Dual-mode envelope tracking power converter circuitry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9941844-B2
Application number	US-201615142725-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2016
Priority date	Jul 1, 2015
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

Envelope tracking power converter circuitry is configured to receive a supply voltage and simultaneously provide a first envelope tracking power supply signal for amplifying a first RF input signal and a second envelope tracking signal for amplifying a second RF input signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Envelope tracking power converter circuitry comprising:
a first envelope tracking power supply signal output node;
a second envelope tracking power supply signal output node;
a main switching power converter configured to provide a boost voltage based on a supply voltage;
a voltage regulator configured to provide a regulated supply voltage based on the supply voltage;
a first parallel amplifier configured to provide a first output voltage and a first output current based on a first parallel amplifier supply voltage, an envelope power converter control signal, and a first feedback signal from the first envelope tracking power supply signal output node;
a second parallel amplifier configured to provide a second output voltage and a second output current based on a second parallel amplifier supply voltage, the envelope power converter control signal, and a second feedback signal from the second envelope tracking power supply signal output node;
a first auxiliary switching power converter configured to:
in a first mode of operation, provide a portion of a first envelope tracking power supply signal to the first envelope tracking power supply signal output node based on the boost voltage and a first auxiliary control signal, wherein the first auxiliary control signal is based on the first output current from the first parallel amplifier; and
in a second mode of operation, provide the second parallel amplifier supply voltage to the second parallel amplifier based on the boost voltage; and

a second auxiliary switching power converter configured to:
in a first mode of operation, provide a portion of a second envelope tracking power supply signal to the second envelope tracking power supply signal output node based on the boost voltage and a second auxiliary control signal, wherein the second auxiliary control signal is based on the second output current from the second parallel amplifier; and
in a second mode of operation, provide the first parallel amplifier supply voltage to the first parallel amplifier based on the boost voltage.

2. The envelope tracking power converter circuitry of claim 1 wherein:
in the first mode of operation of the first auxiliary switching power converter, the second parallel amplifier supply voltage is the regulated supply voltage provided by the voltage regulator; and
in the first mode of operation of the second auxiliary switching power converter, the first parallel amplifier supply voltage is the regulated supply voltage provided by the voltage regulator.

3. The envelope tracking power converter circuitry of claim 2 wherein the voltage regulator is a low dropout regulator.

4. The envelope tracking power converter circuitry of claim 1 wherein:
the main switching power converter is a boost converter;
the first auxiliary switching power converter is a buck converter; and
the second auxiliary switching power converter is a buck converter.

5. The envelope tracking power converter circuitry of claim 1 wherein:
the first auxiliary switching power converter is further configured to, in a third mode of operation, provide a first average power tracking power supply signal to the first envelope tracking power supply signal output node based on the boost voltage and the first auxiliary control signal, wherein the first auxiliary control signal is based on the first output current from the first parallel amplifier; and
the second auxiliary power converter is further configured to, in a third mode of operation, provide a second average power tracking power supply signal to the second envelope tracking power supply signal output node based on the boost voltage and the second auxiliary control signal, wherein the second auxiliary control signal is based on the second output current form the second parallel amplifier.

6. The envelope tracking power converter circuitry of claim 5 wherein:
in the first mode of operation and the third mode of operation of the first auxiliary switching power converter, the first parallel amplifier is inactive; and
in the first mode of operation and the third mode of operation of the second auxiliary switching power converter, the second parallel amplifier is inactive.

7. The envelope tracking power converter circuitry of claim 6 wherein:
in the first mode of operation of the first auxiliary switching power converter, the second parallel amplifier supply voltage is the regulated supply voltage provided by the voltage regulator; and
in the first mode of operation of the second auxiliary switching power converter, the first parallel amplifier supply voltage is the regulated supply voltage provided by the voltage regulator.

8. The envelope tracking power converter circuitry of claim 7 wherein the voltage regulator is a low dropout regulator.

9. The envelope tracking power converter circuitry of claim 6 wherein:
the main switching power converter is a boost converter;
the first auxiliary switching power converter is a buck converter; and
the second auxiliary switching power converter is a buck converter.

10. A radio frequency (RF) transmitter section comprising:
a first set of power amplifiers configured to receive and amplify RF input signals within a first set of operating bands;
a second set of power amplifiers configured to receive and amplify RF input signals within a second set of operating bands;
envelope tracking power converter circuitry comprising:
a first envelope tracking power supply signal output node coupled to the first set of power amplifiers;
a second envelope tracking power supply signal output node coupled to the second set of power amplifiers;
a main switching power converter configured to provide a boost voltage based on a supply voltage;
a voltage regulator configured to provide a regulated supply voltage based on the supply voltage;
a first parallel amplifier configured to provide a first output voltage and a first output current based on a first parallel amplifier supply voltage, an envelope power converter control signal, and a first feedback signal from the first envelope tracking power supply signal output node;
a second parallel amplifier configured to provide a second output voltage and a second output current based on a second parallel amplifier supply voltage, an envelope power converter control signal, and a second feedback signal from the second envelope tracking power supply signal output node;
a first auxiliary switching power converter configured to:
in a first mode of operation, provide a portion of a first envelope tracking power supply signal to the first envelope tracking power supply signal output node based on the boost voltage and a first auxiliary control signal, wherein the first auxiliary control signal is based on the first output current from the first parallel amplifier; and
in a second mode of operation, provide the second parallel amplifier supply voltage to the second parallel amplifier based on the boost voltage; and

a second auxiliary switching power converter configured to:
in a first mode of operation, provide a portion of a second envelope tracking power supply signal to the second envelope tracking power supply signal output node based on the boost voltage and a second auxiliary control signal, wherein the second auxiliary control signal is based on the second output current from the second parallel amplifier; and
in a second mode of operation, provide the first parallel amplifier supply voltage to the first parallel amplifier based on the boost voltage.

11. The RF transmitter section of claim 10 wherein:
in the first mode of operation of the first auxiliary switching power converter, the second parallel amplifier su

Assignees

• Rf Micro Devices Inc
• Qorvo Us Inc

Inventors

• Khlat Nadim

Classifications

• H03F2200/48

  the output of the amplifier being coupled out by a capacitor · CPC title

• H03F1/0227 Primary

  using supply converters · CPC title

• Y02B60/50

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• H03F2200/102

  A non-specified detector of a signal envelope being used in an amplifying circuit · CPC title

• H03F2200/105

  A non-specified detector of the power of a signal being used in an amplifying circuit · CPC title