Transmit Chain Power Summing for Beamforming Output Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication devices face challenges in accurately measuring and controlling transmitter output signal power to prevent damage to power amplifiers and comply with regulatory limits, while ensuring efficient beamforming and directional transmission.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus comprising power detectors, an analog summer, switching devices, and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is used to measure and control the output signal power of transmit chains, allowing for selective summation and digitization of power levels, with a controller managing switching to isolate non-active chains and correct for offsets and non-linearity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If multiple transmit chains are used for beamforming to improve transmission gain, then transmission gain is improved, but measuring and controlling total output power becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual power detector outputs into a single cumulative power measurement by summing the detector signals. This merging approach allows the system to measure total output power across all transmit chains simultaneously, resolving the complexity of measuring each chain separately while maintaining beamforming capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The power measurement apparatus is designed to universally handle multiple transmit chains through a scalable architecture. The same summing mechanism can accommodate any number of transmit chains, making the solution adaptable to different beamforming configurations without requiring fundamental design changes.
2Power
If output power is increased to improve transmission gain, then transmission gain is improved, but risk of PA damage and regulatory violations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where the measured cumulative power is fed back to control the power amplifiers. This closed-loop feedback ensures that the total output power remains within safe limits and regulatory requirements, preventing PA damage while maintaining optimal transmission gain.
3Measurement precision
If individual power detectors are used for each transmit chain to improve measurement precision, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses individual power detectors for each transmit chain to maintain measurement precision, then combines their outputs through a summing circuit. This approach preserves the precision benefits of individual detection while achieving the simplicity of a single cumulative measurement through signal combining.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure relate to an apparatus for wireless communication. The apparatus may include a set of power detectors configured to generate a set of analog signals related to a set of output signal power levels of a set of transmit chains of a transmitter, respectively; an analog summer; a set of switching devices configured to send a selected one or more of the set of analog signals to the analog summer, and substantially isolated unselected one or more of the set of power detectors from the analog summer, wherein the analog summer is configured to generate a cumulative analog signal based on a sum of the selected one or more of the set of analog signals; an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to generate a digital signal based on the cumulative analog signal; and a controller configured to control the set of switching devices.