Radio frequency communications circuitry with power supply voltage and gain control

• US 8,255,009 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2008
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sorensen, Robert, Dimpflmaier, Ronald William
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Tan
• Application Number:
  US12/110,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20090270137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,586 Days
• Field of Search: 455/572, 455/573, 455/522, 455/13.4, 455/69, 455/220, 455/177.1, 455/200.1, 455/219, 455/250.1, 455/247.1, 455/245.1, 455/251.1, 455/341, 455/343.2, 455/355, 455/110, 455/127, 455/73, 455/91, 455/127.5, 455/574, 455/127.1, 455/127.2, 455/127.3, 455/333, 455/323, 455/324, 455/231.1, 455/571, 455/311, 455/308, 455/293, 455/78, 455/550.1, 330/297, 330/131, 330/136, 330/129, 330/279, 330/285, 330/2, 330/147, 330/51, 330/268, 375/298, 320/127
• US Class Current: 455/572
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0216 Continuous control
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0244 Stepped control
• 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 2200/405 the output amplifying stage of an amplifier comprising more than three power stages
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/414 A switch being coupled in the output circuit of an amplifier to switch the output on/off
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/195 in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 of transmitter output stages
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3042 in modulators, frequency-changers, transmitters or power amplifiers transmission power control in bidirectional transmission systems H04W52/04

Abstract

Portable electronic devices are provided with wireless circuitry. The wireless circuitry may include one or more sets of radio-frequency power amplifiers. The radio-frequency power amplifiers are used to amplify radio-frequency signals that are transmitted by the portable electronic devices. Each power amplifier may have multiple gain mode settings. Gain stages within the power amplifiers may be selectively enabled in accordance with the gain mode settings. When a higher level of gain is required, all of the gain stages may be enabled. When a lower level of gain is required, some of the gain stages may be disabled to conserve power. An adjustable power supply may be used to provide an adjustable power supply voltage to the power amplifiers. The adjustable power supply voltage can be reduced when it is desired to minimize power consumption at a particular gain mode setting. Gain mode and power supply settings may be adjusted simultaneously.

Claims

1. Wireless communications circuitry on a portable electronic device wherein the wireless communications circuitry operates using power from a battery, the wireless communications circuitry comprising:

at least one radio-frequency power amplifier that amplifies radio-frequency signals that are transmitted from the portable electronic device;

at least one additional radio-frequency power amplifier that receives power directly from the battery; and

adjustable power supply circuitry that supplies an adjustable power supply voltage to the radio-frequency power amplifier.

2. The wireless communications circuitry defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a battery input in the adjustable power supply circuitry that receives a battery voltage from the battery; and

a power supply voltage output at which the adjustable power supply voltage is supplied to the radio-frequency power amplifier, wherein the adjustable power supply voltage is less than the battery voltage.

3. The wireless communications circuitry defined in claim 2 wherein the adjustable power supply circuitry comprises a dc-to-dc converter.

4. The wireless communications circuitry defined in claim 1 wherein the radio-frequecy power amplifier comprises at least one adjustable gain mode radio-frequency power amplifier that amplifies the radio-frequency signals that are transmitted from the portable electronic device in accordance with a gain mode level setting, the wireless communications circuitry further comprising baseband processor circuitry that generates control signals that adjust the gain mode level setting of the radio-frequency power amplifier.

5. The wireless communications circuitry defined in claim 1 wherein the radio-frequency power amplifier comprises a plurality of gain stages that are selectively enabled to adjust a gain mode level setting, wherein the plurality of gain stages are selectively enabled to adjust the gain mode level setting between at least a first gain setting and a second gain setting, and wherein the first gain setting is larger than the second gain setting.

6. The wireless communications circuitry defined in claim 5 further comprising a baseband processor integrated circuit that generates control signals that adjust the gain mode level setting of the radio-frequency power amplifier.

7. The wireless communications circuitry defined in claim 6 wherein the adjustable power supply circuitry comprises a dc-to-dc converter.

8. The wireless communications circuitry defined in claim 1 wherein the radio-frequency power amplifier comprises at least one adjustable gain mode radio-frequency power amplifier that amplifies the radio-frequecy signals that are transmitted from the portable electronic device in accordance with a gain mode level setting, the wireless communications circuitry further comprising a baseband processor integrated circuit that generates control signals that adjust the gain mode level setting of the radio-frequency power amplifier.

9. The wireless communications circuitry defined in claim 8 wherein the adjustable power supply circuitry comprises a dc-to-dc converter.

10. The wireless communications circuitry defined in claim 1 wherein the radio-frequency power amplifier comprises a plurality of gain stages that are selectively enabled to adjust a gain mode level setting, wherein the plurality of gain stages are selectively enabled to adjust the gain mode level setting between at least a first gain setting and a second gain setting, wherein the first gain setting is larger than the second gain setting, wherein a first number of the plurality of gain stages are selectively enabled to adjust the gain mode level setting to the first gain setting, wherein a second number of the plurality of gain stages are selectively enabled to adjust the gain mode level setting to the second gain setting, and wherein the first number of the plurality of gain stages is greater than the second number of the plurality of gain stages.

11. The wireless communications circuitry defined in claim 1 wherein the radio-frequency power amplifier comprises a plurality of gain stages that are selectively enabled to adjust a gain mode level setting, wherein the plurality of gain stages are selectively enabled to adjust the gain mode level setting between at least a first gain setting and a second gain setting, wherein the first gain setting is larger than the second gain setting, wherein at least a given one of the plurality of gain stages is selectively enabled to adjust the gain mode level setting to the first gain setting, wherein at least the given one of the plurality of gain stages is selectively disabled to adjust the gain mode level setting to the second gain setting.

12. A method for operating portable electronic device wireless communications circuitry having a radio-frequency power amplifier with multiple gain modes, an adjustable power supply, and an additional radio-frequency power amplifier, the method comprising:

applying control signals to the radio-frequency power amplifier to place the radio-frequency power amplifier in a selected one of the multiple gain modes;

with the adjustable power supply, providing an adjustable power supply voltage to the radio-frequency power amplifier; and

with the additional radio-frequency power amplifier, receiving a battery voltage directly from a battery.

13. The method defined in claim 12, wherein the control signals comprise gain mode level control signals, wherein applying the control signals comprises:

with a baseband processor integrated circuit, generating the gain mode level control signals.

14. The method defined in claim 13 further comprising:

reducing the adjustable power supply voltage while maintaining the radio-frequency power amplifier in a given one of the gain modes to conserve power.

15. The method defined in claim 12 wherein the wireless communications circuitry is part of a portable electronic device that communicates with wireless network equipment, the method further comprising:

receiving transmit power control commands from the network equipment with the wireless communications circuitry; and

in accordance with the received transmit power control commands, simultaneously adjusting both the gain mode of the radio-frequency power amplifier and the power supply voltage produced by the adjustable power supply to minimize power consumption.

16. The method defined in claim 15 wherein adjusting the power supply voltage produced by the adjustable power supply comprises adjusting an output voltage produced by a dc-to-dc converter.

17. The method defined in claim 12 wherein applying the control signals comprises:

applying at least a first control signal to place the radio-frequency power amplifier in a first gain mode, wherein the first control signal selectively enables at least a given portion of the radio-frequency power amplifier; and

applying at least a second control signal to place the radio-frequency power amplifier in a second gain mode that is less than the first gain mode, wherein the second control signal selectively disables at least the given portion of the radio-frequency power amplifier.

18. A portable electronic device that is powered by a battery, comprising:

an adjustable power supply that receives a battery voltage from the battery and that produces a corresponding adjustable power supply voltage;

antenna structures;

a first set of radio-frequency power amplifiers that receive power directly from the battery; and

a second set of radio-frequency power amplifiers that amplify radio-frequency signals that are transmitted through the antenna structures, wherein the second set of radio-frequency power amplifiers are powered by the adjustable power supply voltage and are responsive to gain mode control commands.

19. The portable electronic device defined in claim 18 further comprising:

a baseband processor integrated circuit that supplies the gain mode control commands to the second set of radio-frequency power amplifiers to adjust each of the second set of radio-frequency power amplifiers to selectively operate in high gain and low gain modes.

20. The portable electronic device defined in claim 19 wherein the adjustable power supply comprises a dc-to-dc converter that supplies at least a first power supply voltage and a second power supply voltage, wherein the first power supply voltage is less than the second power supply voltage.

21. The portable electronic device defined in claim 18 further comprising a transceiver circuit that receives transmit power commands through the antenna structures, wherein the second set of radio-frequency power amplifiers are responsive to gain mode control commands and wherein the adjustable power supply voltage and gain mode control commands are generated in real time to adjust power amplifier power consumption in accordance with the transmit power commands.