US 8,301,091 B2Granted

Power detector for multi-band network access

AssigneeAvago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.

InventorsMichael Wendell Vice, Henrik Morkner, Philip W. Fisher, Lan D. Nguyen

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Abstract

A device for interfacing with multiple different types of network access points includes multiple power amplifiers, a switch and a power detecting circuit. The power amplifiers are configured to provide corresponding signals associated with the different types of network access points, each signal having at least one parameter different than a corresponding parameter in another signal. The switch is configured to select one of the signals to provide an output signal. The power detecting circuit is configured to detect power of the output signal, and includes multiple states corresponding to the multiple different types of network access points. The power detecting circuit outputs a voltage level within the same voltage range for the signals in response to the multiple states corresponding to the different types of network access points with which the signals are associated.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A device for interfacing with a plurality of different types of network access points, the device comprising:

a plurality of power amplifiers configured to provide a corresponding plurality of signals associated with the different types of network access points, each signal having at least one parameter different than a corresponding parameter in another signal;
a switch configured to select one of the plurality of signals to provide an output signal at a signal output node;
a power detecting circuit configured detect power of the output signal, the power detecting circuit comprising a plurality of states corresponding to the plurality of different types of network access points, wherein the power detecting circuit outputs a voltage level at a detector output within the same voltage range for the plurality of signals in response to the plurality of states corresponding to the different types of network access points with which the plurality of signals are associated;
and
a coupler located between the switch and the signal output node and configured to couple the selected one of the plurality of signals to the power detector,
wherein the power detecting circuit comprises:
a power detector configured to output the voltage level;
and
a leveler connected between the coupler and the power detector, the leveler comprising the plurality of states corresponding to the plurality of different types of network access points, wherein the leveler is configured to select one of the plurality of states in response to a control signal, and wherein the leveler comprises an amplifier, the plurality of states corresponding to a plurality of selectable gains of the amplifier.

6 more elements

A device for interfacing with a plurality of network access points, the device comprising:

a first power amplifier configured to provide a first amplified signal comprising a first signal parameter range corresponding to a first network access point;
a second power amplifier configured to provide a second amplified signal comprising a second signal parameter range corresponding to a second network access point, the second signal parameter range being different from the first signal parameter range;
a signal switch configured to select one of the first signal and the second signal as an output signal at an output node;
a coupler located between the switch and the output node;
a power detector connected to the coupler, which couples the selected signal to the power detector, the power detector being configured to detect power of the coupled signal and to output a detection voltage indicating the detected power;
and
a leveler configured to selectively amplify the coupled signal according to a first gain when the coupled signal includes the first signal parameter range and according to a second gain when the coupled signal includes the second parameter range, a power sensitivity of the power detector being equalized in accordance with the adjusted gain;
wherein the leveler comprises:
an amplifying transistor configured to receive and amplify the coupled signal;
a first switch configured to selectively connect an input of the amplifying transistor to ground when the first switch is in an on-state, causing the amplifying transistor to amplify the coupled signal according to the first gain;
and
a second switch configured to selectively connect a gate of the amplifying transistor to ground when the second switch is in an on-state, causing the amplifying transistor to amplify the coupled signal according to the second gain, the second gain being greater than the first gain.

9 more elements

A device for equalizing power sensitivity of a power detector, the power detector being configured to receive via a coupler a selected one of a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals from a plurality of power amplifiers having a plurality of different frequency and power level ranges, the device comprising:

an amplifier transistor comprising a source connected to the coupler for receiving the coupled selected one of the plurality of RF signals, a drain connected to the power detector and a gate connected to a first node, the received RF signal having corresponding frequency and power level ranges, the amplifier transistor being configured to amplify the coupled selected one of the plurality of RF signals;
a first switch transistor comprising a source connected to ground, a drain connected to the source of the amplifier transistor and a gate connected to a control voltage source for receiving a control voltage;
a second switch transistor comprising a source connected to ground and a drain connected to the first node and a gate;
and
a driving transistor comprising a source connected to ground, a drain connected to a high voltage source and the gate of the second switch transistor and a gate connected to the control voltage source,
wherein the first switch transistor is turned on in response to the control voltage having a high level, causing a gain of the amplifier transistor to decrease, and
wherein the second switch transistor is turned on in response to the control voltage having a low level, causing the gain of the amplifier transistor to increase.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/362,626Filed 30 Jan 2009
Published: US 2010/0195547 A15 Aug 2010
Granted: 30 Oct 2012
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

H04B 1/18
Circuits: input circuits, e.g. for coupling to an antenna or a transmission line
H03F 1/0277
In transistor amplifiers: selecting one or more amplifiers from a plurality of amplifiers
H03F 3/211
With semiconductor devices only: using a combination of several amplifiers
H03F 3/245
Of transmitter output stages: with semiconductor devices only