Protection of output stage transistor of an RF power amplifier

• US 7,358,807 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2006
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Scuderi, Angelo, La Paglia, Luca, Palmisano, Giuseppe, Carrara, Francesco, Scuderi, Antonino
• Primary Examiner(s): Choe; Henry
• Application Number:
  US11/361,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20060197594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 330/140, 330/279, 330/207.P, 330/298
• US Class Current: 330/140
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/52 Circuit arrangements for protecting such amplifiers monitoring arrangements G01R31/28; increasing reliability in communication systems, e.g. using redundancy H04B1/74
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/447 the amplifier being protected to temperature influence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/78 A comparator being used in a controlling circuit of an amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/19 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0466 Fault detection or indication H04B1/0483 takes precedence

Abstract

A protection method may prevent a load-mismatch-induced failure in solid-state power amplifiers. In an RF power amplifier, the load voltage standing-wave ratio results in very high voltage peaks at the collector of the final stage and may eventually lead to permanent failure of the power transistor due to avalanche breakdown. The method avoids breakdown by attenuating the input power to the final stage during overvoltage conditions, thus limiting the output collector swing. This is accomplished by a feedback control system, which detects the peak voltage at the output collector node and clamps its value to a given threshold by varying the circuit gain. Indeed, the control loop is unlocked in the nominal condition and it acts when an output mismatching condition is detected. A control circuit also allows a supply-independent collector-clamping threshold to be accurately set.

Claims

1. A method of controlling output power of an RF power amplifier comprising an output stage, the method comprising:

generating a signal proportional to an amplitude of an envelope of an output RF voltage sensed through an AC-coupled resistive voltage divider network;

comparing the generated signal with a reference threshold voltage and, when the reference threshold voltage is exceeded, controlling a gain of the RF power amplifier to protect the output stage; and

setting the reference threshold voltage by an external regulating threshold voltage and internally modifying the external regulating threshold voltage as a function of a supply voltage to generate the reference threshold voltage compensated for supply voltage changes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the generated signal with the reference threshold voltage is done by applying each to inputs of an error amplifier to output a current proportional to a difference therebetween.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising modulating a gain of a current-starved driver stage of the RF power amplifier with the output current from the error amplifier by subtraction from a biasing current of the current-starved driver stage.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising temperature compensating the reference threshold voltage.

5. A method of controlling an RF power amplifier comprising an output stage, the method comprising:

generating a signal based upon an envelope of a sensed output RF voltage;

comparing the generated signal with a reference threshold and, when the reference threshold is exceeded, controlling a gain of the RF power amplifier to protect the output stage; and

setting the reference threshold based upon an external regulating threshold and so that the reference threshold is compensated for supply changes.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein generating the signal comprises generating the signal with an AC-coupled resistive voltage divider network.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein comparing the generated signal with the reference threshold is done by applying each to inputs of an error amplifier to output a current based upon a difference therebetween.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising modulating a gain of a current-starved driver stage of the RF power amplifier with the output current from the error amplifier.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising temperature compensating the reference threshold.

10. A control circuit for an output voltage of an output stage driven by a driver stage of an RF power amplifier, the control circuit comprising:

an AC-coupled output voltage sensing network having an output node;

an envelope amplitude detector circuit input with a replica of an RF output signal present on the output node of said AC-coupled output voltage sensing network;

an error amplifier for comparing an amplitude of an RF envelope signal output by said amplitude envelope detector with a reference threshold voltage, and outputting, when the reference threshold voltage is exceeded, a control current for an amplifier gain of the RF power amplifier to protect said output stage; and

a reference threshold voltage generating circuit input with an external threshold regulating voltage and outputting the reference threshold voltage compensated for supply voltage changes.

11. The control circuit of claim 10, wherein the driver stage comprises a current-starved driver stage including a bias current generator having an output;

and wherein an output of said error amplifier is coupled to the output of said bias current generator of the current-starved driver stage.

12. The control circuit of claim 10, wherein said reference threshold voltage generator is temperature compensated.

13. The control circuit of claim 10, wherein said error amplifier allows a locked loop only when a mismatch condition occurs on an output load.

14. An RF power amplifier comprising:

a driver stage;

an output stage driven by said driver stage; and

a control circuit comprising

an output voltage sensor having an output node,

an envelope amplitude detector circuit having an input coupled to the output node of said output voltage sensor,

an error amplifier for comparing an amplitude of an RF envelope signal output by said amplitude envelope detector with a reference threshold voltage, and outputting, when the reference threshold voltage is exceeded, a control current for an amplifier gain to protect said output stage, and

a reference threshold voltage generating circuit input with an external threshold regulating voltage and outputting the reference threshold voltage compensated for supply voltage changes.

15. The RF power amplifier of claim 14, wherein said output voltage sensor comprises an AC-coupled output voltage sensing network.

16. The RF power amplifier of claim 14, wherein said driver stage comprises a current-starved driver stage including a bias current generator having an output;

and wherein an output of said error amplifier is coupled to the output of said bias current generator of said current-starved driver stage.

17. The RF power amplifier of claim 14, wherein said reference threshold voltage generator is temperature compensated.

18. The RF power amplifier of claim 14, wherein said error amplifier allows a locked loop only when a mismatch condition occurs on an output load.