Operating a Voltage Regulator at a Switching Frequency Selected to Reduce Spurious Signals

• US 20110312287A1
• Filed: 06/17/2010
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Semiconductor, Inc.
• Original Assignee: R2 Semiconductor, Inc.
• Inventors: Ramachandran, Ravi, Sasselli, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 8,145,149 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/77
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 15/02 Reducing interference from electric apparatus by means located at or near the interfering apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 15/04 the interference being caused by substantially sinusoidal oscillations, e.g. in a receiver or in a tape-recorder
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2215/065 by changing the frequency of clock or reference frequency

Abstract

Embodiments for at least one method and apparatus of a wireless transceiver are disclosed. For one embodiment, the wireless transceiver includes a transmit chain, wherein the transmit chain includes a power amplifier. The wireless transceiver additionally includes a receiver chain that is tunable to receive wireless signals over at least one of multiple channels, wherein the multiple channels are predefined. Further, the wireless transceiver includes a voltage converter. The voltage converter provides a supply voltage to the power amplifier, and operates at a single switching frequency, wherein the single switching frequency and all harmonics of the single switching frequency fall outside of the multiple channels.

Claims

1. A wireless transceiver, comprising:

a transmit chain, the transmit chain comprising a power amplifier;

a receiver chain, the receiver chain tunable to receive wireless signals over at least one of multiple channels, wherein the multiple channels are predefined;

a voltage converter, the voltage converter providing a supply voltage to the power amplifier, the voltage converter operating at a single switching frequency;

wherein

the single switching frequency, and all harmonics of the single switching frequency fall outside of the multiple channels.

2. The transceiver of claim 1, wherein the multiple channels comprise at least two of bands 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 as defined by 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project).

3. The transceiver of claim 2, wherein the single switching frequency is selected from within a range of 90.5 MHz to 91.7 MHz.

4. The transceiver of claim 2, wherein the single switching frequency is selected from within a range of 99.5 MHz to 100.2 MHz.

5. The transceiver of claim 2, wherein the multiple channels comprise paired receive channels.

6. The transceiver of claim 5, further comprising mixing products between the single switching frequency and carrier frequencies of the transceiver falling outside of the paired receive channels.

7. The transceiver of claim 6, wherein the single switching frequency is selected from within a range of 171 MHz to 173.8 MHz.

8. The transceiver of claim 1 further comprising harmonics of the single switching frequency falling outside of transmitter bands of the transceiver.

9. The transceiver of claim 8, further comprising mixing products between the single switching frequency and carrier frequencies of the transceiver falling outside of paired receive channels.

10. The transceiver of claim 9, further comprising harmonics of the single switching frequency falling outside of at least two transmit bands of bands 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 as defined by 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project).

11. The transceiver of claim 10, wherein the single switching frequency is selected from within a range of 255.0 MHz to 257.8 MHz.

12. The transceiver of claim 10, wherein the single switching frequency is selected from within a range of 199.0 MHz to 200.5 MHz.

13. A wireless transceiver, comprising:

a transmit chain, the transmit chain comprising a power amplifier;

a receiver chain, the receiver chain tunable to receive wireless signals over at least one of multiple receive channels, wherein the multiple receive channels are predefined and at any time each of the multiple receive channels is a paired channel;

a voltage converter, the voltage converter providing a supply voltage to the power amplifier, the voltage converter operating at a single switching frequency;

wherein

wherein mixing products between transmitter carrier frequencies and the single switching frequency, and the harmonics of the single switching frequency, are located outside of paired receive channels.

14. The transceiver of claim 13, wherein the multiple channels comprise at least two of bands 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 as defined by 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project).

15. The transceiver of claim 14, further comprising the single switching frequency operative between 33.33 MHz and 37.5 MHz.

16. The transceiver of claim 14, further comprising the single switching frequency operative between 28.33 MHz and 30.0 MHz.

17. A method of receiving and transmitting wireless signals, comprising:

tuning a receiver chain to receive wireless signals over at least one of multiple channels, wherein the multiple channels are predefined;

amplifying transmit signals of the transmitter chain with a power amplifier;

a voltage converter providing a power supply voltage to the power amplifier, the voltage converter operating at a single switching frequency;

wherein the single switching frequency, and all harmonics of the single switching frequency fall outside of the multiple channels.

18. A voltage regulator, comprising:

switch elements connected between an input voltage and an output voltage;

means for generating the output voltage through the use of a energy storage element, and through controlled closing and opening of the switch elements at a single switching frequency;

means for generating a power amplifier supply voltage for a wireless device based upon the output voltage;

wherein

the single switching frequency, and all harmonics of the single switching frequency fall outside of multiple predefined receive channels of the wireless device.

19. The voltage regulator of claim 18, wherein the multiple predefined receive channels comprise at least two of bands 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 as defined by 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project).

20. The voltage regulator of claim 19, wherein the single switching frequency is selected from within a range of 90.5 MHz to 91.7 MHz, or from within a range of 99.5 MHz to 100.2 MHz.

21. The voltage regulator of claim 19, wherein the single switching frequency is selected from within a range of 171.00 to 173.8 MHz.

22. The voltage regulator 19, further comprising mixing products between the single switching frequency and carrier frequencies of a transceiver falling outside of paired receive channels.

23. The voltage regulator of claim 22, wherein the single switching frequency is selected from within a range of 199 MHz to 200.5 MHz, or within a range of 208.9 MHz to 211 MHz.

24. The voltage regulator of claim 22, wherein the single switching frequency is selected from within a range of 223.6 MHz to 225.6 MHz, or within a range of 248.8 MHz to 257.8 MHz.