Scalable power amplifier

• US 7,313,416 B1
• Filed: 09/01/2004
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Jones, Allen W., Barta, Russell W., Barlett, James L., Harmon, Clayton
• Primary Examiner(s): D'Agosta; Steve M.
• Application Number:
  US10/931,758
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/98, 455/127.1, 455/234.2, 455/232.1, 455/562.1, 375/297, 330/133, 330/278, 343/850
• US Class Current: 455/562.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0483 Transmitters with multiple parallel paths
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/0416 having gain or transmission power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0682 using phase diversity (e.g. phase sweeping)

Abstract

A power amplifier for a dual antenna is disclosed. The power amplifier comprises at least four controlled amplifier loops receiving a signal to be transmitted. The power amplifier also comprises a first combining structure combining at least two of the amplifier loops and a second combining structure combining at least two of the amplifier loops. The power amplifier also comprises a ninety degree hybrid receiving output from the first and second combining structures and providing output to a first antenna output and a second antenna output.

Claims

1. A power amplifier for a dual antenna disposed on an aircraft, the power amplifier comprising:

at least four controlled amplifier loops receiving a signal to be transmitted, each of the at least four controlled amplifier loops providing a controlled loop signal;

a first combining structure combining the controlled loop signals provided by at least a first two of the amplifier loops;

a second combining structure combining the controlled loop signals provided by at least a second two of the amplifier loops;

a ninety degree hybrid receiving output from the first and second combining structures and providing output to a first antenna output for a first aircraft antenna associated with the dual antenna and a second antenna output for a second aircraft antenna associated with the dual antenna; and

phase shifters associated with the controlled amplifier loops to control the phase of the controlled loop signals provided to the first combining structure and the second combining structure, the phase shifters thereby affecting the output from the first and second combining structures and received by the ninety degree hybrid, each phase shifter receiving a phase control signal from a control for adjusting the power provided to the first aircraft antenna relative to the second aircraft antenna;

whereby the architecture of the power amplifier provides a dynamic range above 30 dB and a resolution of power control of less than 1 dB in an aircraft environment.

2. The power amplifier of claim 1, wherein the controlled amplifier loops comprise more than one power amplifier.

3. The power amplifier of claim 2, wherein at least one of the power amplifiers is a nonlinear power amplifier.

4. The power amplifier of claim 1, wherein the first combining structure and the second combining structure comprise Wilkinson combiners.

5. The power amplifier of claim 1,

wherein the first aircraft antenna is a lower aircraft antenna and the second aircraft antenna is an upper aircraft antenna.

6. A power amplifier for a dual antenna disposed on an aircraft, the power amplifier comprising:

at least four controlled amplifier loops receiving a signal to be transmitted the controlled amplifier loops comprising at least one power amplifier;

a first combining structure combining at least a first two of the amplifier loops;

a second combining structure combining at least a second two of the amplifier loops; and

a ninety degree hybrid receiving output from the first and second combining structures and providing output to a first antenna output for a first aircraft antenna associated with the dual antenna and a second antenna output for a second aircraft antenna associated with the dual antenna, whereby the architecture of the power amplifier provides a dynamic range above 30 dB and a resolution of power control of less than 1 dB in an aircraft environment,

wherein at least one of the power amplifiers is a nonlinear power amplifier,

wherein the first combining structure and the second combining structure comprise Wilkinson combiners, and

wherein the first aircraft antenna is a lower aircraft antenna and the second aircraft antenna is an upper aircraft antenna.

7. The power amplifier of claim 6, wherein independent control of the phase and amplitude of the controlled amplifier loops is provided.

8. The power amplifier of claim 6, wherein the at least four controlled amplifier loops control phase.

9. The power amplifier of claim 6, wherein the first combining structure and the second combining structure comprise ninety degree hybrids.

10. A method of providing an amplified antenna signal to a dual antenna structure including a first aircraft antenna and a second aircraft antenna disposed on an aircraft, the method allowing fine resolution of power control in an aircraft environment, the method comprising:

providing a signal to at least four controlled amplifier loops;

combining signals from at least a first two of the amplifier loops with a first combining structure;

combining signals from at least a second two of the amplifier loops with a second combining structure;

receiving output from the first and second combining structures by a ninety degree hybrid;

providing output from the ninety degree hybrid to a first antenna output for the first aircraft antenna associated with the dual antenna;

providing output from the ninety degree hybrid to a second antenna output for the second aircraft antenna associated with the dual antenna; and

controlling the power provided to the first aircraft antenna relative to the second aircraft antenna by tuning the phase shifts provided by the at least four controlled amplifier loops, each of the at least four controlled amplifier loops including a phase shifter.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

controlling the phase of the controlled loop signals.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

controlling the phase and amplitude of the controlled loop signals.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the power amplifiers is a nonlinear power amplifier.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first combining structure and the second combining structure comprise Wilkinson combiners.

15. The method of claim 10,

wherein the first aircraft antenna is a lower aircraft antenna and the second aircraft antenna is an upper aircraft antenna.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the first combining structure and the second combining structure comprise ninety degree hybrids.

17. A power amplifier for use on an aircraft, the power amplifier being for use with a dual antenna structure including a first aircraft antenna and a second aircraft antenna disposed on the aircraft, comprising:

means for providing a signal to at least four controlled amplifier loops, the at least four controlled amplifier loops outputting controlled loop signals;

means for combining the controlled loop signals from at least two of the amplifier loops with a first combining structure;

means for combining the controlled loop signals from at least two of the amplifier loops with a second combining structure;

means for receiving output from the first and second combining structures by a ninety degree hybrid;

means for providing output to a first antenna output coupled to the first aircraft antenna and a second antenna output coupled to the second aircraft antenna from the ninety degree hybrid; and

means for tuning the phase of the controlled loop signals to control the power provided to the first aircraft antenna relative to the second aircraft antenna;

wherein the architecture of the power amplifier provides a dynamic range of more than 30 dB and a resolution of power control of less than 1 dB in an aircraft environment.

18. The power amplifier of claim 17,

wherein the means for tuning the phase includes a digitally tunable control.

19. The power amplifier of claim 17, further comprising:

a means for controlling the amplitude of the controlled loop signals.

20. The power amplifier of claim 17, wherein at least one of the power amplifiers is a nonlinear power amplifier.

21. The power amplifier of claim 17, wherein the first combining structure and the second combining structure comprise Wilkinson combiners.

22. The power amplifier of claim 17,

wherein the first aircraft antenna is a lower aircraft antenna and the second aircraft antenna is an upper aircraft antenna.

23. The power amplifier of claim 17, wherein the first combining structure and the second combining structure comprise ninety degree hybrids.