Method and system for level detector calibration for accurate transmit power control

• US 8,670,729 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2010
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Behzad, Arya
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Simon
• Application Number:
  US12/725,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20100173597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 455/126, 4551271-1275, 455/91, 4551142-1154
• US Class Current: 455/115.1
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/45183 Long tailed pairs H03F3/4521, H03F3/45237 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3042 in modulators, frequency-changers, transmitters or power amplifiers transmission power control in bidirectional transmission systems H04W52/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/13 of power amplifiers, e.g. gain or non-linearity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/0416 having gain or transmission power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/52 using AGC [Automatic Gain Control] circuits or amplifiers

Abstract

Methods and systems for level detector calibration are disclosed and may comprise calibrating a level detector integrated on-chip to eliminate an associated zero input offset voltage utilizing a replica bias circuit with no input ac voltage at the level detector or the replica bias circuit. The offset voltages of the level detector and the replica bias circuit may be combined to eliminate the associated zero input offset voltage of the level detector. The output signal may be generated by a difference of output signals from the level detector and the replica bias circuit. The level detector and the replica bias circuit may be biased utilizing a similar bias voltage. A plurality of known input voltages may be utilized to generate a corresponding plurality of output voltages of the level detector, generating a corrected transfer function that may be used to accurately set a transmitter power level.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a circuit within a transmitter, the method comprising:

canceling a zero input offset voltage from an output of a level detector;

calibrating transmitter output signal strength over a range of input voltage values utilizing a known temperature-and-supply-voltage-independent voltage level by an on-chip voltage-controlled oscillator signal generator and the level detector by comparing a signal generated by said on-chip voltage-controlled oscillator signal generator to a signal received from an amplifier in the transmitter;

generating a corrected transfer function to control transmit power, wherein the corrected transfer function characterizes non-linearity in voltage measured by the level detector versus the signal received from the amplifier; and

utilizing the corrected transfer function to set output transmit power of the transmitter.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising buffering an output signal of said on-chip voltage-controlled oscillator signal generator utilizing CMOS buffers biased with the known temperature-and-supply-voltage-independent voltage level.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising comparing said signal generated by said on-chip voltage-controlled oscillator signal generator to said signal received from the amplifier in the transmitter by selecting between said generated signal and said received signal utilizing a multiplexer.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising limiting a voltage received at said level detector utilizing variable capacitors.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said level detector comprises a peak detector.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said level detector comprises an envelope detector.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said level detector comprises an average detector.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising generating the known temperature-and-supply-voltage-independent voltage level by clipping an input signal from the on-chip voltage-controlled oscillator signal generator.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

communicating a null signal as an input to the level detector; and

determining the zero input offset voltage associated with the level detector based on the null signal.

10. A system for controlling a circuit within a transmitter, the system comprising:

one or more circuits operable to cancel a zero input offset voltage from an output of a level detector;

one or more circuits operable to calibrate transmitter output signal strength over a range of input voltage values utilizing a known temperature-and-supply-voltage-independent voltage level by an on-chip voltage-controlled oscillator signal generator and the level detector by comparing a signal generated by said on-chip voltage-controlled oscillator signal generator to a signal received from an amplifier in the transmitter;

one or more circuits operable to generate a corrected transfer function to control transmit power, wherein the corrected transfer function characterizes non-linearity in voltage measured by the level detector versus the signal received from the amplifier; and

one or more circuits operable to utilize the corrected transfer function to set output transmit power of the transmitter.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to buffer an output signal of said on-chip voltage-controlled oscillator signal generator utilizing CMOS buffers biased with the known temperature-and-supply-voltage-independent voltage level.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to compare said signal generated by said on-chip voltage-controlled oscillator signal generator to said signal received from the amplifier in the transmitter by selecting between said generated signal and said received signal utilizing a multiplexer.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to limit a voltage received at said level detector utilizing variable capacitors.

14. The system according to claim 10, wherein said level detector comprises a peak detector.

15. The system according to claim 10, wherein said level detector comprises an envelope detector.

16. The system according to claim 10, wherein said level detector comprises an average detector.

17. The system according to claim 10, further comprising one or more circuits operable to generate the known temperature-and-supply-voltage-independent voltage level by clipping an input signal from the on-chip voltage-controlled oscillator signal generator.

18. The system according to claim 10, further comprising:

one or more circuits operable to communicate a null signal as an input to the level detector; and

one or more circuits operable to determine the zero input offset voltage associated with the level detector based on the null signal.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodied with computer executable instructions, which when executed by a computer, causes the computer to:

communicate a null signal as an input to a level detector;

determine a zero input offset voltage associated with the level detector based on the null signal;

cancel the zero input offset voltage from an output of the level detector;

calibrate transmitter output signal strength over a range of input voltage values utilizing a known temperature-and-supply-voltage-independent voltage level by an on-chip voltage-controlled oscillator signal generator and the level detector by comparing a signal generated by said on-chip voltage-controlled oscillator signal generator to a signal received from an amplifier in the transmitter;

generate a corrected transfer function to control transmit power, wherein the corrected transfer function characterizes non-linearity in voltage measured by the level detector versus the signal received from the amplifier; and

utilize the corrected transfer function to set output transmit power of the transmitter.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, further causing the computer to generate the known temperature-and-supply-voltage-independent voltage level by clipping an input signal from the on-chip voltage-controlled oscillator signal generator.