AMPLIFIER UTILIZING INPUT SIGNAL POWER

• US 3,789,314 A
• Filed: 12/06/1971
• Issued: 01/29/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Henry Richard Beurrier
• Original Assignee: Henry Richard Beurrier
• Inventors: Beurrier, Henry Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Kaufman, Nathan
• Application Number:
  US05/204,864
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 333/1,11,28,8C,4C 330/185,53,149,124R,3R,151
• US Class Current: 330/185
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0205 in transistor amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/198 A hybrid coupler being used as coupling circuit between stages of an amplifier circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/211 using a combination of several amplifiers H03F3/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/602 Combinations of several amplifiers

Abstract

The power from a signal source used to drive an amplifier is usually dissipated in a matching impedance. In accordance with the present disclosure, this input power is conserved and added to the amplifier output power, thereby enhancing the power gain of the amplifier. This technique is particularly advantageous when used with devices having low intrinsic gain.

Claims

1. Ain amplifier for coupling a signal source to an output load comprising:

a low-loss passive wavepath;

first and second amplifying stages;

one of said stages having an input impedance that is at least an order of magnitude greater than the impedance of said signal source, while the other of said stages has an input impedance that is at least an order of magnitude smaller than the impedance of said signal source;

one of said stages having an output impedance that is at least an order of magnitude greater than the impedance of said output load, while the other of said stages has an output impedance that is at least an order of magnitude smaller than the impedance of said output load;

an input circuit for coupling said signal source to said amplifying stages and to said passive wavepath including;

means for sensing the current flowing into said passive wavepath and coupling a current proportionate thereto into said lower input impedance stage; and

means for sensing the voltage at the input end of said wavepath and for coupling a voltage proportionate thereto to the higher input impedance stage; and

a signal injection network for constructively summing in said output load the signal at the output end of said passive wavepath and the output signals from said two stages.

2. The amplifier according to claim 1 wherein one amplifying stage comprises a transistor connected in the common base configuration, and the other amplifying stage comprises a transistor connected in the common collector configuration.

3. The amplifier according to claim 1 wherein said input circuit comprises:

a two winding transformer having one winding connected in series between said signal source and said passive wavepath, and a second winding connected to the input terminals of said lower input impedance stage.

4. The amplifier according to claim 1 wherein the voltage applied to the input end of said wavepath is coupled to said higher input impedance stage by means of a step-up autotransformer.

5. The amplifier according to claim 1 wherein;

said signal injection network includes a hybrid coupler having two pair of conjugate branches 1-2, and 3-4; and

wherein;

the passive wavepath is connected to coupler branch 1;

the output signals from said two stages are coupled to coupler branch 2;

the output load is connected to coupler branch 3; and

a terminating impedance is connected to coupler branch 4.

6. The amplifier according to claim 5 wherein;

the lower output impedance stage is coupled to coupler branch 2 through a series-connected matching impedance.

7. The amplifier according to claim 1 wherein;

said signal injection network comprises a first hybrid coupler having two pair of conjugate branches 1'"'"''"'"'-2'"'"''"'"', and 3'"'"''"'"'-4'"'"''"'"', and a second hybrid coupler having two pair of conjugate branches 1-2 and 3-4; and

wherein;

said amplifying stages are connected, respectively, to coupler branches 1'"'"''"'"' and 2'"'"''"'"';

the passive wavepath and coupler branch 3'"'"''"'"' are connected, respectively, to coupler branches 1 and 2;

the output load is connected to coupler branch 3; and

a terminating impedance is connected to each of the coupler branches 4'"'"''"'"' and 4.

8. The amplifier according to claim 1 wherein said signal injection network includes an auto-transformer, and a hybrid coupler having two pair of conjugate branches 1-2 and 3-4;

and wherein said amplifying stages are connected, respectively, to opposite ends of said transformer;

the passive wavepath and a tap along said transformer are connected respectively to coupler branches 1 and 2;

the output load is connected to coupler branch 3; and

terminating impedances are connected, respectively, across said transformer and to coupler branch 4.

9. The amplifier according to claim 1 wherein;

said signal injection network comprises a 1;

1 turns ratio transformer; and

wherein;

the lOwer output impedance stage is connected across one transformer winding;

the second transformer winding is connected in series between said passive wavepath and said output load; and

the higher output impedance stage is connected to a center-tap on said second transformer winding.

10. An amplifier for coupling a signal source to an output load comprising:

an input hybrid coupler and an output hybrid coupler, each of which has two pairs of conjugate branches;

a pair of signal amplifying stages, each of which couples, respectively, one branch of one pair of conjugate branches of the input coupler to a branch of one pair of conjugate branches of the output coupler;

characterized in that;

one of said stages has an input impedance that is at least an order of magnitude greater than the impedance of said signal source, while the other of said stages has an input impedance that is at least an order of magnitude smaller than the impedance of said signal source;

one of said stages has an output impedance that is at least an order of magnitude greater than the impedance of said load, while the other of said stages has an output impedance that is at least an order of magnitude smaller than the impedance of said load impedance;

a third branch of said input coupler constitutes the input port of said amplifier;

a third branch of said output coupler constitutes the output port of said amplifier; and

in that a low-loss, passive wavepath connects the fourth branch of said input coupler to the fourth branch of said output coupler.

11. The amplifier according to claim 10 wherein said passive wavepath includes therein time delay and phase shift means.