Double-LINC Switched-Mode Transmitter
First Claim
1. A method of processing an input information signal of varying amplitude and phase to obtain an amplified output signal, the method comprising:
- for desired output signal amplitudes below a first level corresponding to a first pre-determined threshold, decomposing the input information signal into two pairs of constant-envelope component signals such that the vector sum of the first pair of component signals is orthogonal to the vector sum of the second pair of component signals;
for desired output signal amplitudes above the first level, decomposing the input information signal into two pairs of constant-envelope component signals such that the vector sum of the first pair of component signals is separated by less than ninety degrees from the vector sum of the second pair of component signals;
generating a plurality of amplifier input signals from the constant-envelope component signals;
amplifying each amplifier input signal with a separate amplifier element; and
combining the amplified signals to obtain the output signal.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed herein are methods and apparatus for processing an input information signal having varying amplitude and phase to obtain an amplified output signal having the same amplitude and phase variation. In an exemplary method, an input information signal is decomposed into two pairs of constant-envelope component signals such that the vector sum of the first pair is orthogonal to the vector sum of the second pair, for desired signal amplitudes below a level corresponding to a pre-determined threshold. For desired signal amplitudes above this level, the input information signal is instead decomposed into two pairs of constant-envelope component signals such that the vector sum of the first pair is separated by less than ninety degrees from the vector sum of the second pair. The constant-envelope component signals may be amplified by highly-efficient non-linear amplifier elements and combined to obtain the amplified output signal.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of processing an input information signal of varying amplitude and phase to obtain an amplified output signal, the method comprising:
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for desired output signal amplitudes below a first level corresponding to a first pre-determined threshold, decomposing the input information signal into two pairs of constant-envelope component signals such that the vector sum of the first pair of component signals is orthogonal to the vector sum of the second pair of component signals; for desired output signal amplitudes above the first level, decomposing the input information signal into two pairs of constant-envelope component signals such that the vector sum of the first pair of component signals is separated by less than ninety degrees from the vector sum of the second pair of component signals; generating a plurality of amplifier input signals from the constant-envelope component signals; amplifying each amplifier input signal with a separate amplifier element; and combining the amplified signals to obtain the output signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A transmitter circuit for processing an input information signal of varying amplitude and phase to obtain an amplified output signal, the transmitter circuit comprising:
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a signal processing circuit configured to decompose the input information signal into two pairs of constant-envelope component signals so that the sum of the first pair of component signals is orthogonal to the sum of the second pair of component signals for desired output signal amplitudes below a first level corresponding to a first pre-determined threshold and the sum of the first pair of component signals is separated by less than ninety degrees from the sum of the second pair of component signals for desired output signal amplitudes above the first level; a generator circuit configured to generate a plurality of amplifier input signals from the constant-envelope component signals; an amplifier element for each amplifier input signal, each amplifier element configured to amplify a respective one of the amplifier input signals; and a combining circuit configured to combine the amplified signals to obtain the output signal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification