Systems and methods for power amplifiers with voltage boosting multi-primary transformers

• US 7,880,547 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2010
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Inventors: An, Kyu Hwan, Kim, Younsuk, Lee, Dong Ho, Lee, Ockgoo, Kim, Hyungwook, Woo, Wangmyong, Yang, Ki Seok, Lee, Chang-Ho, Chang, Jaejoon, Kim, Haksun, Laskar, Joy
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal; Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Khiem D
• Application Number:
  US12/711,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20100148866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 342 Days
• Field of Search: 330/295, 330/188, 330/190, 330/195
• US Class Current: 330/295
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2017/0046 with a conductive path having a bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/3211 in differential amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/537 A transformer being used as coupling element between two amplifying stages
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/541 Transformer coupled at the output of an amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/21139 An impedance adaptation circuit being added at the output of a power amplifier stage
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/21157 A filter circuit being added at the output of a power amplifier stage
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/45704 the LC comprising one or more parallel resonance circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/45706 the LC comprising one or more series resonance circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/45731 the LC comprising a transformer
• 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 3/45183 Long tailed pairs H03F3/4521, H03F3/45237 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/45475 using IC blocks as the active amplifying circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/604 using FET's
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49071 by winding or coiling

Abstract

Systems and methods may be provided for a power amplifier system. The systems and methods may include a plurality of power amplifiers, where each power amplifier includes at least one output port. The systems and methods may also include a plurality of primary windings each having a first number of turns, where each primary winding is connected to at least one output port of the plurality of power amplifiers, and a single secondary winding inductively coupled to the plurality of primary windings, where the secondary winding includes a second number of turns greater than the first number of turns.

Claims

1. A power amplifier system, comprising:

a plurality of differential power amplifiers, wherein each differential power amplifier includes a respective positive output and a respective negative output;

a plurality of primary windings each having a first number of turns N1, wherein each primary winding is connected to a respective positive output and a respective negative output of a respective one of the plurality of the differential power amplifiers; and

a single secondary winding inductively coupled to the plurality of primary windings, the single secondary winding connected to a load, wherein the secondary winding includes a second number of turns N2 greater than the first number of turns N1, wherein the plurality of primary windings and the single secondary winding define a voltage-boosting transformer, the voltage-boosting transformer configured to increase voltage from each of the primary windings to the single secondary winding,

wherein the primary windings are placed substantially in parallel, and wherein the primary windings and the single secondary winding are interweaved such that the single secondary winding is placed between the primary windings to provide that one primary winding does not substantially neighbor another primary winding.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the voltage-boosting transformer increases voltage from each of the primary windings to the single secondary winding in a ratio of N2:

N1.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary winding that is adjacent to one or more sides of the transformer to sense an amount of inductive coupling between the plurality of primary windings and the single secondary winding.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the primary windings are arranged relative to the single secondary winding such that flux or currents induced by the primary windings in the secondary winding are summed in phase.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the single secondary winding is interweaved between primary windings having a same current flow direction.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first number of turns (N1) includes at least one full turn.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the load comprises an antenna, a switch, a multiplexer, or a filter.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of primary windings and the single secondary winding are fabricated using a planar structure having a metal layer, wherein the plurality of the primary windings are fabricated on the metal layer as parallel primary windings, and wherein the secondary winding is fabricated on the metal layer and positioned between adjacent primary windings of the plurality of primary windings.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of primary windings and the single secondary winding are fabricated using a stacked structure having a first metal layer and a second metal layer opposite the first metal layer, wherein the plurality of primary windings are fabricated on the first metal layer, and the single secondary winding is fabricated on the second metal layer.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of primary windings and the single secondary winding are fabricated using a stacked structure having a first metal layer, a second metal layer, a third metal layer, and a fourth metal layer, wherein the first and second metal layers sandwich the third metal layer, and wherein the third metal layer and the fourth metal layer sandwich the second metal layer, and wherein a first primary winding of the plurality of primary windings is fabricated on the first metal layer, a second primary winding of the plurality of primary windings is fabricated on the second metal layer, and the single secondary winding is fabricated on the third metal layer and the fourth metal layer, wherein the third metal layer and the fourth metal layer are connected by at least one via.

11. A method for providing a power amplifier system, comprising:

providing a plurality of differential power amplifiers, wherein each power amplifier includes a respective positive output and a respective negative output;

connecting a respective positive output and a respective negative output of a respective one of the plurality of the differential power amplifiers to one of a plurality of primary windings, wherein each of the plurality of windings includes a first number of turns N1; and

inductively coupling the plurality of primary windings to a single secondary winding, the single secondary winding connected to a load, wherein the secondary winding includes a second number of turns N2 greater than the first number of turns N1, wherein the plurality of primary windings and the single secondary winding define a transformer, the transformer configured to boost voltage from each of the primary windings to the single secondary winding,

wherein the primary windings are placed substantially in parallel, and wherein the primary windings and the single secondary winding are interweaved such that the single secondary winding is placed between the primary windings to provide that one primary winding does not substantially neighbor another primary winding.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the voltage-boosting transformer increases voltage from each of the primary windings to the single secondary winding in a ratio of N2:

N1.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of primary windings and the single secondary winding form a transformer, and further comprising:

positioning an auxiliary winding adjacent to one or more sides of the transformer to sense an amount of coupling between the plurality of primary windings and the single secondary winding.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the primary windings are arranged relative to the single secondary winding such that flux or currents induced by the primary windings in the secondary winding are summed in phase.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the single secondary winding is interweaved between primary windings having a same current flow direction.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the first number of turns (N1) includes at least one full turn.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the load comprises an antenna, a switch, a multiplexer, or a filter.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of primary windings and the single secondary winding are fabricated using a planar structure having a metal layer, and further comprising fabricating the plurality of primary windings on the metal layer as parallel primary windings, and fabricating the secondary winding on the metal layer such that the secondary winding is positioned between adjacent primary windings of the plurality of primary windings.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of primary windings and the single secondary winding are fabricated using a stacked structure having a first metal layer and a second metal layer opposite the first metal layer, and further comprising fabricating the plurality of primary windings on the first metal layer, and fabricating the single secondary winding on the second metal layer.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of primary windings and the single secondary winding are fabricated using a stacked structure having a first metal layer, a second metal layer, a third metal layer, and a fourth metal layer, wherein the first and second metal layers sandwich the third metal layer, and wherein the third metal layer and the fourth metal layer sandwich the second metal layer, and further comprising:

fabricating a first primary winding of the plurality of primary windings on the first metal layer;

fabricating a second primary winding of the plurality of primary windings on the second metal layer; and

fabricating the single secondary winding on the third and fourth metal layers, wherein the third and fourth metal layers are connected by at least one via.