Systems and methods of RF power transmission, modulation, and amplification, including architectural embodiments of same

• US 7,929,989 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2007
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Inventors: Rawlins, Gregory S., Sorrells, David F., Rawlins, Michael W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao; Minh D
• Application Number:
  US11/723,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20070249302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,491 Days
• Field of Search: 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/127.4, 455/143, 455/275, 455/303, 455/43, 455/130, 330/2, 330/69, 330/258
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 7/165 at least two frequency changers being located in different paths, e.g. in two paths with carriers in quadrature combined with amplitude demodulation H03D1/2245, combined with angle demodulation H03D3/007; N-path filters H03H19/002
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0294 using vector summing of two or more constant amplitude phase-modulated signals
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/30 Modifications of amplifiers to reduce influence of variations of temperature or supply voltage or other physical parameters in differential amplifiers H03F3/45479
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/3241 using predistortion circuits H03F1/3211, H03F1/3217 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 17/08 Networks for phase shifting
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/21 providing two or more phase shifted output signals, e.g. n-phase output
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0483 Transmitters with multiple parallel paths

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 RF power transmission, modulation, and amplification, comprising:

a digital control module; and

analog circuitry coupled to said digital control module;

wherein said digital control module comprises;

an input interface;

an output interface; and

a state machine;

wherein said analog circuitry comprises;

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

wherein each of said circuit signal paths comprises one or more output paths, each of said output paths enabling RF transmission according to a respective technology mode, and wherein each of said output paths includes at least one power amplification output stage, including a multiple input single output (MISO) amplifier, said MISO amplifier configured according to said respective frequency band; and

a feedback path including a multiplexer that multiplexes one or more of an output power detection signal, a differential amplitude error signal, and a differential phase error signal of said MISO amplifier, and provides said multiplexed signals to said digital control module.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said one or more circuit signal paths supports both TDD (Time Division Duplexing) and FDD (Frequency Division Duplexing) technology modes.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the analog circuitry includes an input stage that receives data signals from the digital module and a vector modulation stage that generates substantially constant envelope signals from said data signals.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the vector modulation stage provides said substantially constant envelope signals to said at least one power amplification output stage.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the input stage includes interpolation filter circuitry.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the vector modulation stage includes a plurality of vector modulators, divided among said one or more circuit signal paths of the analog circuitry.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said one or more circuit signal paths include a lower band path and an upper band path.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of vector modulators are divided between lower band path vector modulators and upper band path vector modulators, and wherein only one of the lower band path vector modulators and the upper band path modulators are active based on the selected frequency band of operation.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a plurality of frequency synthesizers that generate radio frequencies in a lower frequency band range and an upper frequency band range.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said plurality of frequency synthesizers provide respective clock signals to the plurality of vector modulators.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the plurality of vector modulators modulate said data signals with appropriately derived versions of said respective clock signals to generate said substantially constant envelope signals.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the digital module selectively turns on one of said plurality of frequency synthesizers according to the selected frequency band of operation.

13. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the digital module generates a phase balance control signal from said differential phase error signal.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the digital module controls the plurality of vector modulators using the phase balance control signal to cause a change in phase in said substantially constant envelope signals.

15. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the digital module generates a gain balance control signal from said output power detection signal.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the digital module controls the at least one power amplification output stage using the gain balance control signal to cause a change in gain in the MISO amplifier.

17. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the analog circuitry includes power supply circuitry that control and deliver power to components of the analog circuitry.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the digital module controls the power supply circuitry of the analog circuitry to turn on active portions of the analog circuitry and to turn off inactive portions of the analog circuitry.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said one or more circuit paths includes a respective switch that couples an output of an active one of said one or more output paths to an output of said at least one MISO amplifier based on a selected technology mode of the apparatus.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the digital module controls said respective switch using a set of output select signals.