CoolPAM
Mode control pins
Avago Technologies’ CoolPAM is stage-bypass PA tech-
ꢀmode and ꢀbp are digitally controlled by baseband and
nology which saves more power compared with conven- they control the operating mode of the PA. The operating
tional PA. With this technology, the ACPM-7372 has very
low quiescent current, and efficiencies at low and medium
output power ranges are high.
logic table is summarized on the page 2. These pins do
not require constant voltage for interface.
UMTS PA performance comparison
Incorporation of bias circuit
– CoolPAM 4 and CoolPAM 5
The ACPM-7372 has internal bias circuit, which removes
the need for external constant voltage source (�DO). PA
on/off is controlled by ꢀen. This is digitally control pin.
450
CP5
CP4
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
3-mode power control with two mode control pins
The ACPM-7372 supports three power modes (bypass
power mode/mid power mode/high power mode) with
two mode control pins (ꢀmode and ꢀbp). This control
scheme enables the ACPM-7372 to save power consump-
tion more, which accordingly gives extended talk time.
PD (probability density function) showing distribution
of output power of mobile in real field gives motivation
for stage-bypass PA. Output power is less than 16dBm for
most of operating time (during talking), so it is important
to save power consumption at low and medium output
power ranges.
0
-10
0
10
20
30
Pout(dBm)
Average current & Talk time
70
65
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
Average current consumed by PA can be calculated by
summing up current at each output power weighted with
probability. So it is expressed with integration of multipli-
cation of current and probability at each output power.
CP5
CP4
Average current = ƒ (PD x Current)dp
Talk time is extended more as average current consump-
tion is lowered.
0
-10 -8 -6 -4 -2
0
2
4
6
8
10 12 14 16
Pout(dBm)
Icc Comparison of CP5 to CP4 (Avago CoolPAM)
th
The 5 generation of CoolPAM technology, ACPM-7372
can dramatically reduce Icc down to 3mA at bypass mode,
which improves overall talk time and battery usage time
of handset more compared with the CP4.
Figure 1. PDF and Current
6