Amplifier system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023261614-A1
Application number	US-202218055998-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 16, 2022
Priority date	Feb 16, 2022
Publication date	Aug 17, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A load-modulated amplifier system is disclosed having a main amplifier with drain or collector voltage bias input, and an auxiliary amplifier having a static drain or collector voltage bias input. Also disclosed is a programmable voltage bias controller having a data interface configured to receive operating traffic level data symbol data associated with a basestation. The programmable bias controller further includes a processor coupled to the data interface and configured, in response to the traffic or symbol data, to determine and apply bias levels to the carrier drain or collector bias input and the auxiliary drain or collector bias input and to provide an amplifier efficiency theoretically between 60% and 78.5% over the low traffic operation zone −9 dB to −15 dB backed off from amplifier peak power.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An amplifier system comprising:
a load modulation power amplifier (LMPA) comprising:
a final main amplifier;
an auxiliary final amplifier;
a signal input splitter coupled between signal inputs of the final amplifier and the auxiliary final amplifier;
an output combiner coupled between signal outputs of the final amplifier and the auxiliary final amplifier; and
a main bias controller coupled to a final main bias input of the final main amplifier wherein the main bias controller is configured to autonomously adjust bias level of the final main amplifier and thereby maximize the efficiency of the LMPA.

2 . The amplifier system of claim 1 further comprising a main driver amplifier coupled between the input of the final main amplifier and the signal input splitter, wherein a main driver bias input of the main driver amplifier is coupled to the main bias controller and the main bias controller is further configured to autonomously adjust bias level of the main driver amplifier and thereby aid in maximizing the efficiency of the LMPA.

3 . The amplifier system of claim 2 wherein main driver bias input and the final main bias input are configured to allow the biases of the main driver amplifier and the final main amplifier to be adjusted together.

4 . The amplifier system of claim 3 wherein main driver bias input and the final main bias input are coupled together.

5 . The amplifier system of claim 2 wherein main driver bias input and the final main bias input are configured to allow the biases of the main driver amplifier and the final main amplifier to be adjusted independently.

6 . The amplifier system of claim 2 further comprising an auxiliary bias controller coupled to an auxiliary final bias input of the auxiliary final amplifier, wherein the auxiliary bias controller is configured to autonomously adjust bias level of the final main amplifier and thereby aid in maximizing the efficiency of the LMPA.

7 . The amplifier system of claim 6 further comprising an auxiliary driver amplifier coupled between the input of the auxiliary final amplifier and the signal input splitter, wherein an auxiliary driver bias input of the auxiliary driver amplifier is coupled to the auxiliary bias controller and the auxiliary bias controller is further configured to autonomously adjust bias level of the auxiliary driver amplifier and thereby aid in maximizing the efficiency of the LMPA.

8 . The LMPA of claim 6 , wherein the main bias controller is a programmable voltage bias controller that is configured to use a linear function to adjust bias levels.

9 . The LMPA of claim 6 , wherein the main bias controller is a programmable voltage bias controller that is configured to use a sigmoid function to adjust bias levels.

10 . The LMPA of claim 6 , wherein the main bias controller is a programmable voltage bias controller that is configured to use an arbitrary function to adjust bias levels.

11 . The LMPA of claim 6 further comprising a main control bus configured to convey an adjustment prompt command to the main bias controller for providing a timing adjustment to main bias controller.

12 . A method of operating an amplifier system comprising:
providing a load modulation power amplifier (LMPA) comprising:
a final main amplifier;
an auxiliary final amplifier;
a signal input splitter coupled between signal inputs of the final amplifier and the auxiliary final amplifier;
an output combiner coupled between signal outputs of the final amplifier and the auxiliary final amplifier;
providing a main bias controller coupled to a final main bias input of the final main amplifier; and autonomously adjusting bias level of the final main amplifier by way of the main bias controller to maximize the efficiency of the LMPA.

13 . The method of operating the amplifier system of claim 12 further comprising:
providing a main driver amplifier coupled between the input of the final main amplifier and the signal input splitter, wherein a main driver bias input of the main driver amplifier is coupled to the main bias controller and the main bias controller; and
autonomously adjust bias level of the main driver amplifier by the main bias controller and thereby aid in maximizing the efficiency of the LMPA.

14 . The method of operating the amplifier system of claim 13 further comprising:
providing an auxiliary bias controller that is coupled to an auxiliary final bias input of the auxiliary final amplifier; and
autonomously adjusting the bias level of the final main amplifier by way of the auxiliary bias controller and thereby aid in maximizing the efficiency of the LMPA.

15 . The method of operating the amplifier system of claim 14 further comprising:
providing an auxiliary driver amplifier coupled between the input of the auxiliary final amplifier and the signal input splitter, wherein an auxiliary driver bias input of the auxiliary driver amplifier is coupled to the auxiliary bias controller; and
autonomously adjusting bias level of the auxiliary driver amplifier by way of the auxiliary bias controller and thereby aid in maximizing the efficiency of the LMPA.

16 . The method of operating the amplifier system of claim 15 further comprising using a linear function to adjust bias levels by way of the main bias controller.

17 . The method of operating the amplifier system of claim 15 further comprising using a sigmoid function to adjust bias levels by way of the main bias controller.

18 . The method of operating the amplifier system of claim 15 further comprising using an arbitrary function to adjust bias levels by way of the main bias controller.

19 . A wireless communication device comprising:
a baseband processor; transmit circuitry configured to receive encoded data from the baseband processor and modulate a carrier signal with the encoded data, wherein the transmit circuitry comprises: a load modulation power amplifier (LMPA) comprising:
a final main amplifier;
an auxiliary final amplifier;
a signal input splitter coupled between signal inputs of the final amplifier and the auxiliary final amplifier;
an output combiner coupled between signal outputs of the final amplifier and the auxiliary final amplifier; and
a main bias controller coupled to a final main bias input of the final main amplifier wherein the main bias controller is configured to autonomously adjust bias level of the final main amplifier and thereby maximize the efficiency of the LMPA.

20 . The wireless communication device of claim 19 wherein the amplifier system further comprises a main driver amplifier coupled between the input of the final main amplifier and the signal input splitter, wherein a main driver bias input of the main driver amplifier is coupled to the main bias controller and the main bias controller is further configured to autonomously adjust bias level of the main driver amplifier and thereby aid in maximizing the efficiency of the LMPA.

21 . The wireless communication device of claim 20 wherein main driver bias input and the final main bias input are configured to allow the biases of the main driver amplifier and the final main amplifier to be adjusted together.

23 . The wireless communication device of claim 21 wherein main driver bias input and the final main bias input are coupled together.

24 . The wireless communication device of claim 21 wherein main driver bias input and the final main bias input ar

Assignees

• Qorvo Us Inc

Inventors

• Poulton Matthew
• Gengler Jeffrey
• Kimball Donald F
• Briffa Mark
• Klemmer Nikolaus
• Burra Gangadhar

Classifications

• H03F1/0205 Primary

  in transistor amplifiers · CPC title

• H03F3/245

  with semiconductor devices only · CPC title

• H03F1/0261 Primary

  with control of the polarisation voltage or current, e.g. gliding Class A · CPC title

• H03F1/0288

  using a main and one or several auxiliary peaking amplifiers whereby the load is connected to the main amplifier using an impedance inverter, e.g. Doherty amplifiers · CPC title

• H03F3/195

  in integrated circuits · CPC title