Asymmetrical Power Amplifier Circuit for 5G RF Efficiency
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional symmetrical power amplifiers, such as Doherty amplifiers, face inefficiencies in peak amplifiers due to the need for additional power management chips and suboptimal operation of carrier and peak amplifiers when handling varying peak-to-average ratios in 5G RF signals, leading to increased cost and footprint.
Innovation Solution
An asymmetrical power amplifier circuit with a carrier amplifier always active and a peak amplifier activated above a predefined threshold, utilizing a single modulated voltage to optimize efficiency by differing carrier and peak output powers, and employing an impedance control circuit to manage impedance levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional symmetrical power amplifier is used, then the carrier output power equals the peak output power, but the amplifiers cannot both operate with optimal efficiency when handling varying peak-to-average ratios
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by configuring the carrier amplifier and peak amplifier with different output power levels. The carrier amplifier is set to provide a first output power level while the peak amplifier provides a second output power level that is higher than the first. This asymmetric configuration allows each amplifier to operate at its optimal efficiency point for its designated power level, resolving the contradiction between operational efficiency and adaptability to varying signal conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the power output parameter of each amplifier to optimize efficiency. By setting the carrier amplifier to a lower output power level and the peak amplifier to a higher output power level, both amplifiers can operate in their most efficient regions. This parameter differentiation enables the system to maintain high efficiency across varying peak-to-average ratios without requiring additional power management chips.
2Ease of operation
If additional power management chips are added to achieve optimal efficiency, then amplifier efficiency improves, but device complexity and footprint increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for additional power management chips by directly configuring the carrier and peak amplifiers with different output power levels. This removal of unnecessary components simplifies the overall device architecture, reduces footprint, and lowers complexity while maintaining optimal amplifier efficiency through the asymmetric power configuration.
3Ease of manufacture
If carrier output power equals peak output power in symmetrical amplifiers, then design is simpler, but overall efficiency is reduced due to suboptimal operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asymmetry in the output power levels of the carrier and peak amplifiers to improve overall energy efficiency. The carrier amplifier operates at a first output power level while the peak amplifier operates at a higher second output power level. This asymmetric design allows both amplifiers to function in their optimal efficiency ranges, reducing energy loss despite the increased design complexity compared to symmetrical configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
An asymmetrical power amplifier circuit is provided. The asymmetrical power amplifier circuit includes a carrier amplifier and a peak amplifier. The carrier amplifier is always active to amplify a radio frequency (RF) to a carrier output power, while the peak amplifier is only active to amplify the RF signal to a peak output power when a time-variant output power of the RF signal is higher than a predefined power threshold. The RF signal in the carrier output power is summed with the RF signal in the peak output power to thereby output the amplified RF signal in the time-variant output power. Unlike a conventional symmetrical power amplifier, the carrier output power and the peak output power are different at a peak of the time-variant output power. As such, the carrier amplifier and the peak amplifier can both operate with optimal efficiency based on a same modulated voltage.