Reconfigurable Doherty Power Splitter for Variable Phase and Gain

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional Doherty power amplifiers face challenges in achieving efficient and linear performance at higher power levels, wider bandwidths, and varying operational frequencies, particularly in wireless communication systems, due to fixed configurations and performance degradations such as insertion losses.

Innovation Solution

A reconfigurable power splitter and amplifier system that can switch between conventional and inverted Doherty configurations, allowing adjustable power split ratios, variable phase delays, and attenuations, enabling optimal performance across different operational conditions without additional insertion losses.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional Doherty power amplifiers use fixed configurations, then they achieve simplified design and manufacturing, but they suffer from performance degradations at higher power levels, wider bandwidths, and varying operational frequencies

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational flexibilityVSAvoidamplifier configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic reconfiguration of the Doherty amplifier by making the power split ratio adjustable rather than fixed. The power splitter includes variable components that allow real-time modification of signal distribution between main and peaking amplifiers, enabling the system to adapt to different operational conditions such as varying power levels and bandwidth requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes key operational parameters including power split ratio, phase delay, and attenuation levels to optimize amplifier performance across different operating conditions. By making these parameters variable rather than fixed, the amplifier can maintain efficiency and linearity at higher power levels and wider bandwidths while accommodating different frequency operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Power

If power amplifiers operate at higher power levels, then they meet increased telecommunication requirements, but they experience reduced efficiency and linearity characteristics

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoutput power levelVSAvoidefficiency and linearity

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs dynamic adjustment of the power split ratio between main and peaking amplifiers based on the operating power level. At higher power levels, the system can optimize the distribution of signal power to maintain both efficiency and linearity, preventing the performance degradation that occurs in conventional fixed-configuration amplifiers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies operational parameters including the power split ratio and phase delay settings to optimize performance at higher power levels. These parameter adjustments allow the amplifier to maintain efficiency and linearity characteristics even when operating at elevated power levels required by modern telecommunication systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If power amplifiers support wider bandwidths, then they meet broader telecommunication system requirements, but they face increased difficulty in maintaining desired efficiency and linearity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebandwidth coverageVSAvoidefficiency and linearity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent adjusts key parameters including power split ratio and phase delay as functions of frequency to maintain optimal performance across wider bandwidths. By making these parameters variable and adaptive rather than fixed, the amplifier can preserve efficiency and linearity characteristics across a broader frequency range, meeting the requirements of modern wideband telecommunication systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Power

If conventional power amplifiers are designed for higher power levels, then they meet increased telecommunication demands, but they suffer from performance degradations such as insertion losses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower levelVSAvoidinsertion losses

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the power split ratio parameter to minimize insertion losses while operating at higher power levels. By adjusting this parameter dynamically rather than using a fixed configuration, the system can maintain lower insertion losses even when delivering high power output, thereby reducing energy loss and improving overall efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS9647611B1Reconfigurable power splitters and amplifiers, and corresponding methods

Publication Date: 2017.05.09 NXP USA INC

AI summary

A reconfigurable Doherty power amplifier includes a packaged power splitter device, main and peaking amplifiers, and a combiner circuit. The power splitter device includes a power divider, input terminals coupled to first and second ports of the power divider, and output terminals coupled to third and fourth ports of the power divider. One of the input terminals is coupled to an RF signal input terminal, and the other input terminal is terminated. The power divider receives an input RF signal, and produces main and peaking RF signals at the third and fourth ports of the power divider, respectively. The main and peaking amplifiers amplify the main and peaking RF signals, respectively. The combiner circuit includes a summing node and a phase delay element between outputs of the main and peaking amplifiers. An RF signal output terminal is coupled to the summing node.