A power amplifier module includes an amplifier transistor and a bias circuit. A first power supply voltage based on a first operation mode or a second power supply voltage based on a second operation mode is supplied to the amplifier transistor. The amplifier transistor receives a first signal and outputs a second signal obtained by amplifying the first signal. The bias circuit supplies a bias current to the amplifier transistor. The bias circuit includes first and second resistors and first and second transistors. The first transistor is connected in series with the first resistor and is turned ON by a first bias control voltage which is supplied when the first operation mode is used. The second transistor is connected in series with the second resistor and is turned ON by a second bias control voltage which is supplied when the second operation mode is used.

A power management integrated circuit (PMIC) can improve the ramp up speed of a boost converter with the inclusion of a controllable switch that may modify the connection of an output capacitor to reduce the ramp time as the output voltage is ramping to a desired boost setpoint. The switch may be controlled using jump start logic to switch a first plate or terminal of the output capacitor from a ground connection to a voltage supply connection. Once a threshold voltage is reached, the first plate of the capacitor may be switched from the supply voltage to ground. The PMIC may further include a quick start assembly that can drive the boost converter at a high duty-cycle.

Circuits and devices related to radio-frequency amplifiers. In some embodiments, a radio-frequency amplifier can include a plurality of narrow band power amplifiers. Each narrow band power amplifier can be configured to operate with a high voltage in an average power tracking mode and be capable of being coupled to an output filter associated with a respective individual frequency band. Each narrow band power amplifier can be sized smaller than a wide band power amplifier configured to operate with more than one of the frequency bands associated with the plurality of narrow band power amplifiers.

A digital compensation system for a radio frequency (RF) power amplifier module is disclosed. The digital compensation system includes an RF power amplifier having a first input, a first output, and a first bias input, wherein the RF power amplifier is configured to receive an RF signal at the first input and generate an amplified version of the RF signal at the first output. The digital compensation system also includes compensation circuitry coupled between the first input and the first output and a bias output coupled to the RF power amplifier, wherein the compensation circuitry is configured, in response to the RF signal, to generate or adjust a bias signal at the first bias input to correct dynamic bias errors caused by amplification variations that have time constants.

A circuit includes an amplifier and pre-distortion circuit. The amplifier amplifies a modulated signal. The signal pre-distortion circuit performs a feed-forward pre-distortion of the modulated signal in a signal path in which the amplifier resides. The signal pre-distortion circuit includes: i) an envelope detector configured operative to provide an envelope information describing an envelope of the modulated signal; and ii) a built-in test circuit that determines distortion information describing a distortion in the signal path caused by amplitude variations. The signal pre-distortion circuit performs the feed-forward pre-distortion of the modulated signal on the basis of the distortion information.

Envelope tracking schemes for Doherty power amplifiers are provided herein. In certain embodiments, a mobile device includes a Doherty power amplifier that amplifies an RF signal for transmission on an antenna, and an envelope tracker that controls a supply voltage of the Doherty power amplifier based on an envelope of the RF signal amplified by the Doherty power amplifier. Thus, supply modulation is used to control the supply voltage of the Doherty power amplifier to achieve gains in linearity, efficiency, and/or other performance metrics. Furthermore, the Doherty power amplifiers herein can provide higher overall transmission efficiency and/or lower DC power consumption, which in turn leads to lower operating temperatures and/or improved reliability.

A Doherty power amplifier and a method therefor are disclosed. According to one aspect, a Doherty power amplifier includes an input having a first signal path and a second signal path. The first signal path receives a first input signal at a first frequency (f1), splits the first input signal into a first main path signal and a first peak path signal according to a first splitter ratio determined in response to a first envelope of the first input signal. The second signal path receives a second input signal at a second frequency (f2), and splits the second input signal into a second main path signal and a second peak path signal according to a second splitter ratio determined in response to a second envelope of the second input signal.

In accordance with an embodiment, an envelope detector includes a first transistor having a first current conduction terminal coupled to a first connection node; a second current conduction terminal coupled to an intermediate node; and a control terminal coupled the signal input node and to a biasing node; a second transistor having a first current conduction terminal coupled to the intermediate node; a second current conduction terminal coupled to a second connection node; and a control terminal coupled to the biasing node; and a first temperature compensating transistor that is diode-connected and coupled between a compensation output node and the biasing node. The second connection node is coupled to the compensation output node and the first connection node is coupled to a detector output.

A control system is configured to control an output power of a power amplifier. The control system is operable to detect when the power amplifier is in first state and responsively provide first additional bias to the power amplifier. The first additional bias assists or enables the power amplifier in increasing the output power. The control system is also operable to detect when the power amplifier is in a second state and responsively provide second additional bias to the power amplifier. The second additional bias assists or enables the power amplifier in increasing the amount of output power.

Multi-level envelope trackers with an analog interface are provided herein. In certain embodiments, an envelope tracking system for generating a power amplifier supply voltage for a power amplifier is provided. The envelope tracking system includes a multi-level supply (MLS) DC-to-DC converter that outputs multiple regulated voltages, and an MLS modulator that controls selection of the regulated voltages over time based on an analog envelope signal corresponding to an envelope of the RF signal amplified by the power amplifier.