A two-dimensional spatially multiplexed hybrid power amplifier circuit

Abstract

The application relates to a two-dimensional spatial multiplexing power amplifier circuit which comprises an input power division network, a two-dimensional spatial multiplexing module, an output synthesis network and the like. The input power division network distributes signals to each two-dimensional spatial multiplexing module for signal amplification. The two-dimensional spatial multiplexing module is characterized in that adjacent multiple amplification units or transmitting units are placed in the same area, and then m*N amplification units or transmitting units are realized in N areas, so that the power synthesis is miniaturized, and signals are sent to the output synthesis network. The output synthesis network connects the outputs of the two-dimensional spatial multiplexing modules, and outputs the power synthesized output signals. Compared with the conventional power synthesis technical scheme, the application has a more compact area, can realize output power increase times under the same area, or save 50% of the area under the same output power, can greatly reduce the on-chip power synthesis implementation cost, and through the mutual decoupling of the embedded transformer and the peripheral transformer parameters, the design is more simple and convenient, and the design efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electronic devices, and more particularly to a two-dimensional spatial multiplexing multiplexed power amplifier circuit. Background Technology

[0002] In phased array systems, radar detection range is proportional to the square root of the transmit power, and high-power transmission can overcome the effects of receiver noise. Traditional phased array systems achieve power combining through distributed transmit units (such as TR modules) to improve the system's transmit power. However, as the requirements for system integration and cost increase, more transmit units need to be integrated within a limited space, thus increasing the demand for power combining technology.

[0003] Traditional passive on-chip power combining technology relies on the performance of passive network combining. Common techniques include transformer combining and transmission line network combining. Traditional methods typically place multiple transmitter units in parallel and connect them via a passive combining network to achieve power combining and superposition. Theoretically, doubling the power requires doubling the number of combining units, which in turn doubles the area of ​​the transmitter units. Therefore, for high-output-power transmitter units, a significant amount of chip area is required, posing limitations in certain applications or circuits. Furthermore, as the number of transmitter units increases, the complexity of the input power divider network and the output combining network also increases, and the increased connection length leads to additional power losses. Moreover, electromagnetic coupling exists between different transmitter units, requiring a certain distance between them for isolation, further increasing the design complexity of the input power divider network and the output combining network. Therefore, solving the miniaturization problem of on-chip power combining is crucial for reducing the cost of transmitter units. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a two-dimensional spatial multiplexing multi-channel synthesized power amplifier circuit, which solves the deficiencies of the prior art.

[0005] The objective of this invention is achieved through the following technical solution: a two-dimensional spatial multiplexing multi-channel power amplifier circuit, comprising an input power divider network, N-channel two-dimensional spatial multiplexing modules, and an output combining network; the multiple two-dimensional spatial multiplexing modules are connected in parallel between the input power divider network and the output combining network;

[0006] The input power divider network is configured to distribute the signal to each two-dimensional spatial multiplexing module for signal amplification.

[0007] The two-dimensional spatial multiplexing module is configured to place adjacent m-channel amplification units or transmission units in the same area, thereby realizing m×N-channel amplification units or transmission units in N-channel area, thus achieving miniaturization of power combining, and sending the signal to the output combining network, where m is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2.

[0008] The output synthesis network is configured to connect the outputs of each two-dimensional spatial multiplexing module, and output the power-synthesized signals of the modules.

[0009] Each of the two-dimensional spatial multiplexing modules consists of a multi-stage amplifier circuit, including an input matching transformer, an amplification core component, an inter-stage matching transformer component, and an output matching transformer;

[0010] The amplification core component includes multiple amplification cores, and the interstage matching transformer component includes multiple interstage matching transformers, with one interstage matching transformer connected between every two amplification cores; the input power divider network divides the input signal into m×N signals, with each m signals input to the input terminal of the input matching transformer, the output terminal of the input matching transformer connected to the first-stage amplification core, the input terminal of the output matching transformer connected to the last-stage amplification core, and the output terminal of the output matching transformer outputting the m signals to the output combining network.

[0011] The input matching transformer, interstage matching transformer, and output matching transformer are all composed of multi-coil transformers. One of the transformers can be embedded in the hollowed-out area between the other transformers to form a two-dimensional spatial multiplexed multi-coil transformer structure.

[0012] When it is a four-coil transformer, every two coils form a group of transformers. One transformer is placed in the hollowed-out area between the other transformer in an embedded form, forming a two-dimensional space reuse four-coil transformer structure.

[0013] The two-dimensional spatial multiplexing four-coil transformer structure includes sampling the ∞-shaped winding method of the embedded transformer, so that the magnetic flux generated by the embedded transformer cancels itself out, achieving near-zero coupling to other coils, and thus achieving decoupling adjustment of the two transformers.

[0014] Each amplification core includes m amplifiers, and the input power divider network divides the input signal into m×N signals. Each amplification core includes m amplifiers.

[0015] The input power divider network divides the input signal into m×N signals. When the spatial multiplexing amplifier unit has a dual-port input, one input terminal of the primary coil of the m transformers matched with the input is connected to one signal, and the other input terminal is grounded. The two ends of the secondary coils of the two transformers are respectively connected to an amplifier in the first-stage amplifier core.

[0016] This invention has the following advantages: a two-dimensional spatial multiplexing multi-channel power amplifier circuit, which is more compact in area than conventional power combining technology, can achieve a doubling of output power in the same area, or save 50% of area in the same output power, which can greatly reduce the cost of on-chip power combining. By decoupling the parameters of the embedded transformer and the external transformer, the design is simpler and the design efficiency is improved. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a conventional on-chip power combining amplifier;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a circuit diagram of a conventional power combining amplifier;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the specific structure circuit for 2N signal channels;

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a conventional four-coil transformer.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the two-dimensional spatial multiplexing four-coil transformer structure of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a 2N-channel, 3-stage power amplifier circuit based on a two-dimensional spatially multiplexed four-coil transformer. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. The components of the embodiments of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the claimed application, but merely represents selected embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application. The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] like Figure 1As shown, it mainly consists of an input power divider network, an amplification unit or a transmission unit, and an output combining network. The input power divider network distributes the signal to each transmission unit for signal amplification. The transmission unit can be a single-stage amplification or a multi-stage amplification. The output combining network connects the outputs of each transmission unit, combines their output signals, and outputs them to the antenna unit. Figure 2 This paper demonstrates a concrete implementation example of a conventional power combining technique. The power amplifier circuit has 2N transmitter units, each with an M-stage amplifier, and each stage is connected by a transformer matching structure. In traditional and other similar solutions, the chip area and cost typically increase exponentially with the number of transmitter units. This presents limitations in certain applications or circuits, such as the difficulty in further increasing output power within a limited chip area.

[0026] In addition, as the number of transmitting units increases, the complexity of the input power divider network and the output combining network also increases, and the increased connection length leads to additional power loss. Furthermore, there will be some electromagnetic coupling between different transmitting units, and the transmitting units need to be placed at a certain distance to ensure isolation, thus further increasing the design complexity of the input power divider network and the output combining network.

[0027] Therefore, this invention introduces a two-dimensional spatial multiplexing multi-channel power amplifier circuit, which can double the output power in the same area, or reduce the area by half for the same output power, which can greatly reduce the implementation cost of on-chip power combining.

[0028] like Figure 3As shown, it includes an input power divider network, m×N two-dimensional spatial multiplexing amplification units or transmission units, and an output combining network. In (a), each two-dimensional spatial multiplexing amplification unit or transmission unit includes 2 amplification units or transmission units (i.e., m=2), and in (b), each two-dimensional spatial multiplexing amplification unit or transmission unit includes m amplification units or transmission units. Multiple two-dimensional spatial multiplexing amplification units or transmission units are connected in parallel between the input power divider network and the output combining network. The input power divider network distributes the signal to each transmission unit for signal amplification. The two-dimensional spatial multiplexing amplification unit places adjacent m amplification units (transmission units) in the same area. The transmission unit can be a single-stage amplification or a multi-stage amplification, so that m×N transmission units can be implemented in N areas, thereby achieving miniaturization of power combining. The output combining network connects the outputs of each transmission unit and performs power combining on their output signals before outputting. It can be widely used in radio frequency transmitter systems, such as phased array radar, 5G mmWave communication, and other radio frequency communication products, and can achieve the purpose of improving transmission power density and reducing chip cost. Of course, 3N, 4N, and 5N transmitting units can also be implemented within the area of ​​N channels, which corresponds to the winding coils within the area of ​​a single channel. When it is 2N, the transformer contains 4 coils; when it is 3N, the transformer contains 6 coils, and so on.

[0029] like Figure 4 As shown, each two-dimensional spatial multiplexing amplifier unit or transmitter unit places two adjacent amplifier units (transmitters) within the same area, thus enabling 2N amplifiers to be implemented within N areas. Each amplifier consists of one or more stages of amplifier circuitry, including an input matching transformer, an amplification core, inter-stage matching transformers, and an output matching transformer. The output combiner connects the outputs of each transmitter unit, combining their output signals before outputting the final signal.

[0030] Furthermore, each two-dimensional spatial multiplexing amplification unit or transmitting unit includes an input matching transformer, an amplification core component, an interstage matching transformer component, and an output matching transformer;

[0031] The amplification core component includes multiple amplification cores, and the interstage matching transformer component includes multiple interstage matching transformers. An interstage matching transformer is connected between every two amplification cores. The input power divider network divides the input signal into 2N signals. Every two signals are input to the input terminal of the input matching transformer. The output terminal of the input matching transformer is connected to the first-stage amplification core. The input terminal of the output matching transformer is connected to the last-stage amplification core. The output terminal of the output matching transformer outputs two or four signals to the output combining network.

[0032] In order to achieve such Figure 6The shown circuit architecture can place one transformer in the hollow area in the middle of another transformer, so as to realize a four-coil transformer structure with two-dimensional space multiplexing. As Figure 5 shown, since two conventional transformers are nested with each other, there is coupling between each pair of coils, that is, kij≠0, i<j, i = 1, 2, 3, j = 1, 2, 3, 4. A large amount of time is required to iterate the transformer during the design of this structure, increasing the design complexity. As Figure 6 shown, a two-dimensional space multiplexing transformer structure proposed by the present invention winds the embedded transformer in an ∞ shape, so that the magnetic flux generated by the embedded transformer structure cancels itself out, thereby realizing near-zero coupling to other coils, that is, k 12 ≈0, k 13 ≈0, k 24 ≈0, k 34 ≈0, k 14 ≠0, k 23 ≠0, and then the decoupling adjustment of the two transformers is realized, which can greatly improve the design efficiency and reduce unnecessary coupling.

[0033] Furthermore, the input matching transformer, the inter-stage matching transformer and the output matching transformer all include two transformers. One of the transformers is placed in the hollow area in the middle of the other transformer in an embedded form, forming a four-coil transformer structure with two-dimensional space multiplexing.

[0034] Among them, when there are four transformers, every two transformers are in a group, and the two groups of transformers are arranged vertically and overlapped. One of the transformers in each group is placed in the hollow area in the middle of the other transformer in an embedded form, forming a four-coil transformer structure with two-dimensional space multiplexing.

[0035] Furthermore, each amplification core includes two or m amplifiers. When the input power splitting network splits the input signal into 2N paths of signals, each amplification core includes two amplifiers. When the input power splitting network splits the input signal into m×N paths of signals, each amplification core includes m amplifiers.

[0036] When the input power splitting network splits the input signal into 2N paths of signals and the space multiplexing amplification unit is a two-port input, one of the input terminals of the primary coils of the two input matching transformers is respectively connected to one path of signal, and the other input terminal is grounded; both ends of the secondary coils of the two transformers are respectively connected to one amplifier in the first-stage amplification core.

[0037] When the input power divider divides the input signal into m×N signals, and the spatial multiplexing amplifier unit is a dual-port input, one input terminal of the primary coil of the m transformers matched with the input is connected to one signal, and the other input terminal is grounded; the two ends of the secondary coils of the four transformers are respectively connected to one amplifier in the first-stage amplifier core.

[0038] like Figure 7 As shown, RFIN is the input radio frequency signal, which is divided into four signals by the input power divider. The four signals are divided into two groups (i.e., m=2, N=2) and enter the upper and lower input matching networks based on two-dimensional spatial multiplexing four transformers respectively. The single-ended signal is converted into a differential signal and enters the first-stage amplification core. Subsequently, the signal passes through the first-stage interstage matching transformer based on two-dimensional spatial multiplexing four transformers, the second-stage amplification core, the second-stage interstage matching transformer based on two-dimensional spatial multiplexing four transformers, the third-stage amplification core, and the output matching transformer based on two-dimensional spatial multiplexing four transformers. Finally, the amplified signal is combined and output through the output combiner.

[0039] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the forms disclosed herein and should not be construed as excluding other embodiments. It can be used in various other combinations, modifications, and improvements, and can be altered within the scope of the concept described herein through the above teachings or related technologies or knowledge. Modifications and variations made by those skilled in the art that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention should be within the protection scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A two-dimensional spatial multiplexing multi-channel combining power amplifier circuit, characterized in that: It includes an input power splitting network, an N-channel two-dimensional spatial multiplexing module, and an output synthesis network; A multi-channel two-dimensional spatial multiplexing module is connected in parallel between the input power splitting network and the output combining network; The input power divider network is configured to distribute the signal to each two-dimensional spatial multiplexing module for signal amplification. The two-dimensional spatial multiplexing module is configured to place traditionally adjacent multi-channel amplification units or transmission units in the same area, thereby realizing m×N amplification units or transmission units in N areas, thus achieving miniaturization of power combining, and sending the signal to the output combining network, where m is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2. The output combining network is configured to connect the outputs of each two-dimensional spatial multiplexing module, and output the power combining of their output signals. Each of the two-dimensional spatial multiplexing modules consists of a multi-stage amplifier circuit, including an input matching transformer, an amplification core component, an inter-stage matching transformer component, and an output matching transformer; The amplification core component includes multiple amplification cores, and the interstage matching transformer component includes multiple interstage matching transformers, with one interstage matching transformer connected between every two amplification cores; the input power divider network divides the input signal into m×N signals, with each m signals input to the input terminal of the input matching transformer, the output terminal of the input matching transformer connected to the first-stage amplification core, the input terminal of the output matching transformer connected to the last-stage amplification core, and the output terminal of the output matching transformer outputting the m signals to the output combining network; The input matching transformer, interstage matching transformer, and output matching transformer are all composed of multi-coil transformers. One of the transformers can be embedded in the hollowed-out area between the other transformers to form a two-dimensional spatial multiplexed multi-coil transformer structure.

2. The two-dimensional spatial multiplexing multi-channel power amplifier circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that: When a four-coil transformer is used, each pair of coils forms a transformer. One pair of two coils is embedded in the middle area enclosed by the two coils of another transformer, forming a two-dimensional space reused four-coil transformer structure.

3. The two-dimensional spatial multiplexing multi-channel power amplifier circuit according to claim 2, characterized in that: The two-dimensional spatial multiplexing four-coil transformer structure includes using an ∞-shaped winding method for the embedded transformer, which makes the magnetic flux generated by the embedded transformer self-cancel, achieving near-zero coupling to other coils, and thus achieving decoupling adjustment of the two transformers.

4. The two-dimensional spatial multiplexing multi-channel combining power amplifier circuit according to claim 2, characterized in that: Each amplification core includes m amplifiers, and the input power divider network divides the input signal into m×N signals. Each amplification core includes m amplifiers.

5. A two-dimensional spatial multiplexing combined power amplifier circuit according to claim 4, characterized in that: The input power divider network divides the input signal into m×N signals. When the spatial multiplexing amplifier unit has a dual-port input, one input terminal of the primary coil of the m transformers matched with the input is connected to one signal, and the other input terminal is grounded. The two ends of the secondary coils of the two transformers are respectively connected to an amplifier in the first-stage amplifier core.

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