Multi-voltage generation circuit
AssigneeQorvo US, Inc.
InventorNadim Khlat
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multi-voltage power generation circuit is disclosed. More specifically, the multi-voltage generation circuit includes multiple voltage modulation circuits that are configured to generate and maintain multiple modulated voltages. In a non-limiting example, the multiple modulated voltages can be used for amplifying multiple radio frequency (RF) signals concurrently. Contrary to using multiple direct-current (DC) to DC (DC-DC) converters for generating the multiple modulated voltages, the voltage modulation circuits are configured to share a single current modulation circuit based on time-division. By sharing a single current modulation circuit among the multiple voltage modulation circuits, it is possible to concurrently support multiple load circuits (e.g., power amplifier circuits) with significantly reduced footprint.
Claims20
A multi-voltage generation circuit comprising:
- a current modulation circuit configured to generate a plurality of low-frequency currents;
- a plurality of voltage modulation circuits configured to share the current modulation circuit based on a time-division schedule and each comprising:
- a respective one of a plurality of voltage amplifiers configured to generate a respective one of a plurality of modulated initial voltages based on a respective one of a plurality of modulated target voltages;
- and
- a respective one of a plurality of offset capacitors each modulated to a respective one of a plurality of offset voltages by a respective one of the plurality of low-frequency currents such that the respective one of the plurality of offset voltages can raise the respective one of the plurality of modulated initial voltages to thereby generate a respective one of a plurality of modulated voltages;
- and
- a control circuit configured to:
- determine the time-division schedule comprising an order of a plurality of non-overlapping charge intervals for generating the plurality of low-frequency currents, respectively, in one or more operation periods;
- and
- cause the current modulation circuit to generate a respective one of the plurality of low-frequency currents in a respective one of the plurality of non-overlapping charge intervals in each of the one or more operation periods according to the determined order.
A method for generating multiple low-frequency currents comprising:
- determining a time-division schedule comprising an order of a plurality of non-overlapping charge intervals for generating a plurality of low-frequency currents, respectively, in one or more operation periods;
- generating a respective one of the plurality of low-frequency currents in a respective one of the plurality of non-overlapping charge intervals in each of the one or more operation periods according to the determined order in the time-division schedule;
- generating a respective one of a plurality of modulated initial voltages based on a respective one of a plurality of modulated target voltages;
- and
- modulating a respective one of a plurality of offset voltages by a respective one of the plurality of low-frequency currents such that the respective one of the plurality of offset voltages can raise the respective one of the plurality of modulated initial voltages to thereby generate a respective one of a plurality of modulated voltages.
A multi-voltage power management circuit comprising:
- a plurality of power amplifier circuits configured to concurrently amplify a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals based on a plurality of modulated voltages, respectively;
- and
- a multi-voltage generation circuit comprising:
- a current modulation circuit configured to generate a plurality of low-frequency currents;
- a plurality of voltage modulation circuits configured to share the current modulation circuit based on a time-division schedule and each comprising:
- a respective one of a plurality of voltage amplifiers configured to generate a respective one of a plurality of modulated initial voltages based on a respective one of a plurality of modulated target voltages;
- and
- a respective one of a plurality of offset capacitors each modulated to a respective one of a plurality of offset voltages by a respective one of the plurality of low-frequency currents such that the respective one of the plurality of offset voltages can raise the respective one of the plurality of modulated initial voltages to thereby generate a respective one of the plurality of modulated voltages;
- and
- a control circuit configured to:
- determine the time-division schedule comprising an order of a plurality of non-overlapping charge intervals for generating the plurality of low-frequency currents, respectively, in one or more operation periods;
- and
- cause the current modulation circuit to generate a respective one of the plurality of low-frequency currents in a respective one of the plurality of non-overlapping charge intervals in each of the one or more operation periods according to the determined order.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.