Power amplifier device and method thereof

• US 6,809,593 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2003
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: North Star Innovations Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Newman, David A., Gilsdorf, Benjamin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Choe, Henry
• Application Number:
  US10/424,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20040212433A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 330/285, 330/296, 330/288, 330/298, 330/207.P
• US Class Current: 330/285
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/302 in bipolar transistor amplifiers H03F1/303, H03F1/305, H03F1/307 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/504 the supply voltage or current being continuously controlled by a controlling signal, e.g. the controlling signal of a transistor implemented as variable resistor in a supply path for, an IC-block showed amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/211 using a combination of several amplifiers H03F3/60 takes precedence

Abstract

A power amplifier'"'"'s base current is biased by a control circuit that produces a linear relationship across varying temperatures and processes. A voltage to current converter controls a voltage follower configured operational amplifier in response to a reference device to drive the voltage and current of the power amplifier. A slope control circuit is coupled to the reference device to limit a maximum power control slope.

Claims

1. A radio frequency power amplifier device comprising:

a current source to provide a total current;

a control circuit coupled to the current source, the control circuit responsive to a first portion of the total current;

a reference device responsive to the control circuit, the reference device having an input responsive to a second portion of the total current and having a reference output; and

an amplifier responsive to the reference device, the amplifier comprising a control input, a radio frequency input, and a radio frequency output.

2. The radio frequency power amplifier of claim 1, wherein the control input is responsive to the reference output.

3. The radio frequency power amplifier device of claim 1, wherein the RF output is to provide a signal proportional to a signal at the reference output.

4. The radio frequency power amplifier device of claim 1 further comprising a buffer coupled between the reference device and the amplifier.

5. The radio frequency power amplifier device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is slope control circuit to control a maximum slope of the radio frequency power amplifier.

6. The radio frequency power amplifier device of claim 5, wherein the slope control circuit comprises a resistive element.

7. The radio frequency power amplifier device of claim 6, wherein the slope control circuit comprises a voltage reference.

8. The radio frequency power amplifier device of claim 6, wherein the slope control circuit comprises a transistor.

9. The radio frequency power amplifier device of claim 1, wherein the reference device comprises a current rectifying device.

10. The radio frequency power amplifier device of claim 9, wherein the current rectifying device is a transistor having its control electrode tied to one of its current electrodes.

11. The radio frequency power amplifier device of claim 1, wherein the total current of the current source is responsive to a voltage input.