US6141541A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method, device, phone and base station for providing envelope-following for variable envelope radio frequency signals
Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC
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Filing: 1997-12-31
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Granted: 2000-10-31
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Expires: 2017-12-31
Abstract
Abstract A method (200) and device (100) provide an efficient linear power amplifier that generates a variable-envelope radio frequency RF signal. The method includes the steps of: A) using an efficient envelope-following unit to output a supply voltage in accordance with a variable envelope of an input baseband signal, wherein using the efficient envelope-following unit includes: 1) using a bandwidth-limiting mapping unit to determine a reference signal based on the baseband signal; and 2) using an envelope-tracking power converter to output a supply voltage, responsive to the reference signal, to the linear RF power amplifier; B) providing an RF input signal with amplitude and phase information to a linear RF power amplifier; and C) using the linear RF power amplifier to output a power-efficient amplified variable-envelope RF signal with substantially a same amplitude and phase information as the RF input signal.
Inventors
- 👤 Pallab Midya
- 👤 Lawrence E. Connell
- 👤 Steven F. Gillig
- 👤 John Grosspietsch
- 👤 Andrew Merritt Khan
- 👤 George Francis Opas
- 👤 Robert Louis Palandech
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 14:05
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W52/00; H04W52/04; H04W52/52; H03; H03F; H03F1/00; H03F1/02; H03F1/0205; H03F1/0211; H03F1/0216; H03F1/0222; H03F1/0227; H03F2200/00; H03F2200/102
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
173 words
A device for providing an efficient linear power amplifier that generates a variable-envelope radio frequency RF signal, comprising: A) an efficient envelope-following unit, coupled to receive a baseband signal, for outputting a supply voltage in accordance with a variable envelope of the baseband signal, wherein the efficient envelope-following unit includes: 1) a bandwidth-limiting mapping unit, coupled to receive the baseband signal, for determining a reference signal; and 2) an envelope-tracking power converter, coupled to receive the reference signal and to a power source, for outputting a supply voltage to the linear RF power amplifier responsive to the reference signal; B) an RF signal generator, coupled to receive the baseband signal and an RF carrier signal, for providing an RF input signal with amplitude and phase information to a linear RF power amplifier; and C) the linear RF power amplifier, coupled to the efficient envelope-following unit and to the RF signal generator, for outputting a power efficient amplified variable-envelope RF signal with substantially a same amplitude and phase information as the RF input signal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
173 words
A device for providing an efficient linear power amplifier that generates a variable-envelope radio frequency RF signal, comprising: A) an efficient envelope-following unit, coupled to receive a baseband signal, for outputting a supply voltage in accordance with a variable envelope of the baseband signal, wherein the efficient envelope-following unit includes: 1) a bandwidth-limiting mapping unit, coupled to receive the baseband signal, for determining a reference signal; and 2) an envelope-tracking power converter, coupled to receive the reference signal and to a power source, for outputting a supply voltage to the linear RF power amplifier responsive to the reference signal; B) an RF signal generator, coupled to receive the baseband signal and an RF carrier signal, for providing an RF input signal with amplitude and phase information to a linear RF power amplifier; and C) the linear RF power amplifier, coupled to the efficient envelope-following unit and to the RF signal generator, for outputting a power efficient amplified variable-envelope RF signal with substantially a same amplitude and phase information as the RF input signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the bandwidth-limiting mapping unit utilizes a polynomial mapping function of the baseband signal to provide an implicitly bandlimited signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of claim 2 wherein coefficients of the polynomial mapping function are programmable.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 2 wherein coefficients of the polynomial mapping function are selected to maintain a substantially constant gain for the linear RF power amplifier.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 2 wherein coefficients of the polynomial mapping function are selected to minimize the phase shift through the linear RF power amplifier.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The device of claim 2 wherein coefficients of the polynomial mapping function are selected to limit a minimum value of the supply voltage for the linear RF power amplifier.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device of claim 2 wherein coefficients of the polynomial mapping function are selected to maximize efficiency of the linear RF power amplifier.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the bandwidth-limiting mapping unit uses a polynomial mapping function of a square of the variable envelope of the baseband signal to provide an implicitly bandlimited signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the bandwidth-limiting mapping unit utilizes a transcendental function of the variable envelope of the baseband signal to provide a bandlimited signal, wherein the transcendental function is bounded and is characterized by even symmetry.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the linear RF power amplifier is a class AB amplifier.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the linear RF power amplifier is a class B amplifier.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The device of claim 1 further including an envelope detector coupled to the linear RF power amplifier output for providing a feedback signal to the envelope tracking power converter.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
The device of claim 1 further including: A) a demodulator, coupled to the RF output and to the RF carrier signal, for demodulating the amplified variable envelope RF signal; B) a feedback linearizer, coupled to the demodulator and to the baseband signal, for linearizing the RF power amplifier.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for providing an efficient linear power amplifier that generates a variable envelope radio frequency RF signal, comprising the steps of: A) using an efficient envelope-following unit to output a supply voltage in accordance with a variable envelope of an input baseband signal, wherein using the efficient envelope-following unit includes: 1) using a bandwidth-limiting mapping unit to determine a reference signal based on the baseband signal; and 2) using an envelope tracking power converter to output a supply voltage, responsive to the reference signal, to the linear RF power amplifier; B) providing a RF input signal with amplitude and phase information to a linear RF power amplifier; and C) using the linear RF power amplifier to output a power efficient amplified variable envelope RF signal with substantially a same amplitude and phase information as the RF input signal.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for providing an efficient linear power amplifier that generates a variable envelope radio frequency RF signal, comprising the steps of: A) using an efficient envelope-following unit to output a supply voltage in accordance with a variable envelope of an input baseband signal, wherein using the efficient envelope-following unit includes: 1) using a bandwidth-limiting mapping unit to determine a reference signal based on the baseband signal; and 2) using an envelope tracking power converter to output a supply voltage, responsive to the reference signal, to the linear RF power amplifier; B) providing a RF input signal with amplitude and phase information to a linear RF power amplifier; and C) using the linear RF power amplifier to output a power efficient amplified variable envelope RF signal with substantially a same amplitude and phase information as the RF input signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the linear RF power amplifier is a class AB amplifier.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the linear RF power amplifier is a class B amplifier.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 14 wherein using a linear RF power amplifier further includes providing an envelope detector coupled to the linear RF power amplifier output to provide a feedback signal to the envelope tracking power converter.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 14 wherein using the bandwidth-limiting mapping unit includes utilizing a polynomial mapping function of the baseband signal to provide an implicitly bandlimited signal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 14 wherein using the bandwidth-limiting mapping unit includes using a polynomial mapping function of a square of the variable envelope of the baseband signal to provide an implicitly bandlimited signal.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 14 wherein using the bandwidth-limiting mapping unit includes utilizing a transcendental function of the variable envelope of the baseband signal to provide a bandlimited signal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 20 wherein the transcendental function is one of: a cosine function and a series consisting of powers of a cosine function.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 20 wherein the transcendental function is approximated by an nth order polynomial, where n is an integer, and which lacks a linear/first order term.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 20 wherein the nth order polynomial is limited to even-order terms and an offset constant.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-10-31 | 2004-05-01 | 2004-10-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-10-31 | 2008-05-01 | 2008-10-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-10-31 | 2012-05-01 | 2012-10-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |