Power amplifier and filtering circuitry
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorSimone Gambini
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This disclosure is directed to a power amplifier (PA) including circuitry to amplify and filter transmission signals in a radio frequency (RF) circuit. The PA may include multiple core amplifiers coupled to a power combiner to amplify and filter the transmission signals. For example, the PA may activate the core amplifiers to provide the transmission signals with a peak output power. Alternatively, the PA may activate a reduced number of the core amplifiers to provide the transmission signals with a reduced output power lower than the peak output power. Activating a portion of the PA when providing the transmission signals with a reduced output power may reduce a power consumption and improve power efficiency of the PA.
Claims19
A power amplifier comprising:
- a first core amplifier configured to provide a first amplified signal;
- a second core amplifier configured to provide a second amplified signal;
- and
- a power combiner configured to couple to a load, the power combiner comprising
- a first inductor having a first terminal coupled to the first core amplifier,
- a first capacitor coupled to a second terminal of the first inductor,
- a second inductor having a third terminal coupled to the second core amplifier, the first inductor and the second inductor being disposed on a first plane and configured to inductively couple, and
- a second capacitor coupled to a fourth terminal of the second inductor.
An electronic device comprising:
- a processor;
- one or more antennas;
- and
- a power combiner coupled to the one or more antennas, the power combiner comprising
- a first core amplifier coupled to the processor,
- a second core amplifier coupled to the processor,
- a third core amplifier,
- a first inductor having a first terminal coupled to the first core amplifier,
- a second inductor having a second terminal coupled to the second core amplifier, the first inductor and the second inductor being disposed on a first plane and configured to inductively couple, and
- a third inductor having a third terminal of the third inductor coupled to the third core amplifier disposed on the first plane.
A method comprising:
- receiving, by a processor, a request to transmit transmission signals via one or more antennas of an electronic device;
- receiving, by the processor, an output power of a power amplifier of the electronic device for providing the transmission signals to the one or more antennas;
- activating, by the processor, a first core amplifier of the power amplifier based on the output power being below a first threshold;
- and
- activating, by the processor, the first core amplifier and a second core amplifier of the power amplifier based on the output power being below a second threshold higher than the first threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.