APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR VARIABLE VOLTAGE DISTRIBUTION

• US 20110298280A1
• Filed: 07/27/2010
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Homol, David K., Couglar, Karl J., Pratt, Ryan M.
• Application Number:
  US12/844,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20110298280A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/31
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/468 characterised by reference voltage circuitry, e.g. soft start, remote shutdown
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/565 sensing a condition of the system or its load in addition to means responsive to deviations in the output of the system, e.g. current, voltage, power factor G05F1/563 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/575 characterised by the feedback circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0928 comprising both N- and P- wells in the substrate, e.g. twin-tub
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0611 for increasing or controlling the breakdown voltage of reverse biased devices H01L29/0661 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1584 with a plurality of power processing stages connected in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0261 with control of the polarisation voltage or current, e.g. gliding Class A
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/34 Negative-feedback-circuit arrangements with or without positive feedback H03F1/02 - H03F1/30, H03F1/38 - H03F1/50, H03F3/50 take precedence ; for rejection of common mode signals H03F3/45479
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/56 Modifications of input or output impedances, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/18 the bias of the gate of a FET being controlled by a control signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/411 the output amplifying stage of an amplifier comprising two power stages
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/21131 the input bias voltage of a power amplifier being controlled, e.g. by a potentiometer or an emitter follower
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/21139 An impedance adaptation circuit being added at the output of a power amplifier stage
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/7215 the gated amplifier being switched on or off by a switch at the input of the amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/19 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/195 in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/211 using a combination of several amplifiers H03F3/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/217 Class D power amplifiers; Switching amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/245 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/72 : Gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/30 : in amplifiers having semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3042 : in modulators, frequency-changers, transmitters or power amplifiers transmission power control in bidirectional transmission systems H04W52/04
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/30 : Automatic matching of source impedance to load impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/6872 : using complementary field-effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 : Circuits

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for providing regulated voltages are disclosed. Using a single voltage regulator, a plurality of regulated voltages can be generated with a voltage distribution function. In addition, variable voltage control elements can be used to adjust a regulated voltage, thereby providing a variable regulated voltage. Together, voltage distribution and variable voltage control can create variable voltage distribution of regulated voltages. These regulated voltages can be used in a variety of applications, for example, as a bias voltage for a power amplifier.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a voltage regulator configured to receive a reference voltage, a feedback signal, and a power supply voltage, and to generate based on the received voltages a regulated voltage; and

a variable voltage distribution circuit configured to receive the regulated voltage from the voltage regulator and to generate a plurality of variable regulated voltages and the feedback signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the variable voltage distribution circuit includes a voltage distribution circuit configured to provide a plurality of regulated voltages from one regulated voltage in response to one or more distribution control signals.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the variable voltage distribution circuit further includes one or more variable voltage control elements configured to selectively control at least one of the plurality of variable regulated output voltages in response to one or more variable voltage control signals.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage regulator is a low-dropout regulator.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage distribution circuit comprises a transmission gate voltage distribution network.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more variable voltage control elements comprises an element configured to vary resistance.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of variable regulated voltages are electrically connected to one or more power amplifier bias reference input nodes.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the variable voltage distribution circuit comprises one or more complementary metal oxide semiconductor circuit elements.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more voltage distribution control signals can represent a plurality of power modes.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the feedback signal is provided by a feedback loop that includes the distribution circuit.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage distribution circuit provides at least one of the plurality of regulated voltages to the one or more variable voltage control elements.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a mobile device.

13. A method comprising:

receiving a reference voltage and a power supply voltage;

generating a regulated voltage based at least in part on the reference voltage and the power supply voltage;

generating a plurality of regulated voltages from the reference voltage using a voltage distribution circuit; and

controlling one or more of the regulated voltages using one or more variable voltage control elements to provide one or more variable regulated voltages.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing one or more variable regulated voltages to one or more power amplifiers.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a first die comprises at least one variable voltage control element and a second die comprises at least one of the one or more power amplifiers.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first die and the second die are formed using different process technologies.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein generating the regulated voltage is based on a feedback signal provided by the voltage distribution circuit.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein two or more of the plurality of regulated voltages are generated concurrently.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving one or more variable voltage control signals and using at least one of the one or more variable voltage control signals to provide different variable regulated voltage levels corresponding to different power modes.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving one or more voltage distribution control signals and using at least one of the one or more voltage distribution control signals to selectively provide variable regulated voltages to different loads for different power modes.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving one or more voltage distribution control signals and using at least one of the one or more voltage distribution control signals to selectively provide variable regulated voltages to loads in datapaths configured to generate signals in different frequency bands.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more variable voltage control element receive the plurality of regulated voltages from the voltage distribution circuit.

23. An apparatus comprising:

means for generating a regulated voltage based on a reference voltage, a feedback signal, and a power supply voltage; and

means for generating a plurality of variable regulated voltages and the feedback signal based on the regulated voltage.

24. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed perform a method of:

receiving a reference voltage and a power supply voltage;

generating a regulated voltage based at least in part on the reference voltage, the power supply voltage, and a feedback loop that includes at least a portion of a voltage distribution circuit;

generating a plurality of regulated voltages from the reference voltage using the voltage distribution circuit,

controlling one or more of the regulated voltages using one or more variable voltage control elements to provide one or more variable regulated voltages.