Systems and methods of RF power transmission, modulation, and amplification, including embodiments for extending RF transmission bandwidth

• US 7,750,733 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2008
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Inventors: Rawlins, Michael W, Rawlins, Gregory S, Sorrells, David F
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Khanh V
• Application Number:
  US12/173,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20080272841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 330/51, 330/124.R, 330/126, 330/295
• 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. A system for at least one of RF power transmission, modulation, and amplification, comprising:

a control module; and

circuitry coupled to said control module;

wherein said circuitry comprises;

one or more circuit signal paths, each of said circuit signal paths enabling RF transmission within a respective frequency band and comprising;

a multiple-input-single-output (MISO) amplifier; and

an output switching stage coupled to said MISO amplifier,

wherein said output switching stage is configured to couple said MISO amplifier at any given time to one of a plurality of outputs, said outputs enabling transmission in respective bandwidth ranges of said respective frequency band, thereby enabling an extended RF transmission bandwidth for said system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said one or more circuit signal paths include an upper band circuit signal path and a lower band circuit signal path.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said upper band circuit signal path enables operation in a 1.7-1.98 GHz frequency range.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said lower band circuit signal path enables operation in a 824-915 MHz frequency range.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of outputs include outputs for Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD) based transmission modes.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of outputs include outputs for Time Division Duplexing (TDD) based transmission modes.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said respective bandwidth ranges overlap among each other.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said respective bandwidth ranges are mutually non-overlapping.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said output switching stage includes a switch.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said control module controls said output switching stage to couple said MISO amplifier to one of said plurality of outputs.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said control module provides a plurality of output select signals to said output switching stage.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said control module controls said output switching stage according to a selected transmission mode and/or output frequency requirements.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of impedances, each coupled between a respective one of said plurality outputs and a power supply.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein values of said impedances can be selected to control the efficiency of the system.

15. A method for at least one of RF power transmission, modulation and amplification, comprising:

generating a plurality of control signals from information;

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

sending said substantially constant envelope signals through one or more circuit signal paths, each of said circuit signal paths enabling RF transmission within a respective frequency band;

amplifying said substantially constant envelope signals using one or more multiple-input-single-output (MISO) amplifiers;

combining outputs of said MISO amplifiers to create an output signal; and

coupling said output signal to one of a plurality of output paths via a switching stage, wherein said output paths enable transmission in respective bandwidth ranges of a frequency band.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said one or more circuit signal paths include an upper band circuit signal path and a lower band circuit signal path.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said upper band circuit signal path enables operation in a 1.7-1.98 GHz frequency range.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said lower band circuit signal path enables operation in a 824-915 MHz frequency range.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said coupling step comprises coupling said output signal to a Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD) output path.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said coupling step comprises coupling said output signal to a Time Division Duplexing (TDD) output path.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein said respective bandwidth ranges overlap among each other.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein said respective bandwidth ranges are mutually non-overlapping.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein said switching stage includes a switch.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the position of said switch is controlled by at least one of said (i) transmissions mode and (ii) output frequency requirements.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein one or more of said output paths is coupled to a power supply by a plurality of impedances.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein values of said impedances can be selected to control the efficiency of the method.

27. A method for at least one of RF power transmission, modulation, and amplification, comprising:

generating a plurality of control signals from information;

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

sending at least one of said substantially constant envelope signals through a circuit signal path, wherein said circuit signal path enables RF transmission within a frequency band;

amplifying at least one of said substantially constant envelope signals using a multiple-input-single-output (MISO) amplifier;

creating an output signal comprising an output of said MISO amplifier; and

coupling said output signal to one of a plurality of output paths via a switching stage, wherein said output paths enable transmission in respective bandwidth ranges of a frequency band.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said circuit signal path includes an upper band circuit signal path and a lower band circuit signal path.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said upper band circuit signal path enables operation in a 1.7-1.98 GHz frequency range.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein said lower band circuit signal path enables operation in a 824-915 MHz frequency range.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein said coupling step comprises coupling said output signal to a Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD) output path.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein said coupling step comprises coupling said output signal to a Time Division Duplexing (TDD) output path.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein said respective bandwidth ranges overlap each other.

34. The method of claim 27, wherein said respective bandwidth ranges are mutually non-overlapping.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein said switching stage includes a switch.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the position of said switch is controlled by at least one of said (i) transmissions mode and (ii) output frequency requirements.

37. The method of claim 27, wherein one or more of said output paths is coupled to a power supply by a plurality of impedances.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein values of said impedances can be selected to control the efficiency of the method.