Multi-mode bypass driver amplifier with tunable load matching

• US 8,666,338 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2012
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Zhao, Yu, Pletcher, Nathan M.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US13/356,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20130190036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 330/124.R, 330/126, 330/144
• US Class Current: 455/127.1
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0277 Selecting one or more amplifiers from a plurality of amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/565 using inductive elements
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/213 A variable capacitor being added in the input circuit, e.g. base, gate, of an amplifier stage
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/222 A circuit being added at the input of an amplifier to adapt the input impedance of the amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/318 A matching circuit being used as coupling element between two amplifying stages
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/378 A variable capacitor being added in the output circuit, e.g. collector, drain, of an amplifier stage
• 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 2200/411 the output amplifying stage of an amplifier comprising two power stages
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/21136 An input signal of a power amplifier being on/off switched
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/21175 An output signal of a power amplifier being on/off switched
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/7233 the gated amplifier, switched on or off by putting into parallel or not, by choosing between amplifiers by one or more switch(es), being impedance adapted by switching an adapted passive network
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/7239 the gated amplifier being switched on or off by putting into parallel or not, by choosing between amplifiers and shunting lines by one or more switch(es)
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/195 in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/211 using a combination of several amplifiers H03F3/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/245 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/72 Gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal

Abstract

A multi-mode driver amplifier with tunable load matching is disclosed. In an exemplary design, an apparatus includes a multi-mode driver amplifier and a tunable impedance matching circuit. The driver amplifier amplifies an input radio frequency (RF) signal and provides an amplified RF signal. The tunable impedance matching circuit matches an output impedance of the driver amplifier. The apparatus may include a main transmit path and a bypass transmit path. The bypass transmit path may include the driver amplifier and the tunable impedance matching circuit and no power amplifier. The main transmit path may include a second driver amplifier and a power amplifier. The main transmit path may be selected for transmit power levels higher than a threshold level, and the bypass transmit path may be selected for transmit power levels lower than the threshold level.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a driver amplifier in a multi-mode bypass transmit path configured to amplify an input radio frequency (RF) signal and provide an amplified RF signal, the multi-mode bypass transmit path exclusive of a power amplifier; and

a tunable impedance matching circuit coupled to the driver amplifier and configured to match an output impedance of the driver amplifier for each of a plurality of modes of the driver amplifier.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driver amplifier includes a plurality of settings for the plurality of modes.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plurality of modes are associated with at least one of a plurality of transmit power levels, a plurality of frequency bands, or a plurality of radio technologies.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plurality of settings of the driver amplifier are associated with at least one of different bias voltages or different bias currents for the driver amplifier.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a look-up table configured to store the plurality of settings of the driver amplifier, to receive a selected mode, and to provide one of the plurality of settings corresponding to the selected mode.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tunable impedance matching circuit includes a plurality of settings for the plurality of modes.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, the tunable impedance matching circuit comprising a tunable capacitor having an adjustable capacitance value.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, the tunable capacitor comprising at least one capacitor coupled to at least one switch, each of the at least one capacitor being selected or unselected based on an associated switch.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, the tunable impedance matching circuit comprising:

a tunable capacitor coupled between an input and an output of the tunable impedance matching circuit; and

an inductor coupled between the input of the tunable impedance matching circuit and a power supply or circuit ground.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a second tunable impedance matching circuit coupled to the driver amplifier and configured to perform input impedance matching for the driver amplifier.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, the second tunable impedance matching circuit comprising:

a first capacitor coupled between an input of the second tunable impedance matching circuit and an intermediate node;

an inductor coupled between the intermediate node and an output of the second tunable impedance matching circuit; and

a tunable capacitor coupled between the intermediate node and circuit ground.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a main transmit path comprising a second driver amplifier and a power amplifier.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the main transmit path is selected for transmit power levels higher than a threshold level, and wherein the multi-mode bypass transmit path is selected for transmit power levels lower than the threshold level.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a second tunable impedance matching circuit coupled to the main transmit path and the multi-mode bypass transmit path and configured to perform input impedance matching for the driver amplifier or the second driver amplifier.

15. A method comprising:

amplifying an input radio frequency (RF) signal with a driver amplifier in a multi-mode bypass transmit path to obtain an amplified RF signal, the multi-mode bypass transmit path exclusive of a power amplifier; and

matching an output impedance of the driver amplifier with a tunable impedance matching circuit coupled to the driver amplifier for each of a plurality of modes of the driver amplifier.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

matching an input impedance of the driver amplifier with a second tunable impedance matching circuit coupled to the driver amplifier.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

setting the driver amplifier to one of a plurality of settings associated with the plurality of modes.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

setting the tunable impedance matching circuit to one of a plurality of settings associated with the plurality of modes.

19. An apparatus comprising:

means for amplifying an input radio frequency (RF) signal in a multi-mode bypass transmit path to obtain an amplified RF signal, the multi-mode bypass transmit path exclusive of a power amplifying means; and

means for matching an output impedance of the means for amplifying, the means for matching the output impedance coupled to the means for amplifying for each of a plurality of modes of the means for amplifying.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

means for matching an input impedance of the means for amplifying, the means for performing input impedance matching being tunable.