US 10,541,733 B1Granted

Regulated switch banks for driving transmit power amplifiers of a MIMO wireless transceiver

AssigneeQuantenna Communications, Inc.

InventorsLeonardo Mitsuyuki, Kyle Zukowski, Cristiano Benevento, Didier Margairaz

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Abstract

A wireless transceiver including: antennas, components forming transmit and receive chains coupled to the antennas for MIMO communications, voltage sources, power amplifier supply voltage detectors and regulated switches. The components forming the transmit chains include power amplifiers (PA)s each coupled to a corresponding one of the transmit chains for amplifying RF signals of a MIMO communication link and each PA having a supply voltage input. The PA supply voltage detectors each couple to an associated one of the transmit chains to detect changes in an amplitude of the signal thereon and to identify required changes in the supply voltage level of the corresponding PA for transmission of the signal. The regulated switches couple the voltage sources and PAs, and are responsive to each PA's supply voltage detector to switchably couple the supply voltage input of each PA to the voltage sources providing the identified voltage levels during transmission.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A wireless multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transceiver apparatus for wireless communication on a wireless local area network (WLAN), and the wireless transceiver apparatus comprising:

a plurality of antennas;
a plurality of components coupled to one another to form transmit and receive chains coupled to the plurality of antenna for MIMO wireless communications on the WLAN;
and the plurality of components forming the transmit chains including;
power amplifiers (PA)s each coupled at a signal input to a corresponding one of the transmit chains for amplifying radio frequency (RF) signals of a MIMO communication link and each power amplifier having a supply voltage input for powering the power amplifier;
voltage sources having distinct voltage levels;
PA supply voltage detectors each coupled at an input to an associated one of the transmit chains to detect changes in an amplitude of the signal on each transmit chain and to identify required changes in the supply voltage level of the corresponding PA for transmission of said signal the PA supply voltage detectors each further responsive to the corresponding signal to normalize said signal to a link specific maximum supply voltage level prior to identifying the required changes in the supply voltage level of the corresponding PA;
and
regulated switches coupled between the voltage sources and the PAs, and responsive to each PA's supply voltage detector to switchably couple the supply voltage input of each PA to the voltage sources providing the identified voltage levels during transmission of the RF signal.

5 more elements

A method for operating a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless transceiver having multiple transmit chains each including a corresponding power amplifier (PA) for amplifying radio frequency (RF) signals of a MIMO communication link, and the method comprising the acts of:

providing voltage sources having distinct voltage levels;
detecting changes in an amplitude of the signal on each transmit chain;
normalizing the signal on each transmit chain to a maximum supply voltage level identified for the MIMO communication link;
identifying required changes in the supply voltage level of the corresponding PA for transmission of said signal responsive to the detected changes in each chain's signal;
and
switchably coupling the supply voltage input of each PA to the voltage sources providing the voltage levels identified in the identifying act during transmission of the signal on each chain.

3 more elements

A transceiver apparatus for wireless communication, and the transceiver apparatus comprising:

a plurality of antennas;
a plurality of components coupled to one another to form transmit and receive chains coupled to the plurality of antenna for wireless communications;
and the plurality of components forming the transmit chains including:
power amplifiers (PA)s each coupled at a signal input to a corresponding one of the transmit chains for amplifying radio frequency (RF) signals of a wireless communication link and each power amplifier having a supply voltage input for powering the power amplifier;
voltage sources having distinct voltage levels;
PA supply voltage detectors each coupled at an input to an associated one of the transmit chains to detect changes in an amplitude of the signal on each transmit chain, each of the PA supply voltage detectors is further configured to normalize said signal to a per link supply voltage level, and to identify changes in the supply voltage level of the corresponding PA for transmission of said signal;
and
regulated switches coupled between the voltage sources and the PAs, and responsive to each PA's supply voltage detector to switchably couple the supply voltage input of each PA to the voltage sources providing the identified voltage levels.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/803,828Filed 5 Nov 2017
Granted: 21 Jan 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 codes

H04B 7/0426
MIMO systems: power distribution
H04W 52/028
By switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof: switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
G06F 1/10
Generating or distributing clock signals or signals derived directly therefrom: distribution of clock signals , e.g. skew
H03F 3/189
Amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements: high-frequency amplifiers, e.g. radio frequency amplifiers