High-efficiency high-power amplifier

• US 6,583,679 B1
• Filed: 06/28/2001
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford University)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford University)
• Inventors: Soltan, Mehdi F., Lee, Thomas H., Cox, Donald C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mis, David C.
• Application Number:
  US09/893,917
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 332/149, 332/151-153, 332/183, 332/184, 330/10, 341/143
• US Class Current: 332/149
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0222 by using a signal derived from the input signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/331 Sigma delta modulation being used in an amplifying circuit

Abstract

An inexpensive method and means for generating high power envelope-modulated radio frequency signals is disclosed. Embodiments provide EER amplification and separate modulation of information encoded as phase angle and as amplitude. An envelope modulated signal generation apparatus comprising a source of carrier signal, a source of a binary data stream, a pulse deletion logic and a current switch is disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for generating a signal, the method comprising:

a. providing a carrier signal comprising pulses;

b. providing a binary data stream that represents information;

c. generating a first control signal from the carrier signal by excluding pulses selected in response to the binary data stream;

d. providing a high speed switching device having a control terminal; and

e. impressing the first control signal upon the control terminal of the high speed switching device to produce a higher powered signal;

whereby an envelope modulated signal is generated.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

f. filtering the higher powered signal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the binary data stream is created by a Sigma-Delta modulator.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the binary data stream is created by a Delta modulator.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the binary data stream is created by a pulse code modulator.

6. A method for generating a signal, the method comprising the steps of:

a. step for providing a carrier signal comprising pulses;

b. step for providing a binary data stream that represents information;

c. step for generating a first control signal from the carrier signal by excluding pulses selected in response to the binary data stream;

d. step for providing a high speed switching device having a control terminal; and

e. step for impressing the first control signal upon the control terminal of the high speed switching device to produce a higher powered signal;

whereby an envelope modulated signal is generated.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of:

f. step for filtering the higher powered signal.

8. An apparatus for generating an envelope modulated signal comprising:

a source of carrier signal;

a source of a binary data stream;

a pulse deletion logic for receiving the carrier signal and producing a control signal in response to the binary data stream; and

a current switching device for generating an output signal in response to the control signal, the output signal having a greater amplitude than the carrier signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

a filter for waveform shaping of the output signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein:

the source of a binary data stream is a Sigma-Delta modulator.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein:

the source of a binary data stream is a Delta modulator.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein:

the source of a binary data stream is a pulse code modulator.

13. An amplifying apparatus comprising:

a demodulator for recovering a baseband signal from an envelope modulated signal;

a digitizer for converting the baseband signal into a binary data stream;

an envelope eliminator for recovering a carrier signal from the envelope modulated signal;

a pulse deletion logic for receiving the carrier signal and producing a control signal in response to the binary data stream; and

a current switching device for generating an output signal in response to the control signal, the output signal having a greater amplitude than the envelope modulated signal.

14. The amplifying apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

a filter for waveform shaping of the output signal.

15. The amplifying apparatus of claim 14 wherein:

the digitizer is a Sigma-Delta modulator.