Method and device for controlling output power of a power amplifier

• US 5,656,972 A
• Filed: 10/20/1995
• Issued: 08/12/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Norimatsu, Hidehiko
• Primary Examiner(s): MOTTOLA, STEVEN J
• Application Number:
  US08/546,503
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 330/129, 330/141, 330/279, 330/281, 455/126
• US Class Current: 330/129
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/001 Digital control of analog signals
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3042 in modulators, frequency-changers, transmitters or power amplifiers transmission power control in bidirectional transmission systems H04W52/04

Abstract

In a device for controlling the output power of a power amplifier, an output control signal varies the gain of the power amplifier. A detector detects the output power of the amplifier. A signal processing circuit receives the output of the detector and a control signal from the outside and controls the gain of the amplifier. A EEPROM stores corresponding sets of detection outputs and output control signals each corresponding to particular power to be output from the amplifier. The signal processing circuit reads out from the EEPROM, based on the outside control signal and the output of the detector, a corresponding one of the output control signals. The corresponding output control signal which is read out of the EEPROM is fed to the control terminal of the power amplifier to control its gain.

Claims

1. A device for controlling output power of a power amplifier, comprising:

a power amplifier having a gain variable in response to an output control signal;

detecting means for detecting output power of said power amplifier;

signal processing means for feeding said output control signal to said power amplifier in response to a detection output of said detecting means and an outside control signal fed from outside for controlling the output power of said power amplifier; and

a storage device storing various values of said detection output and various values of said output control signal in correspondence with various values of the power to be output from said power amplifier;

wherein said signal processing means reads, in response to said detection output and said outside control signal input thereto, a corresponding one of said various values of said output control signal out of said storage, device and feeds the output control signal having said value to said power amplifier to thereby control the gain of said power amplifier.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said signal processing means compares a detection output read out of said storage device with said detection output input to said signal processing means at a predetermined time interval, and varies said output control signal such that a difference between said detection outputs decreases.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein when the difference is greater than a predetermined value, said signal processing means divides said difference by a predetermined number and then varies, based on the divided difference, said output control signal a plurality of times stepwise.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said storage device stores said various values of the output power as addresses, and stores said various values of said detection output and said various values of said output control signal in the respective addresses.

5. A device for controlling output power of a power amplifier, comprising:

a D/A converter for converting a digital output control signal to an analog signal;

a power amplifier having a gain variable in response to said output control signal from said D/A converter;

a coupler for detecting a part of the output power of said power amplifier;

a detector for detecting an output of said coupler to thereby produce a corresponding DC voltage;

an A/D converter for converting an output of said detector to a digital value;

a CPU for feeding said digital output control signal to said D/A converter in response to an output of said A/D converter and an outside control signal input from outside for controlling the output of said power amplifier; and

a ROM storing various values of a detection output to be output from said A/D converter and various values of said digital output control signal to be output from said CPU in correspondence with respective values of power to be output from said power amplifier;

wherein in response to the outside control signal and the output of said A/D converter said CPU reads corresponding one of said digital output control signals out of said ROM and feeds the one digital output control signal to said D/A converter.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said CPU compares a detection output read out of said ROM with said detection output input to said signal processing means at a predetermined time interval, and varies said output control signal such that a difference between said detection outputs decreases.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein when the difference is greater than a predetermined value, said CPU divides said difference into a predetermined number and then varies, based on the divided difference, said output control signal a plurality of times stepwise.

8. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said ROM stores said output power values as addresses, and said detection outputs and said output control signals each corresponding to the respective address.

9. A method of controlling output power of a power amplifier, comprising the steps of:

detecting output power of a power amplifier;

inputting to a controller a detection output representative of the output power and an outside control signal for controlling the output power;

reading to the controller from a storage device, in response to said outside control signal input, a detection output stored beforehand and which is matched by the storage device with said outside control signal;

comparing said detection output representative of the output power with said detection output stored beforehand to determine an appropriate output control signal; and

feeding said output control signal to said power amplifier to thereby control the gain of said power amplifier.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said detection output is input at a predetermined time interval and compared with said detection output stored beforehand, and wherein said output control signal is varied such that a difference between said detection outputs decreases.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein when the difference is greater than a predetermined value, said difference is divided by a predetermined number, and then said output control signal is varied a plurality of times stepwise on the basis the divided difference.