Method and apparatus for reducing wake up time of a powered down device

• US 8,359,074 B1
• Filed: 10/11/2006
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Jin, Xiaodong, Tsai, King Chun, Song, Yonghua
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Assistant Examiner(s): WYCHE, MYRON
• Application Number:
  US11/546,605
• Time in Patent Office: 2,295 Days
• Field of Search: 330/285, 330/51, 455/343.2, 455/280, 455/574, 455/572, 455/550.1, 455/73, 455/456.2, 455/435.1, 455/457, 455/422, 455/414.2, 455/422.1, 455/127.1, 455/127.5, 327/202, 327/203, 327/544, 342450-464, 341/121, 341/118, 341/120, 341/136
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/26 Modifications of amplifiers to reduce influence of noise generated by amplifying elements
• 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 1/305 in case of switching on or off of a power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/294 the amplifier being a low noise amplifier [LNA]
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/372 Noise reduction and elimination in amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/453 Controlling being realised by adding a replica circuit or by using one among multiple identical circuits as a replica circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 of transmitter output stages
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1615 Switching on; Switching off, e.g. remotely battery saving circuits associated with selective call operation H04W52/00; details of power consumption reduction in a PLL, H03L7/0802, H03L7/14, H03L2207/08, H03L2207/18; muting amplifiers by gain control see H03G3/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A dummy circuit is provided to which a bias circuit of an low noise amplifier (LNA) can be coupled to during power down of the LNA. The dummy circuit maintains the bias circuit at an approximately normal operating state to reduce wake up time of the LNA.

Claims

1. A method for biasing a circuit to be powered down, the method comprising:

switching a bias output from a bias circuit coupled to a first circuit to a dummy circuit, the first circuit including a low noise amplifier that operates in either a normal mode or a sleep mode; and

maintaining the bias circuit at an operating state using the dummy circuit while the first circuit including the low noise amplifier is powered down in the sleep mode including maintaining a positive lead of an amplifier of the bias circuit at a predetermined voltage level, wherein maintaining the positive lead includes maintaining the positive lead coupled between the dummy circuit and the amplifier of the bias circuit at the predetermined voltage level, the amplifier including a comparative amplifier.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising powering down the first circuit including reducing power consumption of the first circuit.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising powering down the first circuit including shutting off current flowing through the first circuit.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

powering the first circuit including the low noise amplifier while deactivating the dummy circuit in the normal mode; and

switching the bias output from the dummy circuit back to the first circuit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the dummy circuit has a lower current draw than the first circuit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the dummy circuit is operational only when the first circuit is powered down.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein switching a bias output includes switching a bias current from the first circuit to the dummy circuit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein switching a bias output includes switching a bias voltage from the first circuit to the dummy circuit.

9. A method comprising:

providing a bias output to a first circuit by a bias circuit during a time the first circuit is operating in a first mode, the first circuit including a low noise amplifier;

maintaining the bias circuit in an operating state using a dummy circuit during the time the first circuit is operating in a power down mode including maintaining a positive lead coupled between the dummy circuit and a comparative amplifier of the bias circuit at a predetermined voltage level; and

switching the bias output from the first circuit to the dummy circuit when the first circuit is powered down from the first mode to the power down mode.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

powering the dummy circuit only when the first circuit is operating in the power down mode.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

activating the first circuit from the power down mode to the first mode;

switching the bias output from the dummy circuit back to the first circuit; and

deactivating the dummy circuit.

12. A system comprising:

means for switching a bias output from a bias circuit coupled to a first circuit to a means for maintaining the bias circuit at an operating state while powering down the first circuit and activating the means for maintaining, the first circuit including a low noise amplifier that operates in either a normal mode or a sleep mode; and

the means for maintaining including means for maintaining a positive lead of an amplifier of the bias circuit at a predetermined voltage level, wherein the means for maintaining the positive lead includes means for maintaining the positive lead coupled between the dummy circuit and the amplifier of the bias circuit at the predetermined voltage level, the amplifier including a comparative amplifier.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for powering down the first circuit and reducing power consumption of the first circuit.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for powering down the first circuit including shutting off current flowing through the first circuit.

15. A system comprising:

means for providing a bias output to a first circuit by a bias circuit during a time the first circuit is operating in a first mode, the first circuit including a low noise amplifier;

means for maintaining the bias circuit in an operating state during the time the first circuit is operating in a power down mode including means for maintaining a positive lead coupled between the dummy circuit and a comparative amplifier of the bias circuit at a predetermined voltage level; and

means for switching the bias output from the first circuit to the means for maintaining when the first circuit is powered down from the first mode to the power down mode.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for activating the first circuit from the power down mode to the first mode;

means for switching the bias output from the dummy circuit back to the first circuit; and

means for deactivating the dummy circuit.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the dummy circuit has a lower current draw than the first circuit.