Power amplifier and radio frequency front-end module

Abstract

The invention discloses a power amplifier and a radio frequency front end module. The power amplifier comprises a power amplification module, a switch module, a voltage conversion module and a control module. The power amplification module is provided with N power supply ends. The switch module comprises N switch units, each switch unit comprises a common end, a first selection end and a second selection end, the common ends are connected to the corresponding power supply ends, and the first selection ends and the second selection ends are connected to the power ports respectively. The voltage conversion module comprises N voltage conversion units, and the voltage conversion units are connected between the power ports and the corresponding first selection ends. The control module can control the N switch units in the switch module to conduct the branch where the first selection end is located or the branch where the second selection end is located based on the working parameters of the power amplification module, so that the voltage input by the power supply end is flexibly adjusted, and the power supply flexibility and the power supply efficiency of the power amplifier are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of radio frequency technology, and more specifically, to a power amplifier and a radio frequency front-end module. Background Art

[0002] Existing RF front-end modules have been widely used in wireless communications, Internet of Things, smart home and other fields. Among them, the power amplifier (PA) is the core unit of the RF front-end module, and its performance has a great influence on the signal output indicators of the RF front-end module.

[0003] In actual use of power amplifiers, the power supply voltage of some power amplifiers may adopt a fixed voltage value. When the power supply voltage of the power amplifier is a fixed value, this will result in poor power supply flexibility and low power supply efficiency of the power amplifier. Summary of the invention

[0004] Embodiments of the present application provide a power amplifier and a radio frequency front-end module.

[0005] According to the first aspect of the present application, an embodiment of the present application provides a power amplifier, which includes a power amplifier module, a switch module, a voltage conversion module and a control module. The power amplifier module is provided with N power supply terminals, and N is an integer greater than 0. The switch module includes N switch units corresponding to the N power supply terminals one by one, and the switch unit includes a common terminal, a first selection terminal and a second selection terminal, the common terminal is connected to the corresponding power supply terminal, and the first selection terminal and the second selection terminal are respectively connected to the power supply port. The voltage conversion module includes N voltage conversion units corresponding to the N switch units one by one, and the voltage conversion unit is connected between the power supply port and the corresponding first selection terminal. The control module is connected to the power amplifier module and is electrically connected to the N switch units. The control module is configured to: control the N switch units to turn on the branch where the first selection terminal is located or the branch where the second selection terminal is located based on the working parameters of the power amplifier module.

[0006] According to the second aspect of the present application, an embodiment of the present application also provides a radio frequency front-end module, which includes the above-mentioned power amplifier.

[0007] The present application provides a power amplifier and a radio frequency front-end module, the power amplifier includes a power amplifier module, a switch module, a voltage conversion module and a control module. Among them, the control module can control the N switch units in the switch module to turn on the branch where the first selection end is located or the branch where the second selection end is located based on the working parameters of the power amplifier module. Since the first selection end in this embodiment is connected to the power port through the corresponding voltage conversion unit, the voltage value at the first selection end is the voltage value after the voltage at the power port is processed by the voltage conversion unit (for example, step-down processing or step-up processing), and the second selection end can be directly connected to the power port, so that the voltage value at the second selection end is equal to the voltage at the power port. Therefore, the voltage value at the first selection end and the voltage value at the second selection end are not equal. The control module can flexibly adjust the voltage input to the power supply end by selecting to turn on the branch where the first selection end is located or the branch where the second selection end is located, thereby improving the power supply flexibility and power supply efficiency of the power amplifier. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0009] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the power amplifier provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0010] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Another structural schematic diagram of a power amplifier is shown.

[0011] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A structural diagram of a medium voltage conversion unit.

[0012] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 Another structural schematic diagram of the medium voltage conversion unit.

[0013] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 Another structural schematic diagram of a medium voltage conversion unit.

[0014] Figure 6 It is a structural diagram of the RF front-end module provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0016] See also Figure 1 The embodiment of the present application provides a power amplifier 100, which is used to amplify the signal power of an input signal. The power amplifier 100 in this embodiment may include a power amplifier module 10, a switch module 20, a voltage conversion module 30 and a control module 40. The power amplifier module 10 is provided with N power supply terminals 110, where N is an integer greater than 0. The switch module 20 includes N switch units 210 corresponding to the N power supply terminals 110, and the switch unit 210 includes a common terminal 2100, a first selection terminal 2120 and a second selection terminal 2140. The common terminal 2100 is connected to the corresponding power supply terminal 110, and the first selection terminal 2120 and the second selection terminal 2140 are respectively connected to the power port 12. The voltage conversion module 30 includes N voltage conversion units 310 corresponding to the N switch units 210, and the voltage conversion unit 310 is connected between the power port 12 and the corresponding first selection terminal 2120. The control module 40 is connected to the power amplifier module 10 and is electrically connected to N switch units 210. The control module 40 is configured to control the N switch units 210 to turn on the branch where the first selection end 2120 is located or the branch where the second selection end 2140 is located based on the working parameters of the power amplifier module 10.

[0017] Since the first selection terminal 2120 in this embodiment is connected to the power port 12 through the corresponding voltage conversion unit 310, the voltage value at the first selection terminal 2120 is the voltage value after the voltage at the power port 12 is processed by the voltage conversion unit 310 (for example, step-down processing or step-up processing), and the second selection terminal 2140 can be directly connected to the power port 12, so that the voltage value at the second selection terminal 2140 is equal to the voltage at the power port 12. Therefore, the voltage value at the first selection terminal 2120 is not equal to the voltage value at the second selection terminal 2140, and the control module 40 can flexibly adjust the voltage input to the power supply terminal 110 by selecting to conduct the branch where the first selection terminal 2120 is located or the branch where the second selection terminal 2140 is located, thereby improving the power supply flexibility and power supply efficiency of the power amplifier 100.

[0018] The various components of the power amplifier 100 are introduced below.

[0019] In this embodiment, the power amplifier 100 may include a substrate 50, which is generally in the shape of a rectangular plate and is used to fix and support components (e.g., the power amplifier module 10, the switch module 20, the voltage conversion module 30, and the control module 40, etc.) in the power amplifier 100. Specifically, the substrate 50 may be a copper-clad laminate, and a circuit may be printed on the surface of the substrate 50 by performing hole processing, chemical copper plating, electroplating, etching, and other processing on the copper-clad laminate.

[0020] The substrate 50 in this embodiment may be provided with a power port 12, which may be connected to an external power source to power the components disposed on the substrate 50. For example, the power port 12 may be used to provide a DC voltage U batt , DC voltage U batt It can be greater than or equal to 2V and less than or equal to 12V. For example, the DC voltage U batt 2.5V, 3V, 5V and so on.

[0021] In this embodiment, the voltage conversion module 30 may be made by a complementary metal oxide semiconductor process (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor, CMOS process), and the power amplifier 100 may include a first chip 14, the first chip 14 is disposed on a substrate 50, and the voltage conversion module 30 is integrated in the first chip 14. For example, the first chip 14 may be attached to the surface of the substrate 50, or welded to the surface of the substrate 50. Specifically, the first chip 14 is a complementary metal oxide semiconductor chip (that is, a CMOS chip).

[0022] In some possible embodiments, the power amplifier module 10 can also be made of CMOS technology, and the power amplifier module 10 can also be integrated in the first chip 14, thereby improving the integration between the power amplifier module 10 and the voltage conversion module 30, which is conducive to the miniaturization design of the power amplifier 100. In some other possible embodiments, the switch module 20 can also be made of CMOS technology, and the switch module 20 can also be integrated in the first chip 14, thereby improving the integration between the switch module 20 and the voltage conversion module 30, which is conducive to the miniaturization design of the power amplifier 100.

[0023] exist Figure 1In the illustrated embodiment, the power amplifier module 10, the switch module 20 and the voltage conversion module 30 all adopt the CMOS process, therefore, the power amplifier module 10, the switch module 20 and the voltage conversion module 30 can be integrated in the same CMOS chip (that is, the first chip 14), which improves the overall integration of the power amplifier 100 and is conducive to the miniaturization design of the power amplifier 100. Of course, the power amplifier module 10, the switch module 20 and the voltage conversion module 30 can also be integrated in different CMOS chips respectively, for example, the power amplifier module 10 and the voltage conversion module 30 are integrated in the same CMOS chip, and the switch module 20 is integrated in another CMOS chip. The R&D personnel can determine the corresponding integration scheme according to the actual design requirements of the power amplifier 100, and this embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0024] In some possible embodiments, the switch module 20 may be made by a silicon on insulator (SOI) process, and the power amplifier 100 may further include a second chip 16, in which the switch module 20 is integrated. Figure 2 , the second chip 16 can be arranged on the substrate 50, for example, the second chip 16 can be attached to the surface of the substrate 50, or welded to the surface of the substrate 50. Specifically, the second chip 16 is a silicon-on-insulator chip (i.e., SOI chip). In this case, the voltage conversion module 30 and the switch module 20 are respectively integrated in different chips, which can reduce signal interference between different modules on the one hand, and make the voltage conversion module 30 and the switch module 20 more flexible when they are laid out on the other hand.

[0025] In some possible embodiments, the power amplifier module 10 may be manufactured by a heterojunction bipolar transistor process (HBT process), and the power amplifier 100 may further include a third chip 18, and the power amplifier module 10 is integrated in the third chip 18. Figure 2 , the third chip 18 can be arranged on the substrate 50, for example, the third chip 18 can be attached to the surface of the substrate 50, or welded to the surface of the substrate 50. Specifically, the third chip 18 is a heterojunction bipolar transistor chip (i.e., HBT chip). In this case, the voltage conversion module 30 and the power amplifier module 10 are respectively integrated in different chips, which can reduce the signal interference between different modules on the one hand, and make the voltage conversion module 30 and the power amplifier module 10 more flexible when they are laid out on the other hand.

[0026] The power amplifier module 10 is arranged on the substrate 50, and is used to amplify the power of the input signal. The power amplifier module 10 in this embodiment may include an M-level power amplifier circuit 120 and is provided with N power supply terminals 110, and the N power supply terminals 110 are used to power the M-level power amplifier circuit 120. Among them, N is an integer greater than 0, and M is greater than or equal to N. Specifically, the M-level power amplifier circuit 120 can be implemented by one or more transistors. When the transistor is a heterojunction bipolar transistor (that is, an HBT tube), the power amplifier module 10 can be integrated in the third chip 18 (that is, an HBT chip). When the transistor is a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (that is, a MOSFET tube), the power amplifier module 10 can be integrated in the first chip 14 (that is, a CMOS chip). This embodiment does not limit the specific implementation method of the M-level power amplifier circuit 120.

[0027] In some possible embodiments, M may be equal to N, and each power supply terminal 110 corresponds to each power amplifier circuit in the M-stage power amplifier circuit 120. In this case, each power amplifier circuit can be powered by a separate power supply terminal 110. Therefore, when the power supply parameters of each stage of the power amplifier circuit are different, by adjusting the hardware parameters of the voltage conversion unit 310 corresponding to the power supply terminal 110, the power supply voltage of the power amplifier circuit of this stage can be flexibly adjusted, thereby improving the overall signal output efficiency of the M-stage power amplifier circuit 120. Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, M and N are both 2. In this case, the M-stage power amplifier circuit 120 is a two-stage power amplifier circuit, in which the first-stage power amplifier circuit and the second-stage power amplifier circuit are respectively connected to different power supply terminals 110 .

[0028] In some other possible embodiments, M may be greater than N, and then at least one power supply terminal 110 corresponds to at least two power amplifier circuits in the M-stage power amplifier circuit 120. In this case, at least two power amplifier circuits may be powered by the same power supply terminal 110. Therefore, when the power supply parameters of at least two power amplifier circuits are substantially the same, by connecting them to the same power supply terminal 110, the number of voltage conversion units 310 may be reduced, thereby reducing the hardware cost of the power amplifier 100. Figure 2 In the embodiment shown, N is 2 and M is 3. In this case, the M-stage power amplifier circuit 120 is a three-stage power amplifier circuit. The first-stage power amplifier circuit and the second-stage power amplifier circuit in the three-stage power amplifier circuit are connected to the same power supply terminal 110, and the third-stage power amplifier circuit in the three-stage power amplifier circuit is connected to another power supply terminal 110.

[0029] The switch module 20 is arranged on the substrate 50, and may include N switch units 210 corresponding to the N power supply terminals 110 one by one, and the switch unit 210 is used to adjust the power supply voltage output to the corresponding power supply terminal 110. The switch unit 210 in this embodiment may include a common terminal 2100, a first selection terminal 2120 and a second selection terminal 2140. Among them, the common terminal 2100 is connected to the corresponding power supply terminal 110, and the first selection terminal 2120 and the second selection terminal 2140 are respectively connected to the power port 12. Specifically, the switch unit 210 may be a single-pole double-throw switch, wherein the common terminal 2100 is a fixed terminal of the single-pole double-throw switch, the first selection terminal 2120 and the second selection terminal 2140 are respectively two moving terminals of the single-pole double-throw switch, and the single-pole double-throw switch may also include a throwing part, one end of which is rotatably connected to the common terminal 2100, and the other end of the throwing part is selectively connected to the first selection terminal 2120 or the second selection terminal 2140. When the other end of the throwing part is connected to the first selection end 2120, the switch unit 210 turns on the branch where the first selection end 2120 is located. When the other end of the throwing part is connected to the second selection end 2140, the switch unit 210 turns on the branch where the second selection end 2140 is located.

[0030] The N switch units 210 in this embodiment are also electrically connected to the control module 40, respectively. The control module 40 can control the N switch units 210 to conduct the branch where the first selection terminal 2120 is located or the branch where the second selection terminal 2140 is located, thereby changing the supply voltage output by the switch unit 210 to the corresponding power supply terminal 110. Specifically, the control process of the control module 40 on the N switch units 210 is described in detail in the following embodiments.

[0031] The voltage conversion module 30 is disposed on the substrate 50, and may include N voltage conversion units 310 corresponding to the N switch units 210 one by one. The voltage conversion unit 310 is connected between the power port 12 and the corresponding first selection terminal 2120, and is used to adjust the voltage input to the power port 12. In some possible embodiments, the voltage conversion unit 310 may be a step-down unit, which may output the voltage input to the power port 12 to the corresponding switch unit 210 after step-down processing. In other possible embodiments, the voltage conversion unit 310 may be a step-up unit. This embodiment takes the voltage conversion unit 310 as a step-down unit as an example to introduce the specific circuit structure of the voltage conversion unit 310.

[0032] See also Figure 3The voltage conversion unit 310 may include a first transistor 3100, an integrated operational amplifier subunit 3110, a first resistor subunit 3120, and a second resistor subunit 3130. The first terminal 3101 of the first transistor 3100 is connected to the power port 12, the second terminal 3103 of the first transistor 3100 is connected to the first selection terminal 2120, and the control terminal 3105 of the first transistor 3100 is connected to the output terminal 3112 of the integrated operational amplifier subunit 3110. One end formed by the first resistor subunit 3120 and the second resistor subunit 3130 being connected in series is connected to the second end 3103 of the first transistor 3100, and the other end is grounded. The non-inverting input terminal 3114 of the integrated operational amplifier subunit 3110 is connected to the common terminal between the first resistor subunit 3120 and the second resistor subunit 3130, and the inverting input terminal 3116 of the integrated operational amplifier subunit 3110 is used to input a reference voltage.

[0033] Among them, the integrated operational amplifier subunit 3110 can play a role in stabilizing voltage. Specifically, when the voltage at the second end 3103 of the first transistor 3100 fluctuates, the voltage input to the in-phase input terminal 3114 of the integrated operational amplifier subunit 3110 also fluctuates. At this time, the output voltage of the integrated operational amplifier subunit 3110 will change and adjust the equivalent resistance value of the first transistor 3100, so that the voltage at the second end 3103 of the first transistor 3100 tends to be stable. Therefore, the integrated operational amplifier subunit 3110 can play a role in voltage negative feedback regulation. Specifically, the integrated operational amplifier subunit 3110 can be an integrated operational amplifier.

[0034] The first transistor 3100, the first resistor subunit 3120 and the second resistor subunit 3130 are connected in series to the ground in sequence, which divides the voltage at the power port 12, thereby making the voltage value output by the voltage conversion unit 310 smaller than the voltage value at the power port 12. Specifically, the first transistor 3100 can be a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) or a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the first transistor 3100 is a PMOS transistor, wherein the first end 3101 of the first transistor 3100 is the source of the PMOS transistor, the second end 3103 of the first transistor 3100 is the drain of the PMOS transistor, and the control end 3105 of the first transistor 3100 is the gate of the PMOS transistor.

[0035] The first resistance subunit 3120 and the second resistance subunit 3130 are used to adjust the output voltage of the voltage conversion unit 310. Specifically, the output voltage of the voltage conversion unit 310 can be calculated by the following formula.

[0036]

[0037] Among them, U ref is the reference voltage input to the inverting input terminal 3116, R11 is the equivalent resistance value of the first resistance subunit 3120, R12 is the equivalent resistance value of the second resistance subunit 3130, and U out is the output voltage value of the voltage conversion unit 310 .

[0038] Specifically, the first resistor subunit 3120 may be a single resistor, and the resistance of the resistor may be flexibly adjusted by the developer according to the specific voltage value that the voltage conversion unit 310 needs to output. In some other possible embodiments, the first resistor subunit 3120 may also include multiple resistors. Figure 3 , the first resistor subunit 3120 may include a first resistor R1, a second resistor R2 and a first switch S1. The first resistor R1 and the second resistor R2 are connected in series and connected between the second end 3103 of the first transistor 3100 and the second resistor subunit 3130, and the first switch S1 and the first resistor R1 are connected in parallel, or the first switch S1 and the second resistor R2 are connected in parallel. The control module 40 is electrically connected to the first switch S1. Therefore, the control module 40 can adjust the number of resistors in series in the first resistor subunit 3120 by controlling the opening and closing of the first switch S1, so that the equivalent resistance value of the first resistor subunit 3120 changes, so as to realize dynamic adjustment of the output voltage value of the voltage conversion unit 310. Specifically, the control process of the control module 40 on the first switch S1 is described in detail in the following embodiments.

[0039] The second resistor subunit 3130 may be a single resistor, and the resistance value of the resistor may be flexibly adjusted by the R&D personnel according to the specific voltage value that the voltage conversion unit 310 needs to output. In some other possible embodiments, the second resistor subunit 3130 may also include multiple resistors. Figure 3 , the second resistor subunit 3130 may include a third resistor R3, a fourth resistor R4 and a second switch S2. The third resistor R3 and the fourth resistor R4 are connected in series and connected between the first resistor subunit 3120 and the grounding point, and the second switch S2 and the third resistor R3 are connected in parallel, or the second switch S2 and the fourth resistor R4 are connected in parallel. The control module 40 is electrically connected to the second switch S2. Therefore, the control module 40 can adjust the number of resistors connected in series in the second resistor subunit 3130 by controlling the opening and closing of the second switch S2, so that the equivalent resistance value of the second resistor subunit 3130 changes, so as to realize dynamic adjustment of the output voltage value of the voltage conversion unit 310. Specifically, the control process of the control module 40 on the second switch S2 is described in detail in the following embodiments.

[0040] See also Figure 4 , the voltage conversion unit 310 may include a second transistor 3140, an inductor 3150, a capacitor 3160 and a conduction subunit 3170, and the control module 40 may include a pulse width modulation subunit 410. Among them, the first end 3141 of the second transistor 3140 is connected to the power port 12, the second end 3143 of the second transistor 3140 is connected to the first selection end 2120 through the inductor 3150, and the control end 3145 of the second transistor 3140 is connected to the pulse width modulation subunit 410. The signal output end of the conduction subunit 3170 is connected to the common end between the second transistor 3140 and the inductor 3150, and the signal input end of the conduction subunit 3170 is grounded. The positive electrode of the capacitor 3160 is connected to the common end between the inductor 3150 and the first selection end 2120, and the negative electrode of the capacitor 3160 is connected to the signal input end of the conduction subunit 3170.

[0041] Specifically, the second transistor 3140 may be a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) or a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). Figure 4 In the illustrated embodiment, the second transistor 3140 is an N-channel MOSFET tube, the first end 3141 of the second transistor 3140 is the source of the MOSFET tube, the second end 3143 of the second transistor 3140 is the drain of the MOSFET tube, and the control end 3145 of the second transistor 3140 is the gate of the MOSFET tube.

[0042] The pulse width modulation subunit 410 is used to output a pulse width modulation wave (PWM wave) of a specified duty cycle to the second transistor 3140, so that the second transistor 3140 is in a conducting state within a specified period. At this time, the voltage at the power port 12 passes through the inductor 3150 and the capacitor 3160 in sequence and then reaches the ground, and the inductor 3150 is in a charging state at this time. When the second transistor 3140 is turned off, the inductor 3150, the capacitor 3160 and the conducting subunit 3170 form a current loop, and at this time, the inductor 3150 is in a discharging state. Since the second transistor 3140 is constantly in an open and closed state under the action of the PWM wave, the voltage value output by the voltage conversion unit 310 will be less than the voltage value at the power port 12. Specifically, the output voltage of the voltage conversion unit 310 can be calculated by the following formula.

[0043] U out =U in *A.

[0044] Among them, Uin is the voltage value at the power port 12, A is the duty cycle of the PWM wave, U out is the voltage value output by the voltage conversion unit 310 .

[0045] Specifically, the pulse width modulation subunit 410 can be a digital pulse width modulator, the inductor 3150 can be a chip inductor or a plug-in inductor, and the capacitor 3160 can be a chip capacitor or a plug-in capacitor. Specifically, the relevant parameters of the inductor 3150 and the capacitor 3160 can be determined by the R&D personnel based on the actual working conditions of the voltage conversion unit 310.

[0046] In some possible embodiments, the conduction subunit 3170 may include a diode 3172. Figure 4 , the anode of the diode 3172 is grounded, and the cathode of the diode 3172 is connected to the common terminal between the second transistor 3140 and the inductor 3150. At this time, the voltage conversion unit 310 is a non-synchronous buck topology structure.

[0047] In some other possible embodiments, the conduction subunit 3170 may include a third transistor 3174. Figure 5 , the first terminal 3175 of the third transistor 3174 is connected to the common terminal between the second transistor 3140 and the inductor 3150, the second terminal 3176 of the third transistor 3174 is grounded, and the control terminal 3177 of the third transistor 3174 is connected to the pulse width modulation subunit 410. Specifically, the third transistor 3174 can be a bipolar junction transistor (Bipolar Junction Transistor, BJT tube) or a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (ie, MOSFET tube). Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, the third transistor 3174 is an N-channel MOSFET tube, the first terminal 3175 of the third transistor 3174 is the source of the MOSFET tube, the second terminal 3176 of the third transistor 3174 is the drain of the MOSFET tube, and the control terminal 3177 of the third transistor 3174 is the gate of the MOSFET tube. The pulse width modulation subunit 410 is also used to output a pulse width modulation wave of a specified duty cycle to the third transistor 3174, so that the third transistor 3174 is in a conducting state within a specified period. At this time, the voltage conversion unit 310 is a synchronous buck topology structure.

[0048] In this embodiment, the voltage conversion unit 310 may further include a voltage-stabilizing capacitor 3180 , the positive electrode of the voltage-stabilizing capacitor 3180 is connected to the power port 12 , and the negative electrode of the voltage-stabilizing capacitor 3180 is grounded, thereby stabilizing the voltage at the power port 12 and improving the working stability of the voltage conversion unit 310 .

[0049] The control module 40 is disposed on the substrate 50, which is connected to the power amplifier module 10 and electrically connected to the N switch units 210. The control module 40 is configured to control the N switch units 210 to conduct the branch where the first selection terminal 2120 is located or the branch where the second selection terminal 2140 is located based on the working parameters of the power amplifier module 10. Since the first selection terminal 2120 in this embodiment is connected to the power port 12 through the corresponding voltage conversion unit 310, the voltage value at the first selection terminal 2120 is the voltage value after the voltage at the power port 12 is processed by the voltage conversion unit 310 (for example, step-down processing or step-up processing), and the second selection terminal 2140 can be directly connected to the power port 12, so that the voltage value at the second selection terminal 2140 is equal to the voltage at the power port 12. Therefore, the voltage value at the first selection terminal 2120 and the voltage value at the second selection terminal 2140 are not equal, and the control module 40 can flexibly adjust the voltage input to the power supply terminal 110 by selectively conducting the branch where the first selection terminal 2120 is located or the branch where the second selection terminal 2140 is located, thereby improving the power supply flexibility and power supply efficiency of the power amplifier 100. Specifically, the control module 40 can be a control circuit composed of a control chip.

[0050] In this embodiment, the voltage conversion unit 310 may be a step-down unit, and the control module 40 is connected to the output end of the power amplifier module 10. The control module 40 is further configured to: when the signal output power of the power amplifier module 10 is less than or equal to the specified power, turn on the branch where the first selection end 2120 is located, so that the voltage output from the power port 12 is powered to the power amplifier module 10 after the step-down operation of the step-down unit. When the signal output power of the power amplifier module 10 is greater than the specified power, turn on the branch where the second selection end 2140 is located, so that the voltage output from the power port 12 is directly powered to the power amplifier module 10. Specifically, the specified power may be a default value in the control module 40, or may be adjusted by the R&D personnel based on the actual working condition of the power amplifier 100. Exemplarily, the specified power may be greater than or equal to 10 dBm, for example, the specified power is 12 dBm, 15 dBm, 18 dBm, etc., which is not specifically limited in this embodiment.

[0051] When the power supply voltage of the power amplifier is a constant value and the power of the RF signal output by the power amplifier is small, the constant power supply voltage will cause the DC power consumption of the power amplifier to increase, thereby reducing the output efficiency of the power amplifier. Therefore, the control module 40 in this embodiment can adjust the power supply voltage of the power amplifier module 10 based on the signal output power of the power amplifier module 10, so that the power supply voltage increases with the increase of the signal output power, thereby reducing the DC power consumption of the power amplifier 100, thereby ensuring the output efficiency of the power amplifier 100.

[0052] It should be noted here that in some other possible embodiments, the control module 40 can also be connected to the input end of the power amplifier module 10, and the signal input power of the power amplifier module 10 is used to determine whether the power amplifier module 10 is currently in a high-power working mode or a low-power working mode. Of course, the working parameters of the power amplifier module 10 can also be parameters such as the input voltage and output voltage of the power amplifier module 10. Exemplarily, taking the working parameter of the power amplifier module 10 as the output voltage of the power amplifier module 10 as an example, if the output voltage is greater than or equal to the specified voltage value, the power amplifier module 10 is currently in a high-power working mode, and then the switch unit 210 is controlled to turn on the branch where the second selection end 2140 is located. On the contrary, if the output voltage is less than the specified voltage value, the power amplifier module 10 is currently in a low-power working mode, and then the switch unit 210 is controlled to turn on the branch where the first selection end 2120 is located. Among them, the specified voltage value can be measured by the R&D personnel based on the actual working condition of the power amplifier module 10, and this embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0053] In some possible embodiments, the voltage conversion module 30 adopts Figure 3 The circuit structure shown in FIG. 1 is a circuit structure in which the control module 40 is further configured to: when the signal output power of the power amplification module 10 is less than or equal to the specified power, determine the output voltage of the voltage conversion module 30 based on the signal output power and a preset mapping relationship, wherein the mapping relationship represents the correspondence between different signal output powers and output voltages. When the output voltage is a first voltage value, the first switch S1 is controlled to be closed. When the output voltage is a second voltage value, the first switch S1 is controlled to be disconnected, wherein the second voltage value is greater than the first voltage value.

[0054] Among them, the mapping relationship can be a mapping table stored in the control module 40, and the mapping table stores the output voltages corresponding to different signal output powers. When the control module 40 determines that the signal output power of the power amplifier module 10 is less than or equal to the specified power, the output voltage value of the voltage conversion module 30 can be determined by searching the above mapping table, and then the working state of the first switch S1 is controlled, so that the output voltage value of the voltage conversion module 30 can be flexibly adjusted based on the signal output power of the power amplifier module 10, further reducing the DC power consumption of the power amplifier 100 and improving the output efficiency of the power amplifier 100. Specifically, the above mapping relationship can be summarized and concluded by R&D personnel based on a large amount of test data, and this embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0055] In this embodiment, the output voltage value of the voltage conversion module 30 may include a first voltage value and a second voltage value, wherein the second voltage value is greater than the first voltage value. When the voltage conversion module 30 needs to output the first voltage value (i.e., a small voltage), the control module 40 controls the first switch S1 to close. At this time, only one of the first resistor R1 and the second resistor R2 is connected to the first resistor subunit 3120, so that the equivalent resistance value of the first resistor subunit 3120 is reduced, thereby reducing the output voltage of the voltage conversion module 30. Conversely, when the voltage conversion module 30 needs to output the second voltage value (i.e., a large voltage), the control module 40 controls the first switch S1 to open. At this time, the first resistor R1 and the second resistor R2 are connected in series in the first resistor subunit 3120, so that the equivalent resistance value of the first resistor subunit 3120 is increased, thereby increasing the output voltage of the voltage conversion module 30. Specifically, the first voltage value is greater than or equal to 0.55V and less than or equal to 1.2V. The second voltage value is greater than or equal to 1V and less than or equal to 2V. Exemplarily, the first voltage value may be 0.7V, and the second voltage value may be 1.5V.

[0056] It is not difficult to understand here that the control unit 40 can also control the working state of the second switch S2 when the signal output power of the power amplifier module 10 is less than or equal to the specified power, thereby adjusting the equivalent resistance value of the second resistor subunit 3130, so that the output voltage of the voltage conversion module 30 can be flexibly adjusted based on the signal output power of the power amplifier module 10. Specifically, the control unit 40 can control the second switch S2 to be disconnected when the output voltage is the first voltage value. When the output voltage is the second voltage value, the second switch S2 is controlled to be closed. In some other possible embodiments, the control unit 40 can adjust the working states of the first switch S1 and the second switch S2 at the same time to achieve flexible adjustment of the output voltage of the voltage conversion module 30, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment.

[0057] See also Figure 6, the embodiment of the present application also provides a radio frequency front-end module 200, which is a component that integrates two or more discrete devices such as radio frequency switches, low noise amplifiers, filters, duplexers, power amplifiers, etc. into an independent module, thereby improving the integration and hardware performance, and miniaturizing the volume. Specifically, the radio frequency front-end module 200 can be applied to 4G and 5G communication devices such as smart phones, tablet computers, and smart watches. In this embodiment, the radio frequency front-end module 200 includes the power amplifier 100 in the above embodiment, and the power amplifier 100 may include a power amplifier module 10, a switch module 20, a voltage conversion module 30, and a control module 40. Among them, the power amplifier module 10 is provided with N power supply terminals 110, and N is an integer greater than 0. The switch module 20 includes N switch units 210 corresponding to the N power supply terminals 110 one by one, and the switch unit 210 includes a common terminal 2100, a first selection terminal 2120, and a second selection terminal 2140. The common terminal 2100 is connected to the corresponding power supply terminal 110, and the first selection terminal 2120 and the second selection terminal 2140 are respectively connected to the power port 12. The voltage conversion module 30 includes N voltage conversion units 310 corresponding to the N switch units 210 one by one, and the voltage conversion unit 310 is connected between the power port 12 and the corresponding first selection terminal 2120. The control module 40 is connected to the power amplifier module 10 and is electrically connected to the N switch units 210. The control module 40 is configured to: control the N switch units 210 to conduct the branch where the first selection terminal 2120 is located or the branch where the second selection terminal 2140 is located based on the working parameters of the power amplifier module 10.

[0058] Since the first selection terminal 2120 in this embodiment is connected to the power port 12 through the corresponding voltage conversion unit 310, the voltage value at the first selection terminal 2120 is the voltage value after the voltage at the power port 12 is processed by the voltage conversion unit 310 (for example, step-down processing or step-up processing), and the second selection terminal 2140 can be directly connected to the power port 12, so that the voltage value at the second selection terminal 2140 is equal to the voltage at the power port 12. Therefore, the voltage value at the first selection terminal 2120 is not equal to the voltage value at the second selection terminal 2140, and the control module 40 can flexibly adjust the voltage input to the power supply terminal 110 by selecting to conduct the branch where the first selection terminal 2120 is located or the branch where the second selection terminal 2140 is located, thereby improving the power supply flexibility and power supply efficiency of the power amplifier 100.

[0059] In the specification of this application, certain words are used to refer to specific components in the specification and claims. Those skilled in the art should understand that hardware manufacturers may use different terms to refer to the same component. The specification and claims do not use the difference in name as a way to distinguish components, but use the difference in function of the components as the criterion for distinction. For example, "including" mentioned throughout the specification and claims is an open term, so it should be interpreted as "including but not limited to"; "substantially" means that those skilled in the art can solve technical problems within a certain error range and basically achieve technical effects.

[0060] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that terms such as "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", and "inside" indicating directions or positional relationships are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are merely simplified descriptions for the convenience of describing the present application. They do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0061] In this application, unless otherwise clearly specified or limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, it can be internal communication between two elements, or it can be only surface contact. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0062] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.

[0063] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0064] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit it. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A power amplifier, characterized in that: include: The power amplifier module is provided with N power supply terminals, where N is an integer greater than 0; A switch module, comprising N switch units corresponding to the N power supply ends one by one, the switch units comprising a common end, a first selection end and a second selection end, the common end is connected to the corresponding power supply end, and the first selection end and the second selection end are respectively connected to a power port; a voltage conversion module, comprising N voltage conversion units corresponding one-to-one to the N switch units, wherein the voltage conversion units are connected between the power port and the corresponding first selection end; as well as A control module is connected to the power amplifier module and is electrically connected to the N switch units; the control module is configured to: control the N switch units to turn on the branch where the first selection end is located or the branch where the second selection end is located based on the working parameters of the power amplifier module.

2. The power amplifier according to claim 1, characterized in that: The voltage conversion unit is a step-down unit, and the control module is connected to the output end of the power amplification module; the control module is further configured as follows: When the signal output power of the power amplification module is less than or equal to the specified power, turning on the branch where the first selection end is located; When the signal output power of the power amplification module is greater than the specified power, the branch where the second selection end is located is turned on.

3. The power amplifier according to claim 2, characterized in that: The voltage conversion unit includes a first transistor, an integrated operational amplifier sub-unit, a first resistor sub-unit and a second resistor sub-unit; The first end of the first transistor is connected to the power port, the second end of the first transistor is connected to the first selection end, and the control end of the first transistor is connected to the output end of the integrated operational amplifier subunit; One end formed by the first resistance subunit and the second resistance subunit being connected in series is connected to the second end of the first transistor, and the other end is grounded; The non-inverting input terminal of the integrated operational amplifier sub-unit is connected to the common terminal between the first resistor sub-unit and the second resistor sub-unit, and the inverting input terminal of the integrated operational amplifier sub-unit is used to input a reference voltage.

4. The power amplifier according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first resistor subunit includes a first resistor, a second resistor and a first switch; The first resistor and the second resistor are connected in series and connected between the second end of the first transistor and the second resistor subunit; The first switch and the first resistor are connected in parallel, or the first switch and the second resistor are connected in parallel; The control module is electrically connected to the first switch.

5. The power amplifier according to claim 4, characterized in that: The control module is further configured to: When the signal output power of the power amplification module is less than or equal to the specified power, the first output voltage of the voltage conversion module is determined based on the signal output power and a preset mapping relationship; the mapping relationship represents the corresponding relationship between different signal output powers and the first output voltage; When the first output voltage is a first voltage value, controlling the first switch to be closed; When the first output voltage is a second voltage value, the first switch is controlled to be disconnected, and the second voltage value is greater than the first voltage value.

6. The power amplifier according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first voltage value is greater than or equal to 0.55V and less than or equal to 1.2V; the second voltage value is greater than or equal to 1V and less than or equal to 2V.

7. The power amplifier according to claim 2, characterized in that: The voltage conversion unit includes a second transistor, an inductor, a capacitor and a conduction subunit, and the control module includes a pulse width modulation subunit; The first end of the second transistor is connected to the power port, the second end of the second transistor is connected to the first selection end through the inductor, and the control end of the second transistor is connected to the pulse width modulation subunit; The signal output terminal of the conduction subunit is connected to the common terminal between the second transistor and the inductor, and the signal input terminal of the conduction subunit is grounded; The positive electrode of the capacitor is connected to a common terminal between the inductor and the first selection terminal, and the negative electrode of the capacitor is connected to a signal input terminal of the conduction subunit.

8. The power amplifier according to claim 7, characterized in that: The conduction subunit comprises a diode, the anode of the diode is grounded, and the cathode of the diode is connected to a common terminal between the second transistor and the inductor; or The conduction subunit includes a third transistor, a first terminal of the third transistor is connected to a common terminal between the second transistor and the inductor, a second terminal of the third transistor is grounded, and a control terminal of the third transistor is connected to the pulse width modulation subunit.

9. The power amplifier according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power amplifier module includes an M-level power amplifier circuit, where M is greater than or equal to N; When M is equal to N, each of the power supply terminals corresponds to each of the M-stage power amplifier circuits in a one-to-one manner; When M is greater than N, at least one of the power supply terminals corresponds to at least two stages of power amplifier circuits in the M stages of power amplifier circuits.

10. The power amplifier according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The power amplifier further includes a substrate and a first chip disposed on the substrate, wherein the first chip is a complementary metal oxide semiconductor chip; The voltage conversion module is integrated in the first chip.

11. The power amplifier according to claim 10, characterized in that: The switch module is integrated in the first chip; or The power amplifier further comprises a second chip arranged on the substrate, wherein the second chip is a silicon-on-insulator chip; and the switch module is integrated in the second chip.

12. The power amplifier according to claim 10, characterized in that: The power amplifier module is integrated in the first chip; or The power amplifier also includes a third chip disposed on the substrate, and the third chip is a heterojunction bipolar transistor chip; the power amplifier module is integrated in the third chip.

13. A radio frequency front-end module, characterized in that: Comprising a power amplifier as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12.

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