Reference signal generation for power amplifiers of rf transmitters and transceivers

A method for providing a reference signal to a power amplifier (PA) of a radio frequency (RF) transmitter or transceiver, the method comprising:

• producing a temperature indication signal;
• selecting, based on the temperature indication signal, one of a proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) signal or a complimentary to absolute temperature (CTAT) signal;
• using the selected one of the PTAT or CTAT signals to produce one or more DAC reference signals that are used to bias a digital-to-analog converter (DAC);
• biasing the DAC using the one or more DAC reference signals produced using the selected one of the PTAT or CTAT signals;
• converting a multi-bit digital input signal to an analog output signal using the DAC that is biased using the one or more DAC reference signals produced using the selected one of the PTAT or CTAT signals;
• and
• using the analog signal that is output by the DAC, or an amplified version thereof, as the reference signal that is provided to the PA of the RF transmitter or transceiver.

A transmitter or transceiver comprising:

• a processor configured to output a voice and/or data signal;
• a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to convert the voice and/or data signal from a digital signal to an analog signal;
• a mixer downstream of the DAC and configured to upconvert the analog voice and/or data signal, or a filtered version thereof, from a baseband signal to a radio frequency (RF) signal;
• one or more power amplifiers (PAs) downstream of the mixer and configured to amplify the RF signal before the RF signal, or a filtered version thereof, is provided to an antenna for transmission;
• one or more circuits configured to produce a proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) signal and a complimentary to absolute temperature (CTAT) signal;
• and
• a temperature sensor configured to produce a temperature indication signal;
• wherein each PA, of the one or more PAs, is configured to receive a respective reference signal that affects a gain of the PA;
• wherein the respective reference signal that is provided to each PA, of the one or more PAs, is produced using one of the PTAT or CTAT signals;
• and
• wherein at any given time, the one of the PTAT or CTAT signals that is used to produce the respective reference signal that is provided to each PA, of the one or more PAs, is selected based on the temperature indication signal produced by the temperature sensor.