Method and apparatus for improving power amplifier efficiency in wireless communication systems having high peak to average power ratios

• US 7,551,689 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2008
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Jiao, Qingzhong, Khan, Nasserullah, Jin, Xin, Sangary, Nagula Tharma, Habicher, Michael Franz, Chan, Wen-Yen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, DON NGUYEN
• Application Number:
  US12/025,247
• Publication Number:
  US 20080118001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 375/219, 375/222, 375/223, 375/267, 375/296, 375/297, 375/345, 370/318, 455/69, 455/127.1, 455/522, 330/10
• US Class Current: 375/297
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/343 taking into account loading or congestion level

Abstract

A power management system and method for a wireless communication device generates an average desired transmit power signal based on at least one of a received signal strength indicator signal and a power control instruction signal from a base station. A power supply level adjustment signal is generated based on the data parameters of an outgoing data stream and at least one environmental information signal. A combination of the power supply level adjustment signal and the average desired transmit power or a gain control signal and an altered version of the power supply level adjustment signal is used to generate a variable power supply signal that is provided to an output amplifier block for sufficiently generating outgoing wireless device radio signals while reducing power loss in the output amplifier block.

Claims

1. A power management system for powering an output power amplifier block in a wireless communication device, the power management system comprising:

an average power and gain control block configured to provide a single gain control signal to control gain in the output power amplifier block, the single gain control signal being based on at least one of a power control instruction signal and a received signal strength indicator signal;

an environmental sensor unit configured to provide at least one environmental information signal related to the wireless communication device;

a power supply level adjustment generator configured to provide a power supply level adjustment signal based on a baseband outgoing data stream to be transmitted by the wireless communication device and the at least one environmental information signal;

a summer configured to sum the single gain control signal and an altered version of the power supply level adjustment signal to generate a first power control signal;

a clipper configured to receive the first power control signal and generate a second power control signal; and

a switch converter configured to receive the second power control signal and generate the single variable power supply signal;

wherein the power management system is configured to provide a single variable power supply signal to the output power amplifier block, the single variable power supply signal being based on information related to the single gain control signal, the power supply level adjustment signal and the at least one environmental information signal.

2. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the at least one environmental information signal comprises at least one of:

a temperature information signal related to hardware temperature in the wireless communication device;

a battery condition information signal related to a battery used to power the wireless communication device; and

a frequency information signal related to transmission frequency of the baseband outgoing data stream.

3. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the power management system is configured to maintain the single variable power supply signal above a minimum voltage level.

4. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the power supply level adjustment generator is implemented by a plurality of look-up tables, wherein one look-up table is provided for each environmental information signal and the data parameter indication, and the outputs of each look-up table are combined to generate the power supply level adjustment signal.

5. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the power management system further comprises a reverse mapper configured to generate and provide a clipper adjustment signal to adjust at least one of positive and negative saturation values and slope of the clipper to adjust performance of the clipper, the clipper adjustment signal being based on environmental information and an altered version of the single gain control signal.

6. The power management system of claim 5, wherein adjustment of the clipper occurs at a slower rate compared to rate of change in the altered version of the power supply level adjustment signal.

7. The power management system of claim 5, wherein adjustment of the clipper occurs due to changes in the environmental information.

8. A method of providing power to an output power amplifier block in a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

generating a single gain control signal to control gain in the output power amplifier block, the single gain control signal being based on at least one of a power control instruction signal and a received signal strength indicator signal;

generating at least one environmental information signal related to the wireless communication device;

generating a power supply level adjustment signal based on a baseband outgoing data stream to be transmitted by the wireless communication device and the at least one environmental information signal; and

generating and providing a single variable power supply signal to the output power amplifier block, the single variable power supply signal being based on information related to the single gain control signal, the power supply level adjustment signal and the at least one environmental information signal;

wherein generating the single variable power supply signal comprises summing the single gain control signal and an altered version of the power supply level adjustment signal to generate a first power control signal, passing the first power control signal through a clipper to generate a second power control signal, and

converting the second power control signal with a switch converter to generate the single variable power supply signal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein generating the at least one environmental signal comprises at least one of:

generating a temperature information signal related to hardware temperature in the wireless communication device;

generating a battery condition information signal related to a battery used to power the wireless communication device; and

generating a frequency information signal related to transmission frequency of the baseband outgoing data stream.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein generating the second power control signal comprises providing a clipper adjustment signal to adjust clipping parameters to adjust performance of the clipper, the clipping parameters including at least one of positive and negative saturation values and slope, the clipper adjustment signal being generated based on environmental information and an altered version of the single gain control signal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises adjusting the clipper parameters at a slower rate compared to rate of change in the altered version of the power supply level adjustment signal.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises adjusting the clipper parameters due to changes in the environmental information.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises maintaining the single variable power supply signal above a minimum voltage level.

14. A wireless communication device comprising an output power amplifier block and a power management system configured to provide power supply and gain control to the output power amplifier block, wherein the power management system comprises:

an average power and gain control block configured to provide a single gain control signal to control gain in the output power amplifier block, the single gain control signal being based on at least one of a power control instruction signal and a received signal strength indicator signal;

an environmental sensor unit configured to provide at least one environmental information signal related to the wireless communication device;

a power supply level adjustment generator configured to provide a power supply level adjustment signal based on a baseband outgoing data stream to be transmitted by the wireless communication device and the at least one environmental information signal;

a summer configured to sum the single gain control signal and an altered version of the power supply level adjustment signal to generate a first power control signal;

a clipper configured to receive the first power control signal and generate a second power control signal; and

a switch converter configured to receive the second power control signal and generate the single variable power supply signal;

wherein the power management system is configured to provide a single variable power supply signal to the output power amplifier block, the single variable power supply signal being based on information related to the single gain control signal, the power supply level adjustment signal and the at least one environmental information signal.

15. The wireless communication device of claim 14, wherein the wireless communication device further comprises:

a baseband device configured to generate a baseband outgoing data stream;

an up-conversion block configured to convert the baseband outgoing data stream into an analog output signal; and

a data buffer configured to introduce a delay to the analog output signal and provide the delayed analog output signal to the output power amplifier block, the delay being based on delay introduced by elements of the power management system to synchronize power supply and transmission of data in the output power amplifier block.

16. A power management system for powering an output power amplifier block in a wireless communication device, the power management system comprising:

a summer configured to sum a gain control signal and an altered version of a power supply level adjustment signal to generate a first power control signal;

a clipper configured to receive the first power control signal and generate a second power control signal; and

a switch converter configured to receive the second power control signal and generate the single variable power supply signal,

wherein the gain control signal is based on at least one of a power control instruction signal and a received signal strength indicator signal received by the wireless communication device, the power supply level adjustment signal is based on a baseband outgoing data stream to be transmitted by the wireless communication device and at least one environmental information signal related to the wireless communication device.

17. The power management system of claim 16, wherein the power management system further comprises a reverse mapper configured to generate and provide a clipper adjustment signal to adjust at least one of positive and negative saturation values and slope of the clipper to adjust performance of the clipper, the clipper adjustment signal being based on environmental information from the at least one environmental signal and an altered version of the gain control signal.

18. A power management system for powering an output power amplifier block in a wireless communication device, the power management system comprising:

an average power and gain control block configured to provide a single gain control signal to control gain in the output power amplifier block, the single gain control signal being based on at least one of a power control instruction signal and a received signal strength indicator signal;

an environmental sensor unit configured to provide at least one environmental information signal related to the wireless communication device; and

a power supply level adjustment generator configured to provide a power supply level adjustment signal based on a baseband outgoing data stream to be transmitted by the wireless communication device and the at least one environmental information signal;

wherein the power management system is configured to provide a single variable power supply signal to the output power amplifier block, the single variable power supply signal being based on information related to the single gain control signal, the power supply level adjustment signal and the at least one environmental information signal; and

wherein the power supply level adjustment generator is implemented by a plurality of look-up tables, wherein one look-up table is provided for each environmental information signal and the data parameter indication, and

the outputs of each look-up table are combined to generate the power supply level adjustment signal.

19. The power management system of claim 18, wherein the at least one environmental information signal comprises at least one of:

a temperature information signal related to hardware temperature in the wireless communication device;

a battery condition information signal related to a battery used to power the wireless communication device; and

a frequency information signal related to transmission frequency of the baseband outgoing data stream.