JP2008153972A - Radio communication equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a means which is provided with a circuit for corresponding to each transmission power specification even though the transmission power specification of a transmitting side RF signal amplifying part 60 is different because the communication specification of portable radio communication equipment 20 is different in each region (including a country) and avoids an increase in the number of components because the number of components increases when trying to correspond to each transmission power specification by switching of the circuit. <P>SOLUTION: Amplifiers 62, 64 and 65 for transmitting side RF signal amplification generate a control amount of an auto power control voltage signal APCV, an amount corresponding to timing and an output of timing. A CPU 53 can generate each auto power control signal APC corresponding to each transmission power specification by software processing, selects an auto power control signal APC relating to the transmission power specification of the present location and supplies the auto power control signal APC to a D/A converter 70. The D/A converter 70 outputs a value of the auto power control signal APC, an amount corresponding to timing and APCV of timing to the amplifiers 62, 64 and 65. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a wireless communication device that supports a plurality of regional specifications for transmission power characteristics.

Patent Document 1 discloses a communication device that copes with different communication specifications by country and region (paragraph 0007 of Patent Document 1). According to the communication device, if a country or the like is designated at the place of use after shipment from the manufacturer, the corresponding parameter is stored in the memory (paragraph 0030 of Patent Document 1), and the communication device performs communication corresponding to the parameter. By switching to the specification, it can be used without any trouble in each place of use.
JP 2005-354494 A

  Since the communication device of Patent Literature 1 is equipped with a plurality of alternative circuit portions corresponding to different communication specifications and is switched to an alternative circuit portion corresponding to a set parameter (paragraph 0003 of Patent Literature 1), It is necessary to provide as many alternative circuits as the number of compatible communication specifications, which leads to an increase in the number of parts of the communication device and an increase in the size of the communication device.

  The wireless communication device includes an RF signal amplification unit for amplifying the transmission RF signal, but the communication specifications for each region are also defined for the transmission power specification of the transmission RF signal amplification unit.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a wireless communication device that can cope with transmission power specifications in each region without providing an alternative circuit portion for each transmission power specification as an RF signal amplification unit for transmission.

  According to the wireless communication device of the present invention, the transmission power characteristic of the RF signal amplification unit is changed according to the output amount and output timing of each amplifier of the RF signal amplification unit. Further, the output amount and output timing of each amplifier of the RF signal amplifier are controlled by the control amount of the control signal to each amplifier and the control RF signal amplifier, and the digital signal that generates the control signal is controlled by software. Generated by the CPU. The software to be implemented can generate digital signals having values and timings corresponding to the specifications for each region regarding the output characteristics of the RF signal amplification unit, and the transmission power specifications applied to the current location according to the current location. The digital signal is output.

The wireless communication device of the present invention is
An RF signal amplifying unit including a plurality of amplifiers connected to a plurality of stages for amplifying a transmission RF signal, wherein each amplifier is controlled to output power corresponding to a control amount of an analog control signal;
Control signal supply means for supplying a digital signal to the amplifier by generating a control signal having a control amount corresponding to the value of the digital signal and a control timing corresponding to the supply timing of the digital signal;
It is possible to freely generate a digital signal for each regional specification that causes the RF signal amplifier to output transmission power according to the transmission power specification for each region at the time of power rise or fall of the RF signal amplifier, and the selected digital signal by region specification When executing the rise or fall of the power of the digital signal supply means and the RF signal amplifying unit to be supplied to the control signal supply means, the digital signal for each region specification related to the transmission power specification applied to the current location is supplied to the digital signal supply means. Selection instruction means for selecting,
Is provided. The digital signal supply means and the selection instruction means are realized by software processing.

  According to the present invention, a digital signal for each regional specification corresponding to the transmission output specification applied to the current location is generated by software processing, and the auto power signal is controlled by a control amount and a control timing based on the digital signal for each regional specification. The RF signal amplification unit is supplied to each amplifier of the RF signal amplification unit, and the RF signal amplification unit generates transmission power with a corresponding transmission power specification. Therefore, it is possible to cope with the transmission power specifications for each region without providing a circuit portion for each specification for transmission power specifications that are different for each specification region.

  FIG. 1 shows the state of use of portable wireless communication devices HTA and HTB in two specification areas with different wireless communication specifications. Regions A and B are different countries or destination regions, and different wireless communication specifications are applied. The portable wireless communication devices HTA and HTB detect the current location based on GPS radio waves from the GPS satellite 15 and automatically switch to the transmission power specifications of the regions A and B to which the current location belongs.

  The base stations BS-A and BS-B are installed at predetermined points in the areas A and B by communication operators authorized in the areas A and B, respectively. It corresponds. When the portable wireless communication devices HTA and HTB are brought into the regions A and B, the updated current location is automatically detected and the wireless communication specifications for the regions A and B are switched. And the portable radio | wireless communication apparatuses HTA and HTB can mutually transmit / receive in the area A and B via base station BS-A and BS-B.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic overall circuit diagram of the portable radio communication device 20. The antenna 21 is connected to the antenna switch 23 via a low-pass filter 22. The antenna switch 23 connects the low-pass filter 22 side to the RX (reception) side in the reception mode, and connects the low-pass filter 22 side to the TX (transmission) side in the transmission mode.

  The RF signal of the received radio wave reaches the mixer 29 through the band pass filter 26, the amplifier 27 and the band pass filter 28. The mixer 29 mixes the RF signal from the bandpass filter 28 and the oscillation signal of a predetermined frequency from the reception side VCO (VCO: voltage controlled oscillator) 32, extracts the RF signal of the predetermined channel, and outputs the IF signal. Convert to The IF signal reaches the mixer 37 through the band pass filter 35 and the amplifier 36.

  In the mixer 37, a signal obtained by down-converting the IF signal from the amplifier 36 is generated, and the signal is supplied to the DSP 42 through the amplifier 38. The DSP 42 demodulates and decodes the input signal from the amplifier 38 to separate and extract the analog audio signal and data.

  The CPU 53 performs a predetermined process based on data from the DSP 42 and data stored in the storage unit 54. The amplifier 43 amplifies the audio signal from the DSP 42 and supplies it to the speaker 44. The speaker 44 outputs audio corresponding to the audio signal. The storage unit 54 includes a RAM and a ROM.

  In the transmission mode, the user's speech is converted into an audio signal by the microphone 48, and the audio signal is supplied to the DSP 42 through the amplifier 49. The DSP 42 encodes the audio signal from the amplifier 49 based on the data from the CPU 53, and further generates a modulation signal therefrom. The modulated signal is sent to the transmission side VCO 57. The GPS signal extraction unit 55 receives GPS radio waves and sends them to the CPU 53. The CPU 53 detects the transmission power specification applied to the current location of the portable wireless communication device 20 based on the GPS radio wave.

  The transmission side VCO 57 generates an RF signal based on the modulation signal from the DSP 42 and sends it to the transmission side RF signal amplification unit 60. The PLL 58 and the loop filter 59 generate a feedback voltage that matches the frequencies of the output signals of the reception side VCO 32 and the transmission side VCO 57 with predetermined values, and supply the feedback voltage to the reception side VCO 32 and the transmission side VCO 57. The transmission-side RF signal amplification unit 60 will be described later with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 3 shows information contents stored in the nonvolatile memory unit of the storage unit 54 by the portable wireless communication device 20. The wireless communication specifications include a different part for each region that is different for each region and a common part for each region that is common to each region. The different parts for each region include the timing of control operation, frequency, transmission output, modulation method, and so on. The common area is described as “other settings” in FIG.

  The storage unit 54 stores a plurality of different parts for each region and a plurality of common parts for each region regarding the wireless communication specifications. In the conventional wireless communication device, there is only one difference in each region.

  FIG. 4 shows output characteristics when the transmission output of the RF signal amplification unit 60 on the transmission side in each transmission power specification of the portable wireless communication device 20 is raised. The transmission power specifications in FIGS. 4A and 4B are the EIA / TA standard and the EN standard, respectively. See EIA / TIA-603 and EN300 for details. In FIG. 4, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the output level of the transmission-side RF signal amplification unit 60 at the time of starting transmission.

  In the EIA / TIA standard shown in FIG. 4A, the output level must be set to a level from the maximum value (Max Power) to −3 dB within 100 ms by using Key as a trigger.

  On the other hand, in the EN standard of FIG. 4B, the output level is stabilized within 25 ms, and the output level must be −50 dB or less before the time when the output level is stabilized. Furthermore, the output level must be 0.2 ms or more between -30 dB and -6 dB. Furthermore, even after stabilization, the output level must be in the range of +1.5 dB to 1.0 dB.

  FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of the transmission-side RF signal amplifier 60. The predrive amplifier 61, the drive amplifier 62, the attenuator 63, the prefinal amplifier 64, and the final amplifier 65 are cascade-connected in order from the transmission side VCO 57 side between the transmission side VCO 57 (VCO) and the antenna switch 23. Has been. The drive amplifier 62, the prefinal amplifier 64, and the final amplifier 65 are supplied with the analog auto power control voltage signal APCV from the D / A converter 70, and the amplification factor and the amplification timing are controlled by the auto power control voltage signal APCV. Adjusted to voltage and control timing.

  The dip switch signal DSW, the auto power control signal APC, and the APC switching signal APCSW are supplied from the CPU 53 (FIG. 2) to the transmission side RF signal amplifier 60. The dip switch signal DSW switches the transistor 71 on and off, and switches the auto power control voltage signal APCV between valid and invalid. The D / A converter 70 converts the auto power control signal APC in the digital signal format into the auto power control voltage signal APCV in the analog signal format. The APC switching signal APCSW controls on / off of the FET 72.

  The input voltage and output voltage of the final amplifier 65 are defined as Vds. When the FET 72 is off, Vds = + B. When the FET 72 is on, Vds <+ B when the FET 72 is off. The comparator 73 feeds back Vds to the CPU 53 (FIG. 2).

  In the transmission mode, the RF signal from the transmission side VCO 57 is input to the TX stage, and thereafter, “5T”, “APCSW”, “APC”, and “DSW” are controlled in that order. The auto power control signal APC in the form of a digital signal from the CPU 53 is supplied as “APCV” to the drive amplifier 62, the prefinal amplifier 64 and the final amplifier 65 which are connected to each other through the D / A converter 70. At this time, the voltage value and the time constant (voltage supply timing) are set in advance in software. The software setting is made so that the output of the transmission side RF signal amplifier 60 conforms to the EIA / TIA standard or EN standard of FIG. 4, and the drive amplifier 62 is based on the software setting. The operation timing and the transmission output of the pre-final amplifier 64 and the final amplifier 65 are controlled.

  The comparator 73 detects the voltage difference between “+ B” and “Vds” and sends it to the CPU 53, and the CPU 53 corrects the value of the digital signal to the D / A converter 70 based on the voltage difference.

  When the portable radio communication device 20 is switched from the transmission mode to the reception mode (at the time of transmission power falling), control is performed in order of “DSW” → “APC” → “APCSW” → “5T”. As a result, the transmission power characteristic of the transmission-side RF signal amplification unit 60 is controlled to that specified in the EIA / TIA standard or the EN standard when switching from the transmission mode to the reception mode.

  FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of another RF signal amplifier 80. The RF signal amplifying unit 80 is installed in the portable wireless communication device 20 instead of the transmission-side RF signal amplifying unit 60. In the circuit diagram of FIG. 6, parts common to the circuit diagram of FIG. 5 (transmission-side RF signal amplification unit 60) are assigned the same numbers as corresponding parts of the transmission-side RF signal amplification unit 60, and description thereof is omitted. . Differences will be described.

  In the RF signal amplifying unit 80, variable impedance units 82, 84, and 85 are provided corresponding to the drive amplifier 62, the pre-final amplifier 64, and the final amplifier 65, respectively, and the variable impedance units 82, 84 are provided. , 85, the input amount and input timing of the auto power control voltage signal APCV at the control terminals of the drive amplifier 62, the prefinal amplifier 64, and the final amplifier 65 can be adjusted within an appropriate range. ing.

  The APC circuit 88 receives an auto power control signal APC in the form of a digital signal from the CPU 53 (FIG. 2) and generates an auto power control voltage signal APCV in the form of an analog signal. The APC circuit 88 also corrects the auto power control voltage signal APCV with respect to the auto power control signal APC based on Vds, so that the transmission power characteristic of the RF signal amplifying unit 80 is intended for the auto power control signal APC. To be.

  Since the RF signal amplifying unit 60 (FIG. 5) is not equipped with the variable impedance units 82, 84, 85, the drive amplifier 62, the prefinal amplifier 64, and the final for the adjustment range of the auto power control voltage signal APCV. The output adjustment range of the amplifier 65 is fixed, and as a result, the output characteristic adjustment range of the RF signal amplifier 60 is also fixed. On the other hand, since the RF signal amplifying unit 80 is equipped with the variable impedance units 82, 84, 85, the drive amplifier 62, the prefinal amplifier 64, and the like for the adjustment range of the auto power control voltage signal APCV The output adjustment range of the final amplifier 65 can be adjusted in a wider range than in the case of the RF signal amplification unit 60 (FIG. 5). As a result, the adjustment range of the output characteristics of the RF signal amplification unit 60 is expanded and more transmissions are performed. It can correspond to power specifications.

  Although the APC circuit 88 is used in the RF signal amplifying unit 80, a D / A converter 70 (FIG. 5) can be used instead of the APC circuit 88.

  FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of still another RF signal amplification unit 90. The difference from the transmission-side RF signal amplifier 60 (FIG. 5) is that the output of the D / A converter 70 is individually sent to the drive amplifier 62, the prefinal amplifier 64, and the final amplifier 65. It is that. In response to a common auto power control signal APC from the CPU 53 (FIG. 2), the D / A converter 70 supplies different auto power control voltages to the drive amplifier 62, the prefinal amplifier 64, and the final amplifier 65, respectively. The signal APCV is output. As a result, the accuracy and adjustment range of the output characteristics of the RF signal amplifier 80 can be improved.

  FIG. 8 is a system configuration diagram that enables communication by a portable wireless communication device between two regions having different wireless communication specifications. A description of the same technical matters as in FIG.

  The band-type wireless communication devices HTA and HTB are automatically switched to the transmission power specification of the region A, and the portable wireless communication devices HTC and HTD are automatically switched to the transmission power specification of the region B. A specific example of these band-type wireless communication devices HTA, HTB, HTC, and HTD is a portable wireless communication device 20 (FIG. 2). The wired network 18 connects base stations of communication companies in different communication specification areas to each other so that data can be transmitted and received according to a predetermined communication standard. The base stations BS-A and BS-B They are connected to each other via a wired network 18.

  As a result, the portable wireless communication devices HTA, HTB, HTC, and HTD are automatically switched to the communication standards at their current location, and are transmitted to the other in the same communication specification area via the base station BS-A or BS-B. Communication with other portable wireless communication devices (for example, communication between HTA and HTB), and communication with portable wireless communication devices in other communication specification areas via the wired network 18 (for example, : Communication between HTA and HTC).

  FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the wireless communication device 100. An example of the wireless communication device 100 is the portable wireless communication device 20 described above. The wireless communication device 100 includes an RF signal amplifier 101, a control signal supply unit 102, a digital signal supply unit 103, a selection instruction unit 104, and a current location detection unit 110.

  The RF signal amplifying unit 101 includes a plurality of amplifiers 108 connected in a plurality of stages for amplifying a transmission RF signal. Each amplifier 108 is controlled to output power corresponding to the control amount of the analog control signal. The control signal supply unit 102 is supplied with a digital signal, generates a control signal having a control amount corresponding to the value of the digital signal and a control timing corresponding to the supply timing of the digital signal, and supplies the control signal to the amplifier 108.

  The digital signal supply means 103 can freely generate a digital signal for each regional specification that causes the RF signal amplification unit to output transmission power according to the transmission power specification for each region at the time of power rise or fall of the RF signal amplification unit 101, The selected digital signal for each region specification is supplied to the control signal supply means 102. The selection instruction unit 104 causes the digital signal supply unit 103 to select a digital signal for each region specification related to the transmission power specification applied to the current location when executing the power rise or fall of the RF signal amplification unit 101. The digital signal supply means 103 and the selection instruction means 104 are realized by software processing.

  Specific examples of the RF signal amplifying unit 101 are transmitting-side RF signal amplifying units 60, 80, and 90. A specific example of the amplifier 108 is the drive amplifier 62, the pre-final amplifier 64, or the final amplifier 65. A specific example of the control signal supply means 102 is a D / A converter 70. Software processing for realizing the digital signal supply unit 103 and the selection instruction unit 104 is executed by the CPU 53, for example. Specific examples of the transmission power specifications of the RF signal amplifying unit 101 are the EIA / TA standard and the EN standard described with reference to FIG.

  A specific example of the control signal supplied to the amplifier 108 is the auto power control voltage signal APCV. A specific example of the digital signal supplied by the control signal supply means 102 is an auto power control signal APC.

  In the wireless communication device 100, in order to achieve each transmission power specification, a digital signal corresponding to each transmission power specification is generated by software processing and the digital signal is sent to the control signal supply unit 102. Equipping multiple hardware circuits that differ for each power specification can be omitted.

  Preferably, the control signal supplied from the control signal supply means 102 to the amplifier 108 is common to each amplifier 108 or separate. A specific example in which the control signal is common to each amplifier 108 is the auto power control voltage signal APCV of the transmission-side RF signal amplifier 60 (FIG. 5). A specific example in which the control signal is separate for each amplifier 108 is the auto power control voltage signal APCV of the RF signal amplifier 90 (FIG. 7).

  Preferably, the wireless communication device 100 includes current location detection means 110. The selection instruction unit 104 causes the digital signal supply unit 103 to select a digital signal for each region specification related to the transmission power specification applied to the current location. Typically, this current location is the current location detected by the current location detection unit 110. To do. A specific example of the current location detection unit 110 is the GPS signal extraction unit 55 (FIG. 2). The current location detection unit 110 detects the current location from, for example, GPS radio waves. In place of automatic detection by the current position detection means 110, the current position is determined by a manual operation form before use, when the user uses the wireless communication apparatus 100 or moves to a region having a different communication specification. It may be set to 100. In this case, the user may set the area, for example, the country corresponding to the communication specification used in the area, to which the current position belongs without setting the exact current position.

  The radio communication device 100 includes a variable resistance element or a variable capacitance element for adjusting an output delay time or an output level range for a control signal with respect to at least one amplifier 108. Specific examples of the variable resistance element or variable capacitance element are variable impedance units 82, 84, and 85. By providing the variable resistance element or the variable capacitance element, it becomes possible to change or widen the control range of the output delay time or the output level of the amplifier 108 with respect to the control signal. The adjustment of the resistance or capacitance of the variable resistance element or the variable capacitance element is typically performed manually by the user, but may be directly or indirectly adjustable by the output of the CPU.

   Although the present invention has been described with respect to the best mode, the present invention is not limited to this, and each constituent element in the best mode can be modified and embodied without departing from the gist of the invention. Various inventions can be formed by a convenient combination of a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the best mode. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the best mode.

It is a figure which shows the use condition of the portable radio | wireless communication apparatus in two specification areas where radio | wireless communication specifications differ. 1 is a schematic overall circuit diagram of a portable wireless communication device. It is a figure which shows the information content which the portable radio | wireless communication apparatus has memorize | stored in the non-volatile memory part of the memory | storage part. It is a figure which shows the output characteristic at the time of the transmission output starting of the transmission side RF signal amplification part in each transmission power specification of a portable radio | wireless communication apparatus. It is a circuit diagram of a transmission side RF signal amplifier. It is a circuit diagram of another RF signal amplifier. It is a circuit diagram of another RF signal amplifier. It is a system configuration diagram that enables communication by a portable wireless communication device between two regions having different wireless communication specifications. It is a block diagram of a radio communication apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100: Radio | wireless communication apparatus, 101: RF signal amplification part, 102: Control signal supply means, 103: Digital signal supply means, 104: Selection instruction | indication means, 108: Amplifier, 110: Present location detection means

Claims (4)

An RF signal amplifying unit including a plurality of amplifiers connected to a plurality of stages for amplifying a transmission RF signal, wherein each amplifier is controlled to output power corresponding to a control amount of an analog control signal;
Control signal supply means for supplying a digital signal to the amplifier by generating a control signal having a control amount corresponding to the value of the digital signal and a control timing corresponding to the supply timing of the digital signal;
A digital signal for each regional specification that allows the RF signal amplifier to output transmission power based on a transmission power specification for each region at the time of power rise or fall of the RF signal amplification unit can be freely generated, and digital for each selected region specification Digital signal supply means for supplying a signal to the control signal supply means, and when performing power rise or fall of the RF signal amplifying unit, the digital signal for each regional specification related to the transmission power specification applied to the current location Selection instruction means for causing the digital signal supply means to select,
With
The wireless communication device, wherein the digital signal supply means and the selection instruction means are realized by software processing.   2. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control signal supplied to the amplifier by the control signal supply means is common to or separate from each amplifier. A current position detecting means for detecting a current position; and the selection instruction means for causing the digital signal supply means to select a digital signal for each area specification related to a transmission power specification applied to the current position detected by the current position detecting means,
The wireless communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:   The wireless communication according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: a variable resistance element or a variable capacitance element for adjusting an output delay time or an output level range with respect to the control signal for at least one amplifier. Machine.

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