Power control and modulation of switched-mode power amplifiers with one or more stages
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An RF amplifier apparatus, comprising:
- an input stage having an input configured to receive an RF input signal, and having a power supply port configured to receive a constant amplitude supply voltage;
an intermediate stage having an input configured to receive an output signal, or derivative thereof, from an output of the input stage; and
an output stage configured to provide an RF output signal, said output stage having a power supply port configured to receive a variable amplitude supply voltage that directly controls the RF output power of the output stage.
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Abstract
This invention controls and modulates switched-mode power amplifiers to enable the production of signals that include amplitude modulation (and possibly, but not necessarily, phase modulation), the average power of which may be controlled over a potentially wide range.
58 Citations
28 Claims
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1. An RF amplifier apparatus, comprising:
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an input stage having an input configured to receive an RF input signal, and having a power supply port configured to receive a constant amplitude supply voltage;
an intermediate stage having an input configured to receive an output signal, or derivative thereof, from an output of the input stage; and
an output stage configured to provide an RF output signal, said output stage having a power supply port configured to receive a variable amplitude supply voltage that directly controls the RF output power of the output stage. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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2. An RF amplifier apparatus, comprising:
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an input stage having an input configured to receive an RF input signal, and having a power supply port configured to receive a constant amplitude supply voltage;
an intermediate stage having an input configured to receive an output signal, or derivative thereof, from an output of the input stage, and configured to receive a variable amplitude supply voltage; and
an output stage configured to provide an RF output signal, said output stage having a power supply port configured to receive the variable amplitude supply voltage for directly controlling the RF output power of the output stage. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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3. An RF amplifier, comprising:
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an input amplifier state having an input configured to receive an RF input signal;
an output amplifier stage having an input configured to receive a signal from an output of said input amplifier stage and an output configured to provide an amplified RF output signal; and
a power control circuit having a power regulator configured to provide a variable amplitude supply voltage to a power supply port of said output amplifier stage, and a power regulator control circuit having a power setting input and an output configured to provide a power control signal to an input of said power regulator, wherein said power control circuit directly controls the RF output power of the output amplifier stage, and wherein said power regulator control circuit includes an operational amplifier having an input configured to receive a feedback signal from said power regulator. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of directly controlling an RF output power of a multistage RF amplifier, comprising:
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applying a first RF signal to an input of a first amplifier stage;
coupling an RF output signal from an output of said first an amplifier stage to an input of an output amplifier state;
applying a variable amplitude supply voltage to a power supply port of said output amplifier stage;
using said variable amplitude supply voltage to directly control the RF power provided by the output amplifier stage; and
applying a second variable amplitude supply voltage to a power supply port of said first amplifier stage. - View Dependent Claims (13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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14. An RF amplifier apparatus, comprising:
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first amplifying means for amplifying an RE input signal;
second amplifying means for amplifying a first means RF output signal received from said first amplifying means to provide an RF output signal;
means for generating a variable amplitude supply voltage and supplying it to said second amplifying means;
means for adjusting said variable amplitude supply voltage to directly control the RF power of the RF output signal; and
means for generating a second variable amplitude supply voltage and supplying it to said first amplifying means. - View Dependent Claims (15, 28)
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Specification