IP Library Granted Patent US 9,941,844
Granted Patent B2
US 9,941,844 · App. 15/142,725 · Granted Apr 10, 2018

Dual-mode envelope tracking power converter circuitry

Inventor: Nadim Khlat (Cugnaux, FR)
Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
H03F1/0227H02M1/14H03F1/02H03F1/0233H03F3/19H03F3/195H03F3/245H03F3/68H04B1/04H04W52/0209H03F2200/102H03F2200/105H03F2200/111H03F2200/451H03F2200/48H03F2203/21181H04W88/06Y02B60/50
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,941,844
App. No.
15/142,725
Granted
Apr 10, 2018
Kind
B2
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.

Claims (72)

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 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.

12. The RF transmitter section of claim 10 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.

13. The RF transmitter section of claim 12 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.

14. The RF transmitter section of claim 13 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.

15. The RF transmitter section of claim 14 wherein the voltage regulator is a low dropout regulator.

16. The RF transmitter section of claim 13 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.

17. Envelope tracking power converter circuitry configured to receive a supply voltage and an envelope power converter control signal and simultaneously provide an envelope tracking power supply signal to a first selected power amplifier for amplifying a first radio frequency (RF) input signal and an average power tracking power supply signal to a second selected power amplifier for amplifying a second RF input signal.

18. The envelope tracking power converter circuitry of claim 17 wherein a frequency of the first RF input signal is within a first operating band and a frequency of the second RF input signal is within a second operating band.

19. The envelope tracking power converter circuitry of claim 18 wherein the envelope tracking power converter circuitry is an integrated circuit.

20. The envelope tracking power converter circuitry of claim 19 wherein the envelope tracking power supply signal and the average power tracking power supply signal are provided asynchronously.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Jun 16, 2016
From: RF MICRO DEVICES, INC.
To: QORVO US, INC.
Reel/Frame 039196/0941 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2016
From: KHLAT, NADIM
To: RF MICRO DEVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 038514/0779 →
Continuity (4)
Provisional Application 62190088 · Jul 8, 2015
Provisional Application 62187355 · Jul 1, 2015
Provisional Application 62273670 · Dec 31, 2015
Related Publication 20170005618A1 · Jan 5, 2017