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US 9,871,488 B2Granted
Dual-mode power amplifier
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorSaihua Lin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for transmitting a communication signal through a dual-mode power amplifier may include amplifying a communication signal by a first amplifier and/or a second amplifier of the dual-mode power amplifier based on a desired transmit output power. The output of the first amplifier may be selectively coupled through a configurable inductive coupler to an antenna.
Claims26
A dual-mode power amplifier, comprising:
- a first amplifier configured to amplify an intermediate differential signal and generate a single-ended output signal at an output terminal of the first amplifier when operating in a first operating mode, and configured to couple the output terminal of the first amplifier to ground when operating in a second operating mode, the first amplifier comprising:
- a first NMOS transistor comprising a drain terminal coupled to at least one from the group consisting of a supply voltage and a ground, and a source terminal coupled to the output terminal of the first amplifier;
- and
- a second NMOS transistor comprising a drain terminal coupled to the source terminal of the first NMOS transistor and a source terminal coupled to ground;
- and
- a second amplifier configured to amplify the intermediate differential signal and generate a differential output signal at output terminals of the second amplifier when operating in the second operating mode;
- and
- an inductive coupler comprising:
- a first inductor including a first terminal directly coupled to the output terminal of the first amplifier and a second terminal coupled to an antenna;
- and
- a second inductor directly coupled across the output terminals of the second amplifier.
8 more elements
A wireless communication device to amplify a communication signal, the device comprising:
- a first transceiver;
- and
- a dual-mode power amplifier, coupled to the first transceiver, comprising:
- a first amplifier configured to amplify an intermediate differential signal and generate a single-ended output signal at an output terminal of the first amplifier when operating in a first operating mode, and configured to couple the output terminal of the first amplifier to ground when operating in a second operating mode, the first amplifier comprising:
- a first NMOS transistor comprising a drain terminal coupled to at least one from the group consisting of a supply voltage and a ground, and a source terminal coupled to the output terminal of the first amplifier;
- and
- a second NMOS transistor comprising a drain terminal coupled to the source terminal of the first NMOS transistor and a source terminal coupled to ground;
- a second amplifier configured to amplify the intermediate differential signal and generate a differential output signal at output terminals of the second amplifier when operating in the second operating mode;
- and
- an inductive coupler comprising:
- a first inductor including a first terminal directly coupled to the output terminal of the first amplifier and a second terminal coupled to an antenna;
- and
- a second inductor directly coupled across the output terminals of the second amplifier.
10 more elements
A method to amplify an input signal with a dual-mode power amplifier, the method comprising:
- amplifying, by a first amplifier, an intermediate differential signal to generate a single-ended output signal at an output terminal of the first amplifier when operating in a first operating mode, and coupling the output terminal of the first amplifier to ground when operating in a second operating mode, the first amplifier comprising:
- a first NMOS transistor comprising a drain terminal coupled to at least one from the group consisting of a supply voltage and a ground, and a source terminal coupled to the output terminal of the first amplifier;
- and
- a second NMOS transistor comprising a drain terminal coupled to the source terminal of the first NMOS transistor and a source terminal coupled to ground;
- and
- amplifying, by a second amplifier, the intermediate differential signal to generate a differential output signal at output terminals of the second amplifier when operating in the second operating mode, wherein the first amplifier and the second amplifier are coupled to an antenna by an inductive coupler comprising:
- a first inductor including a first terminal directly coupled to the output terminal of the first amplifier and a second terminal coupled to the antenna;
- and
- a second inductor directly coupled across the output terminals of the second amplifier.
6 more elements
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a wireless device, causes the wireless device to:
- amplify, by a first amplifier of a dual-mode power amplifier, an intermediate differential signal to generate a single-ended output signal at an output terminal of the first amplifier when operating in a first operating mode, and couple the output terminal of the first amplifier to ground when operating in a second operating mode, the first amplifier comprising:
- a first NMOS transistor comprising a drain terminal coupled to at least one from the group consisting of a supply voltage and a ground, and a source terminal coupled to the output terminal of the first amplifier;
- and
- a second NMOS transistor comprising a drain terminal coupled to the source terminal of the first NMOS transistor and a source terminal coupled to ground;
- and
- amplify, by a second amplifier, the intermediate differential signal to generate a differential output signal at output terminals of the second amplifier when operating in the second operating mode, wherein the first amplifier and the second amplifier are coupled to an antenna by an inductive coupler, comprising:
- a first inductor including a first terminal directly coupled to the output terminal of the first amplifier and a second terminal coupled to the antenna;
- and
- a second inductor directly coupled across the output terminals of the second amplifier.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.