Amplifier

• US 20090045878A1
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Shiikuma, Kazumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,710,202 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 330/295
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0288 using a main and one or several auxiliary peaking amplifiers whereby the load is connected to the main amplifier using an impedance inverter, e.g. Doherty amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/602 Combinations of several amplifiers

Abstract

An amplifier includes a carrier amplifier which performs signal amplification at all times, a peak amplifier which operates only at a time when the high electric power is outputted, a combiner which combines the output from the carrier amplifier and the peak amplifier, and a distributor which distributes an input signal to the carrier amplifier and the peak amplifier. The carrier amplifier and the peak amplifier are included in a single package transistor.

Claims

1. An amplifier, comprising:

a distributor which distributes input signals to two amplifiers;

one or a plurality of linear amplifiers into which one signal from distributor is input;

one or a plurality of nonlinear amplifiers into which the other signal from the distributor is input; and

a combiner that combines output signals from the linear amplifier and the nonlinear amplifier,

wherein among a plurality of transistors included in a package, each of a predetermined number of the transistors comprises the linear amplifier, and each of the other transistors comprises the nonlinear amplifier, and

wherein the transistor included in the package functions as a push-pull amplifier or a balance amplifier.

2. The amplifier according to claim 1, wherein the linear amplifier comprises a carrier amplifier, and the nonlinear amplifier comprises a peak amplifier.

3. The amplifier according to claim 1, wherein each of the linear amplifier and the nonlinear amplifier comprises an amplifier, one of two transistors included in the package comprises the linear amplifier, and the other transistor comprises the nonlinear amplifier.

4. The amplifier according to claim 1, wherein the package is directly connected to at least a gate electrode and a drain electrode.

5. The amplifier according to claim 1, wherein the distributor sets a phase relation between the linear amplifier and the nonlinear amplifier so that the signals are combined in the same phase at a signal combining point of the combiner.

6. The amplifier according to claim 1, wherein the distributor comprises a ¼

wavelength transmission line or a 90°

hybrid circuit.

7. The amplifier according to claim 1, wherein the combiner comprises any of a transformer, an impedance converter, and a ¼

wavelength transmission line.

8. The amplifier according to claim 1, which comprises a Doherty amplifier.

9. The amplifier according claim 1, wherein the linear amplifier is based in a first class while the nonlinear amplifier is biased in a second class different from the first class.