Multi-mode multi-band power amplifiers

• US 9,160,377 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2012
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Chang-Ho, Kim, Woonyun, Ahn, Minsik, Cha, Jeongwon, Park, Yunseo, Hadjichristos, Aristotele
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Blane J
• Application Number:
  US13/720,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20150050901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: 455/91, 455/102, 455/103, 455/127.1, 455/127.2, 455/127.3, 455/127.4, 330/165, 330/195, 330/278, 330/295
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0277 Selecting one or more amplifiers from a plurality of amplifiers
• 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 3/72 Gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/38 Impedance-matching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0458 Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages matching circuits in general H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0483 Transmitters with multiple parallel paths

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to an amplifier module which may comprise a transmit path including a first amplifier and a second amplifier. The exemplary amplifier module may further include a transformer coupled between the first amplifier and the second amplifier and switchably configured for coupling the first amplifier in series with the second amplifier in a first mode and coupling the first amplifier to bypass the second amplifier in a second mode.

Claims

1. An amplifier module, comprising:

a transmit path including a first amplifier and a second amplifier; and

a transformer coupled between the first amplifier and the second amplifier and switchably configured to double-endedly couple the first amplifier in series with the second amplifier in a first mode and to single-endedly couple the first amplifier to bypass the second amplifier through at least a portion of the transformer in a second mode.

2. The amplifier module of claim 1, further comprising another transmit path including a third amplifier for operating in a third mode.

3. The amplifier module of claim 2, further comprising:

a first switch to couple either the transmit path or the another transmit path to one of a first band port and a second band port; and

a second switch to couple either the transmit path or the another transmit path to one of a third band port and a fourth band port.

4. The amplifier module of claim 2, the first mode comprising a high-power mode, the second mode comprising a medium-power mode, and the third mode comprising a low-power mode.

5. The amplifier module of claim 1, the transmit path including:

a second transformer to receive a single-ended input signal and to convey a double-ended output signal to the first amplifier.

6. The amplifier module of claim 5, further including a third transformer to receive a double-ended input signal conveyed from the second amplifier and to convey a single-ended signal to an output.

7. The amplifier module of claim 1, the transformer to receive an output signal and switchably configured to either convey a double-ended signal to the second amplifier in the first mode or to convey a single-ended signal to bypass the second amplifier in the second mode.

8. The amplifier module of claim 1, the first mode comprising a high-power mode and the second mode comprising a medium-power mode.

9. The amplifier module of claim 1, further comprising a first switch to couple to an output of either the first amplifier of the second amplifier and to select either a first band or a second band and a second, different switch to couple to an output of either the first amplifier of the second amplifier and to select either a third band or a fourth band.

10. A method, comprising:

amplifying a signal with at least one amplifier through at least a portion of a transformer in each one of a plurality of operating modes, the transformer double-endedly coupling a first amplifier in series with a second amplifier in a first operating mode and the transformer single-endedly coupling the first amplifier to bypass the second amplifier through at least a portion of the transformer in a second operating mode; and

conveying the amplified signal to a first output path if one of a first plurality of band ports is selected; and

conveying the amplified signal to a second output path if one of a second plurality of band ports is selected.

11. The method of claim 10, the amplifying comprising:

amplifying the signal with the first amplifier and the second amplifier in the first operating mode;

amplifying the signal with the first amplifier in the second operating mode; and

amplifying the signal with a third amplifier in a third operating mode.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising switchably configuring the transformer to convey a signal output from the first amplifier to the second amplifier in the first operating mode.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising switchably configuring the transformer to convey a signal output from the first amplifier to one of the first output path and the second output path in the second operating mode.

14. The method of claim 10, the amplifying comprising amplifying the signal in one of a high-power mode, a medium power mode, and a low-power mode.

15. The method of claim 10, the amplifying comprising:

converting a single-ended signal to a double-ended signal at the transformer; and

converting an amplified double-ended signal to a single-ended signal at another transformer.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising outputting the signal via one of a plurality of switches based on a selected band.

17. The method of claim 16, the outputting comprising one of outputting the signal via a first switch if one of a first band and a second band is selected and outputting the signal via a second switch if one of a third band and a fourth band is selected.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing impedance matching from an output of a driver amplifier to an input of a power amplifier in a high-power mode.

19. The method of claim 10, tuning a capacitor to provide at least one of interstage matching and output matching for the at least one amplifier.

20. A device, comprising:

means for amplifying a signal with at least one amplifier through at least a portion of a transformer in each of a plurality of operating modes, the transformer double-endedly coupling a first amplifier in series with a second amplifier in a first operating mode and the transformer single-endedly coupling the first amplifier to bypass the second amplifier through at least a portion of the transformer in a second operating mode; and

means for conveying the amplified signal to a first output path if one of a first plurality of band ports is selected; and

means for conveying the amplified signal to a second output path if one of a second plurality of band ports is selected.