Skyworks Solutions, Inc.

Conexant Systems, Inc.

Broadcom Corporation

Other

Intel Corporation

Avago Technologies General IP (singapore) Pte. Ltd.

Mediatek Corporation

Dmitriy Rozenblit

William John Domino

Morten Damgaard

Tirdad Sowlati

Rajasekhar Pullela

Mark Oskowsky

Masoud Kahrizi

Darioush Agahi

Shahrzad Tadjpour

Jaleh Komaili

Nooshin D Vakilian

Rahul Magoon

Dongsoo Daniel Koh

Darioush Agahi-Kesheh

Russell J Fagg

Elias Dagher

Kevin Juan

Man H Ku

Hamid Firouzkouhi

Ahmad Mirzaei

Ali Afsahi

Ricke Waylan Clark

Morteza Vadipour

Scott A Griffith

Vipin Aggarwal

Debopriyo Chowdhury

MohyEldeen Fouad Abdelgany

Sraavan Mundlapudi

Scott A Griffin

Apparatus and methods for transmit power control in wireless communication systems are provided. In one aspect, a wireless communication system includes a transmit chain that generates a transmit signal based on a data signal having a time-varying signal envelope, a power amplifier that amplifies the transmit signal, and a transmit chain controller that generates a first power control signal and a second power control signal that control an adjustable power level of the transmit chain. The transmit chain controller includes an error extractor that generates an error signal based on comparing an output signal power of the power amplifier to the time-varying signal envelope. The transmit chain controller further includes a control signal generator that generates the first power control signal and an adjustment signal based on estimating the error signal, and that generates the second power control signal based on the error signal and the adjustment signal.

Apparatus and methods for transmit power control in wireless communication systems

The present disclosure is directed to an envelope tracking supply modulator for multiple PAs. The envelope tracking supply modulator is configured to provide, for each of the multiple PAs, a separate supply voltage that is modulated based on the envelope of the respective RF input signal to the PA. Each of the modulated supply voltages is constructed from a DC component and an alternating current (AC) component. The DC component for each modulated supply voltage is generated by a main switching regulator that is shared by the multiple PAs. In one embodiment, the AC component for each modulated supply voltage is generated by an auxiliary switching regulator that is shared by the multiple PAs and a separate linear regulator for each of the multiple PAs. In another embodiment, the AC component for each modulated supply voltage is generated by a separate buffer.

Envelope tracking supply modulators for multiple power amplifiers

Apparatus and methods for power control in mobile communication devices are provided. In one aspect, a wireless communication device includes a transmit chain that receives a digital in-phase (I) signal and a digital quadrature-phase (Q) signal and that generates a transmit signal. The wireless communication device further includes a power amplifier that amplifies the transmit signal, and a transmit chain controller including a reference generator that combines the digital I signal and the digital Q signal and generates a reference signal corresponding to an instantaneous value of an envelope of the combined signal. The transmit chain controller further includes an error extractor that generates an error signal based on the reference signal and an output power of the power amplifier, and a control signal generator that uses the error signal to generate one or more power control signals for controlling an adjustable power level of the transmit chain.

Apparatus and methods for controlling transmit power of a wireless communication system

A method and apparatus is provided to improve upon the efficiency of a power amplifier. Suitable hardware/software in the form of circuitry, logic gates, and/or code functions to construct an envelope tracking waveform of an input communications signal and modulate the input supply voltage based on power amplifier circuitry operational parameters such as slew rates.

Optimal envelope tracking reference waveform generation

Apparatus and methods for power control in mobile communication devices are provided. In one aspect, a method for accurately controlling an adjustable power level of a data signal in a transmit chain of a transmitter is provided. The method includes adjusting a controllable gain level of a digital-to-analog converter based on a desired peak-to-average ratio of a transmit signal envelope, adjusting a digitally controlled discrete gain-step amplifier, the amount of gain per step based on an initial estimate of the transmitter gain and a target power, applying a factor to a gain adjuster responsive to the gain step change in the transmit chain, and repeating the adjusting and applying steps until a feedback signal level exceeds a reference signal level.

Apparatus and methods for power control in mobile communication devices

A method for an antenna mismatch compensation may include determining an amplitude ratio by measuring a ratio of amplitudes of a reflected signal and an incident signal of an antenna tuning circuit coupled to an antenna. A time difference between the reflected signal and the incident signal may be measured. The time difference may be converted to a phase difference. A topology and one or more parameters of the antenna tuning circuit may be determined based on the amplitude ratio and the phase difference so that the antenna tuning circuit compensates for the antenna mismatch.

Method of antenna impedance mismatch compensation based on time-to-digital converter phase estimation

Various configurations and arrangements of systems and methods for compensating for variations in VCO output frequencies are described. A system in accordance with the disclosure can include an oscillator circuit including an oscillator, a first variable capacitance diode coupled to the oscillator and a second variable capacitance diode coupled to the oscillator. The system further includes a voltage source configured to apply a first voltage to the oscillator circuit to cause the output signal to comprise a selected frequency, the selected frequency being based on a received reference voltage. The system further includes a controller circuit configured to compare an operating voltage of the oscillator to the reference voltage while the first voltage is applied to the oscillator; and apply a second voltage to the oscillator circuit based on the comparison. The second voltage compensates for a difference between the reference voltage and the first voltage.

Compensation of slow time-varying variations in voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) frequency in cellular transceivers

A method to control adjustable power levels uses a network of attenuators that includes a fixed attenuation and a variable attenuation. The method adjusts the variable attenuation to approach the fixed attenuation, provides gain to an attenuated signal in an amount proximate to the fixed attenuation to generate a compensated signal, and compares power levels of a non-attenuated signal and the compensated signal to generate a first error signal. The method introduces the fixed attenuation and correspondingly reduces the variable attenuation to maintain a combined attenuation. The combined attenuation generates a modified compensated signal. The method measures a difference between the first power levels of the non-attenuated signal and the modified compensated signal to generate a second error signal, and generates a control signal as function of the first and second error signals to adjust the variable attenuation to reduce an attenuation mismatch introduced between the fixed and variable attenuations.

Gain control methods to control an adjustable power level

A transmitter adjusts a transmitted power level by modifying a control input of a variable gain amplifier. A power amplifier control system includes an envelope extractor, an error extractor, and a feed-forward multiplier. The envelope extractor receives data signal inputs and computes the envelope of the combined signal. The error extractor generates an error signal as a function of the combined signal and the output power generated by the power amplifier. The feed-forward multiplier generates a modified error signal that is responsive to a function of the gain in a feedback path. A corresponding method for controlling a power level is also disclosed. In some embodiments, a transmit chain with a power control loop is used to adjust the transmit signal power applied at an input of a variable gain amplifier. A corresponding method for adjusting the transmit signal power level is also included.

Systems and methods for power control in a multiple standard mobile transmitter

Embodiments provide improved systems and methods of gain control and calibration for wireless transmitters. In particular, embodiments allow linear gain control over the entire transmitter gain control range, independent of temperature/process variations. Embodiments require very low power consumption compared to existing approaches. Embodiments may also be used for gain control calibration during production time, thereby substantially reducing production calibration time and cost.

Transmitter gain control and calibration

Systems and methods are provided for detecting forward power sent to an antenna and reflected power reflected back from the antenna. Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for measuring forward and reflected power and controlling the amount of power supplied to the antenna responsive to these measurements. Embodiments of the present invention enable the power sent to the antenna to be dynamically altered when antenna impendence changes (e.g., when the antenna gets too close to another object).

Systems and methods for power sensing and antenna tuning

A system, such as a transceiver, for controlling an adjustable power level includes first and second power detectors, a network of attenuators, a compensator, a comparator, and a controller. The first power detector measures the power of a signal. The network of attenuators receives the signal and generates an attenuated signal. The compensator receives the attenuated signal and generates a compensated signal. The second power detector measures the power of the compensated signal. The comparator receives the respective outputs from the first and second power detectors and generates a first error signal. The controller enables the fixed attenuation, correspondingly adjusts the variable attenuation, receives a second error signal, and provides a control signal to the network of attenuators to nullify an attenuation mismatch introduced between the fixed attenuation and the variable attenuation. A corresponding method for controlling an adjustable power level is also disclosed.

Gain control systems and methods for controlling an adjustable power level

A system for transmitting and receiving data is provided. The system includes a direct-conversion receiver that receives a signal modulated on a carrier frequency signal. The direct-conversion receiver includes one or more subharmonic local oscillator mixers. A local oscillator is connected to the direct conversion receiver, and generates a signal having a frequency equal to a subharmonic of the carrier frequency signal. A transmitter is connected to the local oscillator, which uses the local oscillator signal to transmit outgoing data.

System and apparatus for a direct conversion receiver and transmitter

The present application discloses various implementations of a mobile device including a power amplifier (PA) having a driving stage coupled to an output stage. The driving stage is configured to be selectably powered by one of a first voltage supply and a second voltage supply. The output stage is configured to be powered by the second voltage supply. The mobile device further includes a voltage supply selection switch configured to selectably power the driving stage by the second voltage supply when an output power of the PA is less than or equal to a threshold power.

Mobile device including a power amplifier with selectable voltage supply

A controller enables the integration of a DC-DC converter in a mobile handset. The controller includes an input conditioner and an event sensor. The input conditioner uses a peak detector to track the output of a regulator and responds to available baseband input signals. The event sensor directs coupling between a voltage source and the DC-DC converter in response to a bypass event.

Growing community of inventors

Irvine, CA, United States of America

Dmitriy Rozenblit