Programmable RF notch filter for envelope tracking

• US 9,020,451 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2013
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: RF Micro Devices Incorporated (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Inventors: Khlat, Nadim
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Simon
• Application Number:
  US13/951,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20140028368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 455571-572, 4551271-1275, 330/124.R, 330/125, 330/132, 323/234, 323271-272, 323280-282
• US Class Current: 455/91
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0227 using supply converters
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/432 Two or more amplifiers of different type are coupled in parallel at the input or output, e.g. a class D and a linear amplifier, a class B and a class A amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/555 A voltage generating circuit being realised for biasing different circuit elements
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/195 in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/245 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2007/013 Notch or bandstop filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 21/0021 Notch filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/0107 Non-linear filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/0153 Electrical filters; Controlling thereof

Abstract

A parallel amplifier, a switching supply, and a radio frequency (RF) notch filter are disclosed. The parallel amplifier has a parallel amplifier output, such that the switching supply is coupled to the parallel amplifier output. Further, the RF notch filter is coupled between the parallel amplifier output and a ground. The RF notch filter has a selectable notch frequency, which is based on an RF duplex frequency.

Claims

1. Circuitry comprising:

a parallel amplifier having a parallel amplifier output and configured to regulate a voltage of a first power supply output signal based on a voltage setpoint;

a switching supply coupled to the parallel amplifier output; and

a radio frequency (RF) notch filter having a selectable notch frequency and coupled between the parallel amplifier output and a ground, wherein the selectable notch frequency is based on an RF duplex frequency.

2. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein the RF notch filter is a programmable RF notch filter.

3. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein the RF duplex frequency is about equal to a difference between an RF transmit frequency and an RF receive frequency.

4. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein the selectable notch frequency is about equal to the RF duplex frequency.

5. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein transmitter control circuitry is configured to select the selectable notch frequency based on the RF duplex frequency.

6. The circuitry of claim 5 further comprising the transmitter control circuitry.

7. The circuitry of claim 5 wherein selection of the selectable notch frequency is further based on notch frequency information, which is based on the RF duplex frequency.

8. The circuitry of claim 1 further comprising an offset capacitive element, wherein the switching supply is coupled to the parallel amplifier output via the offset capacitive element, and the RF notch filter is coupled to the parallel amplifier output via the offset capacitive element.

9. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein the selectable notch frequency is one of a first frequency and a second frequency.

10. The circuitry of claim 9 wherein the first frequency is equal to about 30 megahertz and the second frequency is equal to about 45 megahertz.

11. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein the selectable notch frequency is one of a first frequency, a second frequency, and a third frequency.

12. The circuitry of claim 11 wherein the first frequency is equal to about 30 megahertz, the second frequency is equal to about 39 megahertz, and the third frequency is equal to about 47 megahertz.

13. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein the RF notch filter is configured to be disabled.

14. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein:

the parallel amplifier is further configured to partially provide the first power supply output signal via the parallel amplifier output based on the voltage setpoint; and

the switching supply is configured to partially provide the first power supply output signal.

15. The circuitry of claim 14 wherein the switching supply is further configured to regulate the first power supply output signal to minimize an output current from the parallel amplifier.

16. The circuitry of claim 1 further comprising a direct current (DC)-DC converter, an RF PA, and RF front-end circuitry, wherein:

the DC-DC converter comprises the parallel amplifier, the switching supply, and the RF notch filter, and is configured to provide a first envelope power supply signal to the RF PA, such that the first envelope power supply signal is configured to at least partially envelope track an RF transmit signal;

the RF PA is configured to receive and amplify an RF input signal to provide the RF transmit signal using the first envelope power supply signal; and

the RF front-end circuitry is configured to provide an RF receive signal, which has an RF receive frequency.

17. The circuitry of claim 16 wherein the first envelope power supply signal provides power for amplification to the RF PA.

18. The circuitry of claim 16 wherein a bandwidth of the first envelope power supply signal is greater than or equal to about 20 megahertz.

19. The circuitry of claim 16 wherein the selectable notch frequency is selected to reduce noise at the RF receive frequency.

20. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein the selectable notch frequency is selected to minimize a difference between the selectable notch frequency and the RF duplex frequency.

21. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein the selectable notch frequency is selected to minimize a difference between the selectable notch frequency and a preferred notch frequency.

22. A method comprising:

providing a first envelope power supply signal to a radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (PA);

at least partially envelope tracking an RF transmit signal;

receiving and amplifying an RF input signal to provide the RF transmit signal using the first envelope power supply signal;

providing an RF receive signal, which has an RF receive frequency; and

RF notch filtering the first envelope power supply signal to reduce noise at the RF receive frequency.