Power amplifier power management in user equipment - Patents.com

Abstract

To provide apparatus and methods for power amplifier power management to support wider bandwidth.SOLUTION: A phone board assembly 120 comprises, on a south side, a first average power tracking (APT) power management unit (PMU) 103, an envelope tracking (ET) PMU 101, a first low band (LB) power amplifier (PA) module 110, a first mid and high band (MHB) PA module 113, a first UHB PA module 117, and a 2G PA module 119. The assembly comprises, on the north side, a second APT PMU 104, a second LB PA module 112, a second MHB PA module 114, and a second UHB PA module 118.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] background Field FIELD OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention relate to electronic systems, and more particularly to radio frequency electronic devices. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of Related Art Radio frequency (RF) communication systems can be used to transmit and / or receive signals at a wide range of frequencies. For example, RF communication systems can be used to wirelessly communicate RF signals within a frequency range of approximately 30 kHz to 300 GHz, such as within a range of approximately 410 MHz to approximately 7.125 GHz for fifth-generation (5G) communications using Frequency Band 1 (FR 1), or within a range of approximately 24.25 GHz to 52.6 GHz for 5G communications using Frequency Band 2 (FR 2).

[0003] Examples of RF communication systems include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, tablets, base stations, network access points, customer premises equipment (CPE), laptops, and wearable electronic devices. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] overview In a particular embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a mobile device including: a front-end system including a transceiver configured to generate a radio frequency signal, a first power amplifier module configured to amplify the radio frequency signal, and a power management system including an envelope tracking power management unit configured to provide an envelope tracking supply voltage to the first power amplifier module and a first average power tracking power management unit configured to provide an average power tracking supply voltage to the first power amplifier module, wherein the first power amplifier module is configured to selectively switch between the envelope tracking supply voltage and the average power tracking supply voltage.

[0005] In some embodiments, the first power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the low band.

[0006] In some embodiments, the front-end system further includes a second power amplifier module configured to receive power from an envelope tracking supply voltage and a third power amplifier module configured to receive power from an average power tracking supply voltage. According to some embodiments, the first power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the low band, the second power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band, and the third power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the ultra-high band. According to various embodiments, the front-end system further includes a fourth power amplifier module configured to provide amplification in the low band, a fifth power amplifier module configured to provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band, and a sixth power amplifier module configured to provide amplification in the ultra-high band. According to some embodiments, the power management system further includes a second average power tracking power management unit configured to supply power to the fourth power amplifier module, the fifth power amplifier module, and the sixth power amplifier module. According to various embodiments, the first average power tracking power management unit, the envelope tracking power management unit, the first power amplifier module, the second power amplifier module, and the third power amplifier module are located on a first side of the mobile phone, and the second average power tracking power management unit, the fourth power amplifier module, the fifth power amplifier module, and the sixth power amplifier module are located on a second side of the mobile phone.

[0007] In some embodiments, the front-end system further includes a second power amplifier module configured to receive power from an average power tracking supply voltage and provide amplification in a low band. According to some embodiments, the first power amplifier module is on a first side of the mobile phone, and the second power amplifier module is on a second side of the mobile phone. According to various embodiments, the front-end system further includes a third power amplifier module configured to provide amplification in an ultra-high band and to selectively switch between an envelope tracking supply voltage and an average power tracking supply voltage. According to some embodiments, the front-end system further includes a fourth power amplifier module configured to provide amplification in the ultra-high band and receive power from an average power tracking supply voltage. According to some embodiments, the first average power tracking power management unit, the envelope tracking power management unit, the first power amplifier module, and the third power amplifier module are on a first side of the mobile phone, and the second power amplifier module and the fourth power amplifier module are on a second side of the mobile phone. According to various embodiments, the front-end system further includes a fifth power amplifier module on the first side of the mobile phone, the fifth power amplifier module configured to receive power from an envelope tracking supply voltage and provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band, and a sixth power amplifier module on the second side of the mobile phone, the sixth power amplifier module configured to receive power from an average power tracking supply voltage and provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band.

[0008] In some embodiments, the envelope tracking unit is located on a first side of the mobile phone, and the first average power tracking power management unit and the first power amplifier module are located on a second side of the mobile phone. According to some embodiments, the front-end system further includes a second power amplifier module located on the first side of the mobile phone and configured to receive power from the envelope tracking supply voltage. According to various embodiments, the first power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the low band, and the second power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band. According to some embodiments, the power management system further includes a second average power tracking power management unit located on the first side of the mobile phone, and the front-end system further includes a third power amplifier module located on the first side of the mobile phone and configured to receive power from the second average power tracking power management unit and provide amplification in the ultra-high band. According to some embodiments, the front-end system further includes a fourth power amplifier module located on the second side of the mobile phone and configured to receive power from the envelope tracking power management unit and provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band. According to some embodiments, the front-end system further includes a third power amplifier module on the second side of the mobile phone, configured to receive power from the first average power tracking power management unit and provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band. According to some embodiments, the front-end system further includes a fourth power amplifier module on the first side of the mobile phone, configured to receive power from the first average power tracking power management unit and provide amplification in the ultra-high-band.

[0009] In a particular embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a telephone board assembly for a mobile telephone, the telephone board assembly including: a first power amplifier module configured to amplify a radio frequency signal; an envelope tracking power management unit configured to provide an envelope tracking supply voltage to the first power amplifier module; and a first average power tracking power management unit configured to provide an average power tracking supply voltage to the first power amplifier module, the first power amplifier module being configured to selectively switch between the envelope tracking supply voltage and the average power tracking supply voltage.

[0010] In various embodiments, the first power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the low band.

[0011] In some embodiments, the telephone board assembly further includes a second power amplifier module configured to receive power from an envelope tracking supply voltage and a third power amplifier module configured to receive power from an average power tracking supply voltage. According to some embodiments, the first power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the low band, the second power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band, and the third power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the ultra-high band. According to some embodiments, the telephone board assembly further includes a fourth power amplifier module configured to provide amplification in the low band, a fifth power amplifier module configured to provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band, and a sixth power amplifier module configured to provide amplification in the ultra-high band. According to various embodiments, the telephone board assembly further includes a second average power tracking power management unit configured to supply power to the fourth power amplifier module, the fifth power amplifier module, and the sixth power amplifier module. According to some embodiments, the first average power tracking power management unit, the envelope tracking power management unit, the first power amplifier module, the second power amplifier module, and the third power amplifier module are on a first side of the phone board assembly, and the second average power tracking power management unit, the fourth power amplifier module, the fifth power amplifier module, and the sixth power amplifier module are on a second side of the phone board assembly.

[0012] In some embodiments, the telephone board assembly further includes a second power amplifier module configured to receive power from an average power tracking supply voltage and provide amplification in a low band. According to some embodiments, the first power amplifier module is on a first side of the telephone board assembly, and the second power amplifier module is on a second side of the telephone board assembly. According to some embodiments, the telephone board assembly further includes a third power amplifier module configured to provide amplification in an ultra-high band and to selectively switch between an envelope tracking supply voltage and an average power tracking supply voltage. According to various embodiments, the telephone board assembly further includes a fourth power amplifier module configured to provide amplification in the ultra-high band and receive power from an average power tracking supply voltage. According to some embodiments, the first average power tracking power management unit, the envelope tracking power management unit, the first power amplifier module, and the third power amplifier module are on a first side of the telephone board assembly, and the second power amplifier module and the fourth power amplifier module are on a second side of the telephone board assembly. According to some embodiments, the phone board assembly further includes a fifth power amplifier module on a first side of the phone board assembly configured to receive power from an envelope tracking supply voltage and provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band, and a sixth power amplifier module on a second side of the phone board assembly configured to receive power from an average power tracking supply voltage and provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band.

[0013] In some embodiments, the envelope tracking unit is on a first side of the telephone board assembly, and the first average power tracking power management unit and the first power amplifier module are on a second side of the telephone board assembly. According to some embodiments, the telephone board assembly further includes a second power amplifier module on the first side of the telephone board assembly and configured to receive power from the envelope tracking supply voltage. According to some embodiments, the first power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the low band, and the second power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band. According to some embodiments, the telephone board assembly further includes a second average power tracking power management unit on the first side of the telephone board assembly, and a third power amplifier module on the first side of the telephone board assembly that receives power from the second average power tracking power management unit and is configured to provide amplification in the ultra-high band. According to various embodiments, Phone Board Assembly and further includes a fourth power amplifier module on a second side of the phone board assembly configured to receive power from the envelope tracking power management unit and provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band. According to some embodiments, the phone board assembly further includes a third power amplifier module on the second side of the phone board assembly configured to receive power from the first average power tracking power management unit and provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band. According to some embodiments, the phone board assembly further includes a fourth power amplifier module on the first side of the phone board assembly configured to receive power from the first average power tracking power management unit and provide amplification in the ultra-high-band.

[0014] In a particular embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a method of power management in a mobile device, the method including amplifying a radio frequency signal using a first power amplifier module, providing an envelope tracking supply voltage to the first power amplifier module using an envelope tracking power management unit, providing an average power tracking supply voltage to the first power amplifier module using a first average power tracking power management unit, and selectively switching between the envelope tracking supply voltage and the average power tracking supply voltage using the first power amplifier module.

[0015] In various embodiments, the method further includes providing amplification in the low band using the first power amplifier module.

[0016] According to some embodiments, the method further includes powering the second power amplifier module using an envelope tracking supply voltage and powering the third power amplifier module using an average power tracking supply voltage. According to some embodiments, the method further includes providing amplification in the low band using the first power amplifier module, providing amplification in the mid-band and high-band using the second power amplifier module, and providing amplification in the ultra-high band using the third power amplifier module. According to some embodiments, the method further includes providing amplification in the low band using a fourth power amplifier module, providing amplification in the mid-band and high-band using a fifth power amplifier module, and providing amplification in the ultra-high band using a sixth power amplifier module. According to various embodiments, the method further includes powering the fourth power amplifier module, the fifth power amplifier module, and the sixth power amplifier module using a second average power tracking power management unit. According to some embodiments, the first average power tracking power management unit, the envelope tracking power management unit, the first power amplifier module, the second power amplifier module, and the third power amplifier module are on a first side of the phone board assembly, and the second average power tracking power management unit, the fourth power amplifier module, the fifth power amplifier module, and the sixth power amplifier module are on a second side of the phone board assembly.

[0017] In some embodiments, the method further includes powering a second power amplifier module using an average power tracking supply voltage and providing amplification in the low band using the second power amplifier module. According to some embodiments, the first power amplifier module is on a first side of the telephone board assembly and the second power amplifier module is on a second side of the telephone board assembly. According to various embodiments, the method further includes providing amplification in the ultra-high band using a third power amplifier module and selectively switching between an envelope tracking supply voltage and an average power tracking supply voltage using the third power amplifier module. According to some embodiments, the method further includes powering a fourth power amplifier module using the average power tracking supply voltage and providing amplification in the ultra-high band using the fourth power amplifier module. According to some embodiments, the first average power tracking power management unit, the envelope tracking power management unit, the first power amplifier module, and the third power amplifier module are on a first side of the telephone board assembly and the second power amplifier module and the fourth power amplifier module are on a second side of the telephone board assembly. According to some embodiments, the method further includes powering a fifth power amplifier module on a first side of the phone board assembly using an envelope tracking supply voltage and providing amplification in the mid-band and high-band using the fifth power amplifier module, and powering a sixth power amplifier module on a second side of the phone board assembly using an average power tracking supply voltage and providing amplification in the mid-band and high-band using the sixth power amplifier module.

[0018] In some embodiments, the envelope tracking unit is located on a first side of the telephone board assembly, and the first average power tracking power management unit and the first power amplifier module are located on a second side of the telephone board assembly. According to some embodiments, the method further includes powering a second power amplifier module located on the first side of the telephone board assembly using the envelope tracking supply voltage. According to various embodiments, the method further includes providing amplification in the low band using the first power amplifier module and providing amplification in the mid-band and high-band using the second power amplifier module. According to some embodiments, the method further includes powering a third power amplifier module located on the first side of the telephone board assembly using the second average power tracking power management unit located on the first side of the telephone board assembly and providing amplification in the ultra-high band using the third power amplifier module. According to some embodiments, the method further includes powering a fourth power amplifier module located on the second side of the telephone board assembly using the envelope tracking power management unit and providing amplification in the mid-band and high-band using the fourth power amplifier module. According to some embodiments, the method further includes using the first average power tracking power management unit to power a third power amplifier module on a second side of the phone board assembly and using the third power amplifier module to provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band. According to various embodiments, the method further includes using the first average power tracking power management unit to power a fourth power amplifier module on a first side of the phone board assembly and using the fourth power amplifier module to provide amplification in the ultra-high-band.

[0019] In a particular embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a mobile device including: a front-end system including a transceiver configured to generate a first radio frequency signal and a second radio frequency signal, a first power amplifier module configured to amplify the first radio frequency signal, and a second power amplifier module configured to amplify the second radio frequency signal, and a power management system including a first multi-mode power management unit configured to generate a first shared power amplifier supply voltage for the first power amplifier module and the second power amplifier module, the first multi-mode power management unit being operable in multiple modes including an envelope tracking mode and an average power tracking mode.

[0020] In various embodiments, the first power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the ultra-high band and the second power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the mid- and high-band.

[0021] In some embodiments, the front-end system further includes a third power amplifier module and a fourth power amplifier module, and the power management system further includes a second multi-mode power management unit configured to generate a second shared power amplifier supply voltage for the third power amplifier module and the fourth power amplifier module. According to some embodiments, the first power amplifier module, the second power amplifier module, and the first multi-mode power management unit are disposed on a first side of the mobile phone, and the third power amplifier module, the fourth power amplifier module, and the second multi-mode power management unit are disposed on a second side of the mobile phone. According to some embodiments, the power supply line does not cross the first side and the second side.

[0022] In various embodiments, the first power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the ultra-high band, the second power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band, the third power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the low-band, and the fourth power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band. According to some embodiments, the front-end system further includes a fifth power amplifier module configured to receive power from the first shared power amplifier supply voltage and provide amplification in the low-band, and a sixth power amplifier module configured to receive power from the second shared power amplifier supply voltage and provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band. According to some embodiments, the front-end system further includes a seventh power amplifier module configured to receive power from the first shared power amplifier supply voltage and provide amplification for second-generation cellular signals.

[0023] In a particular embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a telephone board assembly for a mobile telephone, the telephone board assembly including: a first power amplifier module configured to amplify a first radio frequency signal; a second power amplifier module configured to amplify a second radio frequency signal; and a first multi-mode power management unit configured to generate a first shared power amplifier supply voltage for the first power amplifier module and the second power amplifier module, the first multi-mode power management unit being operable in multiple modes, including an envelope tracking mode and an average power tracking mode.

[0024] In various embodiments, the first power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the ultra-high band and the second power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the mid- and high-band.

[0025] In some embodiments, the telephone board assembly further includes a third power amplifier module, a fourth power amplifier module, and a second multi-mode power management unit configured to generate a second shared power amplifier supply voltage for the third power amplifier module and the fourth power amplifier module. According to some embodiments, the first power amplifier module, the second power amplifier module, and the first multi-mode power management unit are mounted on a first side of the telephone board assembly, and the third power amplifier module, the fourth power amplifier module, and the second multi-mode power management unit are mounted on a second side of the telephone board assembly. According to some embodiments, the power supply lines do not cross the first side and the second side.

[0026] In some embodiments, the first power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the ultra-high band, the second power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band, the third power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the low-band, and the fourth power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band. According to various embodiments, the phone board assembly further includes a fifth power amplifier module configured to receive power from the first shared power amplifier supply voltage and provide amplification in the low-band, and a sixth power amplifier module configured to receive power from the second shared power amplifier supply voltage and provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band. According to some embodiments, the phone board assembly further includes a seventh power amplifier module configured to receive power from the first shared power amplifier supply voltage and provide amplification for second-generation cellular signals.

[0027] In a particular embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a method of power management in a mobile device, the method including: amplifying a first radio frequency signal using a first power amplifier module; amplifying a second radio frequency signal using a second power amplifier module; and generating a first shared power amplifier supply voltage for the first power amplifier module and the second power amplifier module using a first multi-mode power management unit operable in multiple modes, including an envelope tracking mode and an average power tracking mode. Including nothing.

[0028] In some embodiments, the method further includes providing amplification in the ultra-high band using a first power amplifier module and providing amplification in the mid-band and high-band using a second power amplifier module.

[0029] In some embodiments, the method further includes generating a second shared power amplifier supply voltage for the third power amplifier module and the fourth power amplifier module using a second multi-mode power management unit. According to some embodiments, the first power amplifier module, the second power amplifier module, and the first multi-mode power management unit are mounted on a first side of the telephone board assembly, and the third power amplifier module, the fourth power amplifier module, and the second multi-mode power management unit are mounted on a second side of the telephone board assembly. According to some embodiments, the power supply lines do not cross the first side and the second side. According to various embodiments, the method further includes providing amplification in the ultra-high band using the first power amplifier module, providing amplification in the mid-band and high-band using the second power amplifier module, providing amplification in the low-band using the third power amplifier module, and providing amplification in the mid-band and high-band using the fourth power amplifier module. According to some embodiments, the method further includes powering a fifth power amplifier module using the first shared power amplifier supply voltage and using the fifth power amplifier module to provide amplification in the low band, powering a sixth power amplifier module using the second shared power amplifier supply voltage and using the sixth power amplifier module to provide amplification in the mid-band and high-band. According to some embodiments, the method further includes powering a seventh power amplifier module using the first shared power amplifier supply voltage and using the seventh power amplifier module to provide amplification for second generation cellular signals. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of an example of a communication network. [Figure 2A] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an example of a communication link using carrier aggregation. [Figure 2B]2B illustrates various examples of uplink carrier aggregation for the communication link of FIG. 2A. [Figure 2C] 2B illustrates various examples of downlink carrier aggregation for the communication link of FIG. 2A. [Figure 3A] 1 is a schematic diagram of an example of a downlink channel using multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication. [Figure 3B] 1 is a schematic diagram of an example of an uplink channel using MIMO communication. [Figure 3C] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of another example of an uplink channel using MIMO communication. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary dual-connection network topology. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a telephone board assembly according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a telephone board assembly according to another embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a telephone board assembly according to another embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a telephone board assembly according to another embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a telephone board assembly according to another embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a telephone board assembly according to another embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a mobile device. [Figure 12] 1 is a schematic diagram of a power amplifier system according to one embodiment. [Figure 13] 1 is a schematic diagram of an example of a power amplifier powered by a power amplifier supply voltage; [Figure 14A] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a package module. [Figure 14B] FIG. 14B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the package module of FIG. 14A taken along line 14B-14B. [Figure 15A] FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating a first example of power amplifier supply voltage versus time. [Figure 15B] FIG. 10 is a graph illustrating a second example of power amplifier supply voltage versus time. [Figure 15C] FIG. 10 is a graph illustrating a third example of power amplifier supply voltage versus time. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] Detailed Description of the Embodiments The following detailed description of certain embodiments presents various descriptions of specific embodiments. However, the innovations described herein can be embodied in many different ways, for example, as defined and encompassed by the claims. This description refers to the drawings, in which like reference numbers may indicate identical or functionally similar elements. It will be understood that the elements depicted in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Furthermore, it will be understood that certain embodiments can include more elements and / or a subset of the elements depicted in the drawings. Furthermore, some embodiments can incorporate any suitable combination of features from two or more drawings.

[0032] The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) responsible for global issues relating to information and communications technology, including the global shared use of the radio spectrum.

[0033] The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is a collaboration between telecommunications standards organizations around the world, including the Association of Radio Industries and Businesses (ARIB), Telecommunications Technology Council (TTC), China Communications Standards Association (CCSA), Telecommunications Standards Union (ATIS), Korea Telecommunications Technology Association (TTA), European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), and Telecommunications Standards Society of India (TSDSI).

[0034] Working within the ITU, 3GPP develops and maintains technical specifications for various mobile communication technologies, including, for example, second-generation (2G) technologies (e.g., Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE)), third-generation (3G) technologies (e.g., Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) and High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA)), and fourth-generation (4G) technologies (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE) and LTE-Advanced).

[0035] Technical specifications controlled by 3GPP can be expanded and revised through specification releases, which can span multiple years and specify new features and breadth of evolution.

[0036] In one example, 3GPP introduced carrier aggregation (CA) for LTE in Release 10. Initially introduced with two downlink carriers, in Release 14, 3GPP extended carrier aggregation to include up to five downlink carriers and up to three uplink carriers. Other examples of new features and advancements provided by 3GPP releases include, but are not limited to, licensed assisted access (LAA), enhanced LAA (eLAA), narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IOT), vehicle-to-vehicle / vehicle-to-everything (V2X), and high-power user equipment (HPUE).

[0037] 3GPP introduced Phase 1 of fifth-generation (5G) technology in Release 15 and Phase 2 of 5G technology in Release 16. Subsequent 3GPP releases have further developed and extended 5G technology, which is also referred to herein as 5G New Radio (NR).

[0038] 5G NR supports or is planned to support various features such as communication over mmWave spectrum, beamforming capabilities, high spectral efficiency waveforms, low latency communication, multi-radio numerology, and / or non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA). While such RF capabilities provide flexibility to networks and increase user data rates, supporting such features may pose some technical challenges.

[0039] The teachings herein are applicable to a wide variety of communication systems, including, but not limited to, communication systems that use advanced cellular technologies such as LTE-Advanced, LTE-Advanced Pro, and / or 5G NR.

[0040] 1 is a schematic diagram of an example communications network 10. Communications network 10 includes a macrocell base station 1, a small cell base station 3, and various examples of user equipment (UE), including a first mobile device 2a, a wirelessly connected vehicle 2b, a laptop 2c, a fixed wireless device 2d, a wirelessly connected train 2e, a second mobile device 2f, and a third mobile device 2g.

[0041] Although particular examples of base stations and user equipment are shown in FIG. 1, a communication network may include many different types and / or numbers of base stations and user equipment.

[0042] For example, in the illustrated example, communication network 10 includes macrocell base station 1 and small cell base station 3. Small cell base station 3 may operate at relatively lower power, shorter distances, and / or fewer concurrent users compared to macrocell base station 1. Small cell base station 3 may also be referred to as a femtocell, picocell, or microcell. Although communication network 10 is shown as including two base stations, communication network 10 may be implemented to include more or fewer base stations and / or other types of base stations.

[0043] While various examples of user equipment are shown, the teachings herein are applicable to a wide variety of user equipment, including, but not limited to, mobile phones, tablets, laptops, IoT devices, wearable electronics, customer premises equipment (CPE), wirelessly connected vehicles, wireless repeaters, and / or a wide variety of other communication devices. Furthermore, user equipment includes not only currently available communication devices that operate within cellular networks, but also later-developed communication devices that are facilitated by the inventive systems, processes, methods, and devices described and claimed herein.

[0044] 1 supports communication using various cellular technologies, including, for example, 4G LTE and 5G NR. In certain embodiments, communication network 10 is further adapted to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN), such as WiFi. Although various examples of communication technologies are provided, communication network 10 may be adapted to support a wide variety of communication technologies.

[0045] Various communication links of communication network 10 are shown in FIG. 1. The communication links may be duplexed in a variety of ways, including, for example, using frequency division duplexing (FDD) and / or time division duplexing (TDD). FDD is a type of radio frequency communication that uses different frequencies to transmit and receive signals. FDD can offer many advantages, such as high data rates and low latency. In contrast, TDD is a type of radio frequency communication that uses approximately the same frequency to transmit and receive signals, and the transmit and receive communications are switched in time. TDD can offer many advantages, such as efficient use of spectrum and variable allocation of throughput between the transmit and receive directions.

[0046] In certain implementations, user equipment may communicate with base stations using one or more of 4G LTE, 5G NR, and WiFi technologies. In certain implementations, enhanced licensed assisted access (eLAA) is used to aggregate one or more licensed frequency carriers (e.g., licensed 4G LTE frequencies and / or 5G NR frequencies) with one or more unlicensed carriers (e.g., unlicensed WiFi frequencies).

[0047] 1, the communication links include not only communication links between UEs and base stations, but also UE-to-UE and base station-to-base station communications. For example, communication network 10 may be implemented to support self-fronthaul and / or self-backhaul (e.g., between mobile device 2g and mobile device 2f).

[0048] The communication link can operate over a wide variety of frequencies. In certain implementations, communication is supported using 5G NR technology over one or more frequency bands below 6 gigahertz (GHz) and / or over one or more frequency bands above 6 GHz. For example, the communication link can serve Frequency Band 1 (FR 1), Frequency Band 2 (FR 2), or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, one or more of the mobile devices support the HPUE power class specification.

[0049] In certain implementations, base stations and / or user equipment communicate using beamforming. For example, beamforming can be used to concentrate signal strength to overcome path losses, such as high losses associated with communication over high signal frequencies. In certain embodiments, one or more user equipment, such as mobile phones, communicate using beamforming on millimeter wave frequency bands in the range of 30 GHz to 300 GHz and / or frequency bands in the range of 6 GHz to 30 GHz, more particularly, upper centimeter wave frequencies in the range of 24 GHz to 30 GHz.

[0050] Different users of communication network 10 may share available network resources, such as the available frequency spectrum, in a wide variety of ways.

[0051] In one example, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) is used to divide a frequency band into multiple frequency carriers. One or more carriers are then allocated to a specific user. Examples of FDMA include, but are not limited to, single-carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA) and orthogonal FDMA (OFDMA). OFDMA is a multi-carrier technology that subdivides the available bandwidth into multiple mutually orthogonal narrowband subcarriers that can be separately assigned to different users.

[0052] Other examples of shared access include, but are not limited to, time division multiple access (TDMA), in which users are allocated specific time slots for using frequency resources, code division multiple access (CDMA), in which frequency resources are shared among different users by assigning each user a unique code, spatial division multiple access (SDMA), in which beamforming is used to provide shared access through spatial division, and non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), in which power domains are used for multiple access. For example, NOMA can be used to serve multiple users over the same frequency, time, and / or code, but at different power levels.

[0053] Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) refers to technology for increasing the system capacity of LTE networks. For example, eMBB can refer to communications with a peak data rate of at least 10 Gbps and at least 100 Mbps for each user. Ultra-reliable low-latency communications (uRLLC) refers to technology for communications with very low latency, for example, less than 2 milliseconds. uRLLC can be used for mission-critical communications such as autonomous driving and / or remote surgery applications. Massive Machine-Type Communications (mMTC) refers to low-cost, low-data-rate communications associated with wireless connectivity to everyday objects, such as those associated with Internet of Things (IoT) applications.

[0054] The communications network 10 of FIG. 1 may be used to support a wide variety of advanced communications features, including, but not limited to, eMBB, uRLLC, and / or mMTC.

[0055] In certain embodiments, the communication network 10 supports a supplemental uplink (SUL) and / or a supplemental downlink (SDL). For example, when channel conditions are good, the communication network 10 can instruct a particular UE to transmit using an original uplink frequency, and when channel conditions are poor (e.g., below a certain criterion), the communication network 10 can instruct the UE to transmit using a supplemental uplink frequency that is lower than the original uplink frequency. Because lower frequencies increase cell coverage, the SUL can be used to increase communication range and / or signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Similarly, the SDL can be used to transmit using an original downlink frequency when channel conditions are good and to transmit using a supplemental downlink frequency when channel conditions are poor.

[0056] 2A is a schematic diagram of an example communication link using carrier aggregation, which can be used to increase the bandwidth of a communication link by supporting communication over multiple frequency carriers, thereby increasing user data rates and improving network capacity by utilizing fragmented spectrum allocations.

[0057] In the illustrated example, a communication link is provided between a base station 21 and a mobile device 22. As shown in Figure 2A, the communication link includes a downlink channel used for RF communication from the base station 21 to the mobile device 22 and an uplink channel used for RF communication from the mobile device 22 to the base station 21.

[0058] Although FIG. 2A illustrates carrier aggregation in the context of FDD communications, carrier aggregation can also be used for TDD communications.

[0059] In certain implementations, the communication link may provide asymmetric data rates for the downlink and uplink channels. For example, the communication link may be used to support a relatively high downlink data rate for enabling high-speed streaming of multimedia content to a mobile device, while providing a relatively slow data rate for uploading data from the mobile device to the cloud.

[0060] In the illustrated example, base station 21 and mobile device 22 communicate via carrier aggregation, which can be used to selectively increase the bandwidth of a communication link. Carrier aggregation includes contiguous aggregation, in which contiguous carriers within the same operating frequency band are aggregated. Carrier aggregation may also be non-contiguous, including frequency-separated carriers within a common band or in different bands.

[0061] In the example shown in FIG. 2A, the uplink channel is divided into three aggregated component carriers f UL1 , f UL2 , and f UL3 Furthermore, the downlink channel is composed of five aggregated component carriers f DL1 , f DL2 , f DL3 , f DL4 , and f DL5 While an example of component carrier aggregation is shown, more or fewer carriers can be aggregated for the uplink and / or downlink. Furthermore, the number of aggregated carriers can be varied over time to achieve desired uplink and downlink data rates.

[0062] For example, the number of aggregated carriers for uplink and / or downlink communications for a particular mobile device may change over time, e.g., as the device moves through the communications network and / or as network usage changes over time.

[0063] Figure 2B illustrates various examples of uplink carrier aggregation for the communication link of Figure 2A, including a first carrier aggregation scenario 31, a second carrier aggregation scenario 32, and a third carrier aggregation scenario 33, which schematically illustrate three types of carrier aggregation.

[0064] Carrier aggregation scenarios 31 to 33 are based on the first component carrier f UL1 , the second component carrier f UL2 , and the third component carrier f UL32B illustrates different spectrum allocations for the uplink and downlink. While FIG. 2B is illustrated in the context of aggregating three component carriers, carrier aggregation may be used to aggregate more or fewer carriers. Furthermore, although shown in the context of the uplink, the aggregation scenario is also applicable to the downlink.

[0065] The first carrier aggregation scenario 31 illustrates intra-band contiguous carrier aggregation, where component carriers that are adjacent in frequency and within a common frequency band are aggregated. For example, the first carrier aggregation scenario 31 illustrates an intra-band contiguous carrier aggregation where component carriers f UL1 , f UL2 , and f UL3 This shows the aggregation of

[0066] 2B, a second carrier aggregation scenario 32 illustrates intra-band discontinuous carrier aggregation, in which two or more component carriers that are not contiguous in frequency and are located within a common frequency band are aggregated. For example, the second carrier aggregation scenario 32 illustrates an intra-band discontinuous carrier aggregation scenario in which two or more component carriers that are not contiguous in frequency and are located within a first frequency band, BAND1, are aggregated. UL1 , f UL2 , and f UL3 This shows the aggregation of

[0067] The third carrier aggregation scenario 33 illustrates inter-band discontinuous carrier aggregation, in which component carriers in multiple frequency bands that are not adjacent in frequency are aggregated. For example, the third carrier aggregation scenario 33 illustrates inter-band discontinuous carrier aggregation, in which component carriers in the first frequency band BAND1 are aggregated. UL1 and f UL2 and component carrier f of the second frequency band BAND2 UL3 This shows the aggregation with

[0068] 2C illustrates various examples of downlink carrier aggregation for the communication link of FIG. 2A. These examples are for the first component carrier f DL1 , the second component carrier f DL2 , the third component carrier f DL3 , the fourth component carrier f DL4 , and the fifth component carrier f DL5 2C illustrates various carrier aggregation scenarios 34-38 for different spectrum allocations. While FIG. 2C is illustrated in the context of aggregating five component carriers, carrier aggregation may be used to aggregate more or fewer carriers. Furthermore, although illustrated in the context of the downlink, the aggregation scenarios are also applicable to the uplink.

[0069] A first carrier aggregation scenario 34 illustrates the aggregation of component carriers that are contiguous and located within the same frequency band. A second carrier aggregation scenario 35 and a third carrier aggregation scenario 36 illustrate two examples of aggregations that are discontiguous but located within the same frequency band. A fourth carrier aggregation scenario 37 and a fifth carrier aggregation scenario 38 illustrate two examples of aggregations in which component carriers that are not frequency adjacent and located within multiple frequency bands are aggregated. As the number of aggregated component carriers increases, the complexity of the possible carrier aggregation scenarios also increases.

[0070] 2A-2C, the individual component carriers used in carrier aggregation may be of different frequencies, including, for example, frequency carriers within the same band or multiple bands. In addition, carrier aggregation is applicable to implementations in which the individual component carriers are of approximately the same bandwidth, as well as implementations in which the individual component carriers have different bandwidths.

[0071] A particular communication network allocates to a particular user device a primary component carrier (PCC) or anchor carrier for the uplink and a PCC for the downlink. Furthermore, when a mobile device communicates using a single frequency carrier for the uplink or downlink, the user device communicates using the PCC. To expand the bandwidth for uplink communications, the uplink PCC can be aggregated with one or more uplink secondary component carriers (SCCs). Furthermore, to expand the bandwidth for downlink communications, the downlink PCC can be aggregated with one or more downlink SCCs.

[0072] In certain embodiments, a communication network provides a network cell for each component carrier. Furthermore, the primary cell may operate using a PCC, while the secondary cell may operate using an SCC. The primary and secondary cells may have different coverage areas due to, for example, differences in carrier frequency and / or network environment.

[0073] Licensed Assisted Access (LAA) refers to downlink carrier aggregation in which licensed frequency carriers associated with a mobile operator are aggregated with frequency carriers in an unlicensed spectrum, such as WiFi. LAA utilizes a downlink PCC in the licensed spectrum to carry control and signaling information associated with the communication link, while unlicensed spectrum, when available, is aggregated for wider downlink bandwidth. LAA can operate by dynamic adjustment of secondary carriers to avoid and / or coexist with WiFi users. Enhanced Licensed Assisted Access (eLAA) refers to an evolution of LAA that aggregates licensed and unlicensed spectrum for both the downlink and uplink.

[0074] 3A and 3B are schematic diagrams of an example of a downlink channel using multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication, respectively.

[0075] MIMO communications use multiple antennas to simultaneously communicate multiple data streams over a common frequency spectrum. In certain implementations, the data streams operate with different reference signals to enhance data reception at the receiver. MIMO communications benefit from higher SNR, improved coding, and / or reduced signal interference due to differences in spatial multiplexing of the wireless environment.

[0076] The MIMO order refers to the number of separate data streams transmitted or received. For example, the MIMO order for downlink communications may be described by the number of transmit antennas at a base station and the number of receive antennas for a UE, such as a mobile device. For example, 2x2 DL MIMO refers to MIMO downlink communications using two base station antennas and two UE antennas. Furthermore, 4x4 DL MIMO refers to MIMO downlink communications using four base station antennas and four UE antennas.

[0077] In the example shown in Figure 3A, downlink MIMO communication is provided by transmitting using M antennas 43a, 43b, 43c, ... 43m at base station 41 and receiving using N antennas 44a, 44b, 44c, ... 44n at mobile device 42. Figure 3A therefore illustrates an example of mxn DL MIMO.

[0078] Similarly, the MIMO order for uplink communications can be described by the number of transmit antennas at a mobile device, such as a UE, and the number of receive antennas at a base station. For example, 2x2 UL MIMO refers to MIMO uplink communications using two UE antennas and two base station antennas. Furthermore, 4x4 UL MIMO refers to MIMO uplink communications using four UE antennas and four base station antennas.

[0079] In the example shown in Figure 3B, uplink MIMO communication is provided by transmitting using N antennas 44a, 44b, 44c, ... 44n at mobile device 42 and receiving using M antennas 43a, 43b, 43c, ... 43m at base station 41. Figure 3B therefore illustrates an example of n x m UL MIMO.

[0080] By increasing the level or order of MIMO, the bandwidth of the uplink and / or downlink channels can be increased.

[0081] MIMO communication is applicable to various types of communication links, such as FDD and TDD communication links.

[0082] 3C is a schematic diagram of another example of an uplink channel using MIMO communication. In the example shown in FIG. 3C, uplink MIMO communication is provided by transmitting using N antennas 44a, 44b, 44c, ... 44n of a mobile device 42. An additional first portion of the uplink transmission is received using M antennas 43a1, 43b1, 43c1, ... 43m1 of a first base station 41a, and a second portion of the uplink transmission is received using M antennas 43a2, 43b2, 43c2, ... 43m2 of a second base station 41b. Furthermore, the first base station 41a and the second base station 41b communicate with each other via wired, optical, and / or wireless links.

[0083] The MIMO scenario of FIG. 3C illustrates an example in which multiple base stations cooperate to facilitate MIMO communications.

[0084] With the introduction of the 5G NR air interface standard, 3GPP has enabled simultaneous operation of 5G and 4G standards to ease the transition. This mode can be called non-standalone (NSA) operation or E-UTRAN New Radio Dual Connectivity (EN-DC), and involves both 4G and 5G carriers transmitting simultaneously from the user equipment (UE).

[0085] In certain EN-DC applications, dual connectivity NSA involves overlaying a 5G system on an existing 4G core network. In such applications, dual connectivity means that control and synchronization between the base station and the UE can be performed by the 4G network, while the 5G network is a complementary radio access network tethered to a 4G anchor. The 4G anchor can be connected to the existing 4G network through a 5G data / control overlay.

[0086] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary dual connectivity network topology. This architecture can leverage LTE legacy coverage to ensure service delivery continuity and gradual deployment of 5G cells. The UE 13 can simultaneously transmit dual uplink LTE and NR carriers. To achieve dual connectivity, the UE 13 can transmit an uplink LTE carrier Tx1 to the eNB 11 while transmitting an uplink NR carrier Tx2 to the gNB 12. In the exemplary network topology, any suitable combination of uplink carriers Tx1, Tx2 and / or downlink carriers Rx1, Rx2 can be simultaneously transmitted over the radio link. The eNB 11 can provide connectivity with a core network, such as an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) 14. The gNB 12 can communicate with the core network via the eNB 11. Control plane data can be wirelessly communicated between the UE 13 and the eNB 11. The eNB 11 can also communicate control plane data with the gNB 12. Control plane data can propagate along the dashed paths in Figure 4. The solid lines in Figure 4 are for data plane paths.

[0087] In the example dual connectivity topology of FIG. 4, any suitable combination of standardized bands and radio access technologies (e.g., FDD, TDD, SUL, SDL) can be transmitted and received over the air. This can present technical challenges for the UE 13 in functioning multiple separate radios and bands. With a TDD LTE anchor point, network operation can be synchronous, in which case operation modes can be constrained to Tx1 / Tx2 and Rx1 / Rx2, or asynchronous, which can include Tx1 / Tx2, Tx1 / Rx2, Rx1 / Tx2, and Rx1 / Rx2. If the LTE anchor is a frequency division duplex (FDD) carrier, TDD / FDD inter-band operation can include simultaneous Tx1 / Rx1 / Tx2 and Tx1 / Rx1 / Rx2.

[0088] As described above, EN-DC can involve both 4G and 5G carriers being transmitted simultaneously from a UE. Transmitting both 4G and 5G carriers in a UE, such as a phone, typically involves two power amplifiers (PAs) being active simultaneously. Traditionally, activating two power amplifiers simultaneously involves deploying one or more additional power amplifiers specifically suited for EN-DC operation. Designing to support such EN-DC / NSA operation incurs additional board space and expense.

[0089] An Example of a Power Amplifier Supply Control Architecture for Cellular UEs A radio frequency (RF) communication device may include multiple antennas to support wireless communication. Additionally, the RF communication device may include a radio frequency front end (RFFE) system for processing signals received from and transmitted by the antennas. The RFFE system may provide several functions, including, but not limited to, signal filtering, signal splitting and combining, control of component connections to the antennas, and / or signal amplification.

[0090] RFFE systems can be used to process a wide variety of types of RF signals, including, but not limited to, wireless local area network (WLAN) signals, Bluetooth® signals, and / or cellular signals. RFFE systems are also referred to herein as front-end systems.

[0091] RFFE systems can be used to process signals over a wide range of frequencies. For example, a particular RFFE system may operate using one or more low bands (e.g., RF signal bands having frequency components below 1 GHz, also referred to herein as LB), one or more mid-bands (e.g., RF signal bands having frequency components between 1 GHz and 2.3 GHz, also referred to herein as MB), one or more high bands (e.g., RF signal bands having frequency components between 2.3 GHz and 3 GHz, also referred to herein as HB), and one or more ultra-high bands (e.g., RF signal bands having frequency components between 3 GHz and 7.125 GHz, also referred to herein as UHB). In a particular implementation, the module operates across mid-band and high-band frequencies (MHB).

[0092] RFFE systems can be used within a wide variety of RF communication devices, including, but not limited to, smartphones, base stations, laptops, handsets, wearable electronics, and / or tablets.

[0093] RFFE systems may be implemented to support various features that increase the bandwidth and / or other performance characteristics of the RF communication devices in which the RFFE system is incorporated.

[0094] For example, more and more uplink carrier aggregation scenarios are being developed to support wider bandwidths. Furthermore, there is a minimum uplink bandwidth to maintain a reliable link supported by transport layer ACK / NACK traffic, so the uplink and downlink bandwidths cannot be transmitted arbitrarily. Therefore, in 4G / 5G, wideband uplink carrier aggregation should be supported to achieve higher bandwidths for downlink carrier aggregation.

[0095] Thus, RFFE systems can be implemented to support both uplink and downlink carrier aggregation, providing flexibility for increasing peak data rates. Carrier aggregation can be used for both frequency division duplexing (FDD) and time division duplexing (TDD) and can be used to aggregate multiple carriers or channels, e.g., up to five carriers. Carrier aggregation includes contiguous aggregation, in which contiguous carriers within the same operating frequency band are aggregated. Carrier aggregation can also be non-contiguous, including frequency-separated carriers within a common band or in different bands.

[0096] The transition from 4G to 5G is not directly to fully standalone (SA) operation, but rather through non-standalone (NSA) operation. Current networks operate simultaneously in 4G and 5G by communicating with eNodeB and gNodeB simultaneously in EN-DC mode of operation. Thus, 4G and 5G transmitters operate simultaneously in such phones.

[0097] To provide such functionality support, an RFFE system can be implemented to support EN-DC.

[0098] Support for EN-DC can cover a wide range of frequency bands, including using 4G bands in the LB, MHB, HB, or UHB frequency ranges in combination with 5G bands in the LB, MHB, HB, or UHB frequency ranges. Thus, various combinations of EN-DC are possible, including but not limited to LB-LB EN-DC, MHB-MHB EN-DC, LB-MHB EN-DC, LB-UHB EN-DC, MHB-UHB EN-DC, and UHB-UHB EN-DC.

[0099] Additionally, in certain dual uplink transmission scenarios, it may be desirable to provide flexibility between switching which antenna transmits a first RF transmit signal (e.g., one of a 4G signal or a 5G signal) on a first side of the phone board assembly and which antenna transmits a second RF transmit signal (e.g., the other of a 4G signal or a 5G signal) on one side of the phone board assembly. To provide such flexibility, the RFFE system may support a transmit switching function that selectively switches which antenna a particular RF transmit signal is transmitted from.

[0100] Another technique for increasing uplink capacity is uplink multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication, in which multiple (e.g., two) power amplifiers simultaneously transmit two different signals at the same frequency using different antennas. MIMO communication benefits from higher signal-to-noise ratios, improved coding, and / or reduced signal interference due to differences in spatial multiplexing of the wireless environment. MIMO order refers to the number of separate data streams transmitted or received.

[0101] The aforementioned multi-transmitter operating mode combined with an increasing number of power amplifiers in the UE has resulted in a large number of power management units (PMUs), even though in most cases only two power amplifiers transmit simultaneously.

[0102] More PMUs not only increase cost, but also increase space on the phone board, which is a precious commodity in high-quality UE, and cellular functionality is just one subsystem among many.

[0103] The complexity of the PMU is further exacerbated by the type of power amplifier supply voltage generation supported. For example, one technique for improving power amplifier efficiency is average power tracking (APT), in which a DC-DC converter is used to generate the power amplifier supply voltage based on the average output power of the power amplifier. Another technique for improving power amplifier efficiency is envelope tracking (ET), in which the power amplifier supply voltage is controlled in relation to the envelope of the RF signal. Thus, if the voltage level of the RF signal envelope increases, the voltage level of the power amplifier supply voltage may be increased. Similarly, if the voltage level of the RF signal envelope decreases, the voltage level of the power amplifier supply voltage may be reduced to reduce power consumption.

[0104] Provided herein is a power management architecture for a cellular user equipment (UE). For example, a power management unit (PMU) configuration is provided to achieve a balance between often-conflicting goals. For example, such a balance may include (i) reducing the number of PMUs to achieve lower cost and smaller size for power management of a given EN-DC / uplink CA / MIMO combination set, (ii) selecting the minimum number of PMUs to support all target EN-DC / uplink CA / MIMO cases subject to routing limitations, and / or (iii) reducing electromagnetic interference (EMI) radiation and preventing current-resistive (IR) voltage drops in the ET power supply lines by avoiding supply line routes between two parts of the phone board assembly.

[0105] 5 is a schematic diagram of a phone board assembly 120 according to one embodiment. The phone board assembly 120 is for a cellular UE (e.g., a mobile phone) and includes a first side (south side or bottom side) and a second side (north side or top side).

[0106] In certain implementations herein, the telephone board assembly is implemented using two circuit boards, with a first side of the telephone board assembly corresponding to the first circuit board and a second side of the telephone board assembly corresponding to the second circuit board. However, other implementations are possible, including, for example, configurations using a single circuit board where the first side corresponds to a first portion (e.g., the top half) and the second side corresponds to a second portion (e.g., the bottom half).

[0107] 5, the south side includes a first average power tracking (APT) power management unit (PMU) 103, an envelope tracking (ET) PMU 101, a first low-band (LB) power amplifier (PA) module 110, a first mid-high-band (MHB) PA module 113, a first UHB PA module 117, and a 2G PA module 119. Additionally, the north side includes a second APT PMU 104, a second LB PA module 112, a second MHB PA module 114, and a second UHB module 118.

[0108] In the illustrated embodiment, the first APT PMU 103 provides a first APT supply voltage to the first LB PA module 110 and the first UHB PA module 117. Additionally, the ET PMU 101 provides an ET supply voltage to the first LB PA module 110, the first MHB PA module 113, and the 2G PA module 119. Additionally, the second APT PMU 104 provides a second APT supply voltage to the second LB PA module 112, the second MHB PA module 114, and the second UHB PA module 118.

[0109] As shown in FIG. 5, the power amplifier supply voltage used by the first LB PA module 110 is switchable between a first APT supply voltage and an ET supply voltage.

[0110] Table 1 below shows the supported operating modes and usage of the corresponding PMU of the phone board assembly 120.

[0111] [Table 1]

[0112] By adding a supply switch to the first LB PA module 110, the number of supply domains (and therefore the number of PMUs) can be reduced.

[0113] Furthermore, the three PMU solutions in Figure 5 support all modes of the four traditional PMU solutions. Furthermore, the additional UHB PA module and LB PA module on the north side support all operation modes of high-quality 2G / 4G / 5G UEs because they support dual transmission functions for these bands.

[0114] Furthermore, the LB PA module 110 can access both the ET supply domain and the APT supply domain, so the LB PA module 110 can use the ET supply for the high-power standalone mode and the APT in the uplink CA / EN-DC mode with lower LB power.

[0115] 6 is a schematic diagram of a telephone board assembly 130 according to another embodiment. The telephone board assembly 130 includes a first side (south side) and a second side (north side). As shown in FIG. 6, the south side includes an APT PMU 103, an ET PMU 101, a first LB PA module 110, a first MHB PA module 113, a first UHB PA module 116, and a 2G PA module 119. Additionally, the north side includes a second LB PA module 112, a second MHB PA module 114, and a second UHB module 118.

[0116] In the illustrated embodiment, the APT PMU 103 provides an APT supply voltage to the first UHB PA module 116 and the first LB PA module 110 on the south side. Additionally, the APT supply voltage from the APT PMU 103 on the south side is routed to the north side and provided to the second LB PA module 112, the second MHB PA module 114, and the second UHB PA module 118. The ET PMU 101 provides an ET supply voltage to the first LB PA module 110, the first MHB PA module 113, the first UHB PA module 116, and the 2G PA module 119.

[0117] 6, the power amplifier supply voltage used by the first LB PA module 110 is switchable between an APT supply voltage and an ET supply voltage. In addition, the power amplifier supply voltage used by the first UHB PA module 116 is switchable between an APT supply voltage and an ET supply voltage.

[0118] Table 2 below shows the supported operating modes and usage of the corresponding PMUs of the phone board assembly 130.

[0119] [Table 2]

[0120] The number of supply domains (and therefore the number of PMUs) can be reduced by adding a first supply switch to the first LB PA module 110 and a second supply switch to the first UHB PA module 116. Because the first UHB PA module 116 has access to both the ET supply domain and the APT supply domain, the first UHB PA module 116 can use the ET supply for high-power standalone mode (if desired) when UHB power is low, and the APT in uplink CA / EN-DC mode.

[0121] The phone board assembly 130 of FIG. 6 supports all operational modes of a high-quality 2G / 4G / 5G UE.

[0122] Compared to the phone board assembly 120 of FIG. 5, the phone board assembly 130 of FIG. 6 has one less PMU, but also includes a south-to-north connection across the phone board assembly 130, and is therefore more susceptible to EMI.

[0123] 7 is a schematic diagram of a telephone board assembly 140 according to another embodiment. The telephone board assembly 140 includes a first side (south side) and a second side (north side). As shown in FIG. 7, the south side includes an ET / APT PMU 105, a first LB PA module 111, a first MHB PA module 113, a first UHB PA module 117, and a 2G PA module 119. Additionally, the north side includes an APT PMU 103, a second LB PA module 112, a second MHB PA module 114, and a second UHB module 118.

[0124] In the illustrated embodiment, the ET / APT PMU 105 provides the ET / APT supply voltage to the first LB PA module 111, the first MHB PA module 113, the first UHB PA module 117, and the 2G PA module 119. Additionally, the APT PMU 103 provides the APT supply voltage to the second LB PA module 112, the second MHB PA module 114, and the second UHB PA module 118.

[0125] Table 3 below shows the supported operating modes and usage of the corresponding PMU of the phone board assembly 140.

[0126] [Table 3]

[0127] With respect to the phone board assembly 140 of FIG. 7, EMI and IR drop concerns are alleviated because the power supply lines do not have to cross the boundary between the two sides of the phone board assembly 140 .

[0128] In this example, all PAs on the north side of phone board assembly 140 are APT type and can be supported by a single APT PMU, while the PAs on the south side are a mix of APT and ET and can be supported by a single dual-mode PMU. The power management solution for phone board assembly 140 in Figure 7 is larger than the power management solution for phone board assembly 130 in Figure 6 because the dual-mode supply PMU is larger than the ET-only PMU.

[0129] The phone board assembly 140 of FIG. 7 supports all operational modes of a high quality 2G / 4G / 5G UE.

[0130] 8-10, the illustrated power management architectures are targeted at mid-tier UEs that do not support UL MIMO, LB-LB EN-DC, or switching between transmitters on opposite sides of the phone board assembly, thereby reducing the complexity of such front-end systems (e.g., the number of power amplifier modules).

[0131] 8 is a schematic diagram of a phone board assembly 200 according to another embodiment. The phone board assembly 200 includes a first side (lower side) and a second side (upper side). As shown in FIG. 8, the lower side includes a first APT PMU 103, an ET PMU 101, a first MHB PA module 113, and a UHB PA module 117. Additionally, the upper side includes a second APT PMU 104, a second MHB PA module 114, and a LB / 2G PA module 107.

[0132] In the illustrated embodiment, the ET PMU provides an ET supply voltage to the lower first MHB PA module 113 and the upper LB / 2G PA module 107. Additionally, the first APT PMU 103 provides a first APT supply voltage to the UHB PA module 117. Additionally, the second APT PMU 104 provides a second APT supply voltage to the LB / 2G PA module 107 and the second MHB PA module 114.

[0133] As shown in FIG. 8, the power amplifier supply voltage used by the LB / 2G PA module is switchable between the second APT supply voltage and the ET supply voltage.

[0134] Table 4 below shows the supported operating modes and usage of the corresponding PMU of the phone board assembly 200.

[0135] [Table 4]

[0136] By adding a supply voltage switch to the LB / 2G PA module 107, the number of PMUs is reduced. Furthermore, the LB / 2G PA module 107 has access to both the ET supply domain and the APT supply domain, so when the LB power is low, it can use the ET supply for high-power standalone mode (if desired) and the APT in uplink CA / EN-DC mode. Furthermore, all intermediate layer operating modes are supported. However, the power management solution uses top-to-bottom supply lines on the phone board assembly 200 and is therefore more susceptible to EMI.

[0137] 9 is a schematic diagram of a phone board assembly 210 according to another embodiment. The phone board assembly 210 includes a first side (lower side) and a second side (upper side). As shown in FIG. 9, the lower side includes an ET PMU 101, a first MHB PA module 113, and a UHB PA module 117. Additionally, the upper side includes an APT PMU 103, a second MHB PA module 114, and a LB / 2G PA module 107.

[0138] In the illustrated embodiment, the ET PMU 101 provides an ET supply voltage to the lower first MHB PA module 113 and the upper LB / 2G PA module 107. Additionally, the APT PMU 103 provides an APT supply voltage to the lower UHB PA module 117 and the upper LB / 2G PA module 107 and the second MHB PA module 114.

[0139] As shown in FIG. 9, the power amplifier supply voltage used by the LB / 2G PA module 107 is switchable between an APT supply voltage and an ET supply voltage.

[0140] Table 5 below shows the supported operating modes and usage of the corresponding PMU of the phone board assembly 210.

[0141] [Table 5]

[0142] By adding a supply voltage switch to the LB / 2G PA module 107, the number of PMUs is reduced. Furthermore, the LB / 2G PA module 107 has access to both the ET supply domain and the APT supply domain, so when the LB power is low, it can use the ET supply for high-power standalone mode (if desired) and the APT in uplink CA / EN-DC mode. Furthermore, all intermediate layer operating modes are supported. However, the power management solution uses top-to-bottom supply lines on the phone board assembly 210 and is therefore more susceptible to EMI.

[0143] 10 is a schematic diagram of a phone board assembly 220 according to another embodiment. The phone board assembly 220 includes a first side (lower side) and a second side (upper side). As shown in FIG. 10, the lower side includes a first ET / APT PMU 105, a first MHB PA module 113, and a UHB PA module 117. Additionally, the upper side includes a second ET / APT PMU 106, a second MHB PA module 114, and a LB / 2G PA module 108.

[0144] In the illustrated embodiment, the first ET / APT PMU 105 provides a first ET / APT supply voltage to the first MHB PA module 113 and the UHB PA module 117. Additionally, the second ET / APT PMU 106 provides a second APT supply voltage to the LB / 2G PA module 108 and the second MHB PA module 114.

[0145] Table 6 below shows the supported operating modes and usage of the corresponding PMU of the phone board assembly 220.

[0146] [Table 6]

[0147] EMI and IR drop concerns can be mitigated because the power supply lines do not cross the boundary between the two sides of the phone board assembly 220. However, the power management solution for the phone board assembly 220 of Figure 10 is larger than the power management solution for the phone board assembly 210 of Figure 9 because the dual-mode supply PMU is larger than the ET-only PMU.

[0148] 11 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a mobile device 800. The mobile device 800 includes a baseband system 801, a transceiver 802, a front-end system 803, an antenna 804, a power management system 805, a memory 806, a user interface 807, and a battery 808.

[0149] The mobile device 800 may be used to communicate using a wide variety of communication technologies, including, but not limited to, 2G, 3G, 4G (including LTE, LTE-Advanced, and LTE-Advanced Pro), 5G NR, WLAN (e.g., WiFi), WPAN (e.g., Bluetooth® and ZigBee®), WPAN (e.g., WiMax®), and / or GPS technologies.

[0150] The transceiver 802 generates RF signals for transmission and processes incoming RF signals received from the antenna 804. It will be appreciated that various functions related to the transmission and reception of RF signals may be accomplished by one or more components collectively represented in FIG. 11 as the transceiver 802. In one example, separate components (e.g., separate circuits or dies) may be provided for processing particular types of RF signals.

[0151] The front-end system 803 helps condition signals transmitted to and / or received from the antenna 804. In the illustrated embodiment, the front-end system 803 includes antenna tuning circuitry 810, a power amplifier (PA) 811, a low-noise amplifier (LNA) 812, a filter 813, a switch 814, and a signal splitting / combining circuit 815. However, other implementations are possible.

[0152] For example, the front-end system 803 may provide several functions including, but not limited to, amplifying signals for transmission, amplifying received signals, filtering signals, switching between different bands, switching between different power modes, switching between transmit and receive modes, duplexing signals, multiplexing (e.g., duplexing or tripling) signals, or some combination thereof.

[0153] In certain embodiments, the mobile device 800 supports carrier aggregation, thereby providing the flexibility to increase peak data rates. Carrier aggregation can be used for both frequency division duplexing (FDD) and time division duplexing (TDD) and can be used to aggregate multiple carriers or channels. Carrier aggregation includes contiguous aggregation, in which contiguous carriers within the same operating frequency band are aggregated. Carrier aggregation can also be non-contiguous, including frequency-separated carriers within a common band or in different bands.

[0154] Antenna 804 may include antennas used for a variety of different types of communications, for example, antennas for transmitting and / or receiving signals associated with a variety of different frequencies and communication standards.

[0155] In certain implementations, the antennas 804 support MIMO and / or switched diversity communications. For example, MIMO communications use multiple antennas to communicate multiple data streams over a single radio frequency channel. MIMO communications benefit from higher signal-to-noise ratios, improved coding, and / or reduced signal interference due to differences in spatial multiplexing of the wireless environment. Switched diversity refers to communications in which a specific antenna is selected for operation at a particular time. For example, a switch may be used to select a specific antenna from a group of antennas based on various factors, such as an observed bit error rate and / or signal strength indicators.

[0156] The mobile device 800 can operate with beamforming in certain embodiments. For example, the front-end system 803 can include amplifiers with controllable gain and phase shifters with controllable phase to provide beamforming and directionality for the transmission and / or reception of signals using the antenna 804. For example, in the context of signal transmission, the amplitude and phase of transmit signals provided to the antenna 804 are controlled so that radiated signals from the antenna 804 combine using constructive and destructive interference to generate an aggregate transmit signal exhibiting a beam-like quality with more signal strength propagating in a given direction. In the context of signal reception, the amplitude and phase are controlled so that more signal energy is received when signals are arriving at the antenna 804 from a particular direction. In certain embodiments, the antenna 804 includes one or more arrays of antenna elements to improve beamforming.

[0157] The baseband system 801 is coupled to a user interface 807 to facilitate processing of various user input / output (I / O), such as voice and data. The baseband system 801 provides digital representations of transmit signals to the transceiver 802, which processes them to generate RF signals for transmission. The baseband system 801 also processes digital representations of receive signals provided by the transceiver 802. As shown in FIG. 11 , the baseband system 801 is coupled to a memory 806 to facilitate operation of the mobile device 800.

[0158] The memory 806 may be used for a wide variety of purposes, such as storing data and / or instructions to facilitate operation of the mobile device 800 and / or to allow storage of user information.

[0159] The power management system 805 provides several power management functions for the mobile device 800. In certain implementations, the power management system 805 includes a PA supply control circuit that controls the supply voltages of the power amplifiers 811. For example, the power management system 805 can be configured to modify the supply voltage(s) provided to one or more of the power amplifiers 811 to improve efficiency, such as power added efficiency (PAE). The power management system 805 can include a PMU implemented in accordance with the teachings herein. Thus, the power management system 805 can be implemented in accordance with any of the embodiments herein and functions as a power management subsystem for the UE.

[0160] 11, the power management system 805 receives a battery voltage from a battery 808. The battery 808 may be any suitable battery for use in the mobile device 800, including, for example, a lithium-ion battery.

[0161] 12 is a schematic diagram of a power amplifier system 860 according to one embodiment. The illustrated power amplifier system 860 includes a baseband processor 841, a transmitter / observation receiver 842, a power amplifier (PA) 843, a directional coupler 844, a front-end circuit 845, an antenna 846, a PA bias control circuit 847, and a PA supply control circuit 848. The illustrated transmitter / observation receiver 842 includes an I / Q modulator 857, a mixer 858, and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 859. In certain implementations, the transmitter / observation receiver 842 is incorporated into a transceiver.

[0162] The baseband processor 841 can be used to generate in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) signals, which can be used to represent a sine wave or signal of a desired amplitude, frequency, and phase. For example, the I signal can be used to represent the in-phase component of a sine wave, and the Q signal can be used to represent the quadrature component of the sine wave, which can be an equivalent representation of a sine wave. In certain implementations, the I and Q signals can be provided to the I / Q modulator 857 in digital form. The baseband processor 841 can be any suitable processor configured to process baseband signals. For example, the baseband processor 841 can include a digital signal processor, a microprocessor, a programmable core, or any combination thereof. Furthermore, in some implementations, two or more baseband processors 841 can be included in the power amplifier system 860.

[0163] The I / Q modulator 857 may be configured to receive the I and Q signals from the baseband processor 841 and process the I and Q signals to generate an RF signal. For example, the I / Q modulator 857 may include a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to convert the I and Q signals to analog form, a mixer for upconverting the I and Q signals to RF, and a signal combiner for combining the upconverted I and Q signals into an RF signal suitable for amplification by the power amplifier 843. In certain implementations, the I / Q modulator 857 may include one or more filters configured to filter frequency components of the signal processed therein.

[0164] The power amplifier 843 can receive an RF signal from the I / Q modulator 857 and, when enabled, can provide an amplified RF signal to the antenna 846 via the front-end circuitry 845 .

[0165] The front-end circuitry 845 can be implemented in a wide variety of ways. In one example, the front-end circuitry 845 includes one or more switches, filters, duplexers, multiplexers, and / or other components. In another example, the front-end circuitry 845 is omitted in favor of a power amplifier 843 that provides an amplified RF signal directly to the antenna 846.

[0166] The directional coupler 844 senses the output signal of the power amplifier 823. Additionally, the sensed output signal from the directional coupler 844 is provided to a mixer 858, which multiplies the sensed output signal with a reference signal of a controlled frequency. The mixer 858 operates to generate a downshifted signal by downshifting a frequency component of the sensed output signal. The downshifted signal can be provided to an ADC 859, which can convert the downshifted signal to a digital format suitable for processing by the baseband processor 841. Including a feedback path from the output of the power amplifier 843 to the baseband processor 841 can provide several advantages. For example, implementing the baseband processor 841 in this manner can help provide power control, compensate for transmitter impairments, and / or perform digital predistortion (DPD). While one example of a sense path for the power amplifier is shown, other implementations are possible.

[0167] The PA supply control circuit 848 receives a power control signal from the baseband processor 841 and controls the supply voltage of the power amplifier 843. In the illustrated configuration, the PA supply control circuit 848 controls a first supply voltage V CC1 and a second supply voltage V for powering the output stage of the power amplifier 843. CC2 The PA supply control circuit 848 generates the first supply voltage V CC1 and / or a second supply voltage V CC2 The voltage level of the power amplifier can be controlled to improve the PAE of the power amplifier system.

[0168] The PA supply control circuit 848 can use various power management techniques to vary the voltage level of one or more of the supply voltages over time to improve the power added efficiency (PAE) of the power amplifier, thereby reducing power dissipation.

[0169] One technique for improving the efficiency of a power amplifier is average power tracking (APT), in which a DC-DC converter is used to generate a power amplifier supply voltage based on the average output power of the power amplifier. Another technique for improving the efficiency of a power amplifier is envelope tracking (ET), in which the power amplifier supply voltage is controlled in relation to the envelope of the RF signal. Thus, if the voltage level of the RF signal envelope increases, the voltage level of the power amplifier supply voltage can be increased. Similarly, if the voltage level of the RF signal envelope decreases, the voltage level of the power amplifier supply voltage can be reduced to reduce power consumption.

[0170] In some configurations, the PA supply control circuit 848 is a multi-mode supply control circuit that can operate in multiple supply control modes, including an APT mode and an ET mode. For example, a power control signal from the baseband processor 841 can instruct the PA supply control circuit 848 to operate in a particular supply control mode.

[0171] 12, PA bias control circuit 847 receives bias control signals from baseband processor 841 and generates bias control signals for power amplifier 843. In the configuration shown, bias control circuit 847 generates bias control signals for both the input stage of power amplifier 843 and the output stage of power amplifier 843. However, other implementations are possible.

[0172] Figure 13 shows the power amplifier supply voltage V CC_PA 13 is a schematic diagram of an example of a power amplifier 1132 powered by a power amplifier supply voltage V. As shown in FIG. CC_PA , and the power amplifier is terminated using an output impedance matching circuit 1131.

[0173] The illustrated power amplifier 1132 includes a bipolar transistor 1129 having an emitter, a base, and a collector. As shown in FIG. 13, the emitter of the bipolar transistor 1129 is electrically connected to a power low supply voltage V1, which may be, for example, a ground power supply. Additionally, an RF signal (RF IN ) is provided to the base of bipolar transistor 1129, which amplifies the RF signal to produce an amplified RF signal at the collector. Bipolar transistor 1129 may be any suitable device. In one embodiment, bipolar transistor 1129 is a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT).

[0174] The output impedance matching circuit 1131 serves to terminate the output of the power amplifier 1132 and can assist in increasing power transfer and / or reducing reflections of the amplified RF signal generated by the power amplifier 1132. In certain implementations, the output impedance matching circuit 1131 further operates to provide harmonic termination and / or to control the load line impedance of the power amplifier 1132.

[0175] Inductor 1127 provides power amplifier 1132 with power amplifier supply voltage V while suppressing or blocking high frequency RF signal components. CC_PA Inductor 1127 may include a first end electrically connected to envelope tracker 1102 and a second end electrically connected to the collector of bipolar transistor 1129. In certain implementations, inductor 1127 operates in combination with impedance matching circuit 1131 to provide output matching.

[0176] 13 illustrates one embodiment of power amplifier 1132, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the teachings described herein can be applied to a variety of power amplifier structures, such as multi-stage power amplifiers and power amplifiers using other transistor structures. For example, in some embodiments, bipolar transistor 1129 can be omitted in favor of employing a field-effect transistor (FET), such as a silicon FET, a gallium arsenide (GaAs) high electron mobility transistor (HEMT), or a laterally diffused metal-oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) transistor. Additionally, power amplifier 1132 can be adapted to include additional circuitry, such as bias circuitry.

[0177] Figure 14A is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a packaging module 1300. Figure 14B is a schematic diagram of a cross section of the packaging module 1300 of Figure 14A taken along line 14B-14B.

[0178] Package module 1300 includes power amplifier die 1301, supply switch die 1302, surface mount components 1303, wire bonds 1308, package substrate 1320, and encapsulation structure 1340. Package substrate 1320 includes pads 1306 formed from conductors disposed therein. Additionally, dies 1301 and 1302 include pads 1304, and wire bonds 1308 are used to connect pads 1304 of dies 1301 and 1302 to pads 1306 of package substrate 1320.

[0179] The power amplifier die 1301 and the supply switch die 1302 are implemented in accordance with one or more features of the present disclosure. In a particular embodiment, the supply switch die 1302 provides a selected power amplifier supply voltage to the power amplifier die 1301.

[0180] In certain implementations, the dies 1301, 1302 are fabricated using different processing technologies. In one example, the power amplifier die 1301 is fabricated using a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) process and the supply switch die 1302 is fabricated using a silicon process.

[0181] The packaging substrate 1320 can be configured to receive multiple components, such as dies 1301, 1302 and surface mount components 1303, which can include, for example, surface mount capacitors and / or inductors.

[0182] As shown in FIG. 14B , the package module 1300 is shown to include a plurality of contact pads 1332 located on a side of the package module 1300 opposite the side used to attach the dies 1301, 1302. Configuring the package module 1300 in this manner can aid in connecting the package module 1300 to a circuit board, such as a phone board of a wireless device. The exemplary contact pads 1332 can be configured to provide RF signals, bias signals, power low voltage(s), and / or power high voltage(s) to the dies 1301, 1302 and / or surface-mounted components 1303. As shown in FIG. 14B , electrical connection between the contact pads 1332 and the die 1301 can be facilitated by connections 1333 through the package substrate 1320. The connections 1333 can represent electrical paths formed through the package substrate 1320, such as connections associated with vias and conductors in a multi-layer stacked package substrate.

[0183] In some embodiments, the package module 1300 may also include one or more package structures, for example, to provide protection and / or facilitate handling of the package module 1300. Such package structures may include an overmold or encapsulation structure 1340 formed over the package substrate 1320 and the components and die disposed thereon.

[0184] Although package module 1300 is described in the context of wire bond-based electrical connections, it will be understood that one or more features of the present disclosure may also be implemented in other package configurations, including, for example, flip chip configurations.

[0185] 15A is a graph 1447 illustrating a first example of power amplifier supply voltage versus time. Graph 1447 illustrates, over time, the voltage of an RF signal 1441, an envelope 1442 of the RF signal, and a power amplifier supply voltage 1443. Graph 1447 corresponds to an example waveform for an implementation in which power amplifier supply voltage 1443 is substantially fixed (DC).

[0186] It may be important that the power amplifier supply voltage 1443 of the power amplifier has a voltage greater than the voltage of the RF signal 1441. For example, powering the power amplifier using a power amplifier supply voltage having an amplitude less than the amplitude of the RF signal may cause the RF signal to clip, thereby causing signal distortion and / or other problems. Therefore, it may be important that the power amplifier supply voltage 1443 is greater than the voltage of the envelope 1442. However, it may be desirable to reduce the voltage difference between the power amplifier supply voltage 1443 and the envelope 1442 of the RF signal 1441 because the area between the power amplifier supply voltage 1443 and the envelope 1442 may represent lost energy, which may shorten battery life and increase heat generated in the wireless device.

[0187] 15B is a graph 1448 illustrating a second example of power amplifier supply voltage versus time. Graph 1448 shows the voltage of an RF signal 1441, the envelope of the RF signal 1442, and the power amplifier supply voltage 1444 over time. 1448 corresponds to an example waveform for an embodiment in which the power amplifier supply voltage 1444 is generated by envelope tracking.

[0188] Envelope tracking is a technique that can be used to increase the power-added efficiency (PAE) of a power amplifier system by efficiently controlling the voltage level of the power amplifier supply voltage in relation to the envelope of the RF signal being amplified by the power amplifier. Thus, if the envelope of the RF signal increases, the voltage supplied to the power amplifier may be increased. Similarly, if the envelope of the RF signal decreases, the voltage supplied to the power amplifier may be reduced, reducing power consumption.

[0189] In contrast to power amplifier supply voltage 1443 in Figure 15A, power amplifier supply voltage 1444 in Figure 15B varies relative to envelope 1442 of RF signal 1441. The area between power amplifier supply voltage 1444 and envelope 1442 in Figure 15B is smaller than the area between power amplifier supply voltage 1443 and envelope 1442 in Figure 15A, and therefore graph 1448 in Figure 15B can be associated with a power amplifier system having higher energy efficiency.

[0190] 15C is a graph 1449 illustrating a third example of power amplifier supply voltage versus time. Graph 1449 illustrates, over time, the voltage of RF signal 1441, the RF signal envelope 1442, and power amplifier supply voltage 1445. Graph 1449 corresponds to an example waveform for an embodiment in which power amplifier supply voltage 1445 is generated by average power tracking (APT).

[0191] APT is a technique for improving the efficiency of a power amplifier, in which the voltage level of the power amplifier supply voltage is controlled based on the average output power of the power amplifier. When operating using APT, the voltage level of the power amplifier supply voltage may be substantially fixed for a particular time slot, but may be adjusted based on the average output power (e.g., a transmit power control level) for subsequent time slots. APT can achieve efficiency gains for a fixed power amplifier supply voltage, but the efficiency gains are lower compared to envelope tracking. However, envelope tracking may have higher complexity, cost, and / or overhead compared to APT.

[0192] Purpose Some of the above-described embodiments provide examples related to mobile devices. However, the principles and advantages of the embodiments can be used in any other system or device that has a need for a UHB architecture. Examples of such RF communication systems include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, tablets, base stations, network access points, customer premises equipment (CPE), laptops, and wearable electronic devices.

[0193] conclusion Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout this specification and claims, words such as "comprise," "comprising," and the like, should be interpreted in an inclusive sense, "including, but not limited to," as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense. The term "coupled," as generally used herein, refers to two or more elements, which may be directly connected or connected by one or more intermediate elements. Similarly, the term "connected," as generally used herein, refers to two or more elements, which may be directly connected or connected by one or more intermediate elements. Furthermore, the words "herein," "above," "below," and words of similar import, when used in this application, shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. Where the context permits, words in the above detailed description using the singular or plural number may also include the plural or singular number, respectively. The word "or" in connection with a list of two or more items encompasses all of the following interpretations of that word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list, and any combination of the items in the list.

[0194] Additionally, conditional language used herein, such as "may," "could," "might," "could," "for example," and "etc.", unless expressly stated otherwise or understood otherwise within the context of use, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include certain features, elements, and / or conditions, while other embodiments do not. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that the features, elements, and / or conditions are somehow required by one or more embodiments, or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for determining whether or not those features, elements, and / or conditions should be included in or implemented in any particular embodiment, with or without authorial input or direction.

[0195] The above detailed description of embodiments of the present invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed above. While specific embodiments and examples of the present invention have been described above for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will recognize that various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention. For example, while processes or blocks are presented in a given order, alternative embodiments may perform routines having steps or use systems having blocks in a different order, and some processes or blocks may be deleted, moved, added, subdivided, combined, and / or modified. Each of these processes or blocks may be implemented in a variety of different ways. Also, while processes or blocks may be shown as being performed in serial, these processes or blocks may instead be performed in parallel or may be performed at different times.

[0196] The teachings of the invention provided herein may be applied to other systems, not necessarily those described above. Elements and acts of the various embodiments described above may be combined to provide further embodiments.

[0197] While specific embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Indeed, the novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, and changes may be made to the form of the methods and systems described herein without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. The appended claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as fall within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A mobile device, a transceiver configured to generate a low band radio frequency signal; a front-end system including a shared low-band and second-generation power amplifier module configured to amplify the low-band radio frequency signals in a low-band mode and second-generation radio frequency signals in a second-generation mode; a power management system including: an envelope tracking power management unit configured to provide an envelope tracking supply voltage to the shared low-band and second-generation power amplifier module; and a first average power tracking power management unit configured to provide an average power tracking supply voltage to the shared low-band and second-generation power amplifier module, the shared low-band and second-generation power amplifier module including a supply voltage switch configured to select between the envelope tracking supply voltage in the second-generation mode and the average power tracking supply voltage in the low-band mode; Equipped with the front-end system further includes a first mid-band and high-band power amplifier module configured to receive power from the envelope tracking supply voltage, and a second mid-band and high-band power amplifier module configured to receive power from the average power tracking supply voltage.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the front-end system further comprises an ultra-wideband power amplifier module configured to receive power from the average power tracking supply voltage.

3. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the power management system further includes an ultra-high bandwidth power amplifier module and a second average power tracking power management unit configured to provide power to the ultra-high bandwidth power amplifier module.

4. 1. A telephone board assembly for a mobile telephone, comprising: a shared low-band and second-generation power amplifier module configured to amplify low-band radio frequency signals in a low-band mode and second-generation radio frequency signals in a second-generation mode; an envelope tracking power management unit configured to provide an envelope tracking supply voltage to the shared low-band and second-generation power amplifier module; a first average power tracking power management unit configured to provide an average power tracking supply voltage to the shared low-band and second-generation power amplifier module, the shared low-band and second-generation power amplifier module including a supply voltage switch configured to select between the envelope tracking supply voltage in the second-generation mode and the average power tracking supply voltage in the low-band mode; a telephone board assembly comprising: a first mid-band and high-band power amplifier module configured to receive power from the envelope tracking supply voltage; and a second mid-band and high-band power amplifier module configured to receive power from the average power tracking supply voltage.

5. 1. A method of power management in a mobile device, comprising: amplifying a low-band radio frequency signal using a shared low-band and second-generation power amplifier module in a low-band mode; amplifying second-generation radio frequency signals using the shared low-band and second-generation power amplifier module in a second-generation mode; providing an envelope tracking supply voltage to the shared low-band and second generation power amplifier modules using an envelope tracking power management unit; providing an average power tracking supply voltage to the shared low band and second generation power amplifier module using a first average power tracking power management unit; in the second generation mode, selecting the envelope tracking supply voltage using a supply voltage switch of the shared low-band and second generation power amplifier module; selecting, in the low band mode, the average power tracking supply voltage using the supply voltage switch of the shared low band and second generation power amplifier module; powering a first mid-band and high-band power amplifier module using the envelope tracking supply voltage; and powering a second mid-band and high-band power amplifier module using the average power tracking supply voltage.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising: using the first average power tracking power management unit to power an ultra-high bandwidth power amplifier module.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising: powering the ultra-high bandwidth power amplifier module using a second average power tracking power management unit.

8. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first average power tracking power management unit and the shared low band and second generation power amplifier module are on a first side of the mobile device and the envelope tracking power management unit is on a second side of the mobile device, the method further comprising supplying the envelope tracking supply voltage from the second side to the first side in the second generation mode.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the low-band radio frequency signal includes frequency components below 1 GHz.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the low-band radio frequency signal is a fourth-generation signal or a fifth-generation signal.

11. 5. The telephone board assembly of claim 4, further comprising an ultra-high bandwidth power amplifier module, wherein the first average power tracking power management unit is further configured to supply power to the ultra-high bandwidth power amplifier module.

12. The telephone board assembly of claim 4 , further comprising: an ultra-high bandwidth power amplifier module; and a second average power tracking power management unit configured to provide power to the ultra-high bandwidth power amplifier module.

13. 5. The telephone board assembly of claim 4, wherein the first average power tracking power management unit and the shared low-band and second-generation power amplifier module are on a first side of the telephone board assembly, the envelope tracking power management unit is on a second side of the telephone board assembly, and in the second-generation mode, the envelope tracking supply voltage crosses from the second side to the first side.

14. 5. The telephone board assembly of claim 4, wherein the low-band radio frequency signal includes frequency components below 1 GHz.

15. 5. The telephone board assembly of claim 4, wherein the low-band radio frequency signal is a fourth-generation signal or a fifth-generation signal.

16. 2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the first average power tracking power management unit and the shared low band and second generation power amplifier module are on a first side of the mobile device, and the envelope tracking power management unit is on a second side of the mobile device, and in the second generation mode, the envelope tracking supply voltage traverses from the second side to the first side.

17. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the low-band radio frequency signal is a fourth-generation signal or a fifth-generation signal.

18. A mobile device, a transceiver configured to generate a first radio frequency signal and a second radio frequency signal; a front-end system including a first power amplifier module configured to amplify the first radio frequency signal, a second power amplifier module configured to amplify the second radio frequency signal, and a shared low-band and second-generation power amplifier module configured to amplify low-band radio frequency signals in a low-band mode and second-generation cellular signals in a second-generation mode, wherein each of the first power amplifier module and the second power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in a mid-band and a high-band; a power management system including: an envelope tracking power management unit configured to generate a first shared power amplifier supply voltage for the first power amplifier module and the second power amplifier module; and an average power tracking power management unit configured to generate a second shared power amplifier supply voltage for the second power amplifier module and the second-generation power amplifier module, wherein the second-generation power amplifier module is switchable between a first mode using the first shared power amplifier supply voltage and a second mode using the second shared power amplifier supply voltage, and the second-generation power amplifier module includes an integrated switch that selects the first shared power amplifier supply voltage in the first mode and selects the second shared power amplifier supply voltage in the second mode; A mobile device comprising:

19. 20. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the mid-band has frequency components between 1 GHz and 2.3 GHz, and the high-band has frequency components between 2.3 GHz and 3 GHz.

20. 20. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the front-end system further includes a third power amplifier module configured to amplify a third radio frequency signal, and the power management system further includes an additional average power tracking power management unit configured to generate a power amplifier supply voltage for the third power amplifier module.

21. 20. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the first power amplifier module and the envelope tracking power management unit are disposed on a first side of the mobile device, and the second power amplifier module, the second-generation power amplifier module, and the average power tracking power management unit are disposed on a second side of the mobile device.

22. 22. The mobile device of claim 21, wherein the first shared power amplifier supply voltage crosses from the first side to the second side and the second shared power amplifier supply voltage does not cross the first side and the second side.

23. 21. The mobile device of claim 20, wherein the third power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in an ultra-high band.

24. 1. A telephone board assembly for a mobile telephone, comprising: a first power amplifier module configured to amplify a first radio frequency signal; a second power amplifier module configured to amplify a second radio frequency signal, wherein each of the first power amplifier module and the second power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in a mid-band and a high-band; and a shared low-band and second-generation power amplifier module configured to amplify low-band radio frequency signals in a low-band mode and second-generation cellular signals in a second-generation mode; an envelope tracking power management unit configured to generate a first shared power amplifier supply voltage for the first power amplifier module and the second generation power amplifier module; an average power tracking power management unit configured to generate a second shared power amplifier supply voltage for the second power amplifier module and the second-generation power amplifier module, the second-generation power amplifier module being switchable between a first mode using the first shared power amplifier supply voltage and a second mode using the second shared power amplifier supply voltage, the second-generation power amplifier module including an integrated switch that selects the first shared power amplifier supply voltage in the first mode and the second shared power amplifier supply voltage in the second mode; 1. A telephone board assembly comprising:

25. 25. The telephone board assembly of claim 24, wherein the mid-band has frequency components between 1 GHz and 2.3 GHz, and the high-band has frequency components between 2.3 GHz and 3 GHz.

26. 25. The telephone board assembly of claim 24, further comprising: a third power amplifier module configured to amplify a third radio frequency signal; and an additional average power tracking power management unit configured to generate a power amplifier supply voltage for the third power amplifier module.

27. 25. The telephone board assembly of claim 24, wherein the first power amplifier module and the envelope tracking power management unit are mounted on a first side of the telephone board assembly, and the second power amplifier module, the second generation power amplifier module, and the average power tracking power management unit are mounted on a second side of the telephone board assembly.

28. 27. The telephone board assembly of claim 26, wherein the third power amplifier module is configured to provide amplification in an ultra-high band.

29. 1. A method of power management in a mobile device, comprising: amplifying a first radio frequency signal using a first power amplifier module; amplifying a second radio frequency signal using a second power amplifier module, wherein the first power amplifier module and the second power amplifier module each provide amplification in a mid-band and a high-band; amplifying low-band radio frequency signals in a low-band mode and second-generation cellular signals in a second-generation mode using a shared low-band and second-generation power amplifier module; generating a first shared power amplifier supply voltage for the first power amplifier module and the second generation power amplifier module using an envelope tracking power management unit; generating a second shared power amplifier supply voltage for the second power amplifier module using an average power tracking power management unit; switching the second-generation power amplifier module between a first mode using the first shared power amplifier supply voltage and a second mode using the second shared power amplifier supply voltage, the second-generation power amplifier module including an integrated switch that selects the first shared power amplifier supply voltage in the first mode and the second shared power amplifier supply voltage in the second mode; A method comprising:

30. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the mid-band has frequency components between 1 GHz and 2.3 GHz and the high-band has frequency components between 2.3 GHz and 3 GHz.

31. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the first power amplifier module and the envelope tracking power management unit are mounted on a first side of a telephone board assembly, and the second power amplifier module, the second generation power amplifier module, and the average power tracking power management unit are mounted on a second side of the telephone board assembly.

32. 32. The method of claim 31 , wherein the first shared power amplifier supply voltage crosses from the first side to the second side and the second shared power amplifier supply voltage does not cross the first side and the second side.

33. 28. The telephone board assembly of claim 27, wherein the first shared power amplifier supply voltage crosses from the first side to the second side, and the second shared power amplifier supply voltage does not cross the first side and the second side.

34. 30. The telephone board assembly of claim 28, wherein the ultra-high band has frequency components between 3 GHz and 7.125 GHz.

35. 24. The mobile device of claim 23, wherein the ultra-high band has frequency components between 3 GHz and 7.125 GHz.

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