Multiple input single output device with vector signal and bias signal inputs

• US 9,768,733 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2014
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Inventors: Sorrells, David F., Rawlins, Gregory S., Rawlins, Michael W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Lana N
• Application Number:
  US14/267,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20140315503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H03C 5/00 Amplitude modulation and angle modulation produced simultaneously or at will by the same modulating signal H03C7/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/02 Modifications of amplifiers to raise the efficiency, e.g. gliding Class A stages, use of an auxiliary oscillation
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0205 in transistor amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0233 by using a signal derived from the output signal, e.g. bootstrapping the voltage supply
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0294 using vector summing of two or more constant amplitude phase-modulated signals
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/32 Modifications of amplifiers to reduce non-linear distortion by negative feedback H03F1/34
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/3205 in field-effect transistor amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/3223 using feed-forward H03F1/3211 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/336 A I/Q, i.e. phase quadrature, modulator or demodulator being used in an amplifying circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/387 A circuit being added at the output of an amplifier to adapt the output impedance of the amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2201/3215 To increase the output power or efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/193 with field-effect devices H03F3/195 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/211 using a combination of several amplifiers H03F3/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 of transmitter output stages
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/245 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/45071 with semiconductor devices only
• 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: H04B 1/04 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0475 with means for limiting noise, interference or distortion H04B1/0483 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0483 : Transmitters with multiple parallel paths
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/045 : with means for improving efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/0491 : with frequency synthesizers, frequency converters or modulators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/20 : Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/36 : Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/362 : Modulation using more than one carrier, e.g. with quadrature carriers, separately amplitude modulated H04L27/366 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and systems for vector combining power amplification are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a plurality of signals are individually amplified, then summed to form a desired time-varying complex envelope signal. Phase and/or frequency characteristics of one or more of the signals are controlled to provide the desired phase, frequency, and/or amplitude characteristics of the desired time-varying complex envelope signal. In another embodiment, a time-varying complex envelope signal is decomposed into a plurality of constant envelope constituent signals. The constituent signals are amplified equally or substantially equally, and then summed to construct an amplified version of the original time-varying envelope signal. Embodiments also perform frequency up-conversion.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a vector modulation circuit configured to generate a plurality of substantially constant envelope signals based on a frequency reference signal;

an autobias circuit configured to generate a plurality of bias control signals;

a plurality of multiple input single output (MISO) devices, each MISO device configured to receive an associated one of the plurality of substantially constant envelope signals and an associated one of the plurality of bias control signals and generate a MISO output signal based on the associated one of the plurality of substantially constant envelope signals and the associated one of the bias control signals;

a plurality of vector power amplifiers that receive, as a vector power amplifier input signal, the MISO output signal from an associated MISO device, each vector power amplifier generating a power amplifier output based on the received MISO output signal from the associated MISO device; and

a plurality of conducting wires, each conducting wire associated with one of the plurality of vector power amplifiers, each conducting wire transmitting the power amplifier output generated by the associated vector power amplifier,

wherein at least two of the plurality of conducting wires are coupled together, thereby summing the power amplifier output being transmitted on each of the conducting wires to produce a summed output signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a driver circuit configured to pass the associated one of the substantially constant envelope signals from the vector modulation circuit to the MISO device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the autobias circuit comprises an autobias module and a feedback element.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the autobias module is configured to control, via the bias control signal, a current flow through an output stage of the MISO device based on a desired output power level and a signal envelope of the MISO output signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the autobias module is configured to control, via the bias control signal, a current flow through an output stage of the MISO device during a transition period in which the MISO output signal undergoes a phase shift between 0 and 180 degrees.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the autobias module is configured to reduce the current flow during the phase shift between 0 and 180 degrees.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a feedback element is configured to monitor one or more terminals of the MISO device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the MISO device comprises a bipolar junction transistor (BJT), and wherein the feedback element monitors a collector-to-base voltage of the BJT.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the MISO device comprises a transistor with a control terminal configured to receive the substantially constant envelope signal and a supply terminal configured to receive the bias control signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the transistor comprises a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) or a field effect transistor (FET).

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the MISO output signal comprises a radio frequency (RF) signal.