Power amplifier interface compatible with inputs separated by mode or frequency

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016190995-A1
Application number	US-201514827543-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 17, 2015
Priority date	Aug 17, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Power amplifier interface compatible with inputs separated by mode or frequency. In some embodiments, a power amplifier (PA) system can include a first block having a first PA configured to operate in a first mode, and a second block having a second PA configured to operate in a second mode. The PA system can further include an interface implemented in the first block. The interface can be configured to be capable of routing a radio-frequency (RF) signal from a transceiver to the first PA, and also be capable of routing the RF signal to the second PA.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A power amplifier (PA) system comprising:
a first block including a first PA configured to operate in a first mode; a second block including a second PA configured to operate in a second mode; and an interface implemented in the first block, the interface configured to be capable of routing a radio-frequency (RF) signal from a transceiver to the first PA, the interface further configured to be capable of routing the RF signal to the second PA.

2 . The PA system of claim 1 wherein the RF signal is a mode-separated signal.

3 . The PA system of claim 2 wherein the interface is configured to route the mode-separated signal to the first PA.

4 . The PA system of claim 1 wherein the RF signal is a frequency-separated signal.

5 . The PA system of claim 4 wherein the interface is configured to route the frequency-separated signal to the second PA.

6 . The PA system of claim 5 further comprising an electrical connection between the interface of the first block and the second block to facilitate the routing of the frequency-separated signal to the second PA.

7 . The PA system of claim 1 wherein the interface includes a switch having a pole connected to an input port, the switch further including a first throw and a second throw, the first throw connected to the first PA, the second throw connected to an interface port to allow the routing of the RF signal to the second PA.

8 . The PA system of claim 1 wherein the first and second modes include 2G and 3G modes.

9 . The PA system of claim 8 wherein the first block is configured for the 2G mode, and the second block is configured for the 3G mode.

10 . The PA system of claim 8 wherein the PA system is substantially the same when implemented for mode-separated or frequency-separated operation.

11 . The PA system of claim 8 wherein the first block is configured for the 3G mode, and the second block is configured for the 2G mode.

12 . The PA system of claim 8 wherein each of the first block and the second block further includes a plurality of amplification paths.

13 . The PA system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of amplification paths includes a 2G low band (LB) and a 2G high band (HB) for the corresponding block.

14 . The PA system of claim 13 wherein the plurality of amplification paths includes a 3G low band (LB) and a 3G mid band (MB) for the corresponding block.

15 . A power amplifier (PA) block comprising:
a PA configured to operate in a first mode; and an interface configured to be capable of routing a radio-frequency (RF) signal from a transceiver to the PA, the interface further configured to be capable of routing the RF signal to another PA block configured operate in a second mode.

16 . The PA block of claim 15 wherein the first mode includes a 2G mode or a 3G mode.

17 . The PA block of claim 16 wherein the second mode includes a 3G mode if the first mode is the 2G mode, and a 2G mode if the first mode is the 3G mode.

18 . The PA block of claim 15 wherein the interface includes a switch having a pole connected to an input port, the switch further including a first throw and a second throw, the first throw connected to the PA, the second throw connected to an interface port to allow the routing of the RF signal to the other PA block.

19 . A wireless device comprising:
a transceiver configured to generate a radio-frequency (RF) signal; a power amplifier (PA) system in communication with the transceiver, the PA system configured to amplify the RF signal, the PA system including a first block having a first PA configured to operate in a first mode, the PA system further including a second block having a second PA configured to operate in a second mode, the PA system further including an interface implemented in the first block, the interface configured to be capable of routing the RF signal to the first PA, the interface further configured to be capable of routing the RF signal to the second PA; and an antenna in communication with the PA system, the antenna configured to facilitate transmission of the amplified RF signal.

20 . The wireless device of claim 19 wherein the wireless device is a cellular phone capable of operating in 2G and 3G modes.

Assignees

• Skyworks Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Penticoff Joel Anthony

Classifications

• H03F2203/7215

  the gated amplifier being switched on or off by a switch at the input of the amplifier · CPC title

• H03F2200/225

  the input circuit of an amplifying stage comprising an LC-network · CPC title

• H03F2203/21145

  Output signals are combined by switching a plurality of paralleled power amplifiers to a common output · CPC title

• H03F3/211

  using a combination of several amplifiers (H03F3/60 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H03F2200/451

  the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier · CPC title