US 8,798,562 B2Granted

Transmit power amplification control for wireless device

AssigneeMarvell International Ltd.

InventorsMilind Kopikare, Partho Mishra

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for controlling transmit power amplification in a wireless transmitting device. A processor receives data to determine whether a communication channel from a transmitting device to a receiving device is strong enough to support a target data transmit rate of the devices with a power amplifier either on or off. The processor controls a switching device between a data transmitter circuit and the transmitter's antenna based on the quality of the communication channel. In a first state, the switching device connects the data transmitter circuit to the power amplifier to increase the strength of the signal communicated to the antenna. In a second state, the switching device bypasses the power amplifier. The power amplifier is turned off when the switch is in the second state, thereby decreasing the power consumed by the transmitting device as it transmits data at the target data transmit rate.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A wireless local area network (WLAN) integrated circuit chip configured to be implemented in a first device, wherein the first device is configured to wirelessly transmit data signals, via an antenna, over a communication channel to a second device, the WLAN integrated circuit chip comprising:

a signal driver configured to output data signals;
a switch configured to be controlled to provide the data signals output from the signal driver to at least one of
(i) a power amplifier, wherein the power amplifier amplifies the data signals output from the signal driver prior to the data signals being transmitted, via the antenna, over the communication channel to the second device, or
(ii) the antenna so as to bypass the power amplifier;
and
a transmit power control circuit configured to monitor a quality of the communication channel and to determine whether a transmit rate is at or above a target transmit rate threshold and, wherein
in response to the quality of the communication channel being determined to be above a first predetermined threshold and the transmit rate being at or above the target transmit rate threshold, the transmit power control circuit is configured to control the switch to provide the data signals output from the signal driver to the antenna so as to bypass the power amplifier, and
in response to the quality of the communication channel being determined to be below a second predetermined threshold, the transmit power control circuit is configured to control the switch to provide the data signals output from the signal driver to the power amplifier.

5 more elements

A method performable by a wireless local area network (WLAN) integrated circuit chip configured to be implemented in a first device, wherein the WLAN integrated circuit chip comprises a signal driver and a switch, and wherein the first device is configured to wirelessly transmit data signals, via an antenna, over a communication channel to a second device, the method comprising:

outputting data signals from the signal driver to the switch, wherein the switch is configured to be controlled to provide the data signals output from the signal driver to at least one of
(i) a power amplifier, wherein the power amplifier amplifies the data signals output from the signal driver prior to the data signals being transmitted, via the antenna, over the communication channel to the second device, or
(ii) the antenna so as to bypass the power amplifier;
monitoring a quality of the communication channel;
and
determining whether a transmit rate is at or above a target transmit rate threshold and, wherein
in response to the quality of the communication channel being determined to be above a first predetermined threshold and a transmit rate being determined to be at or above a target transmit rate threshold, controlling the switch to provide the data signals output from the signal driver to the antenna so as to bypass the power amplifier, and
in response to the quality of the communication channel being determined to be below a second predetermined threshold, controlling the switch to provide the data signals output from the signal driver to the power amplifier.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/911,975Filed 6 Jun 2013 · continuation
Priority: 18 May 2007
Published: US 2013/0344912 A126 Dec 2013
Granted: 5 Aug 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

H04W 52/0274
Managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level: by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
H03G 3/3042
In high-frequency amplifiers or in frequency-changers: in modulators, frequency-changers, transmitters or power amplifiers
H04W 52/241
Using SIR [Signal to Interference Ratio] or other wireless path parameters: taking into account channel quality metrics, e.g. SIR, SNR, CIR or Eb/lo
H04W 52/267
Using transmission rate or quality of service QoS [Quality of Service]: taking into account the information rate

Family

Application60/938,816Us provisional application · filed 18 May 2007
Application12/123,281Parent of this continuation · filed 19 May 2008
Application13/345,338Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Jan 2012
US 8,095,091 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 10 Jan 2012
US 2013/0344912 A1Pre-grant publication · published 26 Dec 2013
US 8,538,356 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2012/0115538 A1Published application
US 8,798,562 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.