Method and system for linearizing a radio frequency power amplifier
09755581 · 2017-09-05
Inventors
Cpc classification
H03F2200/447
ELECTRICITY
H03F1/22
ELECTRICITY
H03F1/30
ELECTRICITY
H03F1/32
ELECTRICITY
International classification
H03F1/32
ELECTRICITY
H03F1/30
ELECTRICITY
H03F1/02
ELECTRICITY
Abstract
A method and system for linearizing a Radio Frequency Power Amplifier (RFPA) is disclosed. The method comprises calibrating signals in the RFPA to linearize the RFPA, using at least one of a first signal, a second signal, a third signal, and a fourth signal. The first signal is generated corresponding to ambient temperature. The second signal is generated corresponding to process corner of transistors in the RFPA. The third signal is generated corresponding to power supply voltage. The fourth signal is generated by feeding back output of the RFPA.
Claims
1. A method of linearizing a Radio Frequency Power Amplifier (RFPA), the method comprising: calibrating signals in the RFPA to linearize the RFPA, using at least one of a first signal, a second signal, a third signal, and a fourth signal, wherein the first signal is generated corresponding to ambient temperature, wherein the second signal is generated corresponding to process corner of transistors in the RFPA, wherein the third signal is generated corresponding to power supply voltage, and wherein the fourth signal is generated by feeding back output of the RFPA.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fourth signal is used to calibrate at least one of the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first signal, the second signal, the third signal, and the fourth signal are used to calibrate the bias signal of one or more transistors of the RFPA.
4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bias signals are generated using a bias generator, wherein the bias generator comprises one of an analogue bias generator, and a digital bias generator.
5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the digital bias generator comprises one of a processor based digital bias generator or a look-up table based digital bias generator.
6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the analogue bias generator generates the bias signals by: generating a cascode bias signal by adding multiples or polynomials of the first signal, the second signal, the third signal, and the fourth signal; generating a bias current using the multiples or polynomials of one of the first signal, the second signal, the third signal, and the fourth signal; and generating an input bias signal based on the cascode bias signal and the bias current.
7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the processor based digital bias generator or the look-up table based digital bias generator generates the bias signals by: converting the first signal, the second signal, the third signal and the fourth signal into a first digital code, a second digital code, a third digital code, and a fourth digital code, respectively; calculating values for the bias signal using one of the processor based digital bias generator and the look-up table based digital bias generator, based on the first digital code, the second digital code, the third digital code, and the fourth digital code; generating one or more digital bias signals based on the values calculated; and generating the bias signals using the one or more digital bias signals.
8. A system for linearizing a Radio Frequency Power Amplifier (RFPA), the system comprising: a circuit to calibrate signals in the RFPA in order to linearize the RFPA, wherein the signals in the RFPA are calibrated using at least one of a first signal, a second signal, a third signal, and a fourth signal, wherein the first signal is generated, by a temperature sensor, corresponding to ambient temperature of the RFPA; wherein the second signal is generated, by a process monitor, corresponding to process corner of transistors in the RFPA, wherein the third signal is generated, by a power supply sensing circuit, corresponding to power supply voltage, and wherein the fourth signal is generated by feeding back output of the RFPA.
9. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the fourth signal is used to calibrate at least one of the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal.
10. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first signal, the second signal, the third signal, and the fourth signal are used to calibrate bias signal of the one or more transistors of the RFPA.
11. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the bias signals are generated using a bias generator.
12. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the bias generator is one of an analogue bias generator, and a digital bias generator.
13. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the digital bias generator is one of a processor based digital bias generator and a look-up table based digital bias generator.
14. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the analogue bias generator comprises: a cascode bias signal generator to generate a cascode bias signal by adding multiples or polynomials of the first signal, the second signal, the third signal, and the fourth signal; a signal adder to generate a first bias signal by adding the multiples or polynomials of the first signal, the second signal, the third signal, and the fourth signal; a voltage controlled current source to generate a first bias current; and an auxiliary RFPA to generate a second bias signal based on the first bias current and the cascade bias signal.
15. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the processor based digital bias generator or the look-up table based digital bias generator comprises: an Analogue to Digital Converter (ADC) to convert the first signal, the second signal the third signal and the fourth signal into a first digital code, a second digital code, a third digital code, and a fourth digital code, respectively; and a processor operable to: calculate values for the bias signals based on the first digital code, the second digital code, the third digital code, and the fourth digital code; and generate one or more digital bias signals based on the calculation; and a Digital to Analogue Converter (DAC) to generate the bias signals from the one or more digital bias signals.
16. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the one or more digital bias signals are selected from a lookup table in the look-up table based digital bias generator based on the first digital code, the second digital code, the third digital code, and a fourth digital code.
17. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the temperature sensor is at least one of a bandgap temperature sensor, a thermistor based circuit, and an application based integrated chip.
18. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the RFPA is at least one of a cascode power amplifier, a low noise amplifier, a pre-power amplifier, a Class A power amplifier, a Class B power amplifier, a Class AB power amplifier, a Class C power amplifier, and a Class D power amplifier.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
(1) In the following drawings like reference numbers are used to refer to like elements. Although the following figures depict various examples of the invention, the invention is not limited to the examples depicted in the figures.
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DESCRIPTION
(8) In the present disclosure, relational terms such as first and second, and the like, may be used to distinguish one entity from the other, without necessarily implying any actual relationship or order between such entities. The following detailed description is intended to provide example implementations to one of ordinary skill in the art, and is not intended to limit the invention to the explicit disclosure, as one or ordinary skill in the art will understand that variations can be substituted that are within the scope of the invention as described.
(9) Embodiments of the present disclosure described herein disclose a system and method for linearizing a Radio Frequency Power Amplifier (RFPA). The system discloses a bias generator to generate bias signals and to linearize the RFPAs in spite of variations in ambient temperature and a process corner. Further, the present disclosure discloses a method of reducing dependency of linearity of the RFPA on temperature variations and process corner.
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(11) The operating points of the one or more transistors wherein the RFPA 115 exhibits linearity in operation is hereafter referred to as optimum operating points. In other words, when the operating points of the one or more transistors match the optimum operating points, the RFPA 115 functions with linearity. Moreover, when the one or more transistors are at the optimum operating points, the RFPA 115 causes reduced third order Intermodulation Distortion (IM3). In order to operate at the optimum operating points, the system 100 generates the one or more bias signals to bias the one or more transistors. However, the optimum operating points vary with variations in multiple factors. For example, the optimum operating points vary with variations in ambient temperature and supply voltage of the RFPA 115. Further, rate of the variations in the optimum operating points depend on a process corner of the one or more transistors. Hence, while adjusting the one or more bias signals, the process corner and the variations in the ambient temperature and supply voltage have to be accounted for.
(12) In one example, the system 100 generates the one or more bias signals in the bias generator 105. At the time of generating, the system 100 takes into account the variation in the optimum operating point caused due to variation in the ambient temperature. In order to generate the one or more bias signals, at first, the bias generator 105 receives a first signal from the temperature sensor 130. Examples of the temperature sensor 130 include, but are not limited to a bandgap temperature sensor, a thermistor based circuit, and an application based integrated chip. The first signal comprises information regarding the ambient temperature. In one example, the first signal is a V.sub.temp signal. Further, in order to account the variation in the process corner, the bias generator 105 receives a second signal from the process monitor 125. In one example, the second signal is a V.sub.proc signal. In order to account for the variation in the supply voltage, the bias generator 105 receives a third signal from the supply voltage sense block 125. In one example, the third signal is a V.sub.sup signal. The process monitor 125 is an electronic circuit capable of detecting a process corner of the one or more transistors. The second signal comprises information regarding the process corner of the one or more transistors in the RFPA 115. The process corner can be anywhere between the two extreme process corners for which the Foundry supplies device models. The extreme process corners are usually named slow corner and fast corner, weak corner and strong corner etc.
(13) After receiving the first signal, the second signal (i.e, the V.sub.temp signal and the V.sub.proc signal) and the third signal i.e., the supply voltage, the bias generator 105 generates the one or more bias signals. In other words, the bias generator 105 generates the one or more bias signals in accordance with the ambient temperature, the supply voltage and the process corner. Further, the bias generator 105 considers the variations occurring in the first signal, the second signal and the third signal. As a result, the bias generator 105 adjusts the one or more bias signals to circumvent variations and get to the optimum operating points. It is to be understood that the RFPA 115 may suffer from non-linearity as a result of multiple factors other than the variation in the ambient temperature. For example, the RFPA 115 may suffer non-linearity as a result of at least one of a current spike, harmonics, and intermodulation distortion. To compensate for the non-linearity resulting from the multiple factors, the system 100 has to consider a fourth signal, an output of the RFPA 115. In other words, the fourth signal is indicative of a feedback signal from the RFPA 115. In one example, the bias generator 105 senses the fourth signal from the RFPA 115. Specifically, the bias generator 105 senses the fourth signal using the resistor 120. It is to be understood that the fourth signal may have variations. After receiving the fourth signal, the fourth signal is used to calibrate at least one of the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal.
(14) The bias signals are generated by the bias generator 105. The bias generator 105 is one of an analogue bias generator and a digital bias generator. The analogue bias generator comprises multiple analogue components. Examples of the analogue components include, but are not limited to signal adders, signal subtractors, signal multipliers, signal squarer, power amplifiers, and current mirrors. The digital bias generator uses digital components to generate the one or more bias signals. Examples of the digital components include, but are not limited to analogue to digital convertors, digital to analogue converters, logical gates, processors, and field programmable gate arrays. The digital bias generator is at least one of a processor based digital bias generator and a look-up table based digital generator.
(15) In one exemplary illustration of the present invention, the RFPA 115 is a cascode Radio Frequency Power Amplifier (cascade RFPA). The cascode RFPA 115 comprises a cascode transistor and an input transistor. As discussed earlier, when the one or more transistors (the cascode transistor and the input transistor) function at the optimum operating points, the RFPA 115 (the cascode RFPA) functions with linearity. In order to linearize the cascode RFPA 115, the system 100 biases the cascode transistor and the input transistor to the optimum operating points. The system 100 biases the cascode transistor with a cascode bias signal (V.sub.cascode). Further, the system 100 biases the input transistor with an input bias signal (V.sub.input).
(16) In one example, the bias generator 105 is the analogue bias generator. Referring to
(17) The cascode bias signal generator 220 receives the V.sub.temp signal, the V.sub.sup signal and the V.sub.proc signal to generate the V.sub.cascode signal. Further, the input bias signal generator 225 receives the V.sub.temp signal, the V.sub.sup signal and the V.sub.proc signal to generate the V.sub.input signal. Further, the analogue bias generator 200 receives a fourth signal or a feedback signal from the RFPA 215. The analogue bias generator 200 calibrates the V.sub.cascode signal and the V.sub.input signal in accordance with the feedback signal. In one embodiment, the analogue bias generator 200 calibrates at least one of the V.sub.cascode signal, V.sub.temp signal, the V.sub.sup signal, the V.sub.proc signal and the V.sub.input signal in accordance with the feedback signal.
(18) As discussed earlier, the cascode bias signal generator 220 generates the V.sub.cascode signal. With reference to
(19) To generate the V.sub.cascode signal, the cascode bias signal generator 300 receives a first signal, i.e., the V.sub.temp signal as input from the temperature sensor 205. Further, the cascode bias signal generator receives a second signal, i.e., V.sub.proc signal as input from the process monitor 210 (shown in
Vproc(t)=f(μ*Cox,Vtemp) (1)
(20) μ*Cox indicates a parameter dependent on the process corner. In one example, the temperature sensor 205 generates the V.sub.temp signal from a band gap voltage reference and additional circuitry in the temperature sensor 205. The V.sub.temp signal varies proportionally with the ambient temperature. The V.sub.temp signal is given by an equation:
Vtemp(t)=f(t) (2)
(21) In one embodiment, the cascode bias signal generator 300 receives a third signal, i.e., the V.sub.supply signal as input from the supply voltage sense 235, the V.sub.cascode signal is given by an equation:
V.sub.c.sub.
(22) α.sub.1, β.sub.1 β.sub.2, β3, and β4 are constants obtained from running the first set of simulation tests. To generate the bias signals, the cascode bias signal generator 300 combines the V.sub.temp signal, the V.sub.proc signal and the V.sub.sup signal in accordance with equation (3). Based on the equations one to three, values of the V.sub.temp, V.sub.proc, V.sub.cascode, V.sub.sup and V.sub.input are obtained by running simulation tests by varying the ambient temperature, supply voltage and the process corner.
(23) The cascode bias signal generator 300 generates the α.sub.1*Vproc(t) by passing the V.sub.proc signal through the first amplifier 305. Further, the bias generator 105 generates the β.sub.1*Vtemp(t) by passing the V.sub.proc signal through the second amplifier 310. Further, the bias generator 105 generates the β.sub.2*Vtemp.sup.2(t) by sending the V.sub.temp signal through the first signal squarer 315 and the third amplifier 320, Further, the bias generator 105 generates the β.sub.3*V.sub.sup(t) by passing the V.sub.sup signal through the fourth amplifier 330. Further, the bias generator 105 generates the β.sub.4*Vsup.sup.2(t) by passing the V.sub.sup signal through the second signal squarer 335 and the fifth amplifier 340. Furthermore, the cascode bias signal generator 300 combines output of the first amplifier 305, the second amplifier 310, the third amplifier 320, the fourth amplifier 330, the fifth amplifier 340 in the signal adder 325 to generate the V.sub.cascode signal. In other words, the cascode bias signal generator 300 generates the V.sub.cascode signal by adding multiples of the V.sub.temp signal, the V.sub.proc signal, the V.sub.sup signal, the V.sub.sup.sup.2 signal and the Vtemp.sup.2 signal.
(24) The analogue bias generator 200 (as shown in
V.sub.CTRL(t)=α.sub.2*Vproc(t)+β.sub.5*Vtemp(t)+β.sub.6*Vtemp.sup.2(t)+β.sub.7*Vsup(t)+β.sub.8*Vsup.sup.2(t) (4)
(25) α.sub.2, β.sub.5, β.sub.6, β.sub.7 and β.sub.8 are constants obtained from simulation tests. To generate the control signal V.sub.CTRL, the input bias signal generator 400 combines the V.sub.temp signal and the V.sub.proc signal in accordance with equation (4). Further, the input bias signal generator 400 generates the α.sub.2*V.sub.proc(t) by passing the V.sub.proc signal through the first amplifier 410. Further, the input bias signal generator 400 generates the β.sub.5*V.sub.temp (t) by sending the V.sub.tempj signal through the second amplifier 415. Further, the input bias signal generator 400 generates the β.sub.6*V.sub.temp.sup.2(t) by sending the V.sub.temp signal through the signal squarer 405 and the third amplifier 420. Further, the input bias signal generator 400 generates the β.sub.7*V sup(t) by passing the V.sub.sup signal through the fourth amplifier 440. Further, the input bias signal generator 400 generates the β.sub.8*V sup.sup.2(t) by passing the V.sub.sup signal through the second signal squarer 445 and the fifth amplifier 450. The first signal squarer 405 squares the V.sub.temp signal. Furthermore, the input bias signal generator 400 combines outputs of the first amplifier 410, the second amplifier 415, the third amplifier 420, the fourth amplifier 440, and the fifth amplifier 450 in the signal adder 425 to generate the control signal V.sub.CTRL. In other words, the input bias signal generator 400 generates the V.sub.cascode signal by adding multiples of the V.sub.temp signal, the V.sub.proc, signal, the signal, the V.sub.sup signal, the V.sub.sup.sup.2 signal. The input bias signal generator 400 uses the control signal V.sub.CTRL as input to the voltage controlled current source 430. The voltage controlled current source 430 generates the bias current signal I.sub.bias in accordance with the control signal V.sub.CTRL. The bias current signal I.sub.bias is given by the following equation:
I.sub.bias(t)=G(V.sub.CTRL)=G(α.sub.2*Vproc(t)+β.sub.5*Vtemp(t)+β.sub.6*Vtemp.sup.2(t)+β.sub.7*Vsup(t)+β.sub.8*Vsup.sup.2(t) (5)
(26) G is the transconductance of the Voltage Controlled Current Source 430. The Voltage Controlled Current Source 430 supplies the bias current signal I.sub.bias to the auxiliary RFPA 435. The auxiliary RFPA 435 generates the V.sub.input signal based on the bias current signal I.sub.bias and the V.sub.cascode signal.
(27) As discussed in
(28) In one embodiment of the present invention, the digital device 520 is a processor. The digital device 520 calculates values of the one or more bias signals required to bias the one or more transistors to the optimum operating points. Further, the digital device 520 generates one or more digital bias signals based on the values calculated. In another embodiment of the present invention, the digital device 520 comprises a look-up table. The look-up table comprises values of the one or more bias signals required for multiple combinations of the V.sub.temp signal, the V.sub.proc signal, the feedback signal, and the supply voltage signal. The digital device 520 identifies the values of the one or more bias signals required and generates the one or more digital bias signals. The first DAC 525 and the second DAC 530 generate the one or more bias signals from the one or more digital bias signals.
(29) In one embodiment of the present invention, the one or more bias signals comprises a V.sub.cascode signal and a V.sub.input signal. The digital device 520 generates a fifth digital code in accordance to the value of the V.sub.input signal and a sixth digital code in accordance to the value of the V.sub.cascode signal. The first DAC 525 generates the V.sub.input from the fifth digital signal. The second DAC 530 generates the V.sub.cascode from the sixth digital signal.
(30)
(31) At step 610, a first signal corresponding to ambient temperature of the RFPA is generated. In one embodiment of the present invention, the first signal is generated by a temperature sensor (as described in
(32) At step 615, a second signal based on the process corner of transistors in the RFPA is generated. In one embodiment of the present invention, the second signal is generated by the process monitor. The second signal is a V.sub.proc signal.
(33) At step 620, a third signal corresponding to power supply voltage is generated.
(34) At step 625, a fourth signal is generated by feeding back output of the RFPA. In one embodiment of the present invention, the fourth signal is generated by the bias generator.
(35) At step 630, signals in the RFPA are calibrated using at least one of the first signal, the second signal, the third signal, and the fourth signal.
(36) Techniques mentioned in the present disclosure invention are further applicable to systems requiring power amplifiers with high degree of linearity in a wide gamut of temperatures and process corners.
(37) Advantageously, the embodiments specified in the present disclosure provide a system and method of linearizing Radio Frequency Power Amplifiers (RFPA). The proposed invention increases allowed temperature range of operation of RFPAs. Further, the proposed invention makes the RFPA independent of variations in temperature and power supply voltage. Moreover, the proposed invention decreases dependency of the RFPAs on process corners.
(38) In the preceding specification, the present disclosure and its advantages have been described with reference to the specific embodiments. However, it will be apparent to a person with ordinary skill in the art that various modifications and changes can be made, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded as illustrative examples of the present disclosure, rather than in restrictive sense. All such possible modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present disclosure.