WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS INCLUDING DISTRIBUTED FEEDBACK ARCHITECTURE
An exemplary wireless communication device includes a plurality of amplifiers that each provide an output signal. A combiner combines the output signals into a combined signal. A pre-distortion processor is configured to provide signal correction for each of the amplifiers. The pre-distortion processor receives feedback comprising an indication of each of the output signals before the output signals are combined into the combined signal.
1 . A wireless communication device, comprising:
a plurality of amplifiers that each provide an output signal;
a combiner that combines the output signals into a combined signal; and
a pre-distortion processor configured to provide signal correction for each of the amplifiers, the pre-distortion processor receiving feedback comprising an indication of each of the output signals before the output signals are combined into the combined signal.
2 . The device of claim 1 , comprising
a radio frequency coupling associated with each amplifier, each radio frequency coupling providing the feedback indication of the corresponding amplifier output signal to the pre-distortion processor.
3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein
the output signals are wireless transmitted from the amplifiers; and
the combiner receives the wirelessly transmitted output signals.
4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the combiner uses air combining of the output signals.
5 . The device of claim 1 , comprising
an antenna for transmitting the combined signal.
6 . The device of claim 5 , wherein the device comprises a wireless communication base station.
7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein each amplifier comprises a digital pre-distortion coupler that provides the feedback indication for the pre-distortion processor.
8 . The device of claim 7 , wherein
each amplifier comprises a radio frequency isolator; and
each digital pre-distortion coupler is isolated from outside interference by the corresponding radio frequency isolator.
9 . The device of claim 1 , comprising
a summer that sums the indications into a feedback signal and provides the feedback signal to the pre-distortion processor.
10 . A wireless communication method, comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of output signals, each output signal being from one of a corresponding plurality of amplifiers;
combining the output signals into a combined signal;
obtaining an indication of each output signal before the combining; and
providing pre-distortion signal correction for each of the amplifiers based on the obtained indications as feedback.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the obtaining comprises
using a radio frequency coupling associated with each amplifier, each radio frequency coupling providing the indication of the corresponding amplifier output signal.
12 . The method of claim 10 , comprising
wirelessly transmitting the output signals from the amplifiers; and
receiving the wirelessly transmitted output signals at a combiner.
13 . The method of claim 10 , comprising using air combining of the output signals.
14 . The method of claim 10 , comprising
using a digital pre-distortion coupler of each amplifier for providing the corresponding indication.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein
each amplifier comprises a radio frequency isolator and
the method comprises
isolating each digital pre-distortion coupler from outside interference using the corresponding radio frequency isolator.