Multi-band power amplifier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016294333-A1
Application number	US-201615085868-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 30, 2016
Priority date	Mar 31, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems, devices and methods related to multi-band power amplifier. In some embodiments, a power amplifier module includes a power amplifier having an output stage and configured to receive a signal. The power amplifier module also includes a first programmable harmonic termination circuit in electrical communication with the output stage of the power amplifier. The first programmable harmonic termination circuit includes a first plurality of capacitors and a first plurality of switches, with at least one of the first plurality of capacitors being in electrical communication with at least one of the first plurality of switches. The power amplifier module further includes a controller configured to modify a configuration of the first plurality of switches of the first programmable harmonic termination circuit based at least in part on a second harmonic frequency of the signal.

First claim

1 . A power amplifier module comprising:
a power amplifier including an output stage, the power amplifier configured to receive a signal; a first programmable harmonic termination circuit in electrical communication with the output stage of the power amplifier, the first programmable harmonic termination circuit including a first plurality of capacitors and a first plurality of switches, at least one of the first plurality of capacitors in electrical communication with at least one of the first plurality of switches; and a controller configured to modify a configuration of the first plurality of switches of the first programmable harmonic termination circuit based at least in part on a second harmonic frequency of the signal.

2 . The power amplifier module of claim 1 further comprising a second programmable harmonic termination circuit in electrical communication with the output stage of the power amplifier, the second programmable harmonic termination circuit including a second plurality of capacitors and a second plurality of switches.

3 . The power amplifier module of claim 2 wherein at least one of the second plurality of capacitors is in electrical communication with at least one of the second plurality of switches, the controller further configured to modify a configuration of the second plurality of switches of the second programmable harmonic termination circuit based at least in part on a third harmonic frequency of the signal.

4 . The power amplifier module of claim 3 wherein, in response to a control signal associated with class F operation, the controller is further configured to modify the configuration of the first plurality of switches of the first programmable harmonic termination circuit to short the second harmonic frequency of the signal and to modify the configuration of the second plurality of switches of the second programmable harmonic termination circuit to present an open impedance to the third harmonic frequency of the signal.

5 . The power amplifier module of claim 3 wherein, in response to a control signal associated with inverse class F operation, the controller is further configured to modify the configuration of the first plurality of switches of the first programmable harmonic termination circuit to present an open impedance to the second harmonic frequency of the signal and to modify the configuration of the second plurality of switches of the second programmable harmonic termination circuit to short the third harmonic frequency of the signal.

6 . The power amplifier module of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to modify the configuration of the first plurality of switches of the first programmable harmonic termination circuit based at least in part on a selected operational class of the power amplifier.

7 . The power amplifier module of claim 1 wherein the power amplifier supports multiple configurations.

8 . The power amplifier module of claim 5 wherein the power amplifier supports at least two of class F configuration, inverse class F configuration, class E configuration, or class J configuration.

9 . The power amplifier module of claim 1 further comprising an output impedance matching network in electrical communication with the output stage of the power amplifier.

10 . The power amplifier module of claim 1 further comprising a low-pass filter in electrical communication with the output stage of the power amplifier.

11 . The power amplifier module of claim 1 wherein the power amplifier module does not include an output impedance matching network in electrical communication with the output stage of the power amplifier.

12 . A wireless device comprising:
a plurality of load lines, at least some of the load lines corresponding to a different communication frequency band; a switch network configured to electrically connect a load line from the plurality of load lines to a power amplifier; and a power amplifier module including the power amplifier, a first programmable harmonic termination circuit in electrical communication with an output stage of the power amplifier, and a controller, the power amplifier configured to receive a signal, the first programmable harmonic termination circuit including a first plurality of capacitors and a first plurality of switches, at least one of the first plurality of capacitors in electrical communication with at least one of the first plurality of switches, and the controller configured to modify a configuration of the first plurality of switches of the first programmable harmonic termination circuit based at least in part on a second harmonic frequency of the signal.

13 . The wireless device of claim 12 wherein the power amplifier module further includes a second programmable harmonic termination circuit in electrical communication with the output stage of the power amplifier, the second programmable harmonic termination circuit including a second plurality of capacitors and a second plurality of switches.

14 . The wireless device of claim 12 wherein at least one of the second plurality of capacitors is in electrical communication with at least one of the second plurality of switches, the controller further configured to modify a configuration of the second plurality of switches of the second programmable harmonic termination circuit based at least in part on a third harmonic frequency of the signal.

15 . The wireless device of claim 12 wherein the power amplifier supports multiple operational classes.

16 . A power amplifier module comprising:
a multistage power amplifier including at least a first stage and a second stage, the multistage power amplifier configured to receive a signal; an inter-stage programmable harmonic termination circuit located between the first stage and the second stage, the inter-stage programmable harmonic termination circuit including a plurality of capacitors and a plurality of switches, at least one of the plurality of capacitors in electrical communication with at least one of the plurality of switches; and a controller configured to modify a configuration of the plurality of switches of the inter-stage programmable harmonic termination circuit based at least in part on a harmonic frequency of the signal.

17 . The power amplifier module of claim 16 wherein the second stage is an output stage of the power amplifier.

18 . The power amplifier module of claim 16 wherein the harmonic frequency of the signal is one of a second harmonic frequency or a third harmonic frequency.

19 . The power amplifier module of claim 18 wherein the controller is further configured to modify the configuration of the plurality of switches with respect to one of the second harmonic frequency or the third harmonic frequency based at least in part on a particular class of operation of the multistage power amplifier.

20 . The power amplifier module of claim 19 wherein the particular class of operation of the amplifier corresponds to a communication frequency band from a plurality of communication frequency bands supported by the multistage power amplifier.

21 - 27 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Skyworks Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Feng Jinghang
• Zheng Shuqi
• Gebeyehu Netsanet
• Shi Ying
• Young James Phillip

Classifications

• H03F2200/171

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

• H03F3/191

  Tuned amplifiers (H03F3/193, H03F3/195 take precedence) · CPC title

• H03F3/193

  with field-effect devices (H03F3/195 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H03F2203/7209

  the gated amplifier being switched from a first band to a second band · CPC title

• H03F3/72

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