Dynamic Supply Voltage Adjustment for Power Amplifiers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Power amplifiers in wireless devices consume excessive energy due to variable power usage based on signal modulation, leading to inefficiencies and reduced battery life, particularly when the number of resource blocks in cellular signals changes, causing inefficiency in power management systems like APT and ET.
Innovation Solution
A smart DC-DC converter system that dynamically adjusts the supply voltage to power amplifiers by estimating the number of resource blocks in the signal, generating a modification signal, and combining it with the reference voltage to provide a targeted supply voltage, optimizing power usage based on signal bandwidth and resource allocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the supply voltage to the power amplifier is increased to handle maximum resource blocks, then the amplifier can support full bandwidth signals, but energy consumption increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply voltage to the power amplifier is made dynamic rather than fixed. The DC-DC converter continuously adjusts the supply voltage based on real-time detection of the number of active resource blocks, ensuring the amplifier receives exactly the voltage needed for current signal conditions rather than always operating at maximum voltage
Solution Approach 2:
The supply voltage parameter is changed dynamically according to the resource block count. The system detects RB changes and相应地 adjusts the voltage parameter to match the actual signal requirements, transitioning from a static parameter to a dynamically adjusted one
2Use of energy by moving object
If the supply voltage is dynamically adjusted based on resource blocks, then energy consumption is reduced, but the system complexity increases due to additional detection and control circuitry
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback loop where the number of active resource blocks is detected and this information is fed back to the DC-DC converter, which then adjusts the supply voltage accordingly. This closed-loop control enables automatic adaptation without manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The power supply system serves itself by automatically detecting resource block changes and adjusting its own output voltage without external control. The DC-DC converter autonomously responds to RB variations, making the system self-regulating
3Device complexity
If fixed supply voltage is used for power amplifier, then system simplicity is maintained, but power management efficiency deteriorates when resource blocks vary
Solution Approach 1:
The previously fixed supply voltage is transformed into a dynamic parameter that adapts to resource block variations. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to maintain high power management efficiency across different operating conditions while preserving relative system simplicity through integrated control
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the efficiency of power amplification systems by reducing energy consumption and improving battery life by scaling the supply voltage according to the amount of information in the signal, thereby optimizing system performance across varying resource block counts.
Implementation Method 1
a DC-DC converter having a reference port to receive a reference voltage, a coupler port to receive a coupler signal that is correlated to the amplified output signal, and a supply port to provide the supply voltage to the amplifier, the DC-DC converter including one or more components configured to modify the reference voltage based at least in part on an estimate of the number of resource blocks in the amplified output signal
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are systems, architectures, circuits, devices, and methods for a DC-DC converter that dynamically adjusts a supply voltage to a power amplifier based on the number of resource blocks in a signal to be transmitted. The disclosed technologies estimate the number of resource blocks in a signal, generate a signal corresponding to the estimated number of resource blocks, and modify a supply voltage based on the generated signal. These technologies can be used to increase the efficiency of power amplifier systems for cellular signals being transmitted that have fewer resource blocks than is typically assumed (e.g., at least 100 resource blocks).