Power amplifier with integrated sensors

• US 20060202757A1
• Filed: 05/12/2006
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ikuroh Ichitsubo, Weiping Wang
• Original Assignee: Ikuroh Ichitsubo, Weiping Wang
• Inventors: Wang, Weiping, Ichitsubo, Ikuroh
• Granted Patent: US 7,253,681 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 330/140
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3042 in modulators, frequency-changers, transmitters or power amplifiers transmission power control in bidirectional transmission systems H04W52/04

Abstract

An amplifier circuit for amplifying radio frequency signals includes a radio frequency power amplifier to receive an input radio frequency signal and to output an amplified radio frequency signal; one or more sensors coupled to the radio frequency power amplifier to provide a closed-loop feedback signal; and a power sensor coupled to the amplified radio frequency signal.

Claims

1. An amplifier circuit for amplifying radio frequency signals, comprising:

a radio frequency power amplifier to receive an input radio frequency signal and to output an amplified radio frequency signal;

one or more sensors coupled to the radio frequency power amplifier to provide a closed-loop feedback signal; and

a power sensor coupled to the amplified radio frequency signal.

2. The amplifier circuit of claim 1, wherein one of the sensors comprises a gain sensor coupled to the radio frequency power amplifier to measure output amplitude.

3. The amplifier circuit of claim 1, wherein one of the sensors comprises a phase sensor coupled to the radio frequency power amplifier to measure output phase.

4. The amplifier circuit of claim 1, wherein the sensors comprise a gain sensor and a phase sensor coupled to the radio frequency power amplifier.

5. The amplifier circuit of claim 1, wherein the power sensor to generate a power-sensing signal substantially proportional to the strength of the amplified radio frequency signal.

6. The amplifier circuit of claim 5 wherein the power-sensing signal is provided to an external circuit through a low-pass filter.

7. The amplifier circuit of claim 1, comprising a mode signal to control a power level and a linearity of the power amplifier output power.

8. The amplifier circuit of claim 1, comprising an adaptive load control unit coupled to the power amplifier.

9. The amplifier circuit of claim 8, comprising one or more switching devices to change a matching network of the power amplifier.

10. The amplifier circuit of claim 1, comprising:

an impedance-matching circuit coupled to the output of the radio frequency power amplifier; and

an attenuator coupled to the impedance-matching circuit.

11. A circuit for sensing radio frequency signals from a power amplifier, comprising:

a phase sensor coupled to the power amplifier to provide a closed-loop phase feedback signal;

a gain sensor coupled to the power amplifier to provide a closed-loop gain feedback signal and

a power sensor coupled to the power amplifier to provide a closed-loop power feedback signal, the power sensor providing a power-sensing signal.

12. The circuit of claim 11 wherein the power-sensing signal is substantially proportional to the strength of a radio frequency signal.

13. The circuit of claim 11 wherein the power-sensing signal is provided to an external circuit through a low-pass filter.

14. The circuit of claim 11, comprising a power control signal to turn on or off the power amplifier.

15. The circuit of claim 11, comprising a mode signal to control a power level and a linearity of the power amplifier output power.

16. The circuit of claim 15 wherein the mode signal comprises one of:

a parallel signal, a serial signal.

17. A circuit for sensing radio frequency (RF) signals from a power amplifier, comprising:

one or more sensors coupled to the power amplifier to provide a closed-loop feedback signal; and

a power sensor coupled to the power amplifier to provide a closed-loop power feedback signal, the power sensor providing a power-sensing signal.

18. The circuit of claim 17, wherein one sensor comprises a gain sensor.

19. The circuit of claim 17, wherein one sensor comprises a phase sensor.

20. The circuit of claim 17, comprising a processor coupled to the sensor to compensate for distortion caused by one of:

temperature, environment, load, component age, output power level.