Systems and methods of RF power transmission, modulation, and amplification, including control functions to transition an output of a MISO device

• US 9,614,484 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2014
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Inventors: Sorrells, David F., Rawlins, Gregory S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Patricia T
• Application Number:
  US14/276,258
• Publication Number:
  US 20140327484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 330147, 330127, 330 10, 330 2
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0294 using vector summing of two or more constant amplitude phase-modulated signals
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/21106 An input signal being distributed in parallel over the inputs of a plurality of power amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/195 in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/211 using a combination of several amplifiers H03F3/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/213 in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/2175 using analogue-digital or digital-analogue conversion H03F3/2173 takes precedence

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention include a method and system for control of a multiple-input-single output (MISO) device. For example, the method includes partitioning a waveform constellation space into a plurality of regions, where each region of the plurality of regions is associated with one or more control functions of the MISO device. The method also includes transitioning the MISO device between a plurality of classes of operation based on the one or more control functions.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

partitioning a waveform constellation space into a plurality of regions, wherein each region of the plurality of regions is associated with one or more control functions of a multiple-input-single-output (MISO) device; and

transitioning the MISO device between a plurality of classes of operation based on the one or more control functions,

wherein

a first region is a phase control-biased region in which higher weight is given to phase control compared to bias control and amplitude control;

a second region is a phase control only region;

a third region is a phase control, bias control, and amplitude control region, wherein the phase control, bias control and amplitude controls may be combined with equal or different weights.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the partitioning comprises partitioning the waveform constellation space based on an output power level of a desired output waveform from the MISO device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transitioning comprises applying the one Of more control functions to the MISO device based on a weighted combination, and wherein the weighted combination associates is respective weight to each of the one or more control functions.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the applying comprises varying each of the respective weights associated with each of the one or more control functions based on one or more of a branch phase imbalance, a branch amplitude imbalance and a branch isolation of the MISO device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transitioning comprises transitioning the MISO device between classes of operation analogous to Class A, Class B, Class C, Class D and Class S amplifier classes of operation.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the transitioning comprises operating the MISO device in classes of operation analogous to the Class A and Class B amplifier classes of operation at a duration of time shorter than operating the MISO device in classes of operation analogous to the Class C, Class D and Class S amplifier classes of operation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the transitioning comprises generating a zero, or a near zero, output current with the MISO device when an output waveform of the MISO device undergoes a zero crossing.

3. The method of claim wherein the transitioning comprises transitioning the MISO device between the plurality of classes of operation based on one or more of a bias control of the MISO device, a phase control of one or more inputs to the MISO device and an amplitude control of the one or more inputs to the MISO device.

9. A system comprising:

a multiple-input-single-output (MISO) device; and

a transfer function module configured to transition the MISO device between a plurality of classes of operation based on one or more control functions, wherein each the one or more control functions is associated with a region from a plurality of regions partitioned from a waveform constellation space,

wherein

a first region is a phase control-biased region in which higher weight is given to phase control compared to bias control and amplitude control;

a second region is a phase control only region;

a third region is a phase control, bias control, and amplitude control region, wherein the phase control, bias control and amplitude controls may be combined with equal or different weights.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

one or more vector modulators coupled to respective one of more inputs to the MISO device, wherein the one or more vector modulators are configured to adjust a phase control to one or more input signals received by the MISO device.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

one or more pre-driver devices coupled to respective one or more inputs to the MISO device.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the waveform constellation space is partitioned based on an output power level of a desired output waveform from the MISO device.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the transfer function module is configured to transition the MISO device between the plurality of classes of operation based on one or more of a bias control of the MISO device, a phase control of one or more inputs to the MISO device and an amplitude control of the one or more inputs to the MISO device.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the transfer function module is configured to apply the one or more control functions to the MISO device based on a weighted combination, and wherein the weighted combination associates a respective weight to each of the one or more control functions.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the transfer function module is configured to vary each of the respective weights associated with each of the one or more control functions based on one or more of a branch phase imbalance, a branch amplitude imbalance and a branch isolation of the MISO device.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the transfer function module is configured to transition the MISO device between classes of operation analogous to Class A, Class B, Class C, Class D and Class S amplifier classes of operation.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the transfer function module is configured to operate the MISO device in classes of operation analogous to the Class A and Class B amplifier classes of operation at a duration of time shorter than operating the MISO device in classes of operation analogous to the Class C, Class D and Class S amplifier classes of operation.

18. The system of claim 9, wherein the transfer function module is configured to generate a zero, or a near zero, output current with the MISO device when an output waveform of the MISO device undergoes a zero crossing.

19. The system of claim 9, wherein the MISO device is configured to output a radio frequency (RF) waveform.