Tracker Circuit Bypass Path for Power Amplifier Voltage Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power amplifier technologies experience power supply voltage degradation in constant voltage mode, which affects the efficiency of power-added efficiency (PAE) in power amplifier circuits.
Innovation Solution
A tracker circuit comprising a pre-regulator circuit, a switched-capacitor circuit, and a power modulation circuit that converts input voltage into regulated voltage, generates discrete voltages, and selectively outputs these voltages to power amplifiers based on an envelope signal, while also providing a bypass path to skip discrete voltage generation and selection when necessary, thereby reducing voltage loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If discrete voltage generation and selection is implemented to improve power amplifier efficiency, then power-added efficiency is improved, but power supply voltage degradation occurs in constant voltage mode
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit dynamically switches between two operational modes: envelope tracking mode (using switched-capacitor circuit for discrete voltage generation) and constant voltage mode (using bypass path for direct voltage transmission). This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize for power efficiency when needed while maintaining voltage stability when required, resolving the contradiction between improved PAE and voltage reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The bypass path extracts the voltage signal directly from the input, bypassing the switched-capacitor circuit and power modulation circuit. This extraction mechanism allows the system to eliminate the voltage degradation introduced by these circuits when operating in constant voltage mode, while still retaining the ability to use them for efficiency improvement when needed
2Measurement precision
If switched-capacitor circuit and power modulation circuit are used to generate and select discrete voltages, then voltage control precision is improved, but circuit complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bypass path acts as an intermediary that provides a direct voltage transmission route, eliminating the need for complex switched-capacitor and power modulation circuits when high precision is not required. This intermediary structure allows the system to achieve voltage control precision only when necessary, thereby reducing overall circuit complexity while maintaining the capability for precise control when needed
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively suppresses power supply voltage degradation, improving power-added efficiency (PAE) by reducing voltage loss through selective voltage output and bypassing unnecessary circuit components.
Implementation Method 1
a pre-regulator circuit configured to convert an input voltage into a regulated voltage using a power inductor
Implementation Method 2
a switched-capacitor circuit configured to generate a plurality of discrete voltages, based on the regulated voltage
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C
Figure 2
AI summary
A tracker circuit (1) includes a pre-regulator circuit (10) configured to convert an input voltage into a regulated voltage using a power inductor (L71), a switched-capacitor circuit (20) configured to generate a plurality of discrete voltages, based on the regulated voltage, and a power modulation circuit (30) configured to select at least one voltage from the plurality of discrete voltages and output the at least one voltage to an output terminal (141), the pre-regulator circuit (10) is configured to output the input voltage or the regulated voltage to an output terminal (142) via a bypass path (BP1) configured to bypass the switched-capacitor circuit (20) and the power modulation circuit (30), and the bypass path (BP1) is configured to connect, to the output terminal (142), a path (P1) between the power inductor (L71) and the switched-capacitor circuit (20).