Systems and methods of RF power transmission, modulation, and amplification, including embodiments for amplifier class transitioning

• US 7,414,469 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2007
• Issued: 08/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Inventors: Rawlins, Gregory S., Rawlins, Michael W., Sorrells, David F
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Khanh V
• Application Number:
  US11/699,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20070247220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 330/2, 330/10, 330/124.R, 330/295, 455/127.1
• US Class Current: 330/124.00R
• 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 1/0211 with control of the supply voltage or current
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0261 with control of the polarisation voltage or current, e.g. gliding Class A
• 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 2200/102 A non-specified detector of a signal envelope being used in an amplifying circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2201/3206 Multiple channels are combined and amplified by only one amplifier
• 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 3/38 DC amplifiers with modulator at input and demodulator at output; Modulators or demodulators specially adapted for use in such amplifiers switched capacitor amplifiers H03F3/005
• 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

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. An apparatus for at least RF power transmission, comprising:

means for generating a plurality of control signals from information;

means for generating a plurality of substantially constant envelope signals using at least said control signals

means for amplifying and combining said substantially constant envelope signals to create an output signal; and

means for coupling said output signal to one of a plurality of output paths according to one or more of (i) a transmission mode and (ii) output frequency requirements, wherein said plurality of output paths enable transmission in respective bandwidth ranges of a frequency band, thereby enabling an extended transmission bandwidth.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said coupling means comprises means for coupling said output signal to a Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD) output path.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said coupling means comprises means for coupling said output signal to a Time Division Duplexing (TDD) output path.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said respective bandwidth ranges overlap among each other.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said respective bandwidth ranges are mutually non-overlapping.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said coupling means comprises means for controlling an output switching stage.

7. A method for at least RF power transmission, comprising:

generating a plurality of control signals from information;

generating a plurality of substantially constant envelope signals using at least said control signals;

amplifying and combining said substantially constant envelope signals to create an output signal; and

coupling said output signal to one of a plurality of output paths according to one or more of (i) a transmission mode and (ii) output frequency requirements, wherein said plurality of output paths enable transmission in respective bandwidth ranges of a frequency band, thereby enabling an extended transmission bandwidth.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said coupling step comprises coupling said output signal to a Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD) output path.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said coupling step comprises coupling said output signal to a Time Division Duplexing (TDD) output path.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said respective bandwidth ranges overlap among each other.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein said respective bandwidth ranges are mutually non-overlapping.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said coupling step comprises controlling an output switching stage.