Control of switcher regulated power amplifier modules

• US 8,160,517 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2010
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Chan, Wen-Yen, Khan, Nasserullah
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Nguyen
• Application Number:
  US12/784,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20100227578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 455/127.1, 455/127.2, 455/127.3, 455/127.5, 455/126, 323/282, 330/278, 330/285, 330/296, 330/297, 330/127
• US Class Current: 455/126
• 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 1/0227 using supply converters
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/34 Negative-feedback-circuit arrangements with or without positive feedback H03F1/02 - H03F1/30, H03F1/38 - H03F1/50, H03F3/50 take precedence ; for rejection of common mode signals H03F3/45479
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 of transmitter output stages
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/004 Control by varying the supply voltage
• 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 1/0475 with means for limiting noise, interference or distortion H04B1/0483 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/0433 with linearisation using feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/045 with means for improving efficiency

Abstract

Various embodiments described herein relate to a power management block and an amplification block used in the transmitter of a communication subsystem. The power management block provides improved control for the gain control signal provided to a pre-amplifier and the supply voltage provided to a power amplifier which are both in the amplification block. The power expended by the power amplifier is optimized by employing a continuous control method in which one or more feedback loops are employed to take into account various characteristics of the transmitter components and control values.

Claims

1. A control system for a transmitter of a wireless device, the transmitter having a pre-amplifier and a power amplifier coupled to an output of the pre-amplifier, the control system comprising:

a signal input for receiving a detection signal representative of a pre-amplified transmission signal sensed at the output of the pre-amplifier by a detector;

a switching regulator control block configured to generate a switching supply control signal by applying a switching control transfer function to the received detection signal, the switching supply control signal comprising control values for a switched mode power supply configured to generate a supply voltage signal for the power amplifier in response to the switching supply control signal, and the switching control transfer function having values determined based on a characterization of the response of the detector, control curves of the switched mode power supply, and a response of the power amplifier to input drive; and

a signal output for providing the switching supply control signal to the switched mode power supply;

wherein, in operation, the switching regulator control block communicates with the detector using the signal input and with the switched mode power supply using the signal output.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the switching regulator control block is configured to generate the switching supply control signal further based on a trim signal generated to compensate for component tolerances.

3. The control system of claim 1, further comprising a power limit control block configured to generate a gain control signal based on an automatic gain control signal, the received detection signal, and a transmit power limit signal for limiting transmission power of the transmitter, the gain control signal provided to the pre-amplifier for controlling gain in the pre-amplifier.

4. The control system of claim 3, wherein the power limit control block is implemented in a processor and is configured to apply a power limiting transfer function defined in the processor using one or more look-up tables to generate the gain control signal.

5. The control system of claim 1, wherein the switching regulator control block is implemented in a processor.

6. The control system of claim 5, wherein the switching control transfer function is defined in the processor using one or more look-up tables.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein the control values for the switched mode power supply are generated to hold the power amplifier in a state of constant compression.

8. The control system of claim 1, further comprising a compensating control block configured to generate a gain correction signal based on the supply voltage signal, and to adjust an automatic gain control (AGC) signal based on the gain correction signal to generate a gain control signal for controlling gain in the pre-amplifier.

9. A method of controlling a transmitter of a wireless device, the transmitter having a pre-amplifier and a power amplifier coupled to an output of the pre-amplifier, the method comprising:

receiving a detection signal representative of a pre-amplified transmission signal sensed at the output of the pre-amplifier by a detector;

generating a switching supply control signal by applying a switching control transfer function to the received detection signal, the switching supply control signal comprising control values for a switched mode power supply configured to generate a supply voltage signal for the power amplifier in response to the switching supply control signal, and the switching control transfer function having values determined based on a characterization of the response of the detector, control curves of the switched mode power supply, and a response of the power amplifier to input drive; and

providing the switching supply control signal to the switched mode power supply.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating the switching supply control signal based on a trim signal generated to compensate for component tolerances.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating a gain control signal based on an automatic gain control signal, the received detection signal, and a transmit power limit signal for limiting transmission power of the transmitter, the gain control signal provided to the pre-amplifier for controlling gain in the pre-amplifier.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the gain control signal is generated in a processor, and the method further comprises applying a power limiting transfer function defined in the processor using one or more look-up tables to generate the gain control signal.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the switching supply control signal is generated in a processor.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising defining the switching control transfer function in the processor using one or more look-up tables.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating the control values for the switched mode power supply to hold the power amplifier in a state of constant compression.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating a gain correction signal based on the supply voltage signal, and adjusting an automatic gain control (AGC) signal based on the gain correction signal to generate a gain control signal for controlling gain in the pre-amplifier.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a processor coupled to the storage medium, the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform acts of a method of controlling a transmitter of a wireless device, the transmitter having a pre-amplifier and a power amplifier coupled to an output of the pre-amplifier, said acts comprising:

receiving a detection signal representative of a pre-amplified transmission signal sensed at the output of the pre-amplifier by a detector;

generating a switching supply control signal by applying a switching control transfer function to the received detection signal, the switching supply control signal comprising control values for a switched mode power supply configured to generate a supply voltage signal for the power amplifier in response to the switching supply control signal, and the switching control transfer function having values determined based on a characterization of the response of the detector, control curves of the switched mode power supply, and a response of the power amplifier to input drive; and

providing the switching supply control signal to the switched mode power supply.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein said acts further comprise generating the switching supply control signal based on a trim signal generated to compensate for component tolerances.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein said acts further comprise generating a gain control signal based on an automatic gain control signal, the received detection signal, and a transmit power limit signal for limiting transmission power of the transmitter, the gain control signal provided to the pre-amplifier for controlling gain in the pre-amplifier.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein said acts further comprise defining the switching control transfer function in the processor using one or more look-up tables.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein said acts further comprise applying a power limiting transfer function defined in the processor using one or more look-up tables to generate the gain control signal.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein said acts further comprise generating the control values for the switched mode power supply to hold the power amplifier in a state of constant compression.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein said acts further comprise generating a gain correction signal based on the supply voltage signal, and adjusting an automatic gain control (AGC) signal based on the gain correction signal to generate a gain control signal for controlling gain in the pre-amplifier.