RF power transmission, modulation, and amplification, including harmonic control embodiments

• US 7,844,235 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Inventors: Rawlins, Gregory S., Sorrells, David F., Rawlins, Michael W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Lana N
• Application Number:
  US11/636,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20070087708A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 455/127.3, 455/127.2, 455/127.1, 455/114.3, 330/10, 330/295, 330/296, 330/297, 330/96
• US Class Current: 455/127.3
• 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
• 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 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 1/3205 in field-effect transistor amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/3223 using feed-forward H03F1/3211 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/336 A I/Q, i.e. phase quadrature, modulator or demodulator being used in an amplifying circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/387 A circuit being added at the output of an amplifier to adapt the output impedance of the amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2201/3215 To increase the output power or efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/193 with field-effect devices H03F3/195 takes precedence
• 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 3/245 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/45071 with semiconductor devices only
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0475 with means for limiting noise, interference or distortion H04B1/0483 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0483 : Transmitters with multiple parallel paths
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/045 : with means for improving efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/0491 : with frequency synthesizers, frequency converters or modulators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/20 : Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/36 : Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/362 : Modulation using more than one carrier, e.g. with quadrature carriers, separately amplitude modulated H04L27/366 takes precedence

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 method of at least one of power amplification and power modulation, comprising:

receiving information;

receiving a frequency reference signal;

generating two or more substantially constant envelope signals using at least said received information and said frequency reference signal;

receiving said substantially constant envelope signals at an amplifier;

controlling properties of said amplifier to control wave-shapes of output signals of said amplifier, wherein each of said output signals correspond to a respective one of said substantially constant envelope signals

combining said output signals to create a desired output signal, wherein the wave-shapes of the output signals are controlled such that power transferred to a fundamental harmonic of the desired output signal is increased.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said controlling step comprises:

manipulating real and imaginary power.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said controlling step comprises:

staggering biasing of transistors of said amplifier.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said bias staggering comprises:

turning on a first subset of said transistors, followed by turning on a second subset of said transistors.

5. An apparatus for at least one of power amplification and power modulation, comprising:

first circuitry operable to receive information;

second circuitry operable to receive a frequency reference signal;

third circuitry operable to generate two or more substantially constant envelope signals using at least said received information and said frequency reference signal;

fourth circuitry comprising an amplifier operable to receive said substantially constant envelope signals;

fifth circuitry operable to control properties of said amplifier to control wave-shapes of output signals of said amplifier, wherein each of said output signals correspond to a respective one of said substantially constant envelope signals; and

sixth circuitry operable to combine said output signals to create a desired output signal, wherein the fifth circuitry is operable to control wave-shapes of said output signals such that power transferred to a fundamental harmonic of the desired output signal is increased.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said fifth circuitry comprises:

circuitry operable to manipulate real and imaginary power.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said fifth circuitry comprises:

seventh circuitry operable to stagger biasing of transistors of said amplifier.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said seventh circuitry comprises:

circuitry operable to turn on a first subset of said transistors, and to thereafter turn on a second subset of said transistors.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said seventh circuitry comprises:

impedances each having a first terminal coupled to a bias signal, and a second terminal coupled to one of said transistors.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said impedances are equal in value for all of said transistors.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein impedances for a first set of said transistors are equal to a first value, and impedances for a second set of said transistors are equal to a second value.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein impedances for said transistors differ in value.

13. A method of at least one of power amplification and power modulation, comprising:

receiving information;

receiving a frequency reference signal;

generating two or more substantially constant envelope signals using at least said received information and said frequency reference signal;

controlling a frequency spectrum of each of the substantially constant envelope signals;

amplifying said substantially constant envelope signals; and

combining said amplified substantially constant envelope signals, to create an output signal;

wherein the frequency spectrum of each of the substantially constant envelope signal is controlled to increase a power transferred to a fundamental harmonic of the output signal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said amplifying step is performed using an amplifier, said controlling step comprising:

wave-shaping inputs of said amplifier.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said wave-shaping comprises:

wave-shaping inputs of each branch of said amplifier.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said amplifying step is performed using an amplifier, said controlling step comprising:

waveshaping inputs of a pre-driver stage of said amplifier.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said amplifying step is performed using an amplifier, said controlling step comprising:

waveshaping inputs of a driver stage of said amplifier.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein said amplifying step is performed using an amplifier, said controlling step comprising:

waveshaping inputs of a pre-driver stage and inputs of a driver stage of said amplifier.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein said controlling step comprises:

manipulating real and imaginary harmonic power.

20. An apparatus for at least one of power amplification and power modulation, comprising:

first circuitry operable to receive information;

second circuitry operable to receive a frequency reference signal;

third circuitry operable to generate two or more substantially constant envelope signals using at least said received information and said frequency reference signal;

fourth circuitry operable to control a frequency spectrum of each of the substantially constant envelope signals;

fifth circuitry operable to amplify said substantially constant envelope signals; and

sixth circuitry operable to combine said amplified substantially constant envelope signals, to create an output signal;

wherein the fourth circuitry is configured to control the frequency spectrum of each of the substantially constant envelope signal to increase a power transferred to a fundamental harmonic of the output signal.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said fifth circuitry comprises an amplifier, and said fourth circuitry comprises:

seventh circuitry operable to wave-shape inputs of said amplifier.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said seventh circuitry comprises:

circuitry operable to wave-shape inputs of each branch of said amplifier.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said fifth circuitry comprises an amplifier, and said fourth circuitry comprises:

circuitry operable to waveshape inputs of a pre-driver stage of said amplifier.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said fifth circuitry comprises an amplifier, and said fourth circuitry comprises:

circuitry operable to waveshape inputs of a driver stage of said amplifier.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said fifth circuitry comprises an amplifier, and said fourth circuitry comprises:

circuitry operable to waveshape inputs of a pre-driver stage and inputs of a driver stage of said amplifier.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said fourth circuitry comprises:

circuitry operable to manipulate real and imaginary power.

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

receiving one or more input signals;

receiving a frequency reference signal;

generating two or more substantially constant envelope signals using at least said one or more input signals and said frequency reference signal;

receiving said substantially constant envelope signals at an amplifier;

controlling properties of said amplifier to control wave-shapes of output signals of said amplifier, wherein each of said output signals correspond to a respective one of said substantially constant envelope signals; and

controlling the one or more input signals to create a desired output signal, wherein the wave-shapes of the output signals are controlled such that power transferred to a fundamental harmonic of the desired output signal is increased.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said controlling step comprises:

staggering biasing of transistors of said amplifier.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said bias staggering comprises:

turning on a first subset of said transistors, followed by turning on a second subset of said transistors.

30. A method of at least one of power amplification and power modulation, comprising:

receiving one or more input signals;

receiving a frequency reference signal;

generating two or more substantially constant envelope signals using at least said one or more input signals and said frequency reference signal;

controlling a frequency spectrum of each of the substantially constant envelope signals;

amplifying said substantially constant envelope signals; and

controlling the one or more input signals to create an output signal;

wherein the frequency spectrum of each of the substantially constant envelope signal is controlled to increase a power transferred to a fundamental harmonic of the output signal.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said amplifying step is performed using an amplifier, said controlling the frequency spectrum step comprising:

wave-shaping inputs of said amplifier.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said wave-shaping comprises:

wave-shaping inputs of each branch of said amplifier.