System for monitoring and controlling the power of a radio frequency (RF) signal in a short-range RF transmitter

• US 9,491,723 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2014
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Huot, Alain, Pinatel, Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): JACKSON, BLANE J
• Application Number:
  US14/278,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20140323050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 455/115.1, 455/115.3, 455/121, 455/126, 455/127.1, 455/127.2, 455/129
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals
• 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: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/52 using AGC [Automatic Gain Control] circuits or amplifiers

Abstract

A system for monitoring and controlling the power of a Radio Frequency (RF) signal in a short-range RF transmitter. An RF signal-generation unit generates the RF signal. A power amplifier amplifies the RF signal. An impedance-matching network matches the output impedance of the power amplifier to input impedance of an antenna. One or more RF power monitors monitor the voltage amplitude of the RF signal at the output of at least one of the RF signal-generation unit, the power amplifier and the impedance-matching network. The one or more RF power monitors further generate at least one alarm signal, based on the voltage amplitude of the RF signal. A control unit modifies at least one operating parameter of at least one of the RF signal-generation unit and the power amplifier, based on the at least one alarm signal generated by the one or more RF power monitors.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring and controlling a radio frequency (RF) signal in a RF transmitter, the RF transmitter comprising a RF signal generation unit for generating the RF signal and a power amplifier for amplifying the RF signal, the system comprising:

a RF power monitoring unit coupled to an output stage of at least one component of the transmitter, for monitoring a power of the RF signal and for generating at least one alarm signal indicating a condition when the power meets a predetermined alarm criterion; and

a control unit coupled to the RF power monitoring unit for receiving the alarm signal and coupled to a control input of the RF signal generation unit for modifying a frequency of the RF signal in response to the alarm signal.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the RF signal generation unit comprises:

a local oscillator for generating the RF signal; and

a synthesizer for varying the frequency of the RF signal and wherein the control unit is coupled to the synthesizer.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the RF transmitter includes an impedance matching network coupled between the power amplifier and an antenna for matching an output impedance of the power amplifier to an input impedance of the antenna, wherein the RF power monitoring unit is coupled to the output stage of the impedance matching network.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the RF power monitoring unit comprises:

a peak detector circuit for measuring an amplitude of the RF signal at the output stage; and

a comparator for comparing the amplitude with at least one reference level and generating the alarm signal based on the comparison.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, comprising a first comparator for comparing an amplitude with a lower reference level and generating a power too low signal when the amplitude comes below the lower reference level.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the RF power monitoring unit comprises a second comparator for comparing the amplitude with an upper reference level higher than the lower reference level and generating a power too high signal when the amplitude exceeds the upper reference level.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the control unit is arranged to modify the frequency to reduce the frequency of the RF signal in response the power too high signal and/or to modify the frequency to increase the frequency of the RF signal in response the power too low signal.

8. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the control unit is arranged to modify the frequency to reduce the frequency of the RF signal in response the power too low signal and/or to modify the frequency to increase the frequency of the RF signal in response the power too high signal.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is arranged to restart a telegram transmission of the RF signal after modifying the frequency.

10. A communication unit, comprising:

a power amplifier for amplifying a radio frequency (RF) signal;

a RF power monitoring unit coupled to an input stage of the power amplifier, for monitoring a power of the RF signal and for generating at least one alarm signal indicating a condition when the power meets a predetermined alarm criterion; and

a control unit coupled with to the RF power monitoring unit for receiving the alarm signal and coupled to a control input of the power amplifier for modifying at least one operating parameter of the power amplifier in response to the alarm signal, wherein the control unit is arranged to restart a telegram transmission of the RF signal after modifying the operating parameter.

11. The communication unit as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

a pressure sensor for measuring a pressure of at least one tire of a vehicle; and

a microcontroller for generating a telegram for transmission via the RF signal based on the measured pressure.

12. The communication unit as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

an accelerometer for measuring an acceleration of the at least one tire of a vehicle; and

a microcontroller for generating a telegram for transmission via the RF signal based on the measured acceleration.

13. A communication system including the communication unit as claimed in claim 10 and a receiving unit positioned within a short range from the communication unit, for receiving the RF signal and extracting data signals from the RF signal.

14. A communication system including the communication unit as claimed in claim 10 and a receiving unit wirelessly coupled to the communication unit, for receiving the RF signal.

15. The communication unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the operating parameter comprises at least one of biasing conditions of the power amplifier and a gain of the power amplifier.

16. The communication unit as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

an impedance matching network coupled between the power amplifier and an antenna for matching an output impedance of the power amplifier to an input impedance of the antenna, wherein the RF power monitoring unit is coupled to an output of the power amplifier and to an input of the impedance matching network.

17. The communication unit as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

an impedance matching network coupled between the power amplifier and an antenna for matching an output impedance of the power amplifier to an input impedance of the antenna, wherein the RF power monitoring unit is coupled to an output stage of the impedance matching network.

18. The communication unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the RF power monitoring unit comprises:

a peak detector circuit for measuring an amplitude of the RF signal at the input stage; and

a comparator for comparing the amplitude with at least one reference level and generating the alarm signal based on the comparison.