Power amplifier and communication unit

• US 6,313,700 B1
• Filed: 06/29/2000
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Osamu, Kunihisa, Taketo, Nishijima, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Shingleton, Michael B
• Application Number:
  US09/607,424
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 455/126, 330/51, 330/129, 330/295, 330/302, 330/124.D, 330/124.R
• US Class Current: 330/51
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/294 the amplifier being a low noise amplifier [LNA]
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/372 Noise reduction and elimination in amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/7215 the gated amplifier being switched on or off by a switch at the input of the amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/7221 the gated amplifier being switched on or off by a switch at the output of the amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/7231 the gated amplifier being switched on or off by putting into cascade or not, by choosing between amplifiers by one or more switch(es)
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/7233 the gated amplifier, switched on or off by putting into parallel or not, by choosing between amplifiers by one or more switch(es), being impedance adapted by switching an adapted passive network
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/7236 the gated amplifier being switched on or off by putting into parallel or not, by choosing between amplifiers by (a ) switch(es)
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/602 Combinations of several amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/68 Combinations of amplifiers, e.g. multi-channel amplifiers for stereophonics power amplifiers using a combination of several semiconductor amplifiers H03F3/211; combinations of amplifiers using coupling networks with distributed constants H03F3/602
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/72 Gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal

Abstract

A power amplifier including: a first amplifier PA2 having an input terminal and an output terminal; a passive circuit PC3 having an input terminal and an output terminal; and a first switch SW2 having a single-pole terminal and two multi-throw terminals, one of the multi-throw terminals of the first switch SW2 being connected to the input terminal of the first amplifier PA2 and the other of the multi-throw terminals of the first switch SW2 being connected to the input terminal of the passive circuit PC3. This makes it possible to provide a power amplifier and a communication unit which can be operated with different frequencies, output powers or modulation types.

Claims

1. A power amplifier comprising:

a first amplifier;

a first switch having a single-pole node and two or more multi-throw nodes, the single-pole node being connected to an output side of the first amplifier,

a second amplifier which is connected to at least one of the multi-throw nodes of the first switch; and

an output matching circuit which is connected to at least another multi-throw node of the first switch,

wherein the second amplifier receives and outputs a signal having a first frequency and the output matching circuit receives and outputs a signal having a second frequency, the first frequency and the second frequency being different from each other.

2. A power amplifier according to claim 1, further comprising a second switch having a single-pole node and two or more multi-throw nodes,

wherein an output side of the second amplifier is connected to one of the multi-throw nodes of the second switch and an output side of the output matching circuit is connected to another multi-throw node of the second switch.

3. A power amplifier according to claim 1, wherein the second amplifier is comprised of discrete components.

4. A power amplifier according to claim 1, wherein a 3 dB band width of the first amplifier includes a range from about 800 MHz to about 2.5 GHz.

5. A power amplifier according to claim 1, wherein gain characteristics of the first amplifier include at least two peaks.

6. A power amplifier according to claim 5, wherein, a first band which is a frequency range corresponding to a range from a first gain at a first peak of the gain characteristics of the first amplifier to −

3 dB of the first gain, includes 1.5 GHz and, a second band which is a frequency range corresponding to a range from a second gain at a second peak of the gain characteristics of the first amplifier to −

3 dB of the second gain, includes 1.9 GHz.

7. A power amplifier according to claim 5, wherein, a first band which is a frequency range corresponding to a range from a first gain at a first peak of the gain characteristics of the first amplifier to −

3 dB of the first gain, includes 900 MHz and, a second band which is a frequency range corresponding to a range from a second gain at a second peak of the gain characteristics of the first amplifier to −

3 dB of the second gain, includes 1.9 GHz.

8. A power amplifier according to claim 1, wherein the first switch and the first amplifier are formed on one and the same semiconductor substrate.

9. A power amplifier according to claim 8, wherein the output matching circuit is formed on the semiconductor substrate.

10. A power amplifier according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply controller for controlling a power to be supplied to the second amplifier in response to switching of the first switch.

11. A power amplifier according to claim 1, wherein the second amplifier receives, amplifies and then outputs an analog signal and the output matching circuit receives and outputs a digital signal.

12. A power amplifier according to claim 1, wherein the second amplifier receives and outputs a first digital signal and the output matching circuit receives and outputs a second digital signal.

13. A power amplifier according to claim 1, wherein the first frequency is higher than the second frequency.

14. A power amplifier according to claim 1, wherein the second amplifier outputs a signal having a first output power, the output matching circuit outputs a signal having a second output power and a ratio of the first output power to the second output power is equal to larger than 5.

15. A power amplifier comprising:

a first amplifier;

a first switch having a single-pole node and two or more multi-throw nodes, the single-pole node being connected to an output side of the first amplifier;

a second amplifier which is connected to at least one of the multi-throw nodes of the first switch; and

a third amplifier which is connected to at least another multi-throw node of the first switch,

wherein the second amplifier receives and outputs a signal having a first frequency and the third amplifier receives and outputs a signal having a second frequency, the first frequency and the second frequency being different from each other.

16. A power amplifier according to claim 15, further comprising a second switch having a single-pole node and two or more multi-throw nodes,

wherein an output side of the second amplifier is connected to one of the multi-throw nodes of the second switch and an output side of the third amplifier is connected to another multi-throw node of the second switch.

17. A power amplifier according to claim 15, wherein the second amplifier and the third amplifier are comprised of discrete components.

18. A power amplifier according to claim 15, wherein a 3 dB band width of the first amplifier includes a range from about 800 MHz to about 2.5 GHz.

19. A power amplifier according to claim 15, wherein gain characteristics of the first amplifier include at least two peaks.

20. A power amplifier according to claim 19, wherein, a first band which is a frequency range corresponding to a range from a first gain at a first peak of the gain characteristics of the first amplifier to −

3 dB of the first gain, includes 1.5 GHz and, a second band which is a frequency range corresponding to a range from a second gain at a second peak of the gain characteristics of the first amplifier to −

3 dB of the second gain, includes 1.9 GHz.

21. A power amplifier according to claim 19, wherein, a first band which is a frequency range corresponding to a range from a first gain at a first peak of the gain characteristics of the first amplifier to −

3 dB of the first gain, includes 900 MHz and, a second band which is a frequency range corresponding to a range from a second gain at a second peak of the gain characteristics of the first amplifier to −

3 dB of the second gain, includes 1.9 GHz.

22. A power amplifier according to claim 15, wherein at least two of the first switch, the second switch, the first amplifier, the second amplifier and the third amplifier are formed on one and the same semiconductor substrate.

23. A power amplifier according to claim 22, wherein the third amplifier is formed on the semiconductor substrate.

24. A power amplifier according to claim 15, further comprising a power supply controller for controlling a power to be supplied to at least one of the second amplifier and the third amplifier in response to switching of the first switch.

25. A power amplifier according to claim 15, wherein the second amplifier receives, amplifies and then outputs an analog signal and the third amplifier receives, amplifies and then outputs a digital signal.

26. A power amplifier according to claim 15, wherein the second amplifier receives and outputs a first digital signal and the third amplifier receives and outputs a second digital signal.

27. A power amplifier according to claim 15, wherein the first frequency is higher than the second frequency.

28. A power amplifier according to claim 15, wherein the second amplifier outputs a signal having a first output power, the third amplifier outputs a signal having a second output power and a ratio of the first output power to the second output power is equal to larger than 5.

29. A power amplifier comprising:

an amplifier;

a first switch having a single-pole node and two or more multi-throw nodes, the single-pole node being connected to an output side of the amplifier; and

a first output matching circuit which is connected to at least one of the multi-throw nodes of the first switch; and

a second output matching circuit which is connected to at least another multi-throw node of the first switch,

wherein the first output matching circuit receives and outputs a signal having a first frequency and the second output matching circuit receives and outputs a signal having a second frequency, the first frequency and the second frequency being different from each other.

30. A power amplifier according to claim 29, further comprising a second switch having a single-pole node and two or more multi-throw nodes,

wherein an output side of the first output matching circuit is connected to one of the multi-throw nodes of the second switch and an output side of the second output matching circuit is connected to another multi-throw node of the second switch.

31. A power amplifier according to claim 29, wherein the amplifier is comprised of discrete components.

32. A power amplifier according to claim 29, wherein a 3 dB band width of the amplifier includes a range from about 800 MHz to about 2.5 GHz.

33. A power amplifier according to claim 29, wherein gain characteristics of the amplifier include at least two peaks.

34. A power amplifier according to claim 33, wherein, a first band which is a frequency range corresponding to a range from a first gain at a first peak of the gain characteristics of the amplifier to −

3 dB of the first gain, includes 1.5 GHz and, a second band which is a frequency range corresponding to a range from a second gain at a second peak of the gain characteristics of the amplifier to −

3 dB of the second gain, includes 1.9 GHz.

35. A power amplifier according to claim 33, wherein, a first band which is a frequency range corresponding to a range from a first gain at a first peak of the gain characteristics of the amplifier to −

3 dB of the first gain, includes 900 MHz and, a second band which is a frequency range corresponding to a range from a second gain at a second peak of the gain characteristics of the amplifier to −

3 dB of the second gain, includes 1.9 GHz.

36. A power amplifier according to claim 29, wherein the first switch and the amplifier are formed on one and the same semiconductor substrate.

37. A power amplifier according to claim 36, wherein at least one of the first output matching circuit and the second output matching circuit is formed on the semiconductor substrate.

38. A power amplifier according to claim 29, wherein the first output matching circuit receives and outputs an analog signal and the second output matching circuit receives and outputs a digital signal.

39. A power amplifier according to claim 29, wherein the first output matching circuit receives and outputs a first digital signal and the second output matching circuit receives and outputs a second digital signal.

40. A power amplifier according to claim 29, wherein the first frequency is higher than the second frequency.

41. A power amplifier according to claim 29, further comprising:

a third output matching circuit having an input node and an output node;

a fourth output matching circuit having an input node and an output node;

a second switch having a single-pole node and two or more multi-throw nodes; and

a third switch having a single-pole node and two or more multi-throw nodes,

wherein at least one of the multi-throw nodes of the second switch is connected to the input node of the third output matching circuit and at least another multi-throw node of the second switch is connected to the input node of the fourth output matching circuit,

and wherein one of the multi-throw nodes of the third switch is connected to the output node of the third output matching circuit and another multi-throw node of the third switch is connected to the output node of the fourth output matching circuit.

42. A power amplifier according to claim 41, further comprising a fourth switch having a single-pole node and two or more multi-throw nodes,

wherein at least one of the multi-throw nodes of the fourth switch is connected to the output node of the first output matching circuit and at least another multi-throw node of the fourth switch is connected to the output node of the second output matching circuit.

43. A power amplifier comprising:

a first amplifier;

a first switch having a single-pole node and two or more multi-throw nodes, the single-pole node being connected to an output side of the first amplifier,

a second amplifier which is connected to at least one of the multi-throw nodes of the first switch;

an output matching circuit which is connected to at least another multi-throw node of the first switch;

a second switch having a single-pole node and two or more multi-throw nodes, wherein an output side of the second amplifier is connected to one of the multi-throw nodes of the second switch and an output side of the output matching circuit is connected to another multi-throw node of the second switch; and

a power supply controller for controlling a power to be supplied to the second amplifier in response to switching of the first switch.

44. A power amplifier comprising:

a first amplifier;

a first switch having a single-pole node and two or more multi-throw nodes, the single-pole node being connected to an output side of the first amplifier;

a second amplifier which is connected to at least one of the multi-throw nodes of the first switch;

a third amplifier which is connected to at least another multi-throw node of the first switch;

a second switch having a single-pole node and two or more multi-throw nodes, wherein an output side of the second amplifier is connected to one of the multi-throw nodes of the second switch and an output side of the third amplifier is connected to another multi-throw node of the second switch; and

a power supply controller for controlling a power to be supplied to at least one of the second amplifier and the third amplifier in response to switching of the first switch.