Power detectors with enhanced dynamic range

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11664833-B2
Application number	US-202016947068-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2020
Priority date	Jul 23, 2019
Publication date	May 30, 2023
Grant date	May 30, 2023

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for power detection with enhanced dynamic range are provided. In certain embodiments, a front end system includes a power amplifier that amplifies a radio frequency (RF) input signal to generate an RF output signal, a directional coupler that generates a sensed RF signal based on sensing the RF output signal from the power amplifier, and a power detector that processes the sensed RF signal to generate a detection signal indicating an output power of the power amplifier. Additionally, the power detector includes two or more detection paths providing different amounts of gain to the sensed RF signal from the directional coupler.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A front end system comprising:
a power amplifier configured to amplify a radio frequency input signal to generate a radio frequency output signal;
a directional coupler configured to generate a sensed radio frequency signal based on sensing the radio frequency output signal from the power amplifier; and
a power detector configured to process the sensed radio frequency signal to generate a detection signal indicating an output power of the power amplifier, the power detector including an amplifier and two or more detection paths providing different amounts of gain to the sensed radio frequency signal to thereby widen a dynamic range of the power detector, the two or more detection paths including a first detection path bypassing the amplifier and a second detection path through the amplifier.

2. The front end system of claim 1 wherein the power amplifier operates in a transmit path of the front end system and the amplifier corresponds to a low noise amplifier operating in a receive path of the front end system.

3. The front end system of claim 2 wherein the power detector is configured to use the low noise amplifier during a transmit time slot of a communication link that is duplexed by time division duplexing.

4. The front end system of claim 1 wherein the power detector further includes a rectifier, the two or more detection paths each connected between the directional coupler and the rectifier.

5. The front end system of claim 1 wherein the power detector is configured to select a detection path from amongst two or more detection paths based on data received over a serial interface.

6. A front end system comprising:
the power detector further includes
a power amplifier configured to amplify a radio frequency input signal to generate a radio frequency output signal;
a directional coupler configured to generate a sensed radio frequency signal based on sensing the radio frequency output signal from the power amplifier; and
a power detector configured to process the sensed radio frequency signal to generate a detection signal indicating an output power of the power amplifier, the power detector including two or more detection paths providing different amounts of gain to the sensed radio frequency signal to thereby widen a dynamic range of the power detector, the power detector further including a rectifier and a linear to logarithmic circuit configured to control generation of the detection signal based on a rectified signal from the rectifier, the two or more detection paths each connected between the directional coupler and the rectifier.

7. A front end system comprising:
a power amplifier configured to amplify a radio frequency input signal to generate a radio frequency output signal;
a directional coupler configured to generate a sensed radio frequency signal based on sensing the radio frequency output signal from the power amplifier;
a power detector configured to process the sensed radio frequency signal to generate a detection signal indicating an output power of the power amplifier, the power detector including two or more detection paths providing different amounts of gain to the sensed radio frequency signal to thereby widen a dynamic range of the power detector; and
a coarse power detection circuit configured to generate a coarse power detection signal indicating a power of the radio frequency input signal, the power detector configured to select a detection path from amongst two or more detection paths based on the coarse power detection signal.

8. A mobile device comprising:
a transceiver configured to generate a radio frequency input signal;
an antenna configured to transmit a radio frequency output signal;
a front end system including a power amplifier configured to amplify the radio frequency input signal to generate the radio frequency output signal, a directional coupler configured to generate a sensed radio frequency signal based on sensing the radio frequency output signal, and a power detector configured to process the sensed radio frequency signal to generate a detection signal indicating an output power of the power amplifier, the power detector including two or more detection paths providing different amounts of gain to the sensed radio frequency signal; and
a baseband processor configured to control a transmit power level of the radio frequency output signal based on the detection signal.

9. The front end system of claim 7 wherein the power detector further includes a rectifier, the two or more detection paths each connected between the directional coupler and the rectifier.

10. The mobile device of claim 8 wherein the power detector further includes an amplifier, the two or more detection paths including a first detection path bypassing the amplifier and a second detection path through the amplifier.

11. The mobile device of claim 10 wherein the front end system includes a transmit path from the transceiver to the antenna through the power amplifier, and a receive path from the antenna to the transceiver through a low noise amplifier, the low noise amplifier corresponding to the amplifier of the power detector.

12. The mobile device of claim 11 wherein the power detector is configured to use the low noise amplifier during a transmit time slot of a communication link that is duplexed by time division duplexing.

13. The mobile device of claim 8 wherein the power detector further includes a rectifier, the two or more detection paths each connected between the directional coupler and the rectifier.

14. The mobile device of claim 13 wherein the power detector further includes a linear to logarithmic circuit configured to control generation of the detection signal based on a rectified signal from the rectifier.

15. The mobile device of claim 8 wherein the baseband processor is further configured to provide transmit power control data to the front end system, the power detector configured to select a detection path from amongst two or more detection paths based on the transmit power control data.

16. The mobile device of claim 8 wherein the front end system further includes a coarse power detection circuit configured to generate a coarse power detection signal indicating a power of the radio frequency input signal, the power detector configured to select a detection path from amongst two or more detection paths based on the coarse power detection signal.

17. A method of transmit power detection with wide dynamic range, the method comprising:
amplifying a radio frequency input signal to generate a radio frequency output signal using a power amplifier;
sensing the radio frequency output signal to generate a sensed radio frequency signal using a directional coupler; and
processing the sensed radio frequency signal to generate a detection signal indicating an output power of the power amplifier using a power detector, including selecting a detection path of the power detector from amongst two or more detection paths providing different amounts of gain, the two or more detection paths including a first detection path bypassing an amplifier and a second detection path through the amplifier.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising reusing a low noise amplifier in a receive path from an antenna to a transceiver as the amplifier of the power detector.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising controlling a transmit power level of the radio frequency output signal based on the detection signal using a baseband processor.

20. The method of claim 19 furth

Assignees

• Skyworks Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Lam Lui

Classifications

• H04B1/0458 Primary

  Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages (matching circuits in general H03H) · CPC title

• H03F3/189

  High-frequency amplifiers, e.g. radio frequency amplifiers · CPC title

• H03G3/3042

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

• H03F1/0266

  by using a signal derived from the input signal · CPC title

• H03F2200/516

  Some amplifier stages of an amplifier use supply voltages of different value · CPC title