Power supply

• US 9,535,491 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2015
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quantance, Inc. (Skyworks Solutions Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Quantance, Inc. (Skyworks Solutions Incorporated)
• Inventors: Drogi, Serge Francois, Mertsching, Marcus Charles, Panseri, Luigi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US14/975,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20160103479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• Field of Search: 455/127.1, 330/297
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0025 Arrangements for modifying reference values, feedback values or error values in the control loop of a converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0045 Converters combining the concepts of switch-mode regulation and linear regulation, e.g. linear pre-regulator to switching converter, linear and switching converter in parallel, same converter or same transistor operating either in linear or switching mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/007 Plural converter units in cascade push-pull DC/DC converters with pre-regulator H02M3/3374; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC stage including a high frequency transformer H02M7/4807; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC conversion stage generating periodically varying voltages H02M7/4826
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/008 Plural converter units for generating at two or more independent and non-parallel outputs, e.g. systems with plural point of load switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1582 Buck-boost converters H02M3/1584 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0227 using supply converters
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/102 A non-specified detector of a signal envelope being used in an amplifying circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/411 the output amplifying stage of an amplifier comprising two power stages
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/516 Some amplifier stages of an amplifier use supply voltages of different value
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/189 High-frequency amplifiers, e.g. radio frequency amplifiers
• 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 1/1607 Supply circuits converters H02M; filters therefor H02M1/14; voltage stabilisers G05F1/46

Abstract

A power supply for a radio frequency (RF) power amplifier that amplifies an RF input signal into an RF output signal and a method of operation in the power supply. The power supply comprises a first power converter to convert an input voltage to the power supply into a first supply voltage of the RF power amplifier. The power supply comprises a second power converter to receive the input voltage and the first supply voltage and to selectively convert either the input voltage or the first supply voltage into at least a portion of a second supply voltage of the RF power amplifier.

Claims

1. A radio frequency power amplifier system comprising:

a power amplifier configured to receive a radio frequency input signal, a first supply voltage, and a second supply voltage and to amplify the radio frequency input signal into a radio frequency output signal; and

a power supply coupled to the power amplifier, the power supply including a first power converter configured to receive an input voltage and generate a first output voltage and a second power converter configured to receive the first output voltage and generate a second output voltage, the power supply being configured to provide the first output voltage to the power amplifier as both the first supply voltage and the second supply voltage responsive to being in a first mode of operation and to provide the first output voltage to the power amplifier as the first supply voltage and provide at least a portion of the second output voltage to the power amplifier as the second supply voltage responsive to being in a second mode of operation.

2. The radio frequency power amplifier system of claim 1 further comprising an amplitude detector configured to generate an amplitude signal indicative of an amplitude of the radio frequency input signal.

3. The radio frequency power amplifier system of claim 2 wherein the power supply is configured to select one of the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation based on the amplitude signal.

4. The radio frequency power amplifier system of claim 1 wherein the power supply is configured to disable the second power converter responsive to being in the first mode of operation.

5. The radio frequency power amplifier system of claim 1 wherein the power supply further includes a third power converter configured to receive the first output voltage and generate a third output voltage.

6. The radio frequency power amplifier system of claim 5 wherein the power supply further includes a power combiner coupled to the second power converter and the third power converter, the power combiner configured to combine the second output voltage with the third output voltage to generate a fourth output voltage.

7. The radio frequency power amplifier system of claim 6 wherein the power supply is configured to provide the first output voltage to the power amplifier as the first supply voltage and provide the fourth output voltage to the power amplifier as the second supply voltage responsive to being in a third mode of operation.

8. The radio frequency power amplifier system of claim 5 wherein the power supply is configured to disable the third power converter responsive to being in at least one of the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation.

9. The radio frequency power amplifier system of claim 1 wherein the second power converter is configured to receive the input voltage and selectively convert either the input voltage or the first output voltage into the second output voltage.

10. A power supply for a radio frequency power amplifier that amplifies a radio frequency input signal into a radio frequency output signal, the power supply comprising:

a first power converter configured to receive an input voltage and generate a first output voltage;

a second power converter configured to receive the first output voltage and generate a second output voltage; and

a controller coupled to the first power converter and the second power converter, the controller being configured to receive a signal indicative of an amplitude of the radio frequency input signal and select a mode of operation of the power supply from a plurality of modes based on the signal, the plurality of modes including a first mode of operation that provides only the first output voltage to the power amplifier and a second mode of operation that provides the first output voltage and at least a portion of the second output voltage to the power amplifier.

11. The power supply of claim 10 further comprising a first output terminal coupled to the first power converter to provide the first output voltage to the power amplifier and a second output terminal coupled to the second power converter to provide at least one of the first output voltage and the portion of the second output voltage to the power amplifier.

12. The power supply of claim 11 further comprising a switch coupled between the first output terminal and the second output terminal, the controller being configured to close the switch in the first mode of operation and open the switch in the second mode of operation.

13. The power supply of claim 10 wherein the second power converter is configured to receive the input voltage of the power supply and selectively convert either the input voltage or the first output voltage into the second output voltage.

14. The power supply of claim 10 further comprising a third power converter configured to convert the first output voltage into a third output voltage.

15. The power supply of claim 14 further comprising a power combiner coupled to the second power converter and the third power converter, the power combiner being configured to combine the second output voltage with the third output voltage to generate a fourth output voltage.

16. The power supply of claim 15 wherein the plurality of modes includes a third mode of operation that provides the first output voltage and the fourth output voltage to the power amplifier.

17. A power supply for a radio frequency power amplifier that amplifies a radio frequency input signal into a radio frequency output signal, the power supply comprising:

a first power converter configured to convert an input voltage to the power supply into a first output voltage; and

a second power converter configured to receive the input voltage and the first output voltage and to selectively convert either the input voltage or the first output voltage into at least a portion of a supply voltage for the radio frequency power amplifier based on a magnitude of the input voltage.

18. The power supply of claim 17 further comprising a power combiner circuit configured to combine a second output voltage of the second power converter with a third output voltage to generate the supply voltage for the radio frequency power amplifier.

19. The power supply of claim 18 further comprising a third power converter configured to receive the first output voltage and to convert the first output voltage into the third output voltage.

20. The power supply of claim 17 further comprising a controller configured to generate a supply control signal for the second power converter based on an amplitude signal indicative of an amplitude of the radio frequency input signal, the second power converter controlling a level of the portion of the supply voltage for the radio frequency power amplifier based on the supply control signal.