Power amplifier (PA)-filter output power tuning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11233492-B2
Application number	US-202016893038-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2020
Priority date	Jun 5, 2019
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

A technology is described for a repeater. A repeater can comprise a first port; a second port; a first-direction amplification and filtering path coupled between the first port and the second port; a multiplexer coupled between: the first-direction amplification and filtering path; and the second port; and a power amplifier (PA) coupled between the first port and the multiplexer. The repeater can further comprise an adjustable matching network coupled between the PA and the multiplexer, wherein the adjustable matching network is actively adjusted to match an impedance of an output of the PA at a selected channel over a frequency range for a first-direction signal with an impedance of an input of the multiplexer over the selected channel over the frequency range for a first-direction signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A repeater comprising:
a first port;
a second port;
a first-direction amplification and filtering path coupled between the first port and the second port;
a multiplexer coupled between:
the first-direction amplification and filtering path; and
the second port;

a power amplifier (PA) coupled between the first port and the multiplexer; and
an adjustable matching network coupled between the PA and the multiplexer, wherein the adjustable matching network is actively adjusted to match an impedance of an output of the PA at a selected channel over a frequency range for a first-direction signal with an impedance of an input of the multiplexer over the selected channel over the frequency range for a first-direction signal.

2. The repeater of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable matching network is configured to enable an increase in the output power at the second port for the selected channel of the frequency range.

3. The repeater of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more power detectors configured to:
detect a maximum power channel of the frequency range of the first-direction signal, wherein the maximum power channel has a maximum power within the frequency range; or
adjust an automatic gain control (AGC) threshold level to maximize an output power at the selected channel.

4. The repeater of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable matching network includes one or more of:
a programmable capacitor array;
a tuning control switch;
smart antenna tuning;
a hybrid combiner;
a variable capacitor;
a varactor;
a mechanical tuner;
an inductor;
a switched capacitor; or
an inductor and capacitor network.

5. The repeater of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable matching network comprises:
a hybrid combiner, wherein the hybrid combiner is one or more of a 90 degree 3 decibel (dB) hybrid combiner or a 180 degree 3 dB hybrid combiner;
a first path including a first electrically tunable element; and
a second path including a second electrically tunable element.

6. The repeater of claim 5 , wherein the first electrically tunable element or the second electrically tunable elements includes one or more of: a variable capacitor, a varactor, a mechanical tuner, an inductor, a switched capacitor, or an inductor and capacitor network.

7. The repeater of claim 5 , wherein the hybrid combiner includes:
a first port configured to pass an output signal from the PA;
a second port configured to pass the output signal from the first port to the first path;
a third port configured to pass the output signal from the first port to the second path; and
a fourth port configured to pass one or more of:
a first reflected signal from the first path; or
a second reflected signal from the second path, and

wherein the hybrid combiner is configured to:
combine the first reflected signal from the first path and the second reflected signal from the second path to form a combined signal to match the impedance of the output of the PA at the selected channel over the frequency range for the first-direction signal with the impedance of the input of the multiplexer of the selected channel over the frequency range for the first-direction signal; and
pass the combined signal to the fourth port and direct the combined signal to the multiplexer via the first-direction amplification and filtering path.

8. The repeater of claim 5 , wherein:
the first path includes a first capacitor or a first inductor with a first reactance;
the second path includes a second capacitor or a second inductor with a second reactance; and
a difference in reactance between the first reactance and the second reactance causes the adjustable matching network to pass a subset of an all-pass response.

9. The repeater of claim 8 , wherein the subset of the all-pass response includes one or more of a low-pass response, a high-pass response, or a band-pass response.

10. The repeater of claim 5 , wherein the adjustable matching network comprises one or more phasing transmission lines configured to:
rotate one or more of an impedance of the first electrically tunable element or an impedance of the second electrically tunable element; or
rotate a phase of one or more forward signals or reflected signals on the first amplification and filtering path to have an inductive phase or a capacitive phase at the multiplexer.

11. The repeater of claim 5 , wherein:
a reactance of one or more of the first electrically tunable element or the second electrically tunable element is configured to be manually adjustable; or
a controller is configured to adjust the reactance of one or more of the first electrically tunable element or the second electrically tunable element.

12. The repeater of claim 1 , further comprising:
a broadband power detector configured to:
detect a signal power between the PA and the matching network of the first-direction amplification and filtering path to determine a broadband signal power;
detect a signal power between the matching network and the multiplexer to determine a matching network signal power; and
adjust the matching network to increase an output power of the first-direction amplification and filtering path for the first-direction signal to maximize the matching network signal power relative to the broadband signal power.

13. The repeater of claim 1 , further comprising:
a broadband power detector configured to:
detect a forward signal power between the PA and the matching network of the first-direction amplification and filtering path;
detect a reflected signal power between the PA and the matching network of the first-direction amplification and filtering path; and
adjust the matching network to increase an output power of the first-direction amplification and filtering path for the first-direction signal to maximize the forward signal power and minimize the reflected signal power.

14. The repeater of claim 13 , further comprising:
a bi-directional coupler configured to detect the forward signal power and the reflected signal power, wherein the bi-directional coupler is located between the PA and the matching network of the first-direction amplification and filtering path; or
a signal tap configured to detect the forward signal power and the reflected signal power, wherein the signal tap is located between the PA and the matching network of the first-direction amplification and filtering path, wherein the signal tap is one or more of a pick-up resistor or a capacitor.

15. The repeater of claim 1 , wherein:
the repeater further comprises a second-direction amplification and filtering path coupled between the second port and the first port; or
the multiplexer further comprises one or more of a diplexer, a duplexer, a circulator, a triplexer, or a splitter.

16. The repeater of claim 1 , wherein:
the frequency range includes:
Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) long-term evolution (LTE) downlink (DL) frequency bands 12 and 13; or
one or more of: third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) long-term evolution (LTE) frequency division duplex (FDD) frequency bands 1-32, 65-76, or 85; or
one or more of: 3GPP fifth generation (5G) FDD frequency bands n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n28, n65, n66, n70, n71, or n74.

17. A repeater comprising:
a first port;
a second port;
a first-direction amplification and filtering path coupled between the first port and the second port;
a bandpass filter coupled between:
the first-direction amplification and filtering path; and
the second port;

a power amplifier (PA) coupled between

Assignees

• Wilson Electronics Llc

Inventors

• Ashworth Christopher Ken
• Cook Patrick Lee
• Anderson Dale Robert

Classifications

• H04B7/15535

  Control of relay amplifier gain (amplifier gain control in general H03G3/00; gain control reducing self - or loop interference H04B7/15578) · CPC title

• H03G2201/103

  being an amplifying element · CPC title

• H03G3/3042 Primary

  in modulators, frequency-changers, transmitters or power amplifiers · CPC title

• H04W16/26

  Cell enhancers {or enhancement}, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow · CPC title

• H03F3/245

  with semiconductor devices only · CPC title