Mixed-signal power amplifier and transmission systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019097586-A1
Application number	US-201816157628-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 11, 2018
Priority date	Jul 14, 2016
Publication date	Mar 28, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

The disclosed technology includes device, systems, techniques, and methods for amplifying a complex modulated signal with a mixed-signal power amplifier. A mixed-signal power amplifier may include an input network for splitting an input signal to multiple signals with corresponding phase and amplitude offsets, a main power amplification path including at least an analog power amplifier for amplifying a first signal, one or more auxiliary power amplification paths including at least one digitally controlled analog power amplifier in each path for amplifying a second signal, and an output network for combining the two amplified signals. The main power amplification path and the auxiliary power amplification paths can operate together to achieve load modulation to enhance the overall power amplifier efficiency at power back-off mode and the overall power amplifier linearity. The disclosed technology further includes transmission systems incorporating the mixed-signal power amplifier.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A mixed-signal power amplifier comprising:
an input network for splitting a complex modulated input signal into at least two signals including a first signal and a second signal; a main power amplification path for receiving the first signal, the main power amplification path comprising at least one analog power amplifier for generating a first amplified signal; an auxiliary power amplification path for receiving the second signal, the auxiliary power amplification path comprising one or more digitally controlled analog power amplifiers for generating a second amplified signal, and an output network for combining the first amplified signal and the second amplified signal.

2 . The mixed-signal power amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the first signal has a phase offset and/or amplitude offset from the second signal.

3 . The mixed-signal power amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the main power amplification path further comprises one or more digitally controlled analog power amplifiers.

4 . The mixed-signal power amplifier of claim 3 , wherein the one or more digitally controlled analog power amplifiers are selectively switched on based on the amplitude of the first signal.

5 . The mixed-signal power amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary power amplification path further comprises an analog power amplifier.

6 . The mixed-signal power amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the output network comprises a Doherty output network.

7 . The mixed-signal power amplifier of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary power amplification path is a first auxiliary power amplification path, the mixed-signal power amplifier further comprising a second auxiliary power amplification path for receiving a third signal of the at least two signals, the second auxiliary power amplification path comprising one or more digitally controlled analog power amplifiers for generating a third amplified signal.

8 . The mixed-signal power amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the one or more digitally controlled analog power amplifiers of the auxiliary path are sequentially turned on in response to the amplitude of the input signal exceeding a predetermined threshold.

9 . The mixed-signal power amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the complex modulated input signal has a varying amplitude.

10 . The mixed-signal power amplifier of claim 9 , wherein the combined first amplified signal and second amplified signal is substantially linear with respect to the complex modulated input signal.

11 . The mixed-signal power amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the main power amplification path and the auxiliary power amplification path cooperate to achieve load modulation operations to increase the overall power amplifier efficiency at the power back-off modes and/or to increase the overall power amplifier linearity.

12 . The mixed-signal power amplifier of claim 11 , wherein the main power amplification path and the auxiliary power amplification path cooperate together to achieve Doherty operation to increase the overall power amplifier efficiency at the power back-off modes and/or to increase the overall power amplifier linearity

13 . A method comprising:
receiving, by a mixed-signal power amplifier, a complex modulated signal; splitting, by an input network, the complex modulated signal into at least two signals including a first signal and a second signal; generating, by a main power amplification path comprising at least one analog power amplifier in response to receiving the first signal, a first amplified signal; and generating, by an auxiliary power amplification path comprising one or more digitally controlled analog power amplifiers in response to receiving the second signal, a second amplified signal; and combining, by an output network, the first amplified signal and the second amplified signal.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising selectively turning on one or more digitally controlled power amplifiers based on the amplitude of the second signal.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising processing the complex modulated signal utilizing the analog power amplifier and the digitally controlled analog power amplifiers that have been turned on.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein processing the complex modulated signal comprises amplifying the frequency of the complex modulated signal to fall within an output frequency band associated with the mixed-signal power amplifier.

Assignees

• Georgia Tech Res Inst

Inventors

• Wang Hua
• Hu Song
• Wang Fei
• Nguyen Huy Thong

Classifications

• H03F3/245

  with semiconductor devices only · CPC title

• H03F2203/45481

  the CSC comprising only a direct connection to the supply voltage, no other components being present · CPC title

• H03F2203/45621

  the IC comprising a transformer for phase splitting the input signal · CPC title

• H04B1/0483

  Transmitters with multiple parallel paths · CPC title

• H03F3/45179

  using MOSFET transistors as the active amplifying circuit (H03F3/45278 takes precedence) · CPC title