Opportunistic Envelope Tracking for Multi-SIM Power Amplifiers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-SIM wireless communication devices face inefficiencies in power amplifier performance during simultaneous active communications, leading to reduced battery life and increased power consumption when both SIMs are engaged, as they often fall back to less efficient power-saving modes.
Innovation Solution
The system enables a power amplifier in a multi-SIM communication device to operate in a first power-saving mode during silence periods of a voice call on one SIM, using envelope tracking, and switch to a second power-saving mode when the voice call is active, by monitoring silence descriptor frames and utilizing components of the inactive SIM's transmit chain to support envelope tracking on the active SIM.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If envelope tracking is enabled for the power amplifier supporting communications on an active SIM, then power amplifier efficiency is improved, but envelope tracking must be disabled when both SIMs are involved in active communications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically switches the power amplifier between different operating modes (envelope tracking mode and discontinuous transmission mode) based on the communication state of the second SIM. When the second SIM is in a voice call with silence periods, the system transitions to envelope tracking mode during those silence periods to maximize power efficiency, while maintaining the ability to handle simultaneous active communications when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system exploits the periodic nature of voice calls with silence periods to enable envelope tracking intermittently. During silence periods in the voice call on the second SIM, the power amplifier operates in envelope tracking mode, while during active speech periods, it operates in discontinuous transmission mode, creating a periodic switching pattern that balances efficiency and functionality.
2Loss of energy
If the power amplifier operates in envelope tracking mode during simultaneous communications, then power consumption is reduced, but voice call quality may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The system monitors the communication state of the second SIM (detecting silence periods versus active speech periods) and uses this feedback to control the operating mode of the power amplifier. This feedback mechanism ensures that envelope tracking is only activated when it will not interfere with voice call quality, maintaining reliability while reducing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The power amplifier's operating mode is dynamically adjusted based on real-time monitoring of the voice call state. During silence periods, envelope tracking mode is enabled for maximum efficiency, while during active speech transmission, the system switches to discontinuous transmission mode to preserve voice call quality, thus dynamically balancing power consumption and reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments enable a multi-SIM multi-active (MSMA) communication device to operate a power amplifier in a power saving envelope tracking mode when a first radio frequency (RF) resource is supporting data transmission to a communication network associated with a first SIM and a second RF resource is supporting a voice call in discontinuous transmission mode. A MSMA communication device processor may monitor the second RF resource supporting the voice call for silence periods, the power amplifier of the first RF resource may operate in a first power-saving mode during silence periods on the voice call, and the power amplifier of the first RF resource may operate in a second power-saving mode when the voice call on second RF resource is not in a period of silence. Periods of silence may be determined by monitoring a protocol stack of the second RF resource for silence descriptor (SID) frames scheduled for transmission.