High power amplifier system having low power consumption and high dynamic range
First Claim
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1. A high power amplifier system, comprising:
- a voltage-to-current converter for generating a first control current in proportion to the difference voltage between a reference voltage and a first control voltage for controlling gain;
a difference voltage generator which outputs a second control voltage and a third control voltage in response to the first control current, wherein the difference between the second control voltage and third control voltage is substantially similar to the difference between the reference voltage and the first control voltage;
a bias control circuit which generates a bias control current in response to the first control current and at least one control signal;
a resistance component connected to the output of the bias control circuit and an input terminal; and
an amplification circuit for amplifying an input signal which is received through the input terminal in response to the second and third control voltages, wherein the input signal varies about a bias voltage generated by applying the bias control current through the resistance component, wherein the bias control circuit increases the magnitude of the bias current flowing in the amplification circuit as the magnitude of the first control voltage increases within a predetermined range of control voltages, wherein the bias control circuit decreases the magnitude of the bias current flowing in the amplification circuit when the as the magnitude of the first control voltage decreases within the predetermined range of control voltages, and wherein the bias control circuit controls the bias control current to generated a fixed magnitude bias current flow in the amplification circuit when the magnitude of the first control voltage is outside the predetermined range of control voltages.
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Abstract
A high power amplifier system having low electric power consumption and a high dynamic range is provided. The high power amplifier system receives at least one control signal for enabling selection of the maximum current and the minimum current, reference voltage, control voltage for controlling gain and an input signal and then selects the maximum and minimum currents in response to at least one control signal. If the control voltage for controlling gain, that is, the gain of an output signal with respect to an input signal has a high voltage value within a range between the maximum current and the minimum current, the high power amplifier system magnifies the amount of current flowing in an amplification circuit therein. If the control voltage for controlling gain, that is, the gain of an output signal with respect to an input signal is low, the high power amplifier system reduces the amount of current flowing in the amplification circuit. As a result, the high power amplifier system keeps a high dynamic range within a predetermined voltage range of the control voltage and enables a particular amount of current to flow in case the control voltage is over the predetermined voltage range, thereby minimizing the amount of current flowing therein.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. A high power amplifier system, comprising:
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a voltage-to-current converter for generating a first control current in proportion to the difference voltage between a reference voltage and a first control voltage for controlling gain;
a difference voltage generator which outputs a second control voltage and a third control voltage in response to the first control current, wherein the difference between the second control voltage and third control voltage is substantially similar to the difference between the reference voltage and the first control voltage;
a bias control circuit which generates a bias control current in response to the first control current and at least one control signal;
a resistance component connected to the output of the bias control circuit and an input terminal; and
an amplification circuit for amplifying an input signal which is received through the input terminal in response to the second and third control voltages, wherein the input signal varies about a bias voltage generated by applying the bias control current through the resistance component, wherein the bias control circuit increases the magnitude of the bias current flowing in the amplification circuit as the magnitude of the first control voltage increases within a predetermined range of control voltages, wherein the bias control circuit decreases the magnitude of the bias current flowing in the amplification circuit when the as the magnitude of the first control voltage decreases within the predetermined range of control voltages, and wherein the bias control circuit controls the bias control current to generated a fixed magnitude bias current flow in the amplification circuit when the magnitude of the first control voltage is outside the predetermined range of control voltages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
a maximum/minimum current selection circuit which, in response to at least one control signal, selects a maximum current and a minimum current, and outputs the selected maximum current;
a first difference current generating circuit which generates and mirrors a first difference current between the selected maximum and minimum currents, and outputs the first difference current to the maximum/minimum current selection circuit;
a Fermi-Dirac function generating circuit which generates a current substantially in proportion to the Fermi-Dirac function in response to the first difference current and the first control current output from the voltage-to-current converter; and
a second difference current generating circuit which generates and outputs a second difference current between the selected maximum current and the output current of the Fermi-Dirac function generating circuit.
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3. The high power amplifier system of claim 2, wherein the maximum/minimum current selection circuit comprises:
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a plurality of maximum current sources each supplying a maximum current of a different magnitude;
a plurality of minimum current sources each supplying a minimum current of a different magnitude;
a first switch for selecting one of the maximum current sources in response to a control signal;
a second switch for selecting one of the minimum current sources in response to a control signal;
an input terminal which receives the first difference current;
a first bipolar transistor operatively connected to the first switch and supply power ground, wherein the collector and base of the first bipolar transistor are connected; and
a second bipolar transistor operatively connected to the second switch and supply power ground, wherein the base of the second bipolar transistor is connected to the base of the first bipolar transistor, and wherein the collector of the second bipolar transistor is connected to the input terminal.
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4. The high power amplifier system of claim 2, wherein the first difference current generating circuit comprises:
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a first MOS transistor, operatively connect to supply power voltage and the maximum/minimum current selection circuit, for supplying the first difference current to the maximum/minimum current selection circuit through a difference current entrance terminal;
a second MOS transistor, operatively connected to supply power voltage and the first MOS transistor, for mirroring the first difference current flowing in the first MOS transistor;
a third bipolar transistor, operatively connected to the second MOS transistor and supply power voltage ground, wherein the base and collector of the third bipolar transistor are connected.
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5. The high power amplifier system of claim 2, wherein the Fermi-Dirac function generating circuit comprises:
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a fourth bipolar transistor operatively connected to supply power voltage, wherein the base of the fourth bipolar transistor receives as input the first control current output from the voltage-to-current converter;
a third MOS transistor operatively connected to supply power voltage;
a fifth bipolar transistor operatively connected to the third MOS transistor and the fourth bipolar transistor;
a second resistance component, connected to the base of the fourth and fifth bipolar transistors, wherein the first control current output from the voltage-to-current converter is applied to the second resistance component;
a sixth bipolar transistor, operatively connected to the fourth and fifth bipolar transistors and supply power voltage ground, wherein the base of the sixth bipolar transistor is operatively connected to the first difference current generating circuit for receiving the mirrored first difference current;
a first diode, operatively connected to the second resistance component; and
a third resistance component, operatively connected to the output of the first diode and supply power voltage ground.
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6. The high power amplifier system of claim 5, wherein the second difference current generating circuit comprises:
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a fourth MOS transistor operatively connected to supply power voltage and the third MOS transistor;
a fifth MOS transistor operatively connected to supply power voltage and the fourth MOS transistor;
a seventh bipolar transistor operatively connected to the fourth MOS transistor, the fifth MOS transistor and supply power voltage ground, wherein output of the maximum/minimum current selection circuit is connected to the base of the seventh bipolar transistor;
a sixth MOS transistor operatively connected to the gate of the fifth MOS transistor, supply power voltage and an output terminal of the bias control circuit;
an eighth bipolar transistor operatively connected to the sixth MOS transistor and the output terminal of the bias control circuit;
a fifth resistance component operatively connected to the base of the eighth bipolar transistor and the output terminal of the bias control circuit; and
a fourth impedance component operatively connected to the eighth bipolar transistor and the supply power voltage ground.
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Specification
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Current AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
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Original AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
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InventorsKo, Jin-su
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Primary Examiner(s)Lee, Benny
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Assistant Examiner(s)Choe, Henry
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Application NumberUS09/930,345Publication NumberTime in Patent Office349 DaysField of Search330/296, 330/261US Class Current330/296CPC Class CodesH03F 1/0266 by using a signal derived f...
