IP Library Granted Patent US 9,106,500
Granted Patent B2
US 9,106,500 · App. 13/613,765 · Granted Aug 11, 2015

Systems and methods of RF power transmission, modulation, and amplification, including embodiments for error correction

Inventors: David F. Sorrells (Middleburg, FL); Gregory S. Rawlins (Heathrow, FL); Michael W. Rawlins (Lake Mary, FL)
Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
H04L27/361H03F1/0205H03F1/0261H03F1/0294H03F1/30H03F1/32H03F1/3241H03F3/211H03F3/24H04L27/366H03F2200/336H03F2203/21142H03H7/21H03H17/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,106,500
App. No.
13/613,765
Granted
Aug 11, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and systems for vector combining power amplification are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a plurality of signals are individually amplified, then summed to form a desired time-varying complex envelope signal. Phase and/or frequency characteristics of one or more of the signals are controlled to provide the desired phase, frequency, and/or amplitude characteristics of the desired time-varying complex envelope signal. In another embodiment, a time-varying complex envelope signal is decomposed into a plurality of constant envelope constituent signals. The constituent signals are amplified equally or substantially equally, and then summed to construct an amplified version of the original time-varying envelope signal. Embodiments also perform frequency up-conversion.

Claims (33)

1. A method for error correction, the method comprising:

receiving, with a receiver, a radio frequency (RF) output signal from a multiple input single output (MISO) device;

scaling an amplitude of the RF output signal to generate a scaled analog signal;

sampling the scaled analog signal to generate a sampled representation of the scaled analog signal;

converting the sampled representation of the scaled analog signal to a digital signal;

calculating a delay between one or more input signals to the MISO device and the RF output signal from the MISO device based on the digital signal; and

adjusting one or more operational parameters of the MISO device based on the delay.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

filtering the sampled representation of the scaled analog signal prior to converting the sampled representation of the scaled analog signal to the digital signal.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving comprises adjusting one or more operational parameters of the MISO device based on a desired gain for the receiver.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the scaling comprises scaling the amplitude of the RF output signal from the MISO device to a dynamic range of an analog-to-digital converter.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sampling comprises sampling I and Q data components of the RF output signal from the MISO device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting comprises adjusting at least one of a gain balance control, an output stage autobias, a driver stage autobias, or a combination thereof of the MISO device.

7. A system for error correction, the system comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) output signal from a multiple input single output (MISO) device;

an automatic gain controller (AGC) configured to scale the RF output signal to generate a scaled analog signal;

a sample-and-hold (S/H) circuit configured to sample the scaled analog signal to generate a sampled representation of the scaled analog signal;

an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to convert the sampled representation of the scaled analog signal from the S/H circuit to a digital signal; and

a digital control module configured to:

calculate a delay between one or more input signals to the MISO device and the RF output signal from the MISO device based on the digital signal; and

adjust one or more operational parameters of the MISO device based on the delay.

8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising:

an interpolation filter configured to filter the sampled representation of the scaled analog signal from the S/H circuit prior to conversion to the digital signal by the ADC.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting comprises aligning I and Q signal inputs to the MISO device based on sampled I and Q data components of the RF output signal from the MISO device.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting comprises operating the MISO device in one or more classes of operation.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the digital control module is configured to adjust the one or more operational parameters of the MISO device based on a desired gain for the receiver.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the AGC is configured to scale the amplitude of the RF output signal from the MISO device to a dynamic range of the ADC.

13. The system of claim 7 , wherein the RF output signal from the MISO device varies based on a class of operation of the MISO device.

14. The system of claim 7 , wherein the RF output signal from the MISO device comprises I and Q data components, and wherein the S/H circuit is configured to sample I and Q data components of the RF output signal from the MISO device.

15. The system of claim 7 , wherein the one or more operational parameters of the MISO device comprise at least one of a gain balance control, an output stage autobias, a driver stage autobias, or a combination thereof.

16. The system of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the MISO device, AGC, S/H circuit, or a combination thereof is operable within a predetermined band of frequencies.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving comprises coupling the receiver to an output of the MISO device.

18. The system of claim 7 , wherein the receiver is coupled to an output of the MISO device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2012
From: SORRELLS, DAVID F.; RAWLINS, GREGORY S.; RAWLINS, MICHAEL W.
To: PARKERVISION, INC.
Reel/Frame 028955/0093 →
Continuity (7)
Division 13269229 · Oct 7, 2011
Continuation 11711811 · Feb 28, 2007
Continuation 11509031 · Aug 24, 2006
Provisional Application 60794121 · Apr 24, 2006
Provisional Application 60797653 · May 5, 2006
Provisional Application 60798705 · May 9, 2006
Related Publication 20130038389A1 · Feb 14, 2013