Envelope modulator saturation detection using a DC-DC converter

• US 7,702,300 B1
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 12, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: McCune, Earl W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thanh C
• Application Number:
  US11/827,859
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 455/91, 455/95, 455/102, 455/106, 455/107, 455/108, 455/114.1, 455/125, 455/126, 455/127.1, 330/10, 330/129, 330/136, 330/279, 330/285
• US Class Current: 455/108
• CPC Class Codes: H03C 1/06 Modifications of modulator to reduce distortion, e.g. by feedback, and clearly applicable to more than one type of modulator
• 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

Abstract

In an embodiment of the invention, a system provides for efficient polar and linear signal modulation. The system has a controller coupled to a voltage converter and a modulator. The system also has an amplifier coupled to the voltage converter and the phase modulator. The controller is for receiving an input and providing a polar signal. The voltage converter is for receiving the polar signal, receiving a voltage input, and providing a power signal. The amplifier is for amplifying the modulated signal based on the power signal. The voltage converter provides a feedback signal to the controller, and the controller adjusts a scale of modulation, such as a peak of the modulation signal, based on the feedback signal, such that the output power and the amplification by the amplifier are based on the feedback signal.

Claims

1. A method of providing efficient signal modulation comprising:

providing a polar signal to a switching module, the switching module having a voltage input;

providing a feedback signal from the switching module, the feed back signal representative of a duty cycle; and

adjusting a peak of a modulation signal based on the feedback signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the peak of the modulation signal comprises modifying the polar signal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the polar signal from an input signal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising amplifying the polar signal, wherein the amplification is based on the voltage input.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying a phase of the polar signal.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, from the polar signal, generating an RF signal for transmission.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the voltage input indicates a low battery condition.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the feedback signal indicates when the voltage input comprises a low signal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a magnitude of the polar signal is modified based on the feedback signal.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the feedback signal provides for efficient modulation of the polar signal.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the modulation comprises amplitude modulation.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the modulation comprises phase modulation.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a polar signal.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a polar signal.

15. A system for providing efficient polar signal modulation comprising:

a controller for receiving an input and outputting a polar signal;

a voltage converter coupled to the controller, the voltage converter for;

receiving a magnitude component of the polar signal,

receiving a voltage input, and

providing a power signal;

a phase modulator coupled to the controller, the phase modulator for;

receiving a phase angle θ

,

receiving a phase modulation ω

_c, and

providing a phase modulated signal; and

an amplifier coupled to the voltage converter and the phase modulator, the amplifier for amplifying the phase modulated signal based on the power signal,

wherein the voltage converter provides a feedback signal to the controller, and

further wherein the controller adjusts a peak of a modulation signal based on the feedback signal, such that the output power and the amplification by the amplifier are based on the feedback signal.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein adjusting the peak of the modulation signal comprises modifying the polar signal.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the controller generates the polar signal.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the power output is based on the voltage input such that the amplification is based on the voltage input.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the phase modulated signal is based on the phase angle θ

and the phase modulation ω

_c.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the system generates an RF signal for transmission.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the voltage signal indicates a low battery condition.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the feedback signal indicates when the voltage input is low.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein a magnitude of the polar signal is modified based on the feedback signal.

24. The system of claim 15, wherein the feedback signal provides for efficient modulation of the polar signal.

25. The system of claim 15, wherein the modulation comprises amplitude modulation.

26. The system of claim 15, wherein the modulation comprises phase modulation.

27. A system for providing efficient signal modulation comprising:

a control module for receiving a first signal and outputting a second signal, the second signal based on the first signal;

a power source for outputting a power level;

a switching module coupled to the control module for receiving the second signal and coupled to the power source for receiving the power level, wherein the switching module provides a feedback signal based on the power level; and

a modulation scale, wherein the modulation scale is adjusted based on the feedback signal.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the modulation scale comprises a system parameter for modulation of the second signal.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the second signal comprises polar coordinates.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the second signal is digital.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the first signal comprises quadrature components.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the first signal comprises an analog signal.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein the switching module has a duty cycle based on the power level, wherein the feedback signal is based on the duty cycle.

34. The system of claim 27, wherein the switching module is driven by pulse width modulation.

35. The system of claim 27, wherein the switching module is driven by sigma-delta modulation.

36. The system of claim 27, wherein the power source is limited, the power source providing power for the system.

37. A system for providing efficient polar signal modulation comprising:

a controller for receiving an input and outputting a polar signal;

a voltage converter coupled to the controller, the voltage converter for;

receiving a magnitude component of the polar signal,

receiving a voltage input, and

providing a power signal;

a quadrature modulator coupled to the controller, the quadrature modulator for;

receiving an in-phase signal I,

receiving a quadrature signal Q, and

providing a modulated signal; and

an amplifier coupled to the voltage converter and the quadrature modulator, the amplifier for amplifying the modulated signal,

wherein the voltage converter provides a feedback signal to the controller, and

further wherein the controller adjusts a peak of a modulation signal based on the feedback signal, such that the output power and the amplification by the amplifier are based on the feedback signal.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein adjusting the peak of the modulation signal comprises modifying the modulation signal.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the controller generates the in-phase signal I and the quadrature signal Q.

40. The system of claim 37, wherein power dissipation is based on the voltage input.

41. The system of claim 37, wherein the system generates an RF signal for transmission.

42. The system of claim 37, wherein the voltage signal indicates a low battery condition.

43. The system of claim 37, wherein the feedback signal indicates when the voltage input is low.

44. The system of claim 37, wherein a magnitude of the modulation signal is modified based on the feedback signal.

45. The system of claim 37, wherein the feedback signal provides for efficient modulation of the modulation signal.

46. The system of claim 37, wherein the modulation comprises amplitude modulation.

47. An apparatus comprising:

a DC-DC converter; and

a controller configured to provide a magnitude component signal for the DC-DC converter;

wherein the DC-DC converter is configured to receive a voltage signal, and provides a voltage output for power amplification,

wherein the DC-DC converter provides a feedback based on the voltage signal and the voltage output, and

wherein the controller modifies the magnitude component signal based on the feedback.