IP Library Granted Patent US 9,490,753
Granted Patent B1
US 9,490,753 · App. 14/610,873 · Granted Nov 8, 2016

Apparatuses and systems for a bias network with accurate quiescent current control

Inventor: Andriy Kryshtopin (Kirchseeon, DE)
Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
H03F1/0216H03F3/193H03F3/21H03F2200/451
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,490,753
App. No.
14/610,873
Granted
Nov 8, 2016
Kind
B1
Abstract

Embodiments of apparatuses and systems for a bias network providing accurate quiescent current control are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims (42)

1. A circuit comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) transistor; and

a bias network coupled with a base of the RF transistor, the bias network including:

a multi-gate depletion-mode field-effect transistor (D-FET) to provide a quiescent current, wherein the multi-gate D-FET is a triple-gate D-FET; and

a current mirror that includes a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) to provide a mirrored current, wherein the quiescent current is proportional to the mirror current.

2. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the multi-gate D-FET is a first multi-gate D-FET and the circuit further comprising:

a current source that includes a second multi-gate D-FET that is coupled in parallel with the HBT.

3. The circuit of claim 2 , wherein the current source is a shunt current source.

4. The circuit of claim 2 , wherein the current source is to at least partially compensate process variation with respect to the first multi-gate D-FET.

5. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the bias network is to be coupled with a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to provide a regulator voltage (Vreg) that is between approximately 0.7 volts (V) and 2.9 V.

6. The circuit of claim 5 , wherein the DAC is to provide the regulator voltage below 2.5 V.

7. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the RF transistor is a drive stage of a power amplifier.

8. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the RF transistor is a final stage of a power amplifier.

9. The circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a capacitor coupled with the base of the HBT and a collector of the HBT.

10. A circuit comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) transistor; and

a bias network including:

a first branch having:

a terminal to receive a battery voltage;

a multi-gate depletion mode field effect transistor (D-FET) coupled with the terminal; and

a node coupled with a base of the RF transistor; and

a second branch having:

a terminal to receive a regulator voltage;

a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) having a base coupled with the node of the first branch; and

a capacitor coupled with the base of the HBT and a collector of the HBT.

11. The circuit of claim 10 , wherein the first branch further comprises a capacitor coupled with the node and ground.

12. The circuit of claim 10 , wherein the base of the HBT is coupled with the node through a resistor.

13. The circuit of claim 10 , wherein the multi-gate D-FET is a first multi-gate D-FET and the second branch further comprises a second multi-gate D-FET coupled in parallel with the HBT.

14. The circuit of claim 13 , wherein the HBT is a current mirror, and the second multi-gate D-FET is a current source.

15. The circuit of claim 14 , wherein the current source is to at least partially compensate process variation with respect to the multi-gate D-FET.

16. The circuit of claim 10 , wherein the multi-gate D-FET is a triple-gate D-FET.

17. A system comprising:

a power source to provide a battery voltage;

a transceiver to provide a transmit signal and a regulator voltage; and

a power amplifier (PA) module comprising:

a power amplifier stage coupled with the transceiver to receive and amplify the transmit signal; and

a bias network coupled with the power amplifier stage, the power source, and the transceiver, the bias network including a multi-gate depletion mode field effect transistor (D-FET) to provide a quiescent current to the power amplifier stage based on the regulator voltage, wherein the multi-gate D-FET is a triple-gate D-FET.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the bias network further includes a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) to provide a mirror current to set the quiescent current through the power amplifier stage.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the bias network further includes a multi-gate (D-FET) current source coupled in parallel with the HBT to at least partially compensate process variation with respect to the multi-gate D-FET.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the transceiver includes a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to provide the regulator voltage with a range of approximately 2.2 V.

21. The system of claim 17 , wherein the system is a mobile computing device.

22. The system of claim 18 , further comprising a capacitor coupled with the base of the HBT and a collector of the HBT.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Jun 16, 2016
From: TRIQUINT SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: QORVO US, INC.
Reel/Frame 039050/0193 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 30, 2015
From: KRYSHTOPIN, ANDRIY
To: TRIQUINT SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 034859/0642 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 62100427 · Jan 6, 2015