Supply control for multiple power modes of a power amplifier
First Claim
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1. An apparatus comprising:
- a first gain stage to receive a first incoming signal and to output a first amplified signal;
a linear regulator coupled to the first gain stage to provide a first regulated voltage to the first gain stage;
a second gain stage to receive a second incoming signal and to output a second amplified signal;
a switching regulator coupled to the second gain stage to provide a second regulated voltage to the second gain stage; and
an output network coupled to the first and second gain stages to switchably couple one of the first and second amplified signals to an output load, the output network including a first transformer having a first turns ratio coupled to the first gain stage and a second transformer having a second turns ratio coupled to the second gain stage, the first turns ratio greater than the second turns ratio to provide a different effective output load to the first and second gain stages.
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Abstract
In one embodiment, the present invention includes an apparatus having at least two gain stages to receive incoming signals and to output amplified signals, along with multiple regulators. More specifically, a linear regulator can be coupled to the first gain stage to provide a first regulated voltage to the first gain stage, and a switching regulator coupled to the second gain stage to provide a second regulated voltage to the second gain stage.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a first gain stage to receive a first incoming signal and to output a first amplified signal; a linear regulator coupled to the first gain stage to provide a first regulated voltage to the first gain stage; a second gain stage to receive a second incoming signal and to output a second amplified signal; a switching regulator coupled to the second gain stage to provide a second regulated voltage to the second gain stage; and an output network coupled to the first and second gain stages to switchably couple one of the first and second amplified signals to an output load, the output network including a first transformer having a first turns ratio coupled to the first gain stage and a second transformer having a second turns ratio coupled to the second gain stage, the first turns ratio greater than the second turns ratio to provide a different effective output load to the first and second gain stages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A power amplifier comprising:
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an amplifier to receive an incoming signal and to output an amplified signal; a low dropout (LDO) regulator switchably coupled to the amplifier to provide a first regulated voltage to the amplifier, the LDO regulator configured to receive a digital control signal and to provide the first regulated signal responsive to the digital control signal; and a switching regulator switchably coupled to the amplifier to provide a second regulated voltage to the amplifier, the switching regulator configured to receive a second digital control signal and an analog control signal and to provide the second regulated voltage responsive to a received one of the second digital control signal and the analog control signal. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method comprising:
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controlling a power amplifier to output a first power level according to a digital control signal, wherein the power amplifier is powered by a linear regulator under control of the digital control signal; and controlling the power amplifier to output a second power level less than the first power level according to an analog control signal, wherein the power amplifier is powered by a switching regulator under control of the analog control signal. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system comprising:
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a baseband processor to control operation of the system; a transceiver coupled to the baseband processor to receive baseband information and to generate a radio frequency (RF) signal; and a power amplifier (PA) coupled to the transceiver to receive and amplify the RF signal to a transmit power level under control of the baseband processor, wherein the PA includes at least one gain stage to operate using a first supply voltage to output the RF signal at a first power level and to operate using a second supply voltage to output the RF signal at a second power level, the first supply voltage at a fixed level and the second supply voltage at a variable level less than the fixed level, the first power level greater than the second power level, wherein the baseband processor is to control the PA to output at the first power level according to a digital control signal, wherein the PA is powered by a linear regulator under control of the digital control signal, and control the PA to output at the second power level according to an analog control signal, wherein the PA is powered by a switching regulator at the second power level. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification