Systems and methods of RF power transmission, modulation and amplification, including embodiments for compensating for waveform distortion

• US 8,036,306 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Inventors: Rawlins, Gregory S., Sorrells, David F., Rawlins, Michael W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Payne; David C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stevens; Brian J
• Application Number:
  US11/711,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20070248185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,686 Days
• Field of Search: 375/229, 375/297
• US Class Current: 375/297
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0205 in transistor amplifiers
• 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 1/30 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 1/32 Modifications of amplifiers to reduce non-linear distortion by negative feedback H03F1/34
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/3241 using predistortion circuits H03F1/3211, H03F1/3217 take 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 2203/21142 Output signals of a plurality of power amplifiers are parallel combined to a common output
• 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: 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: H04L 27/361 Modulation using a single or unspecified number of carriers, e.g. with separate stages of phase and amplitude modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/366 Arrangements for compensating undesirable properties of the transmission path between the modulator and the demodulator

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 for phase and amplitude error correction in a power amplifier, comprising:

measuring phase and amplitude error differential signals; and

adjusting phase and amplitude of first and second constant envelope signals of the power amplifier according to said error differential signals;

wherein the phase error differential signal represents a difference between a desired phase difference between the first and second constant envelope signals and an actual phase difference between the first and second constant envelope signals; and

wherein the amplitude error differential signal represents a difference between a desired amplitude difference between the first and second constant envelope signals and an actual amplitude difference between the first and second constant envelope signals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said measuring step is performed by a digital control module of the power amplifier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the actual phase difference between the first and second constant envelope signals is measured using a differential phase measurement circuitry coupled to an output stage of the power amplifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the actual amplitude difference between the first and second constant envelope signals is measured using a differential amplitude measurement circuitry coupled to an output stage of the power amplifier.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said adjusting step is performed by a digital control module of the power amplifier.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said adjusting step comprises adjusting a gain balance control output signal of the digital control module, said gain balance control output signal controlling the gain of at least one of first and second constant envelope branches of an output stage of the power amplifier.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said adjusting step comprises adjusting a phase balance control output signal of the digital control module, said phase balance control output signal controlling at least one of first and second vector modulator banks of the power amplifier.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said adjusting step comprises adjusting at least one of an output stage autobias output signal of the digital control module and a driver stage autobias output signal of the digital control module, said output stage autobias output signal controlling bias of at least one output stage amplifier of the power amplifier and said driver stage autobias output signal controlling at least one driver stage amplifier of the power amplifier.