Dual voltage regulator for a supply voltage controlled power amplifier in a closed power control loop

• US 7,499,682 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2005
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Rozenblit, Dmitriy, Sowlati, Tirdad
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Nhan T
• Application Number:
  US11/137,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20060270366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 455/114.2, 455/114.3, 4551271- 3, 455/230, 455/240.1, 455/250, 455256-260, 455/341, 455/125.5, 455/194.2, 455/253.3, 455/309, 455/311, 455/361, 455/572, 455/574, 4553431-3435, 375/345, 375/297, 375/295, 330/10, 330/296, 330/297, 330/199, 330/285, 330/127, 323/303, 323/350, 323/351
• US Class Current: 455/127.3
• 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 2200/207 A hybrid coupler being used as power measuring circuit at the output of an amplifier circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/504 the supply voltage or current being continuously controlled by a controlling signal, e.g. the controlling signal of a transistor implemented as variable resistor in a supply path for, an IC-block showed amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 of transmitter output stages
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/045 with means for improving efficiency

Abstract

A supply voltage controlled power amplifier that comprises a power amplifier, a closed power control feedback loop configured to generate a power control signal, and a dual voltage regulator coupled to the power control feedback loop, the dual voltage regulator comprising a first regulator stage and a second regulator stage, wherein the closed power control loop minimizes noise generated by the first regulator stage.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically controlling the power output of a power amplifier, comprising:

providing a radio frequency (RF) signal to a power amplifier;

generating a power control signal in a closed power control loop;

providing the power control signal to a switching voltage regulator and a linear voltage regulator;

using the power control signal to dynamically control the switching voltage regulator and the linear voltage regular, wherein the power control signal provides fine control of the output of the linear voltage regulator;

filtering voltage ripple at an output of the switching voltage regulator;

controlling the filtering using the power control signal, wherein the closed power control loop minimizes noise generated by the switching voltage regulator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the power control signal provides coarse control of the output of the switching voltage regulator.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising locating the switching voltage regulator and the linear voltage regulator in the closed power control feedback loop.

4. A supply voltage controlled power amplifier, comprising:

a power amplifier;

a closed power control feedback loop configured to generate a power control signal; and

a dual voltage regulator coupled to the power control feedback loop, the dual voltage regulator comprising a switching voltage regulator and a linear voltage regulator which are dynamically controlled by the power control signal, wherein the closed power control loop minimizes noise generated by the switching voltage regulator, the power control signal provides fine control of an output of the linear voltage regular, and the linear voltage regulator filters voltage ripple at an output of the switching voltage regulator based on the power control signal.

5. The supply voltage controlled power amplifier of claim 4, wherein the switching voltage regulator has a narrow bandwidth.

6. The supply voltage controlled power amplifier of claim 5, wherein the linear voltage regulator has a wide bandwidth.

7. The supply voltage controlled power amplifier of claim 4, wherein the switching voltage regulator and the linear voltage regulator are located in the closed power control feedback loop.

8. A portable transceiver, comprising:

a transceiver for transmitting and receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal;

a power amplifier;

a closed power control feedback loop configured to generate a power control signal; and

a dual voltage regulator coupled to the power control feedback loop, the dual voltage regulator comprising a switching voltage regulator and a linear voltage regulator which are dynamically controlled by the power control signal, wherein the closed power control loop minimizes noise generated by the switching voltage regulator, the power control signal provides fine control of an output of the linear voltage regulator, and wherein the linear voltage regulator filters voltage ripple at an output of the switching voltage regulator based on the power control signal.

9. The portable transceiver of claim 8, wherein the switching voltage regulator has a narrow bandwidth.

10. The portable transceiver of claim 8, wherein the linear voltage regulator has a wide bandwidth.

11. The portable transceiver of claim 8, wherein the switching voltage regulator and the linear voltage regulator are located in the closed power control feedback loop.

12. A portable transceiver, comprising:

means for transmitting and receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal;

amplifying means for amplifying the RF signal;

means for generating a power control signal; and

regulating means for regulating an output of the amplifying means, wherein the means for generating a power control signal minimizes noise generated by the regulator means, and wherein the regulator means comprises switching regulator means and linear regulator means, wherein the switching regulator means coarsely adjusts a voltage signal, the linear regulator means finely adjusts the voltage signal, the means for generating the power control signal finely adjusts the switching regulator means and the linear regulator means, and the linear regulator means filters voltage ripple at an output of the switching regulator means based on the power control signal.