Envelope Tracking IC Voltage Forwarding for Heat Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
5G-NR capable mobile communication devices face inefficiencies in power amplifier phase arrays, leading to excessive heat dissipation due to suboptimal operating efficiency, particularly when transmitting RF signals in the mmWave spectrum.
Innovation Solution
An envelope tracking (ET) integrated circuit (ETIC) and ET amplifier apparatus are developed, where a reference ET voltage is generated based on a maximum ET target voltage, allowing selected ET circuits to partially or completely turn off and forward this voltage to amplifier circuits, reducing peak battery current and improving heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If power amplifiers operate at high power levels to achieve higher data rates in 5G-NR mmWave transmission, then data transmission capability is improved, but heat dissipation increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic voltage adjustment through envelope tracking circuits that continuously adapt the supply voltage to match the instantaneous power envelope of the RF signal. This dynamic operation allows power amplifiers to operate efficiently across varying power levels rather than at fixed high power, reducing heat dissipation while maintaining high data transmission capability when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating parameters of power amplifiers by implementing variable supply voltage through envelope tracking. The supply voltage is dynamically adjusted to track the power envelope of the modulated RF signal, enabling the amplifiers to operate at optimal efficiency points across different signal conditions rather than at suboptimal fixed power levels
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple ET circuits are activated to serve multiple amplifier circuits, then versatility is improved, but peak battery current increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ET circuit functionality by implementing independent ET circuits for different amplifier groups or carriers. This segmentation allows selective activation of only the ET circuits needed for currently active amplifiers, reducing peak battery current while maintaining the versatility to support multiple amplifiers when required
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements ET circuits with multi-functionality that can serve multiple amplifier circuits through shared resources and dynamic configuration. The ET circuits are designed to be universally applicable across different amplifier groups, enabling the system to activate only the necessary circuits for current operational requirements rather than running all circuits continuously
Data Source
AI summary
An envelope tracking (ET) integrated circuit (IC) (ETIC) is provided. The ETIC includes a number of ET circuits coupled to a number of amplifier circuits configured to amplify a radio frequency signal based on a number of ET voltages, respectively. The ET circuits are configured to generate the ET voltages based on a number of ET target voltages, respectively. The ETIC includes a reference ET circuit configured to generate a reference ET voltage based on a maximum ET target voltage among the ET target voltages. A selected ET circuit(s) among the ET circuits may be configured to not generate a respective ET voltage(s) but instead forward the reference ET voltage to a respective amplifier circuit(s) as the respective ET voltage(s). Hence, it may be possible to partially or completely turn off the selected ET circuit(s) to help reduce peak battery current and improve heat dissipation in an ET amplifier apparatus.