Embodiments provide methods, apparatus and computer software for use in calibrating a transmitter in operative association with a variable supply voltage. A phase distortion of the power amplifier is determined for a given instantaneous power. On the basis of the determined phase distortion for the power amplifier at the given instantaneous power, the transmitter is calibrated. Examples of transmitters in respect of which embodiments may be practiced include envelope tracking transmitters, envelope elimination and restoration transmitters, and polar transmitters.
1. A method for calibrating a transmitter comprising a power amplifier in operative association with a variable supply voltage, the method comprising:
determining a phase distortion of the power amplifier at a given instantaneous power by comparing a measurement of a signal supplied prior to the power amplifier to a measurement of a signal output from the power amplifier; and
calibrating the transmitter on a basis of the determined phase distortion, wherein
the determining comprises determining phase difference between time aligned samples of the signal supplied prior to the power amplifier and samples of the signal output from the power amplifier by at least:
grouping the samples according to instantaneous power of each sample, the grouping of the samples including at least a group corresponding to the given instantaneous power, and
calculating an average value of the determined phase difference such that the determined phase distortion is determined on a basis of the samples in said group.
2. The method according to claim 1 , comprising:
calculating a phase offset between the determined phase distortion, and a predefined phase distortion for the given instantaneous power; and
using the calculated phase offset to calibrate the transmitter.
3. The method according to claim 2 , comprising accessing data associated with an offline calibration process for the transmitter, whereby to identify said predefined phase distortion.
4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the offline calibration process is performed during production of the transmitter.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determination of the phase distortion of the power amplifier at the given instantaneous power is performed using a measurement receiver.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the signal supplied prior to the power amplifier and the signal output from the power amplifier are time aligned prior to said comparison.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the signal supplied prior to the power amplifier and the signal output from the output of the power amplifier are sampled at regular intervals prior to said comparison.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determined phase distortion of the power amplifier at the given instantaneous power comprises an average phase distortion over a measurement time period.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determined phase distortion is for an individual gain stage of the transmitter at the given instantaneous power, said individual gain stage comprising the power amplifier.
10. An apparatus for calibrating a transmitter comprising a power amplifier in operative association with a variable supply voltage, the apparatus comprising:
at least one phase comparison unit configured to determine a phase distortion of the power amplifier at a given instantaneous power by comparing a measurement of a signal supplied prior to the power amplifier to a measurement of a signal output from the power amplifier; and
at least one calibration unit configured to calibrate the transmitter on a basis of the determined phase distortion, wherein
the at least one phase comparison unit determines the phase distortion by determining phase difference between time aligned samples of the signal supplied prior to the power amplifier and samples of the signal output from the power amplifier by at least:
grouping the samples according to instantaneous power of each sample, the grouping of the samples including at least a group corresponding to the given instantaneous power, and
calculating an average value of the determined phase difference such that the determined phase distortion is determined on a basis of the samples in said group.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , comprising a shaping table, the shaping table comprising a mapping between signal magnitudes and corresponding power amplifier supply voltages for the given instantaneous power, wherein the at least one calibration unit is configured to modify contents of the shaping table on a basis of the determined phase distortion.
12. The apparatus according to claim 10 , comprising an envelope detector configured to identify a magnitude of the signal to be transmitted by the transmitter, wherein the supply voltage of the power amplifier is modified on a basis of the identified signal magnitude.
13. The apparatus according to claim 10 , comprising a measurement receiver, the measurement receiver being configured to measure a signal subsequent to the output of the power amplifier, wherein the at least one phase comparison unit is configured to operate on the output of the measurement receiver.
14. The apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprises:
a data store for storing a predefined phase distortion for the given instantaneous power; and
at least one offset determination unit configured to compare the determined phase distortion of the power amplifier at the given instantaneous power with the predefined phase distortion for the given instantaneous power, whereby to determine a phase offset for the given instantaneous power, wherein the at least one calibration unit is configured to calibrate the transmitter on the basis of the determined phase offset.
15. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the apparatus comprises one or more of:
a chipset,
a front end module,
a transmitter,
a transceiver, and
a user equipment.
16. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the transmitter comprises an envelope tracking transmitter.
17. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the transmitter comprises one of:
an envelope elimination and restoration transmitter, and
a polar transmitter.
18. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the determined phase distortion is for an individual gain stage of the transmitter at the given instantaneous power, said individual gain stage comprising the power amplifier.
19. A non-transitory computer readable memory storing computer software for use in calibrating a transmitter in operative association with a variable supply voltage, the transmitter comprising a power amplifier, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer software is configured to perform a method, the method comprising:
determining the phase distortion of the power amplifier at a given instantaneous power by comparing a measurement of a signal supplied prior to the power amplifier to a measurement of a signal output from the power amplifier; and
calibrating the transmitter on a basis of the determined phase distortion,
wherein the determining comprises determining phase difference between time aligned samples of the signal supplied prior to the power amplifier and samples of the signal output from the power amplifier by at least:
grouping the samples according to instantaneous power of each sample, the grouping of the samples including at least a group corresponding to the given instantaneous power, and
calculating an average value of the difference phase difference such that the determined phase distortion is determined on a basis of the samples in said group.
20. The non-transitory computer readable memory storing the computer software according to claim 19 , wherein the determined phase distortion is for an individual gain stage of the transmitter at the given instantaneous power, said individual gain stage comprising the power amplifier.