High-frequency power amplifier module

• US 7,408,405 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2005
• Issued: 08/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Renesas Technology Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohnishi, Masami, Tanoue, Tomonori, Matsumoto, Hidetoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Khanh V
• Application Number:
  US11/182,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20060061417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 330/51, 330/124.R, 330/286, 330/295, 330/302
• US Class Current: 330/51
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0277 Selecting one or more amplifiers from a plurality of amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/7206 the gated amplifier being switched on or off by a switch in the bias circuit of the amplifier controlling a bias voltage in the amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/191 Tuned amplifiers H03F3/193, H03F3/195 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/72 Gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal

Abstract

For use in an amplifier configuration including a high-power amplifier and a low-power amplifier which are always interconnected in terms of high frequencies and between which switching is made using no switches, a highly stable high-frequency power amplifier module with high isolation between the amplifiers is provided. To reduce wrapping around from a low-power amplifier section in an activated state to a high-power amplifier section in a deactivated state or from the high-power amplifier section in an activated state to the low-power amplifier section in a deactivated state, an input matching circuit having high isolation characteristics is included in an input matching circuit portion which does not have much to do with amplifier efficiency. Switching of each of the amplifier sections between an activated state and a deactivated state is effected by control using bias input terminals.

Claims

1. A high-frequency power amplifier module comprising:

a first amplifier section which power amplifies a high-frequency signal;

a second amplifier section which power amplifies a high-frequency signal;

an input matching circuit which performs input matching between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section; and

an output matching circuit which performs output matching between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section,

wherein operations of the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section are switched to operate inversely of each other by control using a bias voltage or a bias current,

wherein the input matching circuit has a high isolation characteristic between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section, and

wherein the input matching circuit is comprised of a Wilkinson divider.

2. The high-frequency power amplifier module according to claim 1, wherein the Wilkinson divider is comprised of a lumped constant circuit.

3. The high-frequency power amplifier module according to claim 1, wherein the Wilkinson divider is comprised of a distributed constant circuit.

4. The high-frequency power amplifier module according to claim 1, wherein impedances and distributions at divider terminals of the Wilkinson divider making up the input matching circuit differ for the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section.

5. The high-frequency power amplifier module according to claim 1, wherein impedances or distributions at divider terminals of the Wilkinson divider making up the input matching circuit differ for the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section.

6. A high-frequency power amplifier module comprising:

a first amplifier section which power amplifies a high-frequency signal;

a second amplifier section which power amplifies a high-frequency signal;

an input matching circuit which performs input matching between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section; and

an output matching circuit which performs output matching between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section,

wherein operations of the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section are switched to operate inversely of each other by control using a bias voltage or a bias current,

wherein the input matching circuit has a high isolation characteristic between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section, and

wherein the first amplifier section is comprised of a high-power amplifier and the second amplifier section comprised of a low-power amplifier.

7. A high-frequency power amplifier module comprising:

a first amplifier section which power amplifies a high-frequency signal;

a second amplifier section which power amplifies a high-frequency signal;

an input matching circuit which performs input matching between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section; and

an output matching circuit which performs output matching between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section,

wherein operations of the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section are switched to operate inversely of each other by control using a bias voltage or a bias current,

wherein the input matching circuit has a high isolation characteristic between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section, and

wherein impedances and distributions at divider terminals of the input matching circuit differ for the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section.

8. A high-frequency power amplifier module comprising:

a first amplifier section which power amplifies a high-frequency signal;

a second amplifier section which power amplifies a high-frequency signal;

an input matching circuit which performs input matching between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section; and

an output matching circuit which performs output matching between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section,

wherein operations of the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section are switched to operate inversely of each other by control using a bias voltage or a bias current,

wherein the input matching circuit has a high isolation characteristic between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section, and

wherein impedances or distributions at divider terminals of the input matching circuit differ for the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section.

9. A high-frequency power amplifier module comprising:

a first amplifier section which power amplifies a high-frequency signal;

a second amplifier section which power amplifies a high-frequency signal;

an input matching circuit which performs input matching between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section; and

an output matching circuit which performs output matching between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section,

wherein the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section are switched to operate inversely of each other by using bias control,

wherein the input matching circuit has a high isolation characteristic between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section, and

wherein the input matching circuit is comprised of a Wilkinson divider.

10. The high-frequency power amplifier module according to claim 9, wherein the Wilkinson divider is comprised of a lumped constant circuit.

11. The high-frequency power amplifier module according to claim 9, wherein the Wilkinson divider is comprised of a distributed constant circuit.

12. The high-frequency power amplifier module according to claim 9, wherein impedances and distributions at divider terminals of the Wilkinson divider making up the input matching circuit differ for the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section.

13. The high-frequency power amplifier module according to claim 9, wherein impedances or distributions at divider terminals of the Wilkinson divider making up the input matching circuit differ for the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section.

14. A high-frequency power amplifier module comprising:

a first amplifier section which power amplifies a high-frequency signal;

a second amplifier section which power amplifies a high-frequency signal;

an input matching circuit which performs input matching between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section; and

an output matching circuit which performs output matching between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section,

wherein the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section are switched to operate inversely of each other by using bias control,

wherein the input matching circuit has a high isolation characteristic between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section, and

wherein the first amplifier section is comprised of a high-power amplifier and the second amplifier section comprised of a low-power amplifier.

15. A high-frequency power amplifier module comprising:

a first amplifier section which power amplifies a high-frequency signal;

a second amplifier section which power amplifies a high-frequency signal;

an input matching circuit which performs input matching between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section; and

an output matching circuit which performs output matching between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section,

wherein the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section are switched to operate inversely of each other by using bias control,

wherein the input matching circuit has a high isolation characteristic between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section, and

wherein impedances and distributions at divider terminals of the input matching circuit differ for the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section.

16. A high-frequency power amplifier module comprising:

a first amplifier section which power amplifies a high-frequency signal;

a second amplifier section which power amplifies a high-frequency signal;

an input matching circuit which performs input matching between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section; and

an output matching circuit which performs output matching between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section,

wherein the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section are switched to operate inversely of each other by using bias control,

wherein the input matching circuit has a high isolation characteristic between the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section, and

wherein impedances or distributions at divider terminals of the input matching circuit differ for the first amplifier section and the second amplifier section.