Systems and methods for vector power amplification

• US 7,184,723 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2005
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Inventors: Rawlins, Gregory S., Sorrells, David F., Rawlins, Michael W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban; Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haroon; Adeel
• Application Number:
  US11/256,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20060099919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 455/127.3, 455/127.2, 455/127.1, 455/114.3, 330/10, 330/295, 330/296, 330/297, 330/96, 330/124.R, 330/124.D
• US Class Current: 455/127.3
• CPC Class Codes: H03C 5/00 Amplitude modulation and angle modulation produced simultaneously or at will by the same modulating signal H03C7/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/02 Modifications of amplifiers to raise the efficiency, e.g. gliding Class A stages, use of an auxiliary oscillation
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0205 in transistor amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0233 by using a signal derived from the output signal, e.g. bootstrapping the voltage supply
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0294 using vector summing of two or more constant amplitude phase-modulated signals
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/32 Modifications of amplifiers to reduce non-linear distortion by negative feedback H03F1/34
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/3205 in field-effect transistor amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/3223 using feed-forward H03F1/3211 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/336 A I/Q, i.e. phase quadrature, modulator or demodulator being used in an amplifying circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/387 A circuit being added at the output of an amplifier to adapt the output impedance of the amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2201/3215 To increase the output power or efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/193 with field-effect devices H03F3/195 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/211 using a combination of several amplifiers H03F3/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 of transmitter output stages
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/245 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/45071 with semiconductor devices only
• 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: H04B 1/04 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0475 with means for limiting noise, interference or distortion H04B1/0483 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0483 : Transmitters with multiple parallel paths
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/045 : with means for improving efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/0491 : with frequency synthesizers, frequency converters or modulators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/20 : Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/36 : Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/362 : Modulation using more than one carrier, e.g. with quadrature carriers, separately amplitude modulated H04L27/366 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and systems for vector combining power amplification are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a plurality of signals are individually amplified, then summed to form a desired time-varying complex envelope signal. Phase and/or frequency characteristics of one or more of the signals are controlled to provide the desired phase, frequency, and/or amplitude characteristics of the desired time-varying complex envelope signal. In another embodiment, a time-varying complex envelope signal is decomposed into a plurality of constant envelope constituent signals. The constituent signals are amplified equally or substantially equally, and then summed to construct an amplified version of the original time-varying envelope signal. Embodiments also perform frequency up-conversion.

Claims

1. A method of power amplification, comprising:

receiving a frequency reference signal;

receiving information;

generating a plurality of control signals from said received information;

generating a plurality of substantially constant envelope signals that vary in phase relative to each other using said frequency reference signal and said control signals; and

providing said substantially constant envelope signals to a MISO (multiple input single output) amplifier, said MISO amplifier comprising two or more circuit branches each comprising one or more transistors, wherein outputs of said transistors in said circuit branches form a single circuit node, wherein said substantially constant envelope signals are simultaneously amplified and combined to create a desired output signal of said MISO amplifier at said single circuit node.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of receiving information comprises:

receiving one or more baseband information signals.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of receiving information comprises:

receiving in-phase and quadrature phase baseband information signals.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said step of receiving information comprises:

receiving analog in-phase and analog quadrature phase baseband information signals.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein said step of receiving information comprises:

receiving digital in-phase and digital quadrature phase baseband information signals.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of receiving information comprises:

receiving a time-varying RF signal.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of receiving information comprises:

receiving in-phase and quadrature phase RF signals.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising using one or more biasing control functions to simultaneously amplify and combine said substantially constant envelope signals.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising harmonically shaping said desired output signal.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising manipulating said control signals to vary power output.

11. The method according to claim 1,

wherein:

said step of generating a plurality of control signals comprises processing said received information to generate a plurality of in-phase and quadrature amplitude control signals; and

said step of generating a plurality of substantially constant envelope signals comprises using said in-phase and quadrature amplitude control signals to generate said substantially constant envelope signals.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said step of generating a plurality of control signals comprises:

converting from digital to analog said generated in-phase and quadrature amplitude control signals.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein said step of generating a plurality of control signals comprises using analog baseband in-phase and quadrature input to generate said in-phase and quadrature amplitude control signals.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said substantially constant envelope signals comprise four substantially constant envelope signals.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said four substantially constant envelope signals include two substantially constant envelope signals that when combined form an in-phase component of said desired output signal, and two substantially constant envelope signals that when combined form a quadrature component of said desired output signal.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein said substantially constant envelope signals comprise two substantially constant envelope signals.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of generating a plurality of substantially constant envelope signals comprises:

generating a plurality of secondary frequency reference signals from said first frequency reference signal, wherein one or more of said secondary frequency reference signals are phase shifted relative to said first frequency reference signal;

multiplying said secondary frequency reference signals by respective said control signals, thereby controlling said secondary frequency reference signals; and

combining subsets of said controlled secondary frequency reference signals to generate said substantially constant envelope signals.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said step of generating a plurality of secondary frequency reference signals comprises generating in-phase and quadrature secondary frequency reference signals relative to said first frequency reference signal.

19. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining a relative phase angle and magnitude information from said received information;

wherein said step of generating a plurality of substantially constant envelope signals comprises processing said determined relative phase angle and said determined magnitude information to generate said substantially constant envelope signals.

20. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining a relative phase angle and magnitude information from said received information;

wherein said step of generating a plurality of substantially constant envelope signals comprises processing said determined magnitude information to generate said substantially constant envelope signals.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising:

controlling a phase angle of said frequency reference signal using said determined relative phase angle.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein said substantially constant envelope signals are simultaneously amplified and combined according to said determined magnitude information.

23. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

controlling biasing of one or more power amplification stages of said MISO amplifier according to said received information.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising:

using a bias control function to control one or more of output power efficiency, output linearity, and amplification stage protection.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein said MISO amplifier is bias controlled.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising using a bias control function to control one or more of output power efficiency, output linearity, and amplification stage protection of said bias controlled MISO amplifier.

27. The method according to claim 1, wherein said substantially constant envelope signals are non-linearly amplified.

28. The method according to claim 1, wherein said substantially constant envelope signals are simultaneously amplified and combined at said single circuit node with substantially no resistive, inductive, or capacitive components between said substantially constant envelope signals.

29. The method according to claim 1, wherein said substantially constant envelope signals are simultaneously amplified and combined at said single circuit node with no resistive, inductive, or capacitive components between said substantially constant envelope signals.

30. The method according to claim 1, wherein said substantially constant envelope signals are simultaneously amplified and combined at said single circuit node with substantially no electrical isolation.

31. The method according to claim 1, wherein said substantially constant envelope signals are simultaneously amplified and combined at said single circuit node with substantially no electrical isolation and substantially no magnetic isolation.

32. The method according to claim 1, wherein said substantially constant envelope signals are simultaneously amplified and combined at said single circuit node by connecting collector or emitter terminals of two or more transistors of said MISO amplifier.

33. The method according to claim 1, wherein said substantially constant envelope signals are simultaneously amplified and combined at said single circuit node by connecting drain or source terminals of two or more transistors of said MISO amplifier.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of generating a plurality of control signals comprises:

generating said control signals from said received information and transfer functions, said transfer functions having been generated so as to enable said simultaneous amplification and combination of said substantially constant envelope signals at said single circuit node.

35. The method of claim 34, said transfer functions having been generated to compensate for any parasitic resistive, inductive, and capacitive effects between said outputs of said transistors in said circuit branches of said MISO amplifier.

36. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

dynamically controlling said transistors of said circuit branches to thereby transition operation of said transistors along an operational range that includes switching amplifier operation and current source amplifier operation.

37. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

controlling an input differential phase and a bias of said transistors based on requirements of said desired output signal.

38. The method of claim 1, wherein said substantially constant envelope signals are simultaneously amplified and combined at said single circuit node with only parasitic resistive, inductive, or capacitive effects between said outputs of said transistors in said circuit branches of said MISO amplifier.

39. The method of claim 1, wherein said substantially constant envelope signals are simultaneously amplified and combined at said single circuit node with substantially no electrical isolation between said outputs of said transistors in said circuit branches of said MISO amplifier.

40. The method of claim 1, wherein output voltages of said transistors in said circuit branches of said MISO amplifier are substantially equal to an output voltage of said MISO amplifier for all operational instances of time of said MISO amplifier.

41. An apparatus for power amplification, comprising:

input circuitry that receives information, and that generates a plurality of control signals from said received information;

vector modulation circuitry, coupled to said input circuitry, that receives said control signals and a frequency reference signal, and that generates a plurality of substantially constant envelope signals that vary in phase relative to each other using said frequency reference signal and said control signals; and

a MISO (multiple input single output) amplifier that receives said substantially constant envelope signals, said MISO amplifier comprising two or more circuit branches each comprising one or more transistors, wherein outputs of said transistors in said circuit branches form a single circuit node, wherein said substantially constant envelope signals are simultaneously amplified and combined to create a desired output signal of said MISO amplifier at said single circuit node.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said received information comprises one or more baseband information signals.

43. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said received information comprises one or more in-phase and quadrature phase baseband information signals.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein said received information comprises analog in-phase and analog quadrature phase baseband information signals.

45. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein said received information comprises digital in-phase and digital quadrature phase baseband information signals.

46. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said received information comprises a time-varying RE signal.

47. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said received information comprises in-phase and quadrature phase RE signals.

48. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising biasing control circuitry coupled to said MISO amplifier, wherein said biasing control circuitry operates according to one or more biasing control functions to simultaneously amplify and combine said substantially constant envelope signals.

49. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising:

means for harmonically shaping said desired output signal.

50. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said input circuitry manipulates said control signals to vary output signal power.

51. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein:

said input circuitry processes said received information to generate a plurality of in-phase and quadrature amplitude control signals; and

said vector modulation circuitry uses said in-phase and quadrature amplitude control signals to generate said substantially constant envelope signals.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein said input circuitry converts from digital to analog said generated in-phase and quadrature amplitude control signals.

53. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein said input circuitry uses analog baseband in-phase and quadrature input to generate said in-phase and quadrature amplitude control signals.

54. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said substantially constant envelope signals comprise four substantially constant envelope signals.

55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein said four substantially constant envelope signals include two substantially constant envelope signals that when combined form an in-phase component of said desired output signal, and two substantially constant envelope signals that when combined form a quadrature component of said desired output signal.

56. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said substantially constant envelope signals comprise two substantially constant envelope signals.

57. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said vector modulation circuitry comprises:

means for generating a plurality of secondary frequency reference signals from said first frequency reference signal, wherein one or more of said secondary frequency reference signals are phase shifted relative to said first frequency reference signal;

means for multiplying said secondary frequency reference signals by respective said control signals, thereby controlling said secondary frequency reference signals; and

means for combining subsets of said controlled secondary frequency reference signals to generate said substantially constant envelope signals.

58. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein said vector modulation circuitry generates said secondary frequency reference signals by generating in-phase and quadrature secondary frequency reference signals relative to said first frequency reference signal.

59. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said MISO amplifier comprises one or more power amplification sub-stages.

60. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising:

bias control circuitry to control one or more of output power efficiency, output linearity, and amplification stage protection.

61. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said MISO amplifier is bias controlled.

62. The apparatus of claim 61, further comprising means for using a bias control function to control one or more of output power efficiency, output linearity, and amplification stage protection of said bias controlled MISO amplifier.

63. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said MISO amplifier comprises one or more non-linear amplifiers.

64. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said outputs of said transistors in said circuit branches of said MISO amplifier are coupled together at said single circuit node with substantially no resistive, inductive, or capacitive components.

65. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said outputs of said transistors in said circuit branches of said MISO amplifier are coupled together at said single circuit node with no resistive, inductive, or capacitive components.

66. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said outputs of said transistors in said circuit branches of said MISO amplifier are coupled together at said single circuit node with substantially no electrical isolation and substantially no magnetic isolation.

67. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said MISO amplifier comprises two or more collector coupled or emitter coupled transistors.

68. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said MISO amplifier comprises two or more drain coupled or source coupled transistors.

69. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said input circuitry includes digital circuitry that processes said received information and that generates said control signals.

70. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said input circuitry comprises one or more look up tables which are used to process said received information and generate said control signals.

71. The apparatus of claim 70, further comprising interpolation circuitry that interpolates between values in said look up tables.

72. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising:

one or more digital-to-analog converters coupled between said input circuitry and said vector modulation circuitry.

73. The apparatus of claim 72, further comprising:

one or more anti-aliasing filters coupled to outputs of said digital-to-analog converters.

74. The apparatus of claim 72, further comprising:

one or more interpolation filters coupled to outputs of said digital-to-analog converters.

75. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising:

a synthesizer that generates said frequency reference signal.

76. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said MISO amplifier comprises a plurality of npn transistors.

77. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said MISO amplifier comprises a plurality of pnp transistors.

78. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said MISO amplifier comprises a plurality of npn and pnp transistors.

79. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said MISO amplifier comprises a plurality of NMOS transistors.

80. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said MISO amplifier comprises a plurality of PMOS transistors.

81. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said MISO amplifier comprises a plurality of NMOS and PMOS transistors.

82. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said outputs of said transistors in said circuit branches of said MISO amplifier are coupled together with a conducting wire, trace or conducting process layer.

83. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said outputs of said transistors in said circuit branches of said MISO amplifier are coupled together solely with a conducting wire, trace or conducting process layer.

84. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising one or more harmonic control circuits.

85. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said input circuitry comprises transfer function circuitry that determines a relative phase angle and magnitude information from said received information.

86. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said input circuitry comprises transfer function circuitry that comprises:

means for determining a relative phase angle and magnitude information from said received information;

means for generating first control signals that are used to control a phase angle of said frequency reference signal; and

means for generating second control signals, according to said determined magnitude information, that are used to generate said substantially constant envelope signals.

87. The apparatus of claim 86, wherein said vector modulation circuitry comprises:

a first vector modulator that receives said first control signals, and that controls said phase angle of said frequency reference signal; and

a second vector modulator that receives said second control signals and said phase angle controlled frequency reference signal, and that generates said substantially constant envelope signals.

88. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said input circuitry comprises:

means for generating said control signals from said received information and transfer functions, said transfer functions having been generated so as to enable said simultaneous amplification and combination of said substantially constant envelope signals at said single circuit node.

89. The apparatus of claim 88, said transfer functions having been generated to compensate for any parasitic resistive, inductive, and capacitive effects between said outputs of said transistors in said circuit branches of said MISO amplifier.

90. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising:

means for dynamically controlling said transistors of said circuit branches to thereby transition operation of said transistors along an operational range that includes switching amplifier operation and current source amplifier operation.

91. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising:

means for controlling an input differential phase and a bias of said transistors based on requirements of said desired output signal.

92. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said outputs of said transistors in said circuit branches of said MISO amplifier are coupled together at said single circuit node with only parasitic resistive, inductive, or capacitive effects.

93. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said outputs of said transistors in said circuit branches of said MISO amplifier are coupled together at said single circuit node with substantially no electrical isolation.

94. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein output voltages of said transistors in said circuit branches of said MISO amplifier are substantially equal to an output voltage of said MISO amplifier for all operational instances of time of said MISO amplifier.