An apparatus for controlling the output power of a transmitter installed in a vehicle or used in a mobile radio communication equipment and more particularly to apparatus and method for accurately measuring and controlling over a wide range the output power of a radio frequency to be transmitted. The apparatus has a voltage level adjusting unit for amplifying a voltage of a radio frequency signal to be transmitted in correspondence with a difference between output power set data and measuring output power data to adjust a voltage level of the radio frequency signal to be transmitted; a power amplifying unit for amplifying an output signal delivered from the voltage level adjusting unit; a coupler for sensing a power level outputted from the power amplifying unit; an attenuator for controlling the power level sensed by the coupler in response to an attenuation ratio control signal applied; a high power level measuring unit for generating address data indicating that the radio frequency signal to be transmitted is in a high power level and generating the attenuation ratio control signal indicative of the amount of attenuation thereto, in the case that a maximum value of a power level outputted from the attenuator is larger than a set value; a radio frequency amplifying unit for amplifying the power outputted from the attenuator in response to an amplification ratio control signal.
A wireless communications device uses an amplifier module to transmit signals. The amplifier module is configured to amplify a signal. The amplifier module includes an amplifier circuit and a control module. The control module is configured to vary the operating parameters of the amplifier circuit based on a desired output power level. The control module relies on stored data values to dynamically vary the operating parameters of the amplifier circuit so as to increase the efficiency of the amplifier circuit.
A wireless communications device uses an amplifier module to transmit signals. The amplifier module is configured to amplify a signal. The amplifier module includes an amplifier circuit and a control module. The control module is configured to vary the operating parameters of the amplifier circuit based on a desired output power level. The control module relies on stored data values to dynamically vary the operating parameters of the amplifier circuit so as to increase the efficiency of the amplifier circuit.
A transmitter circuit and method for transmitting a data signal at a desired transmitter power level. The transmitter circuit includes an attenuator for attenuating the data signal by an attenuation factor. An external amplifier receives the attenuated signal and amplifies the signal to an amplified signal voltage. A storage unit containing a set of calibrated power levels associated to a set of amplifier voltages provides a calibrated power level based on the amplified signal voltage. A controller is configured to modify the attenuation factor of the attenuator in response to the difference between the calibrated power level and the desired transmitter power level.
A transmission power control device is for use in a radio communication apparatus. The transmission power control device comprises a processing section for processing an input transmission signal into a processed transmission signal in accordance with a control signal. A power amplifier circuit has a first transistor for amplifying the processed transmission signal into a power amplified transmission signal. The transmission power control device further comprises a detecting circuit for detecting a current flowing through the first transistor to produce a current detection signal. A converting circuit converts the control signal into a reference value signal corresponding to a level of the processed transmission signal. A bias current section compares the current detection signal with the reference value signal to produce a comparison result signal. The bias current section controls a bias current for the amplifier circuit in accordance with the comparison result signal.
Methods and apparatus for providing gain control feedback in rf amplifiers in such transmitting devices as cell phones. In a cell phone application, the transmit level is set by the base station. In the cell phone, the transmit level received from the base station is used to select the coupler sensing the output power of the power amplifier in the cell phone, as well as to set the power amplifier gain. This allows the selection of couplers from multiple couplers to achieve the desired coupler output sensitivity and linearity for any part of the power amplifier output power range.
