Switching power supply

• US 8,498,593 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2012
• Issued: 07/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Inventors: Silver, Gregory S., Sorrells, David F., Rawlins, Gregory S.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH C
• Application Number:
  US13/590,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20120313713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 343 Days
• Field of Search: 455/91, 455/114.1, 455/115.1, 455/126.1, 455/127.1, 455/127.4, 375/295, 375/296, 330/129, 330/133, 330/279, 330/282
• US Class Current: 455/127.1
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/02 Modifications of amplifiers to raise the efficiency, e.g. gliding Class A stages, use of an auxiliary oscillation
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0255 by using a signal derived from the output signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 of transmitter output stages
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/045 with means for improving efficiency

Abstract

A power supply is disclosed herein. For example, the power supply can include a switching device and an aperture generator and control module. The switching device can be configured to down-convert an input voltage and pass the down-converted input voltage to an output voltage node. The aperture generator and control module can be configured to control the switching device. In response to a power efficiency of the power supply exceeding a predetermined threshold, the aperture generator and control module can deactivate the switching device and pass the input voltage to the output voltage node.

Claims

1. A power supply comprising:

a switching device configured to down-convert an input voltage and pass the down-converted input voltage to an output voltage node; and

an aperture generator and control module configured to control the switching device, wherein, in response to a power efficiency of the power supply exceeding a predetermined threshold, the aperture generator and control module deactivates the switching device and passes the input voltage to the output voltage node.

2. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the aperture generator and control module is configured to deactivate the switching device based on a load current at the output voltage node.

3. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the aperture generator and control module is configured to control the switching device based on a probable output power point of operation for a selected modulation scheme based on one or more power efficiency characteristics of an electronic device coupled to the power supply.

4. The power supply of claim 3, wherein the modulation scheme is a GSM, W-CDMA, CDMA 2000, EvDO, EDGE, HSUPA, or OFDM communication protocol.

5. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the aperture generator and control module is configured to provide an output current at a maximum power efficiency associated with the down-converted input voltage.

6. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the aperture generator and control module is configured to deactivate the switching device and pass the input voltage to the output voltage node based on a comparison of the down-converted input voltage to a threshold voltage.

7. The power supply of claim 6, wherein the threshold voltage is set to a fixed or programmable value.

8. The power supply of claim 6, wherein the threshold voltage is programmed based on a communication waveform efficiency, battery life associated with an electronic device coupled to the power supply, or a combination thereof.

9. A method for controlling a power supply comprising:

down-converting, with a switching device, an input voltage to generate a down-converted voltage;

passing the down-converted voltage to an output voltage node; and

in response to a power efficiency of the power supplying exceeding a predetermined threshold, de-activating the switching device and passing the input voltage to the output voltage node.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

controlling the switching device based on a probable output power point of operation for a selected modulation scheme based on one or more power efficiency characteristics of an electronic device coupled to the power supply.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing an output current at a maximum power efficiency associated with the down-converted voltage.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the de-activating comprises deactivating the switching device and passing the input voltage to the output voltage node comprises comparing the down-converted voltage to a threshold voltage.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the comparing comprises programming the threshold voltage based on a communication waveform efficiency, battery life associated with an electronic device coupled to the power supply, or a combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the communication waveform efficiency is based on a GSM, W-CDMA, CDMA 2000, EvDO, EDGE, HSUPA, or OFDM communication protocol.

15. A system comprising:

an electronic device; and

a power supply coupled to the electronic device, wherein the power supply comprises;

a switching device configured to down-convert an input voltage and pass the down-converted input voltage to an output voltage node; and

an aperture generator and control module configured to control the switching device, wherein, in response to a power efficiency of the power supply exceeding a predetermined threshold, the aperture generator and control module deactivates the switching device and passes the input voltage to the output voltage node.

16. The, system of claim 15, wherein the electronic device comprises a multiple-input-single-output (MISO) amplifier.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the electronic device comprises an amplifier with a bipolar junction transistor (BJT), and wherein the power supply is coupled to a collector or an emitter terminal of the BJT.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the electronic device comprises an amplifier with a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor, and wherein the power supply is coupled to a drain or a source terminal of the MOSFET.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the aperture generator and control module is configured to control the switching device based on a probable output power point of operation for a selected modulation scheme based on one or more power efficiency characteristics of an electronic device coupled to the power supply.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the modulation scheme is a GSM, W-CDMA, CDMA 2000, EvDO, EDGE, HSUPA, or OFDM communication protocol.