Droop compensation circuitry

• US 6,661,214 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: Polston, James John, Igawa, Makoto Andrew, Hann, Raymond Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhane, Adolf D.
• Application Number:
  US09/964,741
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 323/265, 323/273, 323/280, 323/284, 323/351
• US Class Current: 323/280
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/575 characterised by the feedback circuit

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention comprises a voltage regulator including a droop compensation circuit and a voltage regulator circuit. The droop compensation circuit compensates for an output that changes over a period of time. This variable output may be the result of voltage regulator droop and/or a load transistor droop. For instance, the voltage regulator droop may be associated with the decrease in regulator output voltage that occurs during the course of applying a load. The load transistor droop may correspond to the decrease in RF transistor gain that occurs over the course of a transmit pulse. The variable output could be attributable to other phenomena. Moreover, the variable output that is compensated for is not necessarily decreasing over time, but, in fact, could be increasing over time, or could exhibit increases and decreases over time.

Claims

1. A voltage regulator with a reference voltage for regulating voltage provided to load, a preamplifier circuit or amplifier circuit, comprising:

means for compensating for a droop that occurs over time; and

means for regulating a voltage output supplied to the load, the preamplifier circuit or the amplifier circuit;

wherein the voltage regulator reference voltage is adjusted by adding an offset voltage.

2. The voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein the means for compensating comprises a droop compensation circuit.

3. The voltage regulator of claim 2, wherein the means for compensating comprises a control circuit, an offset circuit, and a discharge circuit.

7. The voltage regulator of claim 3, wherein the discharge circuit comprises a transistor switch.

8. The voltage regulator of claim 2, wherein the droop compensation circuit compensates for a regulator droop.

9. The voltage regulator of claim 2, wherein the droop compensation circuit compensates for a load transistor droop.

10. The voltage regulator of claim 2, wherein the droop compensation circuit compensates for at least one of a group consisting of a regular droop and a load transistor droop.

11. A voltage regulator of claim 2, wherein the droop compensation circuit causes the load, the preamplifier circuit, or the amplifier circuit to have a substantially flat response over time.

12. The voltage regulator of claim 2, wherein the droop compensation circuit causes the load, the preamplifier circuit, or the amplifier circuit to have a non-flat response over the time, and further wherein the non-flat response is a desired response.

4. A voltage regulator for regulating voltage provided to load, a preamplifier circuit or amplifier circuit, comprising:

means for compensating for a droop that occurs over time; and

means for regulating a voltage output supplied to the load, the preamplifier circuit or the amplifier circuit;

wherein the means for compensating comprises a droop compensation circuit that comprise a control circuit, an offset circuit, and a discharge circuit;

wherein the control circuit comprises a line receiver for receiving a trigger input and at least one timing generator, wherein the at least one timing generator comprises at least one of a one shot device and an analog-to-digital converter.

5. A voltage regulator for regulating voltage provided to load, a preamplifier circuit or amplifier circuit, comprising:

means for compensating for a droop that occurs over time; and

means for regulating a voltage output supplied to the load, the preamplifier circuit or the amplifier circuit;

wherein the means for compensating comprises a droop compensation circuit that comprise a control circuit, an offset circuit, and a discharge circuit;

wherein the offset circuit comprise s a ramp generator.

6. A voltage regulator for regulating voltage provided to load, a preamplifier circuit or amplifier circuit, comprising:

means for compensating for a droop that occurs over time; and

means for regulating a voltage output supplied to the load, the preamplifier circuit or the amplifier circuit;

wherein the means for compensating comprises a droop compensation circuit that comprise a control circuit, an offset circuit, and a discharge circuit;

wherein the offset circuit comprises a ramp generator;

wherein the offset circuit further comprises a ramp discharge circuit for discharging the ramp generator.

13. A circuit for regulating voltage provided to a preamplifier circuit or an amplifier circuit, comprising:

a droop compensation circuit for compensating for a droop that occurs over time;

the droop compensation circuit adjusting a voltage regulator reference voltage; and

a voltage regulator supplying a voltage output to the preamplifier circuit or the amplifier circuit,

wherein at least one of (a) the voltage regulator and (b) the preamplifier circuit or amplifier circuit, contributes to the droop.

14. The circuit of claim 13, wherein both of (a) the voltage regulator and (b) the preamplifier circuit or amplifier circuit, contribute to the droop.

15. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the preamplifier circuit or the amplifier circuit is a transistor-based circuit.

16. The circuit of claim 15, wherein the transistor-based circuit comprises an RF input, an RF output, and at least one RF transistor.

17. The circuit of claim 16, wherein the RF output exhibits a substantially flat response over time, the period of time corresponding to a gate pulse.

18. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the voltage regulator is an on-line linear voltage regulator.

19. The circuit of claim 18, wherein the voltage regulator is used to regulate the voltage supplied to a preamplifier circuit or an amplifier circuit used in a solid-state pulsed radar system.

20. A circuit for regulating voltage provided to a preamplifier circuit or an amplifier circuit, comprising:

a droop compensation circuit for compensating for a droop that occurs over time; and

a voltage regulator supplying a voltage output to the preamplifier circuit or the amplifier circuit,

wherein at least one of (a) the voltage regulator and (b) the preamplifier circuit or amplifier circuit, contributes to the droop;

wherein the voltage regulator is an on-line linear voltage regulator; and

wherein the voltage regulator comprises a first input capacitor and a second output capacitor, the first input capacitor having a larger capacitance than the second output capacitor;

an error amplifier or a differential amplifier; and

an output resistance.

21. The circuit of claim 20, wherein the output resistance comprises a first resistance, the first resistance defining a first voltage drop between a negative terminal of the error amplifier or the differential amplifier and ground, and a second resistance, the second resistance defining a second voltage drop between the voltage output of the voltage regulator and the first voltage drop.

22. A circuit, comprising:

a droop compensation circuit, comprising a control circuit for controlling a variable voltage to be inputted into a voltage regulator, an offset circuit for generating an offset voltage to be combined with a reference voltage, and a regulator discharge circuit for discharging the output of the voltage regulator, wherein the droop compensation circuit is adapted to adjust a voltage regulator reference voltage;

a voltage regulator circuit coupled to said droop compensation circuit; and

a load, a preamplifier circuit, or an amplifier circuit receiving a voltage output from said voltage regulator circuit.

23. The circuit of claim 22, wherein the offset circuit comprises a ramp generator and a ramp discharge circuit.

24. The circuit of claim 22, wherein the regulator discharge circuit comprises a transistor switch.

25. The circuit of claim 22, wherein the droop compensation circuit compensates for at least one of a regulator droop and a load transistor droop.

26. The circuit of claim 22, wherein the droop compensation circuit compensates for a load transistor droop.

27. The circuit of claim 22, wherein the droop compensation circuit compensates for a regulator droop and a load transistor droop.

28. The circuit of claim 22, wherein the load, the preamplifier circuit, or the amplifier circuit exhibits a substantially flat output response.

29. The circuit of claim 22, wherein the load, the preamplifier circuit, or the amplifier circuit exhibits a non-flat output response, and further wherein the non-flat response is a desired response.

30. The circuit of claim 22, wherein the circuit is an on-line linear voltage regulator.

31. The circuit of claim 30, wherein the circuit is used in a solid state pulsed radar system.

32. The circuit of claim 30, wherein the voltage regulator circuit comprises a first input capacitor and a second output capacitor, the first input capacitor having a larger capacitance than the second output capacitor;

an error amplifier or a differential amplifier; and

an output resistance.

33. The circuit of claim 22, wherein the load, the preamplifier circuit, or the amplifier circuit, is a transistor-based circuit.

34. The circuit of claim 33, wherein the transistor-based circuit comprises an RF input, an RF output, and at least one transistor.

35. The circuit of claim 34, wherein the RF output exhibits a substantially flat response over a period of time, the period of time corresponding to a gate pulse.

36. A circuit, comprising:

a droop compensation circuit;

a voltage regulator circuit coupled to said droop compensation circuit and

a load, a preamplifier circuit, or an amplifier circuit receiving a voltage output from said voltage regulator circuit;

wherein the droop compensation circuit comprise a control circuit for controlling a variable voltage to be inputted into a voltage regulator, an offset circuit for generating an offset voltage to be combined with a reference voltage, and a regulator discharge circuit for discharging the output of the voltage regulator;

wherein the control circuit comprises a line receiver for receiving a trigger input and at least one timing generator, wherein the at least one timing generator comprises one of a one shot device and analog-to-digital converter.

37. A circuit, comprising:

a droop compensation circuit for compensating for a voltage droop that occurs over time;

a voltage regulator circuit for regulating voltage, said voltage regulator circuit being coupled to said droop compensation circuit; and

a load, a preamplifier circuit, or an amplifier circuit for receiving a voltage output from the voltage regulator circuit;

wherein the circuit is an on-line linear voltage regulator; and

wherein the voltage regulator circuit comprises a first input capacitor and a second output capacitor, the first input capacitor having a larger capacitance than the second output capacitor;

an error amplifier or a differential amplifier; and

an output resistance; and

wherein the output resistance comprises a first resistance, the first resistance defining a first voltage drop between a negative terminal of the error amplifier or the differential amplifier and ground, and a second resistance, the second resistance defining a second voltage drop between a voltage output of the voltage regulator and the first voltage drop.

38. A circuit, comprising:

a droop compensation circuit, wherein the droop compensation circuit comprise control means for controlling a variable voltage to be inputted into a voltage regulator, offset means for generating an offset voltage to be combined with a reference voltage, and discharge means for discharging the output of the voltage regulator, wherein the droop compensation circuit is adapted to adjust a voltage regulator reference voltage;

a voltage regulator circuit coupled to said droop compensation circuit;

wherein the voltage regulator circuit is an on-line linear regulator circuit used to regulate a pulsed radar system, and comprising a first input capacitor and a second output capacitor, the first input capacitor having a larger capacitance than the second output capacitor;

an error amplifier or a differential amplifier; and

an output resistance; and

a preamplifier circuit or an amplifier circuit receiving a voltage output from said voltage regulator circuit, wherein the preamplifier circuit or the amplifier circuit comprises a transistor-based circuit having an RF input, an RF output and multiple transistors.

39. A droop compensation circuit, comprising:

means for controlling a variable voltage to be input as an adjusted reference voltage;

means for generating the variable voltage;

wherein the variable voltage is capable of being input to a voltage regulator to offset a variable output.

40. The droop compensation circuit of claim 39, wherein the variable output results from a regulator droop.

41. The droop compensation circuit of claim 39, wherein the variable output results from a load transistor droop.

42. The droop compensation circuit of claim 39, wherein the variable output results from a regulator droop and load transistor droop.

43. The droop compensation circuit of claim 39, wherein the variable output is offset to achieve a desired output response for a period of time.

44. The droop compensation circuit of claim 43, wherein the desired output response is substantially flat over the period of time, the period of time corresponding to a gate pulse.

45. The droop compensation circuit of claim 43, wherein the desired output response is non-flat over the period of time.

46. The droop compensation circuit of claim 43, wherein the period of time corresponds to the duration of a radar pulse.

47. A droop compensation circuit, comprising:

a control circuit for controlling a variable voltage to be input as an adjusted reference voltage;

an offset circuit for generating the variable voltage;

wherein the variable voltage is capable of being input to a voltage regulator to offset a droop.

48. The droop compensation circuit of claim 47, wherein the control circuit includes a trigger input for activating the droop compensation circuit and a transmit gate output coupled to the offset circuit.

49. The droop compensation circuit of claim 48, wherein the trigger input activates the offset circuit prior to the application of a load to the voltage regulator.

50. The droop compensation circuit of claim 49, wherein the trigger input activates the offset circuit a predetermined amount of time prior to the application of the load.

51. The droop compensation circuit of claim 47, wherein the offset circuit includes a transmit gate input received from the control circuit and a nominal reference voltage input.

52. The droop compensation circuit of claim 51, wherein the variable voltage equals the nominal voltage plus a computed or selected offset.

53. The droop compensation circuit of claim 48, wherein the variable voltage adapted to be input to a positive terminal of an error amplifier or a differential amplifier.

54. The droop compensation circuit of claim 47, further comprising means for discharging a voltage output of the voltage regulator.

55. The droop compensation circuit of claim 54, wherein the means for discharging comprises a switching transistor.

56. The droop compensation circuit of claim 55, wherein the means for discharging is adapted to discharge excessive voltage from a voltage output of the voltage regulator.

57. The droop compensation circuit of claim 55, wherein the means for discharging includes an input from the control circuit that activates the means for discharging.

58. The droop compensation circuit of claim 55, wherein the means for discharging improves a recovery time for a voltage output of the voltage regulator to return to a nominal reference value.

59. A droop compensation circuit, comprising:

a control circuit for controlling a variable voltage to be input as an adjusted reference voltage;

an offset circuit for generating the variable voltage;

wherein the variable voltage is capable of being input to a voltage regulator to offset a droop;

wherein the control circuit comprises a line receiver for receiving a trigger input and at least one timing generator, wherein the at least one timing generator comprises at least one of a one shot device and an analog-to-digital converter.

60. A method to regulate voltage provided to a load, a preamplifier circuit, or an amplifier circuit, comprising:

providing a voltage supplied to the load, the preamplifier circuit, or the amplifier circuit;

compensating for a variable output;

wherein the step of compensating compensates for at least one of a regulator droop and a load transistor droop by adjusting a regulator reference voltage.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein the step of compensating compensates for both a regulator droop and a load transistor droop.

62. The method of claim 60, wherein the step of compensating renders a desired output response of the load, the preamplifier circuit or the amplifier circuit.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the desired output response is substantially flat.

64. The method of claim 62, wherein the desired output response is non-flat.

65. The method of claim 60, wherein the step of compensating comprises computing or selecting an offset to a nominal reference voltage over a period of time.

66. The method of claim 60, wherein the step of compensating comprises selecting a offset based on an offset ramp having a linear slope.

67. The method of claim 65, wherein the period of time corresponds to a transmit cycle in a solid-state pulsed radar system.

68. The method of claim 60, further comprising the step of discharging the voltage.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein the step of discharging returns the voltage to a nominal reference voltage.

70. The method of claim 69, wherein the step of discharging accelerates the return of the voltage to the nominal reference voltage.

71. The method of claim 60, wherein the step of providing is delayed for a first period of time after the step of compensating.

72. The method of claim 71, wherein the delay quickens a recovery time for the voltage to return to a nominal reference voltage.

73. The method of claim 71, wherein the delay reduces instability or oscillations otherwise present in the voltage output.