Outphasing RF Beamforming Circuit With Shared Amplifier Branches
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional RF beamforming systems require a large number of power amplifiers and DC-DC converters, leading to increased cost and footprint, while struggling to maintain optimal efficiency due to varying propagation gains and phase differences among antenna signals.
Innovation Solution
An outphasing power management circuit with a first and second outphasing amplifier branch, each comprising multiple power amplifiers, operates under a controller that deconstructs amplitude modulated signals into positive and negative term signals, allowing for transmission without combination, thereby reducing the number of power amplifiers and DC-DC converters needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional RF beamforming systems use multiple power amplifiers and DC-DC converters for each antenna path, then signal transmission quality is maintained, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the beamforming function into two separate outphasing amplifier branches (in-phase branch and quadrature branch) that process signals independently. Each branch handles specific signal components, allowing the system to maintain transmission quality while reducing the total number of power amplifiers needed compared to conventional per-antenna-path amplification
Solution Approach 2:
The outphasing amplifier branches serve multiple antenna paths simultaneously through signal combination at the antenna array. The same amplifier branches can support multiple beams by adjusting phase and amplitude control, reducing the need for dedicated amplifiers for each antenna path and improving resource utilization
2Reliability
If conventional RF beamforming systems use multiple DC-DC converters for each power amplifier, then power supply stability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple power amplifiers within the outphasing branches share common DC-DC converters and power supply circuits. By merging power supply resources and implementing power pooling, the system maintains stable voltage delivery to all amplifiers while reducing the total number of DC-DC converters needed, thereby lowering manufacturing cost and device footprint
3Reliability
If conventional RF beamforming systems allocate dedicated power amplifiers to each antenna path, then signal transmission reliability is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic phase and amplitude control of the outphasing amplifier branches to adapt to varying beamforming requirements. By dynamically adjusting signal distribution and amplifier activation based on real-time beamforming needs, the system maintains transmission reliability while minimizing power consumption through selective amplifier usage and optimal signal routing
Data Source
AI summary
An outphasing power management circuit for radio frequency (RF) beamforming is disclosed. The outphasing power management circuit includes a first outphasing amplifier branch consisting of a plurality of first power amplifiers and a second outphasing amplifier branch consisting of a plurality of second power amplifiers. A controller operates the first outphasing amplifier branch and the second outphasing amplifier branch as a pair of outphasing power amplifiers. The first outphasing amplifier branch generates a plurality of first output signals, and the second outphasing amplifier branch generates a plurality of second output signals. The first output signals and the second output signals are transmitted in an RF beam without being combined. As such, it is possible to support RF beamforming with a reduced number of power amplifiers and/or direct current (DC) to DC converters, thus helping to improve efficiency and reduce cost.