Rf Micro Devices, Inc.

Qorvo Us, Inc.

Freescale Semiconductor,inc.

Philippe Gorisse

Nadim Khlat

Michael R Kay

Manbir Singh Nag

Christopher Truong Ngo

Andrew F Folkmann

Jean-Frederic Chiron

Hugues Beaulaton

Jeffrey D Potts

Ruediger Bauder

David C Dening

Jonathan Hale Hammond

Edward T Spears

Mohammad Ahsanul Adeeb

Stephane Colomines

A digital current sensing circuit and related apparatus is provided. In one aspect, a digital current sensing circuit can be configured to estimate a battery current in a coupled circuit based on a voltage corresponding to the battery current. More specifically, the digital current sensing circuit generates an analog sense current proportional to the battery current based on the voltage and digitally processes the analog sense current to generate a battery current indication signal indicative of an estimation of the battery current. In another aspect, a number of digital current sensing circuits can be provided in an apparatus to concurrently estimate a number of battery currents in a number of circuits (e.g., charge pump circuits). As a result, it may be possible to test, debug, and/or fine-tune the apparatus based on the estimated battery currents for improved performance.

Digital current sensing circuit and related apparatus

An electrical current measurement circuit is provided. The electrical current measurement circuit is configured to receive a sense current proportionally related to an electrical current of interest to continuously charge a capacitor to a sense voltage. The electrical current measurement circuit is configured to determine whether the sense voltage reaches a predefined voltage threshold and reduce the sense voltage to below the predefined voltage threshold in response to the sense voltage reaching the predefined voltage threshold. The electrical current measurement circuit counts each occurrence of the sense voltage reaching the predefined voltage threshold and quantifies the electrical current based on a total count of the sense voltage reaching the predefined voltage threshold during the predefined measurement period. By incorporating the electrical current measurement circuit in an electronic device, it may be possible to accurately monitor and thus help to optimize power consumption and battery life of the electronic device.

Current measurement circuit for optimization of power consumption in electronic devices

A voltage generation circuit and related envelope tracking (ET) amplifier apparatus is provided. In examples discussed herein, a voltage generation circuit can be provided in an ET amplifier apparatus to provide a supply voltage to a voltage amplifier(s) that is configured to generate an ET voltage for an amplifier circuit(s). In a non-limiting example, the voltage amplifier(s) receives an ET target voltage signal corresponding to a time-variant target voltage envelope and generates the ET voltage conforming to the time-variant target voltage envelope. The voltage generation circuit is configured to generate one or more supply voltages and selectively provide one of the supply voltages to the voltage amplifier(s) in accordance to the time-variant target voltage envelope. By selectively providing the supply voltage based on the time-variant target voltage envelope, it may be possible to improve efficiency of the voltage amplifier, thus helping to improve efficiency and linearity of the amplifier circuit(s).

Voltage generation circuit and related envelope tracking amplifier apparatus

An envelope tracking (ET) voltage tracker circuit is provided. The ET voltage tracker circuit is configured to generate a time-variant voltage based on a time-variant target voltage, which further corresponds to a time-variant power envelope of a radio frequency (RF) signal. The time-variant voltage may be provided to an amplifier circuit(s) for amplifying the RF signal. The ET voltage tracker circuit includes a target voltage processing circuit configured to pre-process the time-variant target voltage. More specifically, the target voltage processing circuit is configured to pre-process the time-variant target voltage based on a high-order transfer function when the time-variant target voltage corresponds to a higher modulation bandwidth (e.g., &#x3e;80 MHz). As a result, it may be possible to improve temporal alignment between the time-variant voltage and the time-variant target voltage at the amplifier circuit(s), thus allowing the amplifier circuit(s) to operate with improved efficiency and linearity.

Envelope tracking voltage tracker circuit

A PA power supply, which includes a first ET power supply, power supply control circuitry, a first PMOS switching element, and a second PMOS switching element, is disclosed. During a first operating mode, the power supply control circuitry selects an OFF state of the first PMOS switching element, selects an ON state of the second PMOS switching element, and adjusts a voltage of a first switch control signal to maintain the OFF state of the first PMOS switching element using a voltage at a source of the first PMOS switching element and a voltage at a drain of the first PMOS switching element; the PA power supply provides a first PA power supply signal; and the first ET power supply provides a first ET power supply signal, such that the first PA power supply signal is based on the first ET power supply signal.

Low distortion multiple power amplifier power supply

Aspects disclosed in the detailed description include an envelope tracking (ET) amplifier circuit. The ET amplifier circuit includes ET tracker circuitry configured to provide an ET modulated voltage, which tracks an ET modulated target voltage, to an amplifier circuit(s) for amplifying a radio frequency (RF) signal. The ET amplifier circuit also includes fast switcher circuitry that is activated to provide an alternate current (AC) current to the amplifier circuit(s) when the RF signal includes a higher number of resource blocks (RBs). However, the fast switcher circuitry and its associated control circuitry may incur a processing delay that can cause the fast switcher circuitry to lag behind the ET modulated target voltage. As such, the ET amplifier circuit further includes timing adjustment circuitry to help compensate for the processing delay, thus helping to maintain efficiency of the ET tracker circuitry for improved performance of the ET amplifier circuit.

Envelope tracking amplifier circuit

A dual-mode envelope tracking (ET) power management circuit is provided. An ET amplifier(s) in the dual-mode ET power management circuit is capable of supporting normal-power user equipment (NPUE) mode and high-power user equipment (HPUE) mode. In the NPUE mode, the ET amplifier(s) amplifies a radio frequency (RF) signal(s) to an NPUE voltage based on a supply voltage for transmission in an NPUE output power. In the HPUE mode, the ET amplifier(s) amplifies the RF signal(s) to an HPUE voltage higher than the NPUE voltage based on a boosted supply voltage higher than the supply voltage for transmission in an HPUE output power higher than the NPUE output power. The ET amplifier(s) maintains a constant load line between the NPUE mode and the HPUE mode. By maintaining the constant load line, it is possible to maintain efficiency of the ET amplifier(s) in both the NPUE mode and the HPUE mode.

Dual-mode envelope tracking power management circuit

A direct current (DC) voltage converter configured to transition between operation modes is disclosed. A voltage selection circuitry is provided in a DC voltage conversion circuit to control a buck-boost converter that generates a DC output voltage. As opposed to conventional methods of switching the buck-boost converter between a buck mode and a boost mode based on a single switching threshold, the voltage selection circuitry is configured to switch the buck-boost converter between the buck mode and the boost mode based on multiple voltage thresholds. Each of the multiple voltage thresholds defines a respective range for the DC output voltage. By controlling the buck-boost converter based on multiple voltage thresholds, it is possible to provide a smoother transition between the buck mode and the boost mode, thus reducing voltage errors in the DC output voltage and improving reliability of the DC voltage conversion circuit.

Direct current (DC) voltage converter operation mode transition

A switch mode power supply converter and a feedback delay compensation circuit are disclosed. The switch mode power supply converter has a switching voltage output and provides a switching voltage at the switching voltage output, such that a target voltage for a power amplifier supply voltage at a power amplifier supply output is based on the switching voltage. Further, the switching voltage is based on an early indication of a change of the target voltage. The feedback delay compensation circuit provides the early indication of the change of the target voltage.

Pseudo-envelope following feedback delay compensation

A switch mode power supply converter and a parallel amplifier are disclosed. The switch mode power supply converter is coupled to a modulated power supply output and the parallel amplifier has a parallel amplifier output coupled to the modulated power supply output. Further, the parallel amplifier has a group of output stages, such that each output stage is directly coupled to the parallel amplifier output and each output stage receives a separate supply voltage.

Multiple power supply input parallel amplifier based envelope tracking

A charge pump includes an input, an output, and a fixed voltage node; a first capacitor and at least a second capacitor; and a plurality of switches adapted to selectively couple the first capacitor and the at least the second capacitor to the input, the output, and the fixed voltage node. A switch controller is adapted to switch the plurality of switches in response to at least three phase signals to provide fixed gains. A phase generator is adapted to generate the at least three phase signals, wherein at least one of the at least three phase signals has a duty cycle that is different from at least one other of the at least three phase signals. The phase generator is also adapted to adjust the frequency of a clock signal used to generate the at least three phase signals so that a minimum switching frequency is provided.

High efficiency DC-DC converter

A direct current (DC)-DC converter, which includes a parallel amplifier, a radio frequency (RF) trap, and a switching supply, is disclosed. The switching supply includes switching circuitry and a first inductive element. The parallel amplifier has a feedback input and a parallel amplifier output. The switching circuitry has a switching circuitry output. The first inductive element is coupled between the switching circuitry output and the feedback input. The RF trap is coupled between the parallel amplifier output and a ground.

Noise reduction for envelope tracking

A direct current (DC)-DC converter, which includes an open loop ripple cancellation circuit, a switching supply, and a parallel amplifier, is disclosed. During a calibration mode, the parallel amplifier provides a parallel amplifier output current to regulate a power supply output voltage based on a calibration setpoint. The switching supply drives the parallel amplifier output current toward zero using a switching control signal, such that during the calibration mode, an estimate of a current gain is based on the switching control signal. Further, during the calibration mode, the open loop ripple cancellation circuit is disabled. During a normal operation mode, the open loop ripple cancellation circuit provides a ripple cancellation current, which is based on the estimate of the current gain.

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Brax, France

Philippe Gorisse