Multi-band power amplifier

• US 9,882,587 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2016
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Feng, Jinghang, Zheng, Shuqi, Gebeyehu, Netsanet, Shi, Ying, Young, James Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): PHU, SANH D
• Application Number:
  US15/085,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20160294333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 4555521
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/565 using inductive elements
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/111 the amplifier being a dual or triple band amplifier, e.g. 900 and 1800 MHz, e.g. switched or not switched, simultaneously or not
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/171 A filter circuit coupled to the output of an amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/18 the bias of the gate of a FET being controlled by a control signal
• 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 2200/411 the output amplifying stage of an amplifier comprising two power stages
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/7209 the gated amplifier being switched from a first band to a second band
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/191 Tuned amplifiers H03F3/193, H03F3/195 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/217 Class D power amplifiers; Switching amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/2176 Class E amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/245 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/72 Gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0067 with one or more circuit blocks in common for different bands

Abstract

Systems, devices and methods related to multi-band power amplifier. In some embodiments, a power amplifier module includes a power amplifier having an output stage and configured to receive a signal. The power amplifier module also includes a first programmable harmonic termination circuit in electrical communication with the output stage of the power amplifier. The first programmable harmonic termination circuit includes a first plurality of capacitors and a first plurality of switches, with at least one of the first plurality of capacitors being in electrical communication with at least one of the first plurality of switches. The power amplifier module further includes a controller configured to modify a configuration of the first plurality of switches of the first programmable harmonic termination circuit based at least in part on a second harmonic frequency of the signal.

Claims

1. A power amplifier module comprising:

a power amplifier including a first stage and a second stage, the power amplifier configured to receive a signal;

a first programmable harmonic termination circuit located between the first stage and the second stage of the power amplifier, the first programmable harmonic termination circuit including a first plurality of capacitors and a first plurality of switches, at least one of the first plurality of capacitors in electrical communication with at least one of the first plurality of switches; and

a controller configured to modify a configuration of the first plurality of switches of the first programmable harmonic termination circuit based at least in part on a second harmonic frequency of the signal.

2. The power amplifier module of claim 1 further comprising a second programmable harmonic termination circuit in electrical communication with an output stage of the power amplifier, the second programmable harmonic termination circuit including a second plurality of capacitors and a second plurality of switches.

3. The power amplifier module of claim 2 wherein at least one of the second plurality of capacitors is in electrical communication with at least one of the second plurality of switches, the controller further configured to modify a configuration of the second plurality of switches of the second programmable harmonic termination circuit based at least in part on a third harmonic frequency of the signal.

4. The power amplifier module of claim 3 wherein, in response to a control signal associated with class F operation, the controller is further configured to modify the configuration of the first plurality of switches of the first programmable harmonic termination circuit to short the second harmonic frequency of the signal and to modify the configuration of the second plurality of switches of the second programmable harmonic termination circuit to present an open impedance to the third harmonic frequency of the signal.

5. The power amplifier module of claim 3 wherein, in response to a control signal associated with inverse class F operation, the controller is further configured to modify the configuration of the first plurality of switches of the first programmable harmonic termination circuit to present an open impedance to the second harmonic frequency of the signal and to modify the configuration of the second plurality of switches of the second programmable harmonic termination circuit to short the third harmonic frequency of the signal.

6. The power amplifier module of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to modify the configuration of the first plurality of switches of the first programmable harmonic termination circuit based at least in part on a selected operational class of the power amplifier.

7. The power amplifier module of claim 1 wherein the power amplifier supports multiple configurations.

8. The power amplifier module of claim 5 wherein the power amplifier supports at least two of class F configuration, inverse class F configuration, class E configuration, or class J configuration.

9. The power amplifier module of claim 2 further comprising an output impedance matching network in electrical communication with the output stage of the power amplifier.

10. The power amplifier module of claim 2 further comprising a low-pass filter in electrical communication with the output stage of the power amplifier.

11. The power amplifier module of claim 2 wherein the power amplifier module does not include an output impedance matching network in electrical communication with the output stage of the power amplifier.

12. A wireless device comprising:

a plurality of load lines, at least some of the load lines corresponding to a different communication frequency band;

a switch network configured to electrically connect a load line from the plurality of load lines to a power amplifier; and

a power amplifier module including the power amplifier, a first programmable harmonic termination circuit in electrical communication with an output stage of the power amplifier, and a controller, the power amplifier configured to receive a signal, the first programmable harmonic termination circuit including a first plurality of capacitors and a first plurality of switches, at least one of the first plurality of capacitors in electrical communication with at least one of the first plurality of switches, and the controller configured to modify a configuration of the first plurality of switches of the first programmable harmonic termination circuit based at least in part on a second harmonic frequency of the signal.

13. The wireless device of claim 12 wherein the power amplifier module further includes a second programmable harmonic termination circuit in electrical communication with the output stage of the power amplifier, the second programmable harmonic termination circuit including a second plurality of capacitors and a second plurality of switches.

14. The wireless device of claim 12 wherein at least one of the second plurality of capacitors is in electrical communication with at least one of the second plurality of switches, the controller further configured to modify a configuration of the second plurality of switches of the second programmable harmonic termination circuit based at least in part on a third harmonic frequency of the signal.

15. The wireless device of claim 12 wherein the power amplifier supports multiple operational classes.

16. A power amplifier module comprising:

a multistage power amplifier including at least a first stage and a second stage, the multistage power amplifier configured to receive a signal;

an inter-stage programmable harmonic termination circuit located between the first stage and the second stage, the inter-stage programmable harmonic termination circuit including a plurality of capacitors and a plurality of switches, at least one of the plurality of capacitors in electrical communication with at least one of the plurality of switches; and

a controller configured to modify a configuration of the plurality of switches of the inter-stage programmable harmonic termination circuit based at least in part on a harmonic frequency of the signal.

17. The power amplifier module of claim 16 wherein the second stage is an output stage of the power amplifier.

18. The power amplifier module of claim 16 wherein the harmonic frequency of the signal is one of a second harmonic frequency or a third harmonic frequency.

19. The power amplifier module of claim 18 wherein the controller is further configured to modify the configuration of the plurality of switches with respect to one of the second harmonic frequency or the third harmonic frequency based at least in part on a particular class of operation of the multistage power amplifier.

20. The power amplifier module of claim 19 wherein the particular class of operation of the amplifier corresponds to a communication frequency band from a plurality of communication frequency bands supported by the multistage power amplifier.