second buffer outputs a positive comparison signal, drains of the third and fourth PMOS transistor are coupled to the input end of the second buffer, a gate of the fourth PMOS transistor receives the second control signal, and sources of the third and fourth PMOS transistors are coupled to the power voltage;

wherein the input end of the first buffer is further coupled to the gates of the fourth NMOS and third PMOS transistors, the input end of the second buffer is further coupled to the gates of the second NMOS and first PMOS transistors, and the positive and negative comparison signals form the comparison signal.

25. The feedforward control circuit according to claim 20, wherein a biasing current for driving the duplicate linear amplifier circuit is less than a biasing current for driving the linear amplifier circuit.