Power management architecture for modulated and constant supply operation

• US 9,246,460 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2013
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: RF Micro Devices Incorporated (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Inventors: Khlat, Nadim, Kay, Michael R., Gorisse, Phillippe, Ngo, Christopher Truong
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PATRICIA T
• Application Number:
  US14/072,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20140055197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 330/127, 330/297, 330/10
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0032 Control circuits allowing low power mode operation, e.g. in standby mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/07 using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode , e.g. charge pumps
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0227 using supply converters
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 of transmitter output stages
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/45663 Measuring at the active amplifying circuit of the differential amplifier
• 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: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

A power management system, which includes a parallel amplifier circuit and a switch mode power supply converter, is disclosed. The switch mode power supply converter cooperatively operates with the parallel amplifier circuit to form the power management system. The power management system operates in one of a high power modulation mode, a medium power modulation mode, and a low power average power tracking mode. Further, during the high power modulation mode and the medium power modulation mode, the power management system controls a power amplifier supply voltage to a radio frequency power amplifier to provide envelope tracking. During the low power average power tracking mode, the power management system controls the power amplifier supply voltage to the radio frequency power amplifier to provide average power tracking.

Claims

1. Circuitry comprising a parallel amplifier circuit and a switch mode power supply converter configured to cooperatively operate with the parallel amplifier circuit to form a power management system, which is configured to:

operate in one of at least a high power modulation mode, a medium power modulation mode, and a low power average power tracking mode;

during the high power modulation mode and the medium power modulation mode, control a power amplifier supply voltage to a radio frequency power amplifier to provide envelope tracking; and

during the low power average power tracking mode, control the power amplifier supply voltage to the radio frequency power amplifier to provide average power tracking.

2. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein the power management system is further configured to:

operate in the high power modulation mode when an expected output power from the radio frequency power amplifier is greater than a high power modulation mode threshold;

operate in the medium power modulation mode when the expected output power from the radio frequency power amplifier is greater than a medium power modulation mode threshold and is less than the high power modulation mode threshold; and

operate in the low power average power tracking mode when the expected output power from the radio frequency power amplifier is less than the medium power modulation mode threshold.

3. The circuitry of claim 2 wherein the power management system is further configured to:

operate in the high power modulation mode when the expected output power from the radio frequency power amplifier is equal to the high power modulation mode threshold; and

operate in the medium power modulation mode when the expected output power from the radio frequency power amplifier is equal to the medium power modulation mode threshold.

4. The circuitry of claim 2 wherein:

the high power modulation mode threshold is equal to about three decibels less than a maximum expected output power from the radio frequency power amplifier; and

the medium power modulation mode threshold is equal to about ten decibels less than the maximum expected output power from the radio frequency power amplifier.

5. The circuitry of claim 1 further comprising the radio frequency power amplifier, which is configured to generate an amplified modulated radio frequency output signal as a function of a modulated radio frequency input signal and the power amplifier supply voltage.

6. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein:

the power amplifier supply voltage is generated at a modulated power supply output;

the switch mode power supply converter has a switching voltage output; and

a power inductor is coupled between the switching voltage output and the modulated power supply output.

7. The circuitry of claim 6 wherein the power management system is further configured to provide a high impedance path to ground at the switching voltage output during the low power average power tracking mode.

8. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein the switch mode power supply converter is further configured to be in an OFF mode during the low power average power tracking mode.

9. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein:

the power amplifier supply voltage is generated at a modulated power supply output;

the parallel amplifier circuit has a parallel amplifier circuit output; and

a coupling capacitor is coupled between the modulated power supply output and the parallel amplifier circuit output.

10. The circuitry of claim 9 wherein the parallel amplifier circuit comprises a parallel amplifier configured to provide a parallel amplifier output voltage at the parallel amplifier circuit output during the high power modulation mode and the medium power modulation mode.

11. The circuitry of claim 10 wherein the parallel amplifier is further configured to be disabled during the low power average power tracking mode.

12. The circuitry of claim 10 wherein the parallel amplifier output voltage is based on a μ

C charge pump output voltage during the high power modulation mode and the medium power modulation mode.

13. The circuitry of claim 10 wherein the parallel amplifier has a segmented output stage, such that during the high power modulation mode and the medium power modulation mode, segment selection of the segmented output stage is based on an expected output power from the radio frequency power amplifier.

14. The circuitry of claim 9 wherein the parallel amplifier circuit further comprises a parallel amplifier output bypass switch coupled between the parallel amplifier circuit output and ground, such that:

during the high power modulation mode and the medium power modulation mode, the parallel amplifier output bypass switch is OPEN; and

during the low power average power tracking mode, the parallel amplifier output bypass switch is CLOSED.

15. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein the parallel amplifier circuit comprises a linear regulator configured to provide the power amplifier supply voltage during the low power average power tracking mode.

16. The circuitry of claim 15 wherein the power amplifier supply voltage is based on a μ

C charge pump output voltage during the low power average power tracking mode.

17. The circuitry of claim 15 wherein the linear regulator is disabled during the medium power modulation mode.

18. The circuitry of claim 15 wherein the linear regulator is disabled during the high power modulation mode.

19. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein the power amplifier supply voltage is further based on a μ

C charge pump output voltage during the high power modulation mode, during the medium power modulation mode, and during the low power average power tracking mode.

20. The circuitry of claim 19 wherein the parallel amplifier circuit comprises a μ

C charge pump circuit configured to provide the μ

C charge pump output voltage based on a battery voltage, wherein the μ

C charge pump circuit is a capacitor-based charge pump circuit.

21. The circuitry of claim 20 wherein the μ

C charge pump circuit has a segmented output stage, such that during the high power modulation mode, during the medium power modulation mode, and during the low power average power tracking mode, segment selection of the segmented output stage is based on an expected output power from the radio frequency power amplifier.

22. The circuitry of claim 20 wherein the μ

C charge pump circuit is further configured to operate using a charge-pump-ratio, which is based on the one of the at least the high power modulation mode, the medium power modulation mode, and the low power average power tracking mode, and is further based on an expected output power from the radio frequency power amplifier.

23. The circuitry of claim 22 wherein during the high power modulation mode, the μ

C charge pump output voltage is based on the charge-pump-ratio, and is substantially equal to one of the battery voltage and four-thirds times the battery voltage.

24. The circuitry of claim 22 wherein during the medium power modulation mode, the μ

C charge pump output voltage is based on the charge-pump-ratio, and is substantially equal to one of the battery voltage and two-thirds times the battery voltage.

25. The circuitry of claim 22 wherein during the low power average power tracking mode, the μ

C charge pump output voltage is based on the charge-pump-ratio, and is substantially equal to one of one-half times the battery voltage, one-third times the battery voltage, and one-fourth times the battery voltage.

26. The circuitry of claim 20 wherein the μ

C charge pump circuit is further configured to provide a linear regulator output voltage to bias circuitry in the radio frequency power amplifier via a linear regulator.

27. The circuitry of claim 19 wherein the parallel amplifier circuit comprises a μ

L charge pump circuit configured to provide the μ

C charge pump output voltage based on a battery voltage, wherein the μ

L charge pump circuit is an inductor-based charge pump circuit.

28. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein during the low power average power tracking mode, a magnitude of the power amplifier supply voltage is configured to be adjustable based on an expected output power from the radio frequency power amplifier.

29. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency power amplifier is configured to sequentially transmit a plurality of communications slots, such that selection of the one of the at least the high power modulation mode, the medium power modulation mode, and the low power average power tracking mode is based on an expected output power from the radio frequency power amplifier and is made on a communications slot to communications slot basis.

30. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency power amplifier is configured to sequentially transmit a plurality of communications slots, such that during the low power average power tracking mode, adjustment of a magnitude of the power amplifier supply voltage is made on a communications slot to communications slot basis.

31. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein the switch mode power supply converter comprises a segmented output stage, such that during the high power modulation mode and the medium power modulation mode, segment selection of the segmented output stage is based on an expected output power from the radio frequency power amplifier.

32. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein the at least the high power modulation mode, the medium power modulation mode, and the low power average power tracking mode comprises the high power modulation mode, the medium power modulation mode, a medium power average power tracking mode, and the low power average power tracking mode.

33. The circuitry of claim 32 wherein the power management system is further configured to:

operate in the high power modulation mode when an expected output power from the radio frequency power amplifier is greater than a high power modulation mode threshold;

operate in the medium power modulation mode when the expected output power from the radio frequency power amplifier is greater than a medium power modulation mode threshold and is less than the high power modulation mode threshold;

operate in the medium power average power tracking mode when the expected output power from the radio frequency power amplifier is less than the medium power modulation mode threshold and is greater than a low power average power tracking mode threshold; and

operate in the low power average power tracking mode when the expected output power from the radio frequency power amplifier is less than the low power average power tracking mode threshold.

34. The circuitry of claim 32 wherein the parallel amplifier circuit comprises a linear regulator configured to be disabled during the medium power average power tracking mode.

35. The circuitry of claim 32 wherein the parallel amplifier circuit comprises a parallel amplifier configured to provide a parallel amplifier output voltage at a parallel amplifier circuit output during the high power modulation mode and the medium power modulation mode, and is further configured to be disabled during the medium power average power tracking mode and the low power average power tracking mode.

36. A method comprising:

cooperatively operating a switch mode power supply converter with a parallel amplifier circuit to provide a power amplifier supply voltage;

operating in one of at least a high power modulation mode, a medium power modulation mode, and a low power average power tracking mode;

during the high power modulation mode and the medium power modulation mode, controlling the power amplifier supply voltage to a radio frequency power amplifier to provide envelope tracking; and

during the low power average power tracking mode, controlling the power amplifier supply voltage to the radio frequency power amplifier to provide average power tracking.