Method for shaping signal pulses

• US 20060001466A1
• Filed: 06/29/2005
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
• Original Assignee: EADS Deutschland GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Salomon, Andreas, Luecke, Sven, Wedemeyer, Markus, Hoffmann, Gebhard
• Granted Patent: US 7,545,220 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 327/172
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0205 in transistor amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/32 Modifications of amplifiers to reduce non-linear distortion by negative feedback H03F1/34
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/18 the bias of the gate of a FET being controlled by a control signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/351 Pulse width modulation being used in an amplifying circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/408 the output amplifying stage of an amplifier comprising three power stages
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/72 the amplifier stage being a common gate configuration MOSFET
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/191 Tuned amplifiers H03F3/193, H03F3/195 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/217 Class D power amplifiers; Switching amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 of transmitter output stages

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for shaping an input signal S_on which is input to a multi-stage amplifier arrangement, to provide a definable output signal contour S_off. Individual amplifier stages are controlled by a control signal generated by a pulsed current source of a definable pulse length T. According to the invention, successive amplifier stages are each controlled (switched on) after a definable delay time Δt_{on 1}, Δt_{on 2} following the preceding stage. Each amplifier stage has an assigned pulsed current source for generating the control signals of definable pulse length T. One such pulse generator respectively is assigned to each current source.

Claims

1. A method of shaping an input signal S_on which is input to a multi-stage amplifier arrangement to provide a definable output signal spectrum S_off, said method comprising:

controlling each individual amplifier stage of the multistage amplifier arrangement by means of a respective control signal of pulsed current sources, each having a definable pulse length T;

wherein,

the successive amplifier stages are switched on sequentially; and

each stage is switched on with a definable delay time relative to a preceding stage.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the amplifier stages are controlled in time sequence, in the order of rising amplifier output power.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the amplifier output power and pulse length of the control signal of each of the respective amplifier stages are inversely proportional to one another.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the amplifier stages are switched off in reversed sequence of their switching-on, after a definable delay time Δ

t_off.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the amplifier stages are switched off simultaneously.

6. A circuit for shaping an input signal S_on which is input to a multi-stage amplifier arrangement, to provide a definable output signal spectrum S_off, said current comprising:

a plurality of amplifier stages, each having an assigned pulsed current source for generating control signals of a definable pulse length T which are fed to the respective amplifier stages; and

a plurality of pulse generators, one pulse generator being assigned to each respective current source.