Polar Power Amplifier Timing Alignment for Wideband Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power amplifiers face challenges in achieving high power efficiency while maintaining wideband characteristics and low noise, particularly due to limitations in gate driver delay times which reduce switching frequency and increase power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A power amplifier configuration that includes a polar modulator, multiple amplitude modulators, and RF amplifiers, where at least one of the amplitude or RF-modulated signals is delayed, and pulse-modulated signals are used to control the amplification process, allowing for synchronized output and reduced power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If gate driver delay time is reduced to increase switching frequency, then power efficiency is improved, but signal distortion increases due to timing misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by delaying the amplitude-modulated component signal in advance to compensate for the gate driver delay time. The delay amount is set to match the gate driver delay, so that when the signal reaches the switching amplifier, the timing alignment is restored. This allows the use of fast-switching gate drivers without causing signal distortion, thereby improving power efficiency while maintaining signal accuracy.
2Manufacturing precision
If high back-off operation is performed to maintain good linearity, then signal distortion is reduced, but power efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamics by using polar modulation technology that dynamically adjusts the amplitude and phase components separately. The RF power amplifier operates in a saturated (non-linear) region for high efficiency, while the polar modulator dynamically reconstructs the linear amplitude-modulated signal by combining the amplitude component with the phase component. This allows the system to achieve both high power efficiency and good linearity simultaneously.
3Loss of energy
If switching regulator is used in amplitude modulator to improve power efficiency, then energy consumption is reduced, but wideband characteristic and wide dynamic range are difficult to realize
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the amplitude modulator into two separate functional blocks: a switching regulator for power-efficient voltage generation and a linear amplifier for wideband signal amplification. The switching regulator generates the control voltage with high efficiency, while the linear amplifier provides the necessary wideband characteristic and dynamic range. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both high power efficiency and wideband performance.
Data Source
AI summary
A power amplifier comprises: polar modulator that receives modulated signal including amplitude-modulated component and phase-modulated component, outputs the amplitude-modulated component, superimposes the modulated signal on carrier wave to generate signal output as RF-modulated signal, and delays at least one of the amplitude-modulated component and the RF-modulated signal; first amplitude modulator that receives the amplitude-modulated component, pulse-modulates the amplitude-modulated component to generate signal output as pulse-modulated signal, and amplifies the amplitude-modulated component with the amplitude-modulated component and the pulse-modulated signal as control signals; second amplitude modulator that receives the amplitude-modulated component and the pulse-modulated signal, and amplifies the amplitude-modulated component with the amplitude-modulated component and the pulse-modulated signal as control signals; and first RF amplifier that receives the RF-modulated signal, amplifies the RF-modulated signal, and amplitude-modulates the amplified RF-modulated signal with output signal of second amplitude modulator.