Envelope Tracking Delay Tuning for Power Amplifier Linearity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current communication devices face inefficiencies in power amplifier performance due to mismatched phase between input signals and envelope signals, leading to heat loss and reduced radio frequency performance, which is exacerbated by the need for high sampling rates that increase power consumption and hardware costs.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that optimize the delay value of the envelope signal by estimating adjacent channel leakage ratios for various test delay values, selecting the optimal delay value, and synchronizing the envelope signal with the power amplifier, thereby improving the efficiency of the power amplifier and reducing heat loss.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If envelope tracking modulation is applied to improve power amplifier efficiency, then energy utilization improves, but phase mismatch between input signal and envelope signal causes heat loss and performance degradation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower amplifier efficiencyVSAvoidheat loss
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by measuring and compensating for the phase difference between the input signal and envelope signal before the power amplifier operation. The system measures the phase difference using a vector signal analyzer and adjusts the envelope signal phase in advance to match the input signal phase, preventing heat loss before it occurs during amplification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If high sampling rate is used to improve signal processing accuracy, then measurement precision improves, but power consumption and hardware costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal processing accuracyVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the sampling rate to the minimum necessary value that still achieves accurate phase difference measurement. Instead of using excessively high sampling rates, the system adjusts the sampling parameter to match the actual signal characteristics, reducing power consumption while maintaining sufficient measurement precision for envelope tracking compensation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3937377A1Communication apparatus for supporting envelope tracking modulation and envelope delay optimization method
Publication Date: 2022.01.12 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3937377A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3937377A1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3937377A1 patent drawingFigure 2C~3

AI summary

A method is provided. The method includes estimating adjacent channel leakage ratios respectively corresponding based on a test output signal output from a power amplifier according to a test input signal corresponding to a plurality of frequencies; selecting a test delay value corresponding to a largest value among the estimated adjacent channel leakage ratios; and providing a supply voltage to the power amplifier based on an envelope signal delayed according to the selected test delay value. For each of the plurality of test delay values, a corresponding adjacent channel leakage ratio is estimated based on a ratio of a magnitude of a component included in the test output signal and a magnitude of an inter-modulated component.