Envelope Tracking Circuit with Dual Charge Pumps for Smaller RF Footprint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Power amplifier circuits in mobile communication devices face challenges in efficiently managing power across a wide range of RF bands, particularly in 5G-NR systems, where they need to scale down for lower throughput applications and scale up for higher throughput applications, while maintaining efficiency and minimizing footprint.
Innovation Solution
An envelope tracking (ET) power management circuit that operates in a high-power ET mode by activating both charge pump circuitries to provide reduced current to the amplifier circuit, allowing for smaller electrical components and reduced footprint, and dynamically configures to operate in normal-power mode when more resource blocks are used.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a single charge pump circuitry is used to provide full current to the amplifier circuit, then the current supply capability is sufficient, but the electrical components (e.g., inductors) must be larger, increasing the footprint of the power management circuit
Solution Approach 1:
The charge pump circuitry is divided into two separate charge pump circuitries (first and second charge pump circuitries), each capable of providing a portion of the total current required by the amplifier circuit. This segmentation allows each charge pump to use smaller inductors and electrical components, thereby reducing the overall footprint of the power management circuit while maintaining the required current supply capability.
2Area of stationary object
If both charge pump circuitries are activated to provide reduced current each, then the footprint and cost are reduced, but the control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically configures the operation mode of the charge pump circuitries based on real-time operating conditions. The controller determines whether to operate in high-power mode (activating both charge pumps with reduced current each) or normal-power mode (activating one charge pump with full current) based on factors such as power level thresholds and resource block usage, thereby optimizing between footprint reduction and operational simplicity.
3Power
If the amplifier circuit is configured for high-power operation, then the power output is sufficient, but the efficiency decreases and footprint increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between high-power mode and normal-power mode based on real-time operating conditions. When operating in high-power mode, both charge pump circuitries are activated to provide reduced current each, allowing the amplifier to deliver sufficient power output while maintaining efficiency through the distributed current architecture that reduces stress on individual components and allows for optimized component sizing.
Data Source
AI summary
An envelope tracking (ET) power management circuit is provided. The ET power management circuit includes an amplifier circuit(s) configured to output a radio frequency (RF) signal at a defined power level corresponding to a direct current, an alternating current, and an ET modulated voltage received by the amplifier circuit(s). The ET power management circuit can operate in a high-power ET mode when the defined power level exceeds a defined power level threshold and the RF signal is modulated to include no more than a defined number of resource blocks. The ET power management includes two ET tracker circuitries each generating a respective ET modulated voltage and two charge pump circuitries each generating a respective current. In the high-power ET mode, both charge pump circuitries are activated to each provide a reduced current to the amplifier circuit, thus helping to reduce a footprint and cost of the ET power management circuit.