Output power control device

• US 6,047,167 A
• Filed: 03/03/1997
• Issued: 04/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Yamashita, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCOTT, LINWOOD
• Application Number:
  US08/810,664
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 455/126, 455/127, 330/279, 330/138, 330/280, 330/129
• US Class Current: 455/126
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3047 for intermittent signals, e.g. burst signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/52 using AGC [Automatic Gain Control] circuits or amplifiers

Abstract

A comparator (5) compares a detected voltage obtained by detecting an output power of a nonlinear amplifier (2) with a reference voltage to generate a control voltage for the nonlinear amplifier (2). The control voltage is converted into such a control voltage as to cancel the nonlinearity of the nonlinear amplifier (2) by a nonlinearity compensating circuit (7) and is supplied to the nonlinear amplifier (2). The nonlinear compensating circuit (7) is comprised of a diode (71) and a resistor (72).

Claims

1. An output power control device for a transmission signal, comprising:

a nonlinear power amplifier for controlling transmission power of said transmission signal;

a directional coupler for separating a part of an output of said nonlinear power amplifier;

a detector for obtaining a detected voltage by detecting said separated output;

a reference voltage generator for generating a reference voltage;

a comparator for comparing said detected voltage with said reference voltage to output the difference between as a first control voltage; and

a nonlinearity compensating circuit for converting said first control voltage into a second control voltage having a characteristic to compensate nonlinearity of said nonlinear power amplifier so that said second control voltage is made a control signal for varying an amplification factor of said nonlinear power amplifier.

2. An output power control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said nonlinearity compensating circuit comprises a parallel circuit of a diode and a resistor.

3. An output power control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said nonlinear power amplifier comprises a variable power amplifier and a fixed power amplifier, and said second control voltage is supplied to said variable power amplifier.

4. An output power control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second control voltage has nonlinearity.

5. An output power control device for a transmission signal, comprising:

nonlinear power amplifying means for controlling transmission power of said transmission signal;

separating means for separating a part of an output of said nonlinear power amplifying means;

detector means for detecting said separated output to obtain a detected voltage;

reference voltage generating means for generating a reference voltage;

comparing means for comparing said detected voltage with said reference voltage to output the difference between as a first control voltage; and

nonlinearity compensating means for converting said first control voltage to a second control voltage having a characteristic to compensate nonlinearity of said nonlinear power amplifying means so that said second control voltage is made a control signal for varying an amplification factor of said nonlinear power amplifying means.

6. An output power control device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said nonlinearity compensating means comprises a parallel circuit of a diode and a resistor.

7. An output power control device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said nonlinear power amplifying means comprises a variable power amplifier and a fixed power amplifier, and said second control voltage is supplied to said variable power amplifier.

8. An output power control device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said second control voltage has nonlinearity.

9. A method of controlling power of a transmission signal as an output of a nonlinear power amplifier, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting a voltage corresponding to power of a transmission signal;

obtaining a difference by comparing said detected voltage with a reference voltage;

generating a first control voltage corresponding to said obtained difference;

converting said first control voltage into a second control voltage having a characteristic to compensate nonlinearity of said nonlinear power amplifier; and

making said second control voltage a control signal for varying an amplification factor of said nonlinear power amplifier.