Voltage regulation apparatus, radio frequency amplification apparatus and voltage selection method

Abstract

A voltage regulation apparatus, a radio frequency amplification apparatus and a voltage selection method. The voltage regulation apparatus (100, 610) comprises: a voltage controller (101, 611) and a multi-level power supply modulator (102, 612). The multi-level power supply modulator (102, 612) comprises a plurality of branches; an input voltage (V1, V2, V3, V4, ...., Vn) is input into an input end of any branch, and the other end thereof is connected to a voltage output end of the multi-level power supply modulator (102, 612), each branch being provided with one or two switching transistors. The controller (101, 611) is used for generating a voltage selection signal (DRV1, DRV2, DRV3, DRV4, DRV5) according to a received voltage regulation command, and sending the voltage selection signal (DRV1, DRV2, DRV3, DRV4, DRV5) to the multi-level power supply modulator (102, 612). The multi-level power supply modulator (102, 612) is used for controlling, according to the voltage selection signal (DRV1, DRV2, DRV3, DRV4, DRV5), the completion of a circuit from the input end of one target branch among the plurality of branches to a voltage output port.

Description

Voltage regulating device, radio frequency amplifier device and voltage selection method

[0001] Cross-references

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on June 27, 2023, with application number 202310777567.9 and invention name “Voltage regulating device, radio frequency amplifying device and voltage selection method”. The entire contents of the application are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of wireless communications, and specifically relates to a voltage regulating device, a radio frequency amplifying device, and a voltage selection method. Background Art

[0004] With the continuous advancement of communication technology, wireless communication devices utilize 3G, 4G, and 5G technologies. The modulation methods used in communication systems are becoming increasingly complex, and the transmitted and received signals require high peak-to-average power ratios (PAPRs) and wide bandwidths. In 5G communication systems, the traditional constant voltage power supply method for RF power amplifiers significantly reduces their efficiency.

[0005] Currently, the communications industry is facing the challenge of energy conservation and consumption reduction. Traditional fixed-voltage power supply methods have little room for significant improvements in power supply efficiency. Therefore, dynamically adjusting the power supply voltage is a technical challenge that needs to be addressed in related technologies.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of the embodiments of the present application is to provide a voltage regulating device, a radio frequency amplifying device and a voltage selection method.

[0008] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a voltage regulation device, comprising: a voltage controller and a multi-level power modulator, wherein the multi-level power modulator comprises a plurality of branches, an input voltage is inputted at the input end of any one of the branches, and the other end is connected to the voltage output end of the multi-level power modulator, and one or two switching tubes are provided in each branch; wherein the controller is used to generate a voltage selection signal according to a received voltage regulation command, and send the voltage selection signal to the multi-level power modulator; and the multi-level power modulator is used to control the path from the input end of a target branch among the plurality of branches to the voltage output port to be conductive (also referred to as closed) according to the voltage selection signal.

[0009] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a radio frequency amplification device, comprising a radio frequency power amplifier and a voltage regulating device as described in the first aspect, wherein the power input end of the radio frequency power amplifier is connected to the voltage output end of the voltage regulating device, and the radio frequency power amplifier is used to amplify the input radio frequency signal and output it under the action of the output voltage of the voltage regulating device.

[0010] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a voltage selection method, which is applied to a voltage regulating device, the method comprising: the voltage controller of the voltage regulating device generates a voltage selection signal according to a received voltage regulation command, and sends the voltage selection signal to a multi-level power supply modulator of the voltage regulating device; the multi-level power supply modulator controls all the switch tubes on the target branch to be turned on, controls the second type of switch tube on the third branch to be turned on, and controls the second type of switch tube on the fourth branch to be turned off according to the voltage selection signal, wherein the input voltage of the target branch matches the target voltage selected by the voltage selection signal, the third branch is a branch among multiple branches whose input voltage at the input end is lower than the input voltage of the target branch, and the fourth branch is a branch among the multiple branches whose input voltage at the input end is higher than the input voltage of the target branch. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG1 shows a schematic structural diagram of a voltage regulating device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0012] FIG2 shows a circuit diagram of a multi-level power modulator provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0013] FIG3 shows a circuit diagram of a voltage controller provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0014] FIG4a shows a schematic diagram of a continuous switching signal provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0015] FIG4 b shows a signal diagram of discontinuous switching provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0016] FIG5a shows a circuit diagram of another multi-level power modulator provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0017] FIG5 b shows a circuit diagram of another multi-level power modulator provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0018] FIG6a shows a schematic structural diagram of a radio frequency amplification device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0019] FIG6 b shows a schematic structural diagram of another radio frequency amplification device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] FIG7 shows a flow chart of a signal selection method provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are part of the embodiments of this application, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0022] The terms "first," "second," and the like in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not used to describe a specific order or precedence. It should be understood that the terms used in this manner are interchangeable where appropriate, so that the embodiments of this application can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein, and that the objects distinguished by "first," "second," and the like are generally of the same type, and do not limit the number of objects; for example, the first object can be one or more. In addition, the term "and / or" in the specification and claims refers to at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the objects connected are in an "or" relationship.

[0023] In 5G communications, fast voltage regulation technology usually refers to adjusting the supply voltage of the RF power amplifier according to the changes in the output power of the RF power amplifier. The time for adjusting the supply voltage is an extremely short time interval, which is at the nanosecond level.

[0024] Traditional RF power amplifier power supplies typically use switching power supply solutions, which have slow voltage regulation speeds and cannot meet the rapid voltage regulation requirements of 5G communication technology. To achieve rapid voltage regulation, the switching frequency of the switching transistor needs to be increased. However, at ultra-high switching frequencies, switching losses are large, resulting in low efficiency of the switching power supply. To address this problem, embodiments of the present application provide a voltage regulation device, an RF amplification device, and a voltage selection method to achieve rapid voltage regulation.

[0025] The voltage regulating device, radio frequency amplifying device and voltage selection method provided in the embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings through specific embodiments and their application scenarios.

[0026] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a voltage regulating device provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG1 , the voltage regulating device 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application includes: a voltage controller 101 and a multi-level power modulator 102 .

[0027] The multi-level power modulator 102 includes multiple branches, each of which receives an input voltage at its input end and is connected to a voltage output end of the multi-level power modulator 102 at its other end. Each branch is provided with one or two switching tubes. The voltage controller 101 is configured to generate a voltage selection signal based on a received voltage regulation command and transmit the voltage selection signal to the multi-level power modulator 102. The multi-level power modulator 102 is configured to control the conduction of a path from the input end of a target branch among the multiple branches to the voltage output port based on the voltage selection signal.

[0028] In the embodiment of the present application, in order to save costs, the input voltages of the input terminals of the various branches can be completely different. In other words, the input terminal of any branch inputs an input voltage, and any two of the input voltages V1, V2, V3, ..., Vn are different.

[0029] For example, assuming there are four branches, the input voltages of the branches may be 5V, 10V, 15V, and 20V, respectively, so that an output voltage of 5V, 10V, 15V, and 20V may be provided.

[0030] In an embodiment of the present application, the voltage regulating device 100 includes a voltage controller 101 and a multi-level power modulator 102. The voltage controller 101 is used to generate a voltage selection signal based on the received voltage regulation command, wherein it should be noted that the voltage controller 101 can be a digital controller or an analog controller. As shown in Figure 1, after the voltage controller 101 generates the voltage selection signal, the voltage selection signal is sent to the multi-level power modulator 102, and the multi-level power modulator 102 performs voltage selection output according to the voltage selection signal. The multi-level power modulator 102 includes multiple branches, and an input voltage is input to the input end of any branch, and one of the voltages Vi is selected as the output voltage from the input voltages V1, V2, V3, ..., Vn according to the voltage selection signal.

[0031] It should be noted that the voltage regulating device 100 is not limited to use in wireless communication base stations, and other wireless communication devices are within the scope of the description of the embodiments of this application, such as mobile phones, Internet of Things devices, etc.

[0032] A voltage regulation device 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application includes a voltage controller 101 and a multi-level power modulator 102, wherein the multi-level power modulator 102 includes multiple branches, an input voltage is input to the input end of any branch, and the other end is connected to the voltage output end of the multi-level power modulator 102, and each branch is provided with one or two switching tubes; wherein the voltage controller 101 is used to generate a voltage selection signal based on a received voltage regulation command and send the voltage selection signal to the multi-level power modulator 102; the multi-level power modulator 102 is used to control the conduction of the path from the input end of a target branch among the multiple branches to the voltage output port based on the voltage selection signal, so that the device 100 can quickly select a voltage as an output from multiple input voltages, realize rapid voltage output switching, reduce power consumption of the powered device, and achieve energy saving.

[0033] In the embodiment of the present application, the switch tubes on the multiple branches may include the following two types of switch tubes.

[0034] (1) First-class switch tube. The first end of the first-class switch tube is connected to the input end, and the second end is connected to the voltage output end or the second end of the second-class switch tube. When the first-class switch tube is turned off (also called disconnected), the path in the first direction is conductive, and the path in the second direction is disconnected. When the first-class switch tube is turned on, both the path in the first direction and the path in the second direction are conductive; wherein, the first direction is the direction from the first end of the first-class switch tube to the second end of the first-class switch tube, and the second direction is the direction from the second end of the first-class switch tube to the first end of the first-class switch tube. In the disconnected state, the first-class switch tube has characteristics similar to those of a diode, with the characteristics of conducting when the forward voltage is on and cutting off when the reverse voltage is on, thereby preventing high voltage backflow. Therefore, it can also be called an anti-reverse switch tube.

[0035] (2) Second type of switch tube. The first end of the second type of switch tube is connected to the voltage output port, and the second end of the second type of switch tube is connected to the input end or the second end of the first type of switch tube. When the second type of switch tube is turned off, the path in the third direction is conductive, and the path in the fourth direction is disconnected. When the second type of switch tube is turned on, both the path in the third direction and the path in the fourth direction are conductive; wherein, the third direction is the direction from the first end of the second type of switch tube to the second end of the second type of switch tube, and the fourth direction is the direction from the second end of the second type of switch tube to the first end of the second type of switch tube. When the second type of switch tube is in the off state, the voltage of the branch where the second type of switch tube is located will not be selected; when it is in the on state, the voltage of the branch where it is located is selected as the output voltage. Therefore, the second type of switch tube can also be called a selection switch tube.

[0036] In one embodiment of the present application, among the multiple branches described above, the branch with the lowest input voltage at the input end may be provided with only one first switch tube, and this first switch tube is of the first type described above, while the branch with the highest input voltage at the input end may be provided with only one second switch tube, and this second switch tube is of the second type described above. This implementation can reduce the number of switches in the voltage regulator device, saving costs.

[0037] In one embodiment of the present application, among the multiple branches described above, each branch where the input voltage at the input end is between the minimum and maximum values ​​can be provided with two switching transistors, one of which is a first-type switching transistor and the other is a second-type switching transistor. Of course, in practical applications, branches where the input voltage at the input end is between the minimum and maximum values ​​are not limited to having only one pair of first-type switching transistors and second-type switching transistors. For example, two pairs of first-type switching transistors and second-type switching transistors can also be provided. This implementation reduces the number of switching transistors in the voltage regulator, simplifies the structure, and improves the efficiency of dynamically adjusting the supply voltage.

[0038] In an embodiment of the present application, the switching tube in the voltage regulating device may include: one or more semiconductors with switching characteristics, for example, the switching tube may include one or more metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOS), the source of the first type of switching tube is connected to the input voltage, and the drain is connected to the output end or the second type of switching tube, while the source of the second type of switching tube is connected to the output end, and the drain is connected to the input end or the drain of the first type of switching tube.

[0039] Taking the switching tube as a MOS tube and the voltage regulating device including four branches as an example, FIG2 shows a circuit diagram of a multi-level power modulator provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0040] As shown in Figure 2, the input voltages of the four branches, V1, V2, V3, and V4, are respectively the first, second, third, and fourth voltages of the four branches. V0 is the output voltage of the 4-input multi-level power modulator, where V0 can be any one of V1, V2, V3, and V4. The input voltages can satisfy the following relationship: V4 > V3 > V2 > V1. The voltage values ​​of each input voltage can be determined based on the load power matching.

[0041] As shown in FIG2 , the voltage regulating device includes six switching tubes (S0-S5). Switches S0, S2, and S4 are first-type switching tubes for preventing voltage backflow. The first end of the first-type switching tube is connected to the input end, and the second end is connected to the voltage output end or the second end of the second-type switching tube. Because the first-type switching tubes S0, S2, and S4 have characteristics similar to diodes when they are turned off (also called disconnected), they have the characteristics of conducting forward voltage and blocking reverse voltage, thereby preventing high voltage backflow. When the first-type switching tubes S0, S2, and S4 are closed, they no longer have the anti-backflow function. That is, when the first-type switching tube is turned off, the path in the first direction is conductive, and the path in the second direction is disconnected. When the first-type switching tube is turned on, both the path in the first direction and the path in the second direction are conductive.

[0042] Switches S1, S3, and S5 are second-type switches for controlling voltage gating. A first end of the second-type switch is connected to the voltage output port, and a second end of the second-type switch is connected to the input port or the second end of the first-type switch. When the second-type switch is off, the voltage of the branch in which the second-type switch resides is not gated. When the second-type switch is on, the voltage of the branch in which the second-type switch resides is selected as the output voltage. Therefore, when the second-type switch is off, the path in the third direction is conductive, while the path in the fourth direction is disconnected. When the second-type switch is on, both the path in the third direction and the path in the fourth direction are conductive.

[0043] In FIG2 , in a multi-level power modulator with four input voltages, a branch where the input voltage V1 at the input end is the minimum is provided with a switch tube S0, and the switch tube S0 is a first-class switch tube; a branch where the input voltage V4 at the input end is the maximum is provided with a switch tube S5, and the switch tube S5 is a second-class switch tube; the branches where the input voltages V2 and V3 at the input end are between the minimum V1 and the maximum V4 are provided with two switches, one of which is a first-class switch tube and the other is a second-class switch tube; among them, the two switches provided in the branch where V2 is provided are the first-class switch tube S2 and the second-class switch tube S1, respectively; and the two switches provided in the branch where V3 is provided are the first-class switch tube S4 and the second-class switch tube S3, respectively.

[0044] In one embodiment of the present application, the first type of switch on the first branch and the second type of switch on the second branch operate in complementary logic. The first branch is any branch among the multiple branches except the branch with the highest input voltage at its input end, and the second branch is the branch among the multiple branches with the smallest difference between its input voltage and the input voltage at the input end of the first branch, and the input voltage at the input end of the second branch is higher than the input voltage at the input end of the first branch. In other words, the anti-reverse switch for any input voltage and the gate switch for the branch with an input voltage higher than that input voltage and with the smallest voltage difference operate in complementary logic.

[0045] For example, in Figure 2, S0 and S1 are complementary logic, S2 and S3 are complementary logic, and S4 and S5 are complementary logic. In the embodiment of the present application, the complementary logic of the first type of switch tube on the first branch and the second type of switch tube on the second branch means that the conduction states of the first type of switch tube on the first branch and the second type of switch tube on the second branch are complementary. For example, when the first type of switch tube on the first branch is turned on, the second type of switch tube on the second branch is turned off, or when the first type of switch tube on the first branch is turned off, the second type of switch tube on the second branch is turned on.

[0046] In one embodiment of the present application, within the dead zone between the first type of switching tube on the first branch and the second type of switching tube on the second branch, the first type of switching tube on the first branch is turned off before the second type of switching tube on the second branch is turned on, or the first type of switching tube on the first branch is turned on after the second type of switching tube on the second branch is turned off.

[0047] For example, in Figure 2, the first-type switch S0 in the first voltage branch and the second-type switch S1 in the second voltage branch employ complementary logic. Because the switches require a certain amount of time to switch, a certain dead zone is required when controlling the switches to prevent both switches S0 and S1 from being simultaneously on, which would cause the second voltage to directly feed back into the first voltage. Therefore, the first-type switch in the first branch is turned off before the second-type switch in the second branch is turned on, or the first-type switch in the first branch is turned on after the second-type switch in the second branch is turned off. For example, when the voltage switches from the first voltage to the second voltage, the anti-reverse switch S0 switches from closed to open, and after a certain dead zone, the gate switch S1 switches from open to closed. When the voltage switches from the second voltage to the first voltage, the gate switch S1 switches from closed to open, and after a certain dead zone, the anti-reverse switch S0 switches from open to closed.

[0048] Through the above embodiments, the multi-level power modulator can maintain continuous output current during voltage switching, so that the output voltage of the multi-level power modulator does not change suddenly.

[0049] In one embodiment of the present application, all the switch tubes on the target branch are turned on, the second type of switch tube on the third branch is turned on, and the second type of switch tube on the fourth branch is turned off, wherein the third branch is a branch whose input voltage at the input end is lower than the input voltage of the target branch among the multiple branches, and the fourth branch is a branch whose input voltage at the input end is higher than the input voltage of the target branch among the multiple branches. In this embodiment of the present application, the input voltage of the target branch is the output voltage selected by the multi-level power modulator. That is, when the target voltage is gated, all the switch tubes of the branch where the target voltage is located are closed, and the gated switch tube of the branch where the input voltage is lower than the target voltage (if any) is located is closed, and the gated switch tube of the branch where the input voltage is higher than the target voltage (if any) is located is disconnected.

[0050] In one embodiment of the present application, the voltage controller 101 can be specifically used to send a first voltage selection signal to the control end of the second type of switch tube in the second branch and send a second voltage selection signal to the control end of the first type of switch tube in the first branch when the target voltage signal is equal to the input voltage of the first branch; and when the target voltage signal is not equal to the input voltage of the first branch, send the second voltage selection signal to the control end of the second type of switch tube in the second branch and send the first voltage selection signal to the control end of the first type of switch tube in the first branch, wherein the first voltage selection signal is a signal for controlling the first type of switch tube or the second type of switch tube to be turned off, and the second voltage selection signal is a signal for controlling the first type of switch tube or the second type of switch tube to be turned on.

[0051] That is to say, the voltage controller 101 can input corresponding voltage selection signals to the control end of the first type of switch tube of the first branch and the control end of the second type of switch tube of the second branch according to the relationship between the voltage value of the target voltage signal and the voltage value of the input voltage of the first branch, so as to realize the complementary logic of the first type of switch tube of the first branch and the second type of switch tube of the second branch.

[0052] Optionally, the first voltage selection signal is a level signal having a voltage value less than or equal to a threshold, which may also be referred to as a low-level signal; the second voltage selection signal is a level signal having a voltage value greater than the threshold, which may also be referred to as a high-level signal. The specific value of the threshold value may be determined based on the conduction conditions of the actual switching transistor used, and is not specifically limited in the embodiments of the present application. For example, for a MOS transistor, the threshold value may be the MOS transistor's turn-on voltage (also referred to as a threshold voltage).

[0053] In an embodiment of the present application, the voltage controller can be composed of analog signals and analog devices, or digital signals and digital chips. For example, the voltage controller may include n pairs of comparators and NOT gates, one pair of comparators and NOT gates corresponding to a first branch (i.e., any branch other than the branch with the highest input voltage in the multi-level power modulator), and n is the number of branches other than the branch with the highest input voltage in the multi-level power modulator. In any pair of comparators and NOT gates, the output end of the comparator is connected to the control end of the second type of switch tube of the second branch, and the output end of the comparator is connected to the control end of the first type of switch tube of the first branch through the NOT gate; the target voltage signal and the input voltage of the first branch are input from the input end of the comparator, and when the target voltage signal is equal to the input voltage of the first branch, the comparator outputs the first voltage selection signal, and when the target voltage signal is not equal to the input voltage of the first branch, the comparator outputs the second voltage selection signal.

[0054] Taking the four branches of the multi-level power modulator as an example, as shown in FIG3 , the voltage controller includes three pairs of comparators and NOT gates: comparator 311 and NOT gate U3 , comparator 312 and NOT gate U2 , and comparator 313 and NOT gate U1 . The output of the comparator 311 is connected to the control terminal of the second type of switch in the branch with an input voltage of V4, and the output of the comparator 311 is connected to the control terminal of the first type of switch in the branch with an input voltage of V3 via a NOT gate U3. The output of the comparator 312 is connected to the control terminal of the second type of switch in the branch with an input voltage of V3, and the output of the comparator 312 is connected to the control terminal of the first type of switch in the branch with an input voltage of V2 via a NOT gate U2. The output of the comparator 313 is connected to the control terminal of the second type of switch in the branch with an input voltage of V2, and the output of the comparator 313 is connected to the control terminal of the first type of switch in the branch with an input voltage of V1 via a NOT gate U1. The target voltage signal (Vref) and V3 are input to the input of the comparator 311, the target voltage signal (Vref) and V2 are input to the input of the comparator 312, and the target voltage signal (Vref) and V1 are input to the input of the comparator 313.

[0055] Since the switch tube requires a certain amount of time to switch on and off, a certain dead zone needs to be left when controlling the switch tube to prevent the two complementary switch tubes from being closed or disconnected at the same time, which would cause voltage backflow or discontinuous output current during switching, causing voltage mutation. Therefore, in the embodiment of the present application, a dead zone can be added after the NOT gate.

[0056] Take the voltage controller shown in Figure 3 controlling a four-input multi-level power modulator shown in Figure 2 as an example. The four input voltages are V4 > V3 > V2 > V1. Vref is a reference voltage signal (i.e., the target voltage signal). Vref is compared with V1, V2, and V3 via comparator 310. The outputs DRV1, DRV3, and DRV5 (voltage selection signals) of comparator 310 serve as control signals for switches S1, S3, and S5, respectively. DRV0, DRV2, and DRV4 (voltage selection signals) serve as control signals for switches S0, S2, and S4, respectively. They are obtained by inverting DRV1, DRV3, and DRV5 through NOT gate 320 and adding a dead zone.

[0057] When Vref = V1, meaning V1 serves as the output voltage, comparators 311, 312, and 313 all output first voltage selection signals. For example, DRV1, DRV3, and DRV5 are low-level signals. At this point, DRV0 is obtained by inverting DRV1 through NOT gate U1 and adding a dead zone. DRV2 is obtained by inverting DRV1 through NOT gate U2 and adding a dead zone. DRV4 is obtained by inverting DRV5 through NOT gate U3 and adding a dead zone. Therefore, at this point, the first-type switch S0 on branch V1 shown in Figure 2 is closed, while the second-type switches S1, S3, and S5, whose voltages are higher than V1 (V2, V3, and V4), are disconnected. The first-type switches S2 and S4, which complement the second-type switches S3 and S5, are closed.

[0058] Optionally, when Vref = V2, comparator 311 outputs a second voltage selection signal, while comparators 312 and 313 output a first voltage selection signal. For example, DRV1 is a high-level signal, and comparator 312 and comparator 313 outputs DRV3 and DRV5 are low-level signals. The signals DRV0, DRV2, and DRV4 are obtained by inverting DRV1, DRV3, and DRV5, respectively, through NOT gate 320 and adding a dead zone. At this point, S1 and S2 on branch V2 shown in Figure 2 are closed, and the second-type switches S3 and S5, whose voltages are higher than V2, are disconnected. S0, which is complementary to S1, is disconnected, while S0, which is complementary to S5, is closed.

[0059] Optionally, when Vref = V3, comparators 311 and 312 output the second voltage selection signal, while comparator 313 outputs the first voltage selection signal; for example, DRV1 and DRV3 are high-level signals, while DRV5 is a low-level signal. The signals DRV0, DRV2, and DRV4 are obtained by inverting DRV1, DRV3, and DRV5, respectively, through NOT gate 320 and adding a dead zone. At this point, S3 and S4 on branch V3 shown in Figure 2 are closed, the second-type switch S5 of V4, whose voltage is higher than V3, is disconnected, the second-type switch S1 of V2, whose voltage is lower than V3, is closed, and S0, which is complementary to S1, is disconnected.

[0060] Optionally, when Vref = V4, comparators 311, 312, and 313 all output a second voltage selection signal; for example, DRV1, DRV3, and DRV5 are high-level signals. The signals DRV0, DRV2, and DRV4 are obtained by inverting DRV1, DRV3, and DRV5, respectively, through NOT gate 320 and adding a dead zone. At this point, S5 on the V4 branch shown in Figure 2 is closed, and the second-type switches S3 and S1, whose voltages are lower than V4, V3 and V2, are closed. S2 and S0, which complement S5, S3, and S1, are disconnected.

[0061] In the embodiment of the present application, the voltage may be switched continuously in the order of the first voltage, the second voltage, the third voltage, and the fourth voltage, or may be switched non-sequentially, i.e., discontinuously. For example, the voltage may be switched directly from the first voltage to the fourth voltage, or directly from the fourth voltage to the second voltage.

[0062] FIG4a shows a signal logic diagram of a continuous voltage switching provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG4a , the first type of switch tube S0 of the first voltage branch and the second type of switch tube S1 of the second voltage branch are complementary logic. Since the switch tube requires a certain amount of time to switch, a certain dead zone needs to be left when controlling the switch tube. Prevent the switch tubes S0 and S1 from being closed at the same time, causing the second voltage to be directly fed back into the first voltage. It should be noted that DRV0-DRV5 in FIG4 respectively represent the control logic signals for the switch tubes S1-S5 in FIG2 , wherein when DRV0-DRV5 is a high-level signal, the corresponding switch tube is controlled to be closed, that is, turned on, and when DRV0-DRV5 is a low-level signal, the corresponding switch tube is controlled to be disconnected, that is, turned off.

[0063] For example, when the voltage switches from the first voltage to the second voltage, the anti-reverse switching transistor S0 switches from closed to open, and after a period of dead time, S1 switches from open to closed. When the voltage switches from the second voltage to the first voltage, the second type of switching transistor S1 switches from closed to open, and after a period of dead time, the first type of switching transistor S0 switches from open to closed.

[0064] When the second voltage is output, S1 and S2 on the second voltage branch are closed, S0 complementary to S1 is disconnected, the second type switching tubes S3 and S5 on the third and fourth voltage branches higher than the second voltage are disconnected, and S4 complementary to S5 is closed.

[0065] When the third voltage is output, S3 and S4 on the third voltage branch are closed, and S2 complementary to S3 is disconnected; the second type switch tube S5 on the fourth voltage branch higher than the third voltage is disconnected, and the second type switch tube S1 on the second voltage branch lower than the third voltage is closed, and S0 complementary to S1 is disconnected.

[0066] When the fourth voltage is output, S5 on the fourth voltage branch is closed and S4 complementary to S5 is disconnected; the second type of switching tubes S1 and S3 on the second voltage branch lower than the fourth voltage and the third voltage branch are closed, S0 complementary to S1 is disconnected, and S2 complementary to S3 is disconnected.

[0067] In this embodiment, only two switches change state each time the voltage switches are switched; the states of the other switches do not need to change. For example, when the output voltage switches from a first voltage to a second voltage, only switches S0 and S1 are activated, while the other switches remain in their original states. Switching state changes can cause switching losses. This embodiment reduces losses by reducing the number of switching cycles.

[0068] FIG4b is a signal diagram of discontinuous switching of a multi-level power modulator provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG4b , when the output voltage switches from V1 to V4, the second-type switches S1, S3, and S5 simultaneously change from open to closed. The first-type switches S0, S2, and S4, which are complementary to the second-type switches S1, S3, and S5, change from closed to open after a period of dead time. After the voltage switching is completed, the fourth voltage is output as the target voltage. At this time, the switch S5 on the fourth voltage branch is closed, the second-type switches S1 and S3, whose voltages are less than the third and second voltages of the fourth voltage, are closed, and the switches S0, S2, and S4, which are complementary to S1, S3, and S5, are disconnected.

[0069] When the output voltage switches from V4 to V2, the second-type switches S3 and S5 simultaneously change from closed to open. After a period of dead time, S2 and S4, which complement S3 and S5, change from open to closed. Once the voltage switch is complete, the second voltage is output as the target voltage. At this point, S1 and S2 on the second branch are closed, while the second-type switches S3 and S5, which have third and fourth voltages higher than the second voltage, are disconnected. S0, which complements S1, is disconnected, while S4, which complements S5, is closed.

[0070] With the voltage-regulating device provided in the embodiments of the present application, when the target voltage is selected, all gate switches for input voltages below the target voltage are closed. Therefore, when the output voltage switches, a freewheeling path, formed by the body diode of the anti-reverse switch and the selector switch, ensures continuous output current and maintains constant voltage fluctuations during this period.

[0071] For example, in the above embodiment, when the voltage switches from the second voltage to the third voltage, there is a dead zone where both S2 and S3 are turned on simultaneously. During this period, the third voltage gate switch is not closed. At this time, the second voltage is supplied to the load through the body diode of the anti-reverse switch S2 and the gate switch S1, thereby ensuring continuous output current.

[0072] In addition, the voltage regulating device provided in the embodiment of the present application has a multi-level power modulator with fewer switching tubes, a simple structure, and a high voltage switching efficiency.

[0073] It should be noted that although the above embodiment is described as a multi-level power modulator including four branches, it is not limited to this. The multi-level power modulator provided in the embodiment of the present application may include any number of branches (also referred to as voltage branches). For example, FIG5a shows three input voltages corresponding to three branches, and FIG5b shows five input voltages corresponding to five branches.

[0074] Based on the same inventive concept, an embodiment of the present application also provides a radio frequency amplification device.

[0075] Figure 6a is a schematic diagram of the structure of a radio frequency amplification device provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 6, it includes a radio frequency power amplifier (PA) 620 and a voltage regulator 610 provided in any of the above embodiments. The voltage regulator 610 includes a voltage controller 611 and a multi-level power modulator 612. The power input terminal of the radio frequency power amplifier 620 is connected to the voltage output terminal of the voltage regulator 610. The radio frequency power amplifier 620 is used to amplify the input radio frequency (RF) signal under the action of the output voltage of the voltage regulator 610 and then output it.

[0076] In one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG6 b , the RF power amplifier 602 includes a plurality of RF power amplifiers, and the output end of the voltage regulating device 601 is respectively connected to the power input ends of the plurality of RF power amplifiers 602 .

[0077] In the embodiment of the present application, the RF power amplifier 602 is the load of the voltage regulator 601. The output voltage Vi of the voltage regulator 601 is supplied to the drain of the RF power amplifier 602, and the RF power amplifier 602 amplifies and outputs the RF input signal.

[0078] Through the above-mentioned RF amplification device provided by the embodiment of the present application, the voltage regulating device has the function of rapid output voltage adjustment (nanosecond level), and the output current is continuous. Since the efficiency of the RF power amplifier is lower when the output power is lower, the efficiency is lower, therefore, the use of the voltage regulating device can improve the efficiency of the RF power amplifier at low output power, thereby improving the overall efficiency of the RF power amplifier. In wireless communication devices, the RF power amplifier has a relatively high power consumption ratio, so by improving the efficiency of the RF power amplifier, the efficiency of the wireless communication device can be improved.

[0079] Furthermore, in communication base stations, the primary function of an RF power amplifier is to amplify and output RF signals. Application of the aforementioned RF amplifier device in wireless communication base stations can dynamically adjust the RF power amplifier drain voltage, improving its efficiency and thus energy saving. Furthermore, RF power amplifier efficiency significantly decreases at lower output powers. By adjusting the RF power amplifier drain voltage to match its output power, the efficiency of the RF power amplifier can be effectively improved across the entire power range.

[0080] Based on the same inventive concept, an embodiment of the present application further provides a voltage selection method, which can be applied to the above-mentioned voltage regulating device.

[0081] FIG7 shows a flow chart of a voltage selection method provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG7 , the method mainly includes the following steps.

[0082] Step 701: A voltage controller of a voltage regulating device generates a voltage selection signal according to a received voltage regulation command, and sends the voltage selection signal to a multi-level power modulator of the voltage regulating device.

[0083] For example, the voltage controller can input corresponding voltage selection signals to the switch tubes of each branch according to the target voltage signal indicated by the voltage regulation command and the input voltage of each branch of the multi-level power modulator. For details, please refer to the relevant description above.

[0084] Step 702: The multi-level power modulator controls the path from the input end of a target branch among the multiple branches to the voltage output port to be conductive according to the voltage selection signal.

[0085] The input voltage of the target branch matches the target voltage selected by the voltage selection signal.

[0086] Through the above method provided by the embodiment of the present application, the branch corresponding to the target voltage signal corresponding to the voltage regulation command can be selected to be turned on to output the corresponding target voltage.

[0087] In one implementation, in step 702, the multi-level power modulator controls all the switch tubes on the target branch to be turned on, controls the second type of switch tube on the third branch to be turned on, and controls the second type of switch tube on the fourth branch to be turned off, wherein the third branch is a branch among the multiple branches whose input voltage at the input end is lower than the input voltage of the target branch, and the fourth branch is a branch among the multiple branches whose input voltage at the input end is higher than the input voltage of the target branch.

[0088] Regarding the specific logical control method of the switch tubes on each branch, please refer to the relevant description of the above-mentioned voltage regulating device, which will not be repeated here.

[0089] The embodiments of the present application are described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but the present application is not limited to the above-mentioned specific implementation methods. The above-mentioned specific implementation methods are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Under the guidance of this application, ordinary technicians in this field can also make many forms without departing from the purpose of this application and the scope of protection of the claims, all of which are within the protection of this application.

Claims

1. A voltage regulating device, comprising: A voltage controller and a multi-level power modulator, wherein the multi-level power modulator comprises a plurality of branches, an input voltage is input to the input end of any of the branches, and the other end is connected to the voltage output end of the multi-level power modulator, and each branch is provided with one or two switch tubes; wherein, The voltage controller is used to generate a voltage selection signal according to the received voltage regulation command, and send the voltage selection signal to the multi-level power modulator; The multi-level power modulator is used to control the conduction of a path from the input end of a target branch among the multiple branches to the voltage output end according to the voltage selection signal.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The switch tube comprises: A first type of switch tube, wherein the first end of the first type of switch tube is connected to the input end, and the second end is connected to the voltage output end or the second end of the second type of switch tube, and when the first type of switch tube is turned off, the path in the first direction is turned on, and the path in the second direction is turned off, and when the first type of switch tube is turned on, both the path in the first direction and the path in the second direction are turned on; wherein the first direction is the direction from the first end of the first type of switch tube to the second end of the first type of switch tube, and the second direction is the direction from the second end of the first type of switch tube to the first end of the first type of switch tube; The second type of switch tube, the first end of the second type of switch tube is connected to the voltage output end, the second end of the second type of switch tube is connected to the input end or the second end of the first type of switch tube, when the second type of switch tube is turned off, the path in the third direction is turned on, and the path in the fourth direction is turned off, and when the second type of switch tube is turned on, the path in the third direction and the path in the fourth direction are both turned on; wherein the third direction is from the first end of the second type of switch tube to The fourth direction is the direction from the second end of the second type of switch tube to the first end of the second type of switch tube.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein: Among the multiple branches, the branch with the smallest input voltage at the input end is provided with a first switch tube, and the first switch tube is the first type of switch tube; the branch with the largest input voltage at the input end is provided with a second switch tube, and the second switch tube is the second type of switch tube.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein: Among the multiple branches, each branch in which the input voltage at the input end is between the minimum and the maximum is provided with two switch tubes, one of the two switch tubes is the first type of switch tube, and the other switch tube is the second type of switch tube.

5. The device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein: The first type of switch tube on the first branch and the second type of switch tube on the second branch are complementary logic, wherein the first branch is any branch among the multiple branches except the branch with the largest input voltage at the input end, and the second branch is the branch among the multiple branches whose input voltage has the smallest difference with the input voltage of the first branch, and the input voltage of the second branch is higher than the input voltage of the first branch.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein: In the dead zone between the first type of switch tube on the first branch and the second type of switch tube on the second branch, the first type of switch tube on the first branch is turned off before the second type of switch tube on the second branch is turned on, or the first type of switch tube on the first branch is turned on after the second type of switch tube on the second branch is turned off.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein: The switch tubes on the target branch are all turned on, the second type of switch tube on the third branch is turned on, and the second type of switch tube on the fourth branch is turned off, wherein the third branch is a branch among the multiple branches whose input voltage at the input end is lower than the input voltage of the target branch, and the fourth branch is a branch among the multiple branches whose input voltage at the input end is higher than the input voltage of the target branch.

8. The device according to claim 5, wherein: The voltage controller is used to send a first voltage selection signal to the control end of the second type of switch tube of the second branch and send a second voltage selection signal to the control end of the first type of switch tube of the first branch when the target voltage signal selected by the voltage regulation command is equal to the input voltage of the first branch, and to send the second voltage selection signal to the control end of the second type of switch tube of the second branch and send the first voltage selection signal to the control end of the first type of switch tube of the first branch when the target voltage signal is not equal to the input voltage of the first branch, wherein the first voltage selection signal is a signal for controlling the first type of switch tube or the second type of switch tube to be turned off, and the second voltage selection signal is a signal for controlling the first type of switch tube or the second type of switch tube to be turned on.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein: The voltage controller comprises: n pairs of comparators and NOT gates, n being the number of the first branches included in the plurality of branches, and a pair of the comparators and NOT gates corresponding to one first branch; wherein, in any pair of the comparators and NOT gates, The output end of the comparator is connected to the control end of the second type of switch tube of the second branch, and the output end of the comparator is connected to the control end of the first type of switch tube of the first branch through the NOT gate; The target voltage signal and the input voltage of the first branch are input from the input end of the comparator. When the target voltage signal is equal to the input voltage of the first branch, the comparator outputs the first voltage selection signal. When the target voltage signal is not equal to the input voltage of the first branch, the comparator outputs the second voltage selection signal.

10. A radio frequency amplification device, comprising a radio frequency power amplifier and a voltage regulating device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein: The power input end of the RF power amplifier is connected to the voltage output end of the voltage regulating device. The RF power amplifier is used to amplify the input RF signal and then output it under the action of the output voltage of the voltage regulating device.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein: The RF power amplifiers include multiple ones, and the output ends of the voltage regulating device are respectively connected to the power input ends of the multiple RF power amplifiers.

12. A voltage selection method, applied to a voltage regulating device, the method comprising: The voltage controller of the voltage regulating device generates a voltage selection signal according to the received voltage regulation command, and sends the voltage selection signal to the multi-level power modulator of the voltage regulating device; The multi-level power modulator controls all the switch tubes on the target branch to be turned on, controls the second type of switch tube on the third branch to be turned on, and controls the second type of switch tube on the fourth branch to be turned off according to the voltage selection signal, wherein the input voltage of the target branch matches the target voltage selected by the voltage selection signal, the third branch is a branch whose input voltage at the input end is lower than the input voltage of the target branch among the multiple branches, and the fourth branch is a branch whose input voltage at the input end is higher than the input voltage of the target branch among the multiple branches.

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