Power amplifier with integrated sensors

• US 7,253,681 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2006
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micro-Mobio
• Original Assignee: Micro-Mobio
• Inventors: Wang, Weiping, Ichitsubo, Ikuroh
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHANH V
• Application Number:
  US11/433,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20060202757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 330/85, 330/129, 330/140, 330/279, 330/285, 330/288, 330/289
• US Class Current: 330/140
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3042 in modulators, frequency-changers, transmitters or power amplifiers transmission power control in bidirectional transmission systems H04W52/04

Abstract

An amplifier circuit for amplifying radio frequency signals includes a radio frequency power amplifier to receive an input radio frequency signal and to output an amplified radio frequency signal; one or more sensors coupled to the radio frequency power amplifier to provide a closed-loop feedback signal; and a power sensor coupled to the amplified radio frequency signal.

Claims

1. An amplifier circuit for amplifying radio frequency signals, comprising:

a radio frequency power amplifier to receive an input radio frequency signal and to output an amplified radio frequency signal;

one or more sensors coupled to the radio frequency power amplifier to provide a closed-loop feedback signal; and

a power sensor coupled to the amplified radio frequency signal, wherein the sensors comprise a gain sensor and a phase sensor coupled to the radio frequency power amplifier.

2. The amplifier circuit of claim 1, wherein the gain sensor is coupled to the radio frequency power amplifier to measure output amplitude.

3. The amplifier circuit of claim 1, wherein the phase sensor is coupled to the radio frequency power amplifier to measure output phase.

4. The amplifier circuit of claim 1, wherein the power sensor generates a power-sensing signal substantially proportional to the strength of the amplified radio frequency signal.

5. The amplifier circuit of claim 4 wherein the power-sensing signal is provided to an external circuit through a low-pass filter.

6. The amplifier circuit of claim 1, comprising a mode signal to control a power level and a linearity of the radio frequency power amplifier output power.

7. The amplifier circuit of claim 1, comprising an adaptive load control unit coupled to the radio frequency power amplifier.

8. The amplifier circuit of claim 7, comprising one or more switching devices to change a matching network of the radio frequency power amplifier.

9. The amplifier circuit of claim 1, comprising:

an impedance-matching circuit coupled to the output of the radio frequency power amplifier; and

an attenuator coupled to the impedance-matching circuit.

10. A circuit for sensing radio frequency signals, comprising:

a radio frequency power amplifier to receive an input radio frequency signal and to output an amplified radio frequency signal;

a phase sensor coupled to the radio frequency power amplifier to provide a closed-loop phase feedback signal;

a gain sensor coupled to the radio frequency power amplifier to provide a closed-loop gain feedback signal; and

a power sensor coupled to the radio frequency power amplifier to provide a closed-loop power feedback signal, the power sensor providing a power-sensing signal, wherein the power sensor generates a power-sensing signal substantially proportional to the strength of the amplified radio frequency signal and wherein the power-sensing signal is provided to an external circuit through a low-pass filter.

11. The circuit of claim 10 wherein the power-sensing signal is substantially proportional to the strength of the input radio frequency signal.

12. The circuit of claim 10 wherein the power-sensing signal is provided to an external circuit through a low-pass filter.

13. The circuit of claim 10, comprising a power control signal to turn on or off the radio frequency power amplifier.

14. The circuit of claim 10, comprising a mode signal to control a power level and a linearity of the radio frequency power amplifier output power.

15. The circuit of claim 14 wherein the mode signal comprises one of:

a parallel signal, a serial signal.

16. A circuit for sensing radio frequency (RF) signals, comprising:

a radio frequency power amplifier to receive an input radio frequency signal and to output an amplified radio frequency signal;

one or more sensors coupled to the power amplifier to provide a closed-loop feedback signal; and

a power sensor coupled to the power amplifier to provide a closed-loop power feedback signal, the power sensor providing a power-sensing signal, wherein the sensors comprise a gain sensor and a phase sensor coupled to the radio frequency power amplifier.

17. The circuit of claim 16, comprising a processor coupled to at least one of the sensors to compensate for distortion caused by one of:

temperature, environment, load, component age, output power level.