APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CURRENT SENSING USING A WIRE BOND
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for sensing power amplifier current, comprising:
- a system voltage source that is used to develop a reference voltage;
a wire bond structure connected between the system voltage source and a power amplifier, where a sense voltage developed across the wire bond structure is indicative of a current flowing through the power amplifier;
a current source configured to compensate the reference voltage for changes in resistance of the wire bond structure due to a temperature coefficient of the wire bond structure; and
a comparator configured to receive the reference voltage and the sense voltage so as to compare the current flowing through the power amplifier to a current limit threshold, the comparator configured to generate a saturation control signal for reducing a bias applied to the power amplifier when the sense voltage exceeds the reference voltage so as to clamp the current flowing through the power amplifier at the current limit threshold.
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Abstract
An apparatus for sensing power amplifier current includes a system voltage source that is used to develop a reference voltage, a wire bond structure connected between the system voltage source and a power amplifier, where a sense voltage developed across the wire bond structure is indicative of a current flowing through the power amplifier, and a current source configured to compensate the reference voltage for changes in resistance of the wire bond structure due to a temperature coefficient of the wire bond structure.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An apparatus for sensing power amplifier current, comprising:
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a system voltage source that is used to develop a reference voltage; a wire bond structure connected between the system voltage source and a power amplifier, where a sense voltage developed across the wire bond structure is indicative of a current flowing through the power amplifier; a current source configured to compensate the reference voltage for changes in resistance of the wire bond structure due to a temperature coefficient of the wire bond structure; and a comparator configured to receive the reference voltage and the sense voltage so as to compare the current flowing through the power amplifier to a current limit threshold, the comparator configured to generate a saturation control signal for reducing a bias applied to the power amplifier when the sense voltage exceeds the reference voltage so as to clamp the current flowing through the power amplifier at the current limit threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A portable transceiver having a wire bond structure for sensing power amplifier current, comprising:
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a transmitter operatively coupled to a receiver; a system voltage source that is used to develop a reference voltage; a wire bond structure connected between the system voltage source and a power amplifier, where a sense voltage developed across the wire bond structure is indicative of a current flowing through the power amplifier; a current source configured to compensate the reference voltage for changes in resistance of the wire bond structure due to a temperature coefficient of the wire bond structure; and a comparator configured to receive the reference voltage and the sense voltage so as to compare the current flowing through the power amplifier to a current limit threshold, the comparator configured to generate a saturation control signal for reducing a bias applied to the power amplifier when the sense voltage exceeds the reference voltage so as to clamp the current flowing through the power amplifier at the current limit threshold. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for sensing power amplifier current, comprising:
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providing a current to a power amplifier; sensing the current provided to the power amplifier using a wire bond structure; developing a sense voltage from the current sensed by the wire bond architecture; determining whether the sense voltage exceeds a reference voltage; compensating the reference voltage for changes in resistance of the wire bond structure due to a temperature coefficient of the wire bond structure; and when the sense voltage exceeds the reference voltage, reducing a bias to the power amplifier so as to clamp the current flowing through the power amplifier at a current limit threshold. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for sensing current, comprising:
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a system voltage source that is used to develop a reference voltage; a wire bond structure connected between the system voltage source and a current consuming element, where a sense voltage developed across the wire bond structure is indicative of a current flowing through the current consuming element; a current source configured to compensate the reference voltage for changes in resistance of the wire bond structure due to a temperature coefficient of the wire bond structure; and a comparator configured to receive the reference voltage and the sense voltage so as to compare the current flowing through the power amplifier to a current limit threshold, the comparator configured to generate a saturation control signal for reducing a bias applied to the power amplifier when the sense voltage exceeds the reference voltage so as to clamp the current flowing through the power amplifier at the current limit threshold. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification