Date: 20/01/2012

Power IC chip uses both switching and linear regulation to power 4G RF devices

Power supply design startup Quantance owns a technology called qBoost, based on which this company's new power supply IC provides the response time equivalent of a 400MHz switcher for 4G envelope tracking (ET) power supplies. Quantance claims this is over 100 times faster than any other mobile ET power supply solution available in the market.

The IC chip coded Q845 is suggested for 4G/LTE baseband and transceiver chipset platform targeted for use in tablets, smartphones, data cards and other mobile high-speed data devices.

As per Vikas Vinayak, Quantance's CEO and co-founder, this new design will integrate nicely into baseband and chipset reference designs.

The Q845 delivers voltage to 4g/LTE power amplifiers using both switching and linear power regulation methods. For increased peak power and high power efficiency, Q845 operates in ET mode, changing the PA voltage instantaneously to track the modulation envelope of the transmitted signal. To maintain efficiency in mid- and low-power PA operation, the Q845 transitions seamlessly to its average power tracking (APT) mode, where the voltage is changed at a slower rate, yet still maintains the PA at its peak efficiency.

Sampling of these devices are slated in Q1 2012.