Electronic device and method for controlling power supplied to transmit signal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12348259-B2
Application number	US-202218049135-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2022
Priority date	Sep 16, 2021
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

An electronic device includes an antenna, a communication circuit, and a processor. The communication circuit includes a first amplifier configured to amplify a radio frequency signal; a first coupler configured to output a first amplifier output signal output from the first amplifier, to the antenna through a first port, and output at least a part of the first amplifier output signal to a first switch through a second port; and a second amplifier configured to amplify the second portion of the first amplifier output signal, output from the first switch. The processor is operably connected to the antenna and the communication circuit, wherein the processor is configured to, based on a magnitude of the first amplifier output signal, control the first switch and the second switch to use the first amplifier, or to use the first amplifier and the second amplifier.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
an antenna;
a communication circuit comprising:
a first amplifier configured to amplify a radio frequency signal to be transmitted through the antenna;
a first coupler connected to the first amplifier and configured to output a first amplifier output signal output from the first amplifier, to the antenna through a first port of the first coupler, and output at least a part of the first amplifier output signal to a first switch through a second port of the first coupler;
the first switch connected to the second port of the first coupler and configured to switch the at least a part of the first amplifier output signal, output from the second port of the first coupler, to a second amplifier or a second switch; and
the second amplifier configured to amplify the at least a part of the first amplifier output signal, output from the first switch; and

a processor operably connected to the antenna and the communication circuit,
wherein the processor is configured to, based on a magnitude of the first amplifier output signal, control the first switch and the second switch to use the first amplifier, or to use the first amplifier and the second amplifier.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second amplifier is further configured to output a second amplifier output signal by amplifying a signal output from the first switch, and
wherein the communication circuit further comprises:
a second coupler connected to the second amplifier and configured to output the second amplifier output signal output from the second amplifier, through a first port of the second coupler, to be combined with the first amplifier output signal, and output at least a part of the second amplifier output signal to the second switch through a second port of the second coupler; and
the second switch connected to the first switch and the second port of the second coupler and configured to perform switching to one of an output port of the first switch and the second port of the second coupler.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to
determine a first transmission path when the first amplifier is used, and
control the first switch and the second switch, based on the first transmission path.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the first switch and the second switch such that:
the first amplifier output signal output from the first amplifier is output to an outside through the antenna, and
an output signal of the first switch is input as an input signal of the second switch.

5. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the communication circuit further comprises a first filter disposed between the first amplifier and the first coupler, and
wherein in the first transmission path, the first amplifier output signal output from the first amplifier is input to the antenna through the first filter and the first coupler.

6. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine a second transmission path when the first amplifier and the second amplifier are used, and
control the first switch and the second switch, based on the second transmission path.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
control the first switch such that an output signal of the first switch is input as an input signal of the second amplifier, and
controls the first amplifier output signal output from the first amplifier and the second amplifier output signal output from the second amplifier to be combined with each other and output to an outside through the antenna.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the communication circuit further comprises a phase shifter connected to the first coupler and the second coupler and configured to perform phase shifting of an output signal of the first port of the second coupler, and
wherein the processor is further configured to control the first amplifier output signal output from the first amplifier and a second amplifier output signal, on which the phase shifting of the phase shifter has been performed, to be combined with each other and output to the outside through the antenna.

9. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the communication circuit further comprises a second filter disposed between the second amplifier and the second coupler, and
wherein in the second transmission path, at least a part of the first amplifier output signal output from the first amplifier is input to the second amplifier, and the second amplifier output signal output from the second amplifier is combined with the first amplifier output signal output from the first amplifier, through the second filter and the second coupler, and input to the antenna.

10. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the antenna is a first antenna, and the electronic device further comprises a second antenna, and
wherein the processor is further configured to:
control, based on the first amplifier being used and the second amplifier not being used, the first amplifier output signal output from the first amplifier to be output to an outside through the first antenna, and
control, based on the first amplifier and the second amplifier being used, the first amplifier output signal output from the first amplifier to be output to the outside through the first antenna, and the second amplifier output signal output from the second amplifier to be output to the outside through the second antenna.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein when the processor is further configured to, based on the first amplifier and the second amplifier being used, control the first switch such that an output signal of the first switch is input as an input signal of the second amplifier, and
control the second switch such that a part of an output signal of the second amplifier, output from the second amplifier, is input as an input signal of the second switch.

12. The electronic device of claim 10 , further comprising:
a first power supplier configured to receive power supplied from a power management module of the electronic device and provide first power to the first amplifier upon control by the processor; and
a second power supplier configured to receive power supplied from the power management module of the electronic device and provide second power to the second amplifier upon control by the processor.

13. The electronic device of claim 2 , further comprising a transceiver connected to the second switch and configured to acquire an output signal of the second switch,
wherein the processor is further configured to acquire the output signal of the second switch through the transceiver, and control the first switch and the second switch so that the first amplifier is used, or the first amplifier or the second amplifier are used, based on the output signal of the second switch.

14. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the communication circuit corresponds to a transmission circuit configured to amplify a radio frequency signal to be transmitted through the antenna.

15. A communication circuit comprising a transmission circuit configured to amplify a radio frequency signal to be transmitted through an antenna of an electronic device, and a reception circuit configured to amplify a radio frequency signal received from the antenna, the communication circuit comprising:
a first amplifier configured to amplify a radio frequency signal to be transmitted through the antenna;
a first coupler connected to the first am

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Moon John
• Na Hyoseok

Classifications

• H03F2200/451

  the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier · CPC title

• H03F2200/165

  A filter circuit coupled to the input of an amplifier · CPC title

• H03F2200/171

  A filter circuit coupled to the output of an amplifier · CPC title

• H03F3/24

  of transmitter output stages · CPC title

• H03F3/72

  Gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal · CPC title