POWER CIRCUIT AND METHOD THEREOF

• US 20140167842A1
• Filed: 08/26/2013
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Inventors: CHEN, Yang-Wen, YANG, Chih-Sheng
• Application Number:
  US14/010,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20140167842A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 330/127
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0205 in transistor amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/462 the current being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/468 the temperature being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 of transmitter output stages

Abstract

A power circuit and a method thereof are provided. The method includes: determining, by a power controller, a first signal is to be transmitted in the continuous mode or the burst mode; when the first signal is to be transmitted in the continuous mode, activating, by a power controller, a continuous mode converter; when activated, converting, by the continuous mode converter, a first voltage down to a second voltage and supplying the second voltage to the first power amplifier; when the first signal is to be transmitted in the burst mode, activating, by a power controller, a burst mode converter; when activated and the first power amplifier is inactive, receiving, by a burst mode converter, a first current to accumulate a burst energy; and when activated and the first power amplifier is active, supplying, by the burst mode converter, the burst energy to the first power amplifier.

Claims

1. A power circuit, providing powers to a first power amplifier operating in a continuous mode or in a burst mode, connected to a power supply supplying a first voltage and a first current, comprising:

a continuous mode converter, when activated, configured to convert the first voltage down to a second voltage;

a burst mode converter, when activated, configured to receive the first current to accumulate a burst energy when the first power amplifier is inactive, and supply the burst energy to the first power amplifier when the first power amplifier is active; and

a power controller, configured to determine a first signal is to be transmitted in the continuous mode or the burst mode, when the first signal is to be transmitted in the continuous mode, activate the continuous mode converter to apply the second voltage to the first power amplifier to transmit the first signal, and when the first signal is to be transmitted in the burst mode, activate the burst mode converter to provide the burst energy to the first power amplifier to transmit the first signal.

2. The power circuit of claim 1, wherein the burst mode converter comprises:

a capacitor, charged by the first current from the power supply to accumulate a first storage energy, and configured to supply the first storage energy to the first power amplifier when the first power amplifier is active; and

a buck-boost converter, when activated, configured to receive the first current to accumulate a second storage energy when the first power amplifier is inactive, and supply the second storage energy to the first power amplifier when the first power amplifier is active.

3. The power circuit of claim 1, wherein the burst mode converter comprises a capacitor, charged by the first current from the power supply to accumulate the burst energy, when the first power amplifier is active, configured to supply the burst energy to the first power amplifier.

4. The power circuit of claim 1, wherein:

the power supply is a battery;

the power controller is further configured to determine a first voltage level of the first voltage and an internal resistance of the battery, and determine a shutdown current based on the first voltage level and the internal resistance of the battery; and

the burst mode converter comprises a current limiter, configured to limit a battery current drawn out from the battery according to the shutdown current.

5. The power circuit of claim 4, wherein:

when the battery current exceeds or equals to the shutdown current, the power controller is configured to control the current limiter to limit the battery current to be substantially equal to the shutdown current.

6. The power circuit of claim 1, wherein:

The power supply is a battery; and

the power controller is further configured to determine a first voltage level of the first voltage and an internal resistance of the battery, determine a shutdown current based on the first voltage level and the internal resistance of the battery, and adjusting a transmit power required by the first power amplifier based on the shutdown current.

7. The power circuit of claim 6, wherein:

when the battery current exceeds or equals to the shutdown current, the power controller is configured to control the first power amplifier to reduce the transmit power with an increase in a difference between the battery current and the shutdown current.

8. The power circuit of claim 1, wherein:

the power controller is further configured to reduce a duty cycle of the first current to be less than 0.5.

9. The power circuit of claim 1, wherein:

the power supply comprises a battery a temperature sensor attached to the battery, the temperature sensor is configured to sense a battery temperature of the battery; and

the power controller is further configured to receive the sensed battery temperature, and determine an internal resistance of the battery based on the sensed battery temperature.

10. The power circuit of claim 1, wherein the bust mode converter is further configured to supply the burst energy to a second power amplifier.

11. A method, adopted by a power circuit to provide powers to a first power amplifier operating in a continuous mode or in a burst mode, comprising:

determining, by a power controller, a first signal is to be transmitted by the first power amplifier in the continuous mode or the burst mode;

when the first signal is to be transmitted in the continuous mode, activating, by a power controller, a continuous mode converter;

when activated, converting, by the continuous mode converter, a first voltage down to a second voltage;

when activated, supplying, by the continuous mode converter, the second voltage to the first power amplifier;

when the first signal is to be transmitted in the burst mode, activating, by a power controller, a burst mode converter;

when activated and the first power amplifier is inactive, receiving, by a burst mode converter, a first current to accumulate a burst energy; and

when activated and the first power amplifier is active, supplying, by the burst mode converter, the burst energy to the first power amplifier.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the burst mode converter comprises:

a capacitor, charged by the first current from the power supply to accumulate a first storage energy, and configured to supply the first storage energy to the first power amplifier when the first power amplifier is active; and

a buck-boost converter, when activated, configured to receive the first current to accumulate a second storage energy when the first power amplifier is inactive, and supply the second storage energy to the first power amplifier when the first power amplifier is active.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the burst mode converter comprises a capacitor, charged by a first current from the power supply to accumulate the burst energy, when the first power amplifier is active, configured to supply the burst energy to the first power amplifier.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein:

The power supply is a battery;

the power controller is further configured to determine a first voltage level of the first voltage and an internal resistance of the battery, determine a shutdown current based on the first voltage level and the internal resistance of the battery; and

the burst mode converter comprises a current limiter, configured to limit a battery current drawn out from the battery according to the shutdown current.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

when the battery current exceeds or equals to the shutdown current, the power controller is configured to control the current limiter to limit the battery current to be substantially equal to the shutdown current.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein:

The power supply is a battery; and

the power controller is further configured to determine a first voltage level of the first voltage and an internal resistance of the battery, determine a shutdown current based on the first voltage level and the internal resistance of the battery, and adjusting a transmit power required by the first power amplifier based on the shutdown current.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

when the battery current exceeds or equals to the shutdown current, the power controller is configured to control the first power amplifier to reduce the transmit power with an increase in a difference between the battery current and the shutdown current.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the power controller is further configured to reduce a duty cycle of the first current to be less than 0.5.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the power supply comprises a battery a temperature sensor attached to the battery, the temperature sensor is configured to sense a battery temperature of the battery; and

the power controller is further configured to receive the sensed battery temperature, and determine an internal resistance of the battery based on the sensed battery temperature.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the bust mode converter is further configured to supply the burst energy to a second power amplifier.