Method and system for minimizing power consumption in a communication system

• US 8,031,651 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza
• Primary Examiner(s): DESIR, PIERRE LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US11/536,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20080080549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• Field of Search: 370/321, 370/329, 370/350, 370/509, 370/310.1, 370/314, 370/344, 370/347, 455/127.1, 455/316, 4555521-5531, 455/450, 455/555, 375/316, 375/216
• US Class Current: 370/321
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0222 by using a signal derived from the input signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0227 using supply converters
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0266 by using a signal derived from the input signal
• 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 2200/207 A hybrid coupler being used as power measuring circuit at the output of an amplifier circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/321 Use of a microprocessor in an amplifier circuit or its control circuit
• 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 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier

Abstract

Certain embodiments of the invention may be found in a method and system for minimizing power consumption in a communication system. Exemplary aspects of the invention may comprise configuring a supply voltage of an amplifier to enable communication of data using a first communication protocol during a first timeslot in a TDM frame, reconfiguring the supply voltage of the amplifier to enable communication of data using a different communication protocol, and adjusting the supply voltage of the amplifier in proportion to the envelope of a baseband signal conforming to one of the communication protocols. The first and second communication protocols may conform to various communication protocols, such as WCDMA, HSDPA, HSUDPA, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, WiMAX, OFDM, UWB, ZigBee, and Bluetooth. The baseband signal may be delayed by a number of samples before being input into the amplifier.

Claims

1. A method for processing signals in a communication system, the method comprising:

configuring a supply voltage of an amplifier to enable communication via a first communication protocol during a first timeslot in a time division multiplexing (TDM) frame;

reconfiguring said supply voltage of said amplifier to enable communication via a second communication protocol during at least a second timeslot in said TDM frame; and

adjusting said supply voltage of said amplifier in proportion to an envelope of a baseband signal conforming to one of said first and second communication protocols, wherein said first communication protocol is different than said second communication protocol.

2. The method according to claim 1 comprising:

configuring a bias voltage of said amplifier to enable communication via a first communication protocol during a first timeslot in a TDM frame; and

reconfiguring said bias voltage of said amplifier to enable communication via a second communication protocol during at least a second timeslot in said TDM frame.

3. The method according to claim 2 comprising, adjusting said bias voltage of said amplifier in proportion to said envelope.

4. The method according to claim 1 comprising, delaying said baseband signal by a number of samples.

5. The method according to claim 4 comprising, calculating said number of samples by minimizing an amount of intermodulation distortion at an output of said amplifier.

6. The method according to claim 1 comprising, generating said supply voltage via a switching regulator.

7. The method according to claim 2 comprising, generating said bias voltage via a switching regulator.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said amplifier is a linear amplifier.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first communication protocol conforms to one or more of a WCDMA protocol, an HSDPA protocol, an HSUDPA protocol, a GSM protocol, a GPRS protocol, an EDGE protocol, a WiMAX protocol, an OFDM protocol, a UWB protocol, a ZigBee protocol, and/or a Bluetooth Protocol.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said second communication protocol conforms to one or more of a WCDMA protocol, an HSDPA protocol, an HSUDPA protocol, a GSM protocol, a GPRS protocol, an EDGE protocol, a WiMAX protocol, an OFDM protocol, a UWB protocol, a ZigBee protocol, and/or a Bluetooth Protocol.

11. A non-transitory machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section for processing signals in a communication system, the at least one code section being executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform steps comprising:

configuring a supply voltage of an amplifier to enable communication via a first communication protocol during a first timeslot in a time division multiplexing (TDM) frame;

reconfiguring said supply voltage of said amplifier to enable communication via a second communication protocol during at least a second timeslot in said TDM frame; and

adjusting said supply voltage of said amplifier in proportion to an envelope of a baseband signal conforming to one of said first and second communication protocols, wherein said first communication protocol is different than said second communication protocol.

12. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said at least one code section comprises:

code that enables configuring a bias voltage of said amplifier to enable communication via a first communication protocol during a first timeslot in a TDM frame; and

code that enables reconfiguring said bias voltage of said amplifier to enable communication via a second communication protocol during at least a second timeslot in said TDM frame.

13. The machine-readable storage according to claim 12, wherein said at least one code section comprises code that enables adjusting said bias voltage of said amplifier in proportion to said envelope.

14. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said at least one code section comprises code that enables delaying said baseband signal by a number of samples.

15. The machine-readable storage according to claim 14, wherein said at least one code section comprises code that enables calculating said number of samples by minimizing an amount of intermodulation distortion at an output of said amplifier.

16. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said at least one code section comprises code that enables generating said supply voltage via a switching regulator.

17. The machine-readable storage according to claim 12, wherein said at least one code section comprises code that enables generating said bias voltage via a switching regulator.

18. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said amplifier is a linear amplifier.

19. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said first communication protocol conforms to one or more of a WCDMA protocol, an HSDPA protocol, an HSUDPA protocol, a GSM protocol, a GPRS protocol, an EDGE protocol, a WiMAX protocol, an OFDM protocol, a UWB protocol, a ZigBee protocol, and/or a Bluetooth Protocol.

20. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said second communication protocol conforms to one or more of a WCDMA protocol, an HSDPA protocol, an HSUDPA protocol, a GSM protocol, a GPRS protocol, an EDGE protocol, a WiMAX protocol, an OFDM protocol, a UWB protocol, a ZigBee protocol, and/or a Bluetooth Protocol.

21. A system for processing signals in a communication system, the system comprising:

one or more circuits that enables configuring a supply voltage of an amplifier to enable communication via a first communication protocol during a first timeslot in a time division multiplexing (TDM) frame;

said one or more circuits enables reconfiguring said supply voltage of said amplifier to enable communication via a second communication protocol during at least a second timeslot in said TDM frame; and

said one or more circuits enables adjusting said supply voltage of said amplifier in proportion to an envelope of a baseband signal conforming to one of said first and second communication protocols, wherein said first communication protocol is different than said second communication protocol.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said one or more circuits enables:

configuring a bias voltage of said amplifier to enable communication via a first communication protocol during a first timeslot in a TDM frame; and

reconfiguring said bias voltage of said amplifier to enable communication via a second communication protocol during at least a second timeslot in said TDM frame.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein said one or more circuits enables adjusting said bias voltage of said amplifier in proportion to said envelope.

24. The system according to claim 21, wherein said one or more circuits enables delaying said baseband signal by a number of samples.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein said one or more circuits enables calculating said number of samples by minimizing an amount of intermodulation distortion at an output of said amplifier.

26. The system according to claim 21, wherein said one or more circuits enables generating said supply voltage via a switching regulator.

27. The system according to claim 22, wherein said one or more circuits enables generating said bias voltage via a switching regulator.

28. The system according to claim 21, wherein said amplifier is a linear amplifier.

29. The system according to claim 21, wherein said first communication protocol conforms to one or more of a WCDMA protocol, an HSDPA protocol, an HSUDPA protocol, a GSM protocol, a GPRS protocol, an EDGE protocol, a WiMAX protocol, an OFDM protocol, a UWB protocol, a ZigBee protocol, and/or a Bluetooth Protocol.

30. The system according to claim 21, wherein said second communication protocol conforms to one or more of a WCDMA protocol, an HSDPA protocol, an HSUDPA protocol, a GSM protocol, a GPRS protocol, an EDGE protocol, a WiMAX protocol, an OFDM protocol, a UWB protocol, a ZigBee protocol, and/or a Bluetooth Protocol.