Radio frequency amplifier with digital amplitude modulation and method for controlling the delivering of power
First Claim
1. A digital amplitude modulator for modulating the amplitude of an input carrier signal based on input digital data and generating a corresponding output signal, the digital amplitude modulator including:
- a first variable gain amplifier for receiving the input carrier signal and generating a corresponding first amplified carrier signal;
a second variable gain amplifier for receiving the input digital data and generating corresponding digital amplitude control data;
a plurality of selectively activatable amplifier stages, each one receiving a replica of the first amplified carrier signal and generating a corresponding second amplified carrier signal when activated, the output signal corresponding to a combination of the second amplified carrier signals generated by the activated amplifier stages;
a driving circuit configured to receive the digital amplitude control data and activate a corresponding set of selected amplifier stages based on the digital amplitude control data, anda power controller unit configured to adjust the power delivered by the digital amplitude modulator by setting a first amplifying gain of the first variable gain amplifier and a second amplifying gain of the second variable gain amplifier.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A digital amplitude modulator. The digital amplitude modulator is configured to modulate the amplitude of an input carrier signal based on input digital data and generate a corresponding output signal. The digital amplitude modulator includes a first variable gain amplifier for receiving the input carrier signal and generating a corresponding first amplified carrier signal, a second variable gain amplifier for receiving the input digital data and generating corresponding digital amplitude control data and a plurality of selectively activatable amplifier stages. Each amplifier stage receives a replica of the first amplified carrier signal and generates a corresponding second amplified carrier signal when activated. The output signal corresponds to a combination of the second amplified carrier signals generated by the activated amplifier stages.
17 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A digital amplitude modulator for modulating the amplitude of an input carrier signal based on input digital data and generating a corresponding output signal, the digital amplitude modulator including:
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a first variable gain amplifier for receiving the input carrier signal and generating a corresponding first amplified carrier signal; a second variable gain amplifier for receiving the input digital data and generating corresponding digital amplitude control data; a plurality of selectively activatable amplifier stages, each one receiving a replica of the first amplified carrier signal and generating a corresponding second amplified carrier signal when activated, the output signal corresponding to a combination of the second amplified carrier signals generated by the activated amplifier stages; a driving circuit configured to receive the digital amplitude control data and activate a corresponding set of selected amplifier stages based on the digital amplitude control data, and a power controller unit configured to adjust the power delivered by the digital amplitude modulator by setting a first amplifying gain of the first variable gain amplifier and a second amplifying gain of the second variable gain amplifier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for operating a digital amplitude modulator configured to modulate the amplitude of an input carrier signal based on input digital data and generate a corresponding output signal and including a plurality of selectively activatable amplifier stages, the method comprising the following steps:
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generating a first amplified carrier signal by multiplying the input carrier signal by a first amplifying gain, generating digital amplitude control data by multiplying the input digital data by a second amplifying gain, providing a replica of the first amplified carrier signal to each amplifier stage, each amplifier stage being configured to generate a corresponding second amplified carrier signal when activated, activating a set of selected amplifier stages based on the digital amplitude control data, the output signal corresponding to a combination of the second amplified carrier signals generated by the activated amplifier stages, adjusting the power delivered by the digital amplitude modulator by setting the first amplifying gain and the second amplifying gain. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A digital amplitude modulator, comprising:
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a variable gain amplifier adapted to receive a carrier signal and a digital amplitude control signal, the variable gain amplifier operable to apply a first gain to the carrier signal to generate a first amplified carrier signal and to apply a second gain to the digital amplitude control signal to generate an amplified digital amplitude control signal and to decode the amplified digital amplitude control signal to generate digital control signals, the second gain having a value that is independent of the value of the first gain; a plurality of amplifier stages coupled to the variable gain amplifier, each amplifier stage receiving a replica of the first amplified carrier signal and a corresponding one of the digital control signals and operable when activated by the corresponding digital control signal to generate a corresponding second amplified carrier signal; a combining circuit coupled to the plurality of amplifier stages, the combining circuit operable to generate an output signal having a value that is proportional to the sum of second amplified carrier signals provided by the activated amplifier stages; and a power control circuit coupled to the variable gain amplifier and adapted to receive a power control command signal, the power control circuit operable in a first mode responsive to the power control command signal indicating the power of the output signal should be decreased to reduce the second gain if a resolution of the amplified digital amplitude control signal is greater than a first threshold value and to reduce the first gain if the resolution of the amplified digital amplitude control signal is less than or equal to the first threshold value, and the power control circuit operable in a second mode responsive to the power control command signal indicating the power of the output signal should be increased to raise the second gain if the first amplified carrier signal has an amplitude that has reached a second threshold value and to raise the first gain if the first amplified carrier signal has an amplitude that is less than the second threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An electronic system, comprising:
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first and second digital amplitude modulators adapted to receive first and second carrier signals, respectively, the first and second carrier signals being in quadrature and each of the digital amplitude modulators comprising, a variable gain amplifier adapted to receive the corresponding carrier signal and a digital amplitude control signal, the variable gain amplifier operable to apply a first gain to the carrier signal to generate a first amplified carrier signal and to apply a second gain to the digital amplitude control signal to generate an amplified digital amplitude control signal and to decode the amplified digital amplitude control signal to generate digital control signals, the second gain having a value that is independent of the value of the first gain; a plurality of amplifier stages coupled to the variable gain amplifier, each amplifier stage receiving a replica of the first amplified carrier signal and a corresponding one of the digital control signals and operable when activated by the corresponding digital control signal to generate a corresponding second amplified carrier signal; a combining circuit coupled to the plurality of amplifier stages, the combining circuit operable to generate an output signal having a value that is proportional to the sum of second amplified carrier signals provided by the activated amplifier stages; a power control circuit coupled to the variable gain amplifier and adapted to receive a power control command signal, the power control circuit operable in a first mode responsive to the power control command signal indicating the power of the output signal should be decreased to reduce the second gain if a resolution of the amplified digital amplitude control signal is greater than a first threshold value and to reduce the first gain if the resolution of the amplified digital amplitude control signal is less than or equal to the first threshold value, and the power control circuit operable in a second mode responsive to the power control command signal indicating the power of the output signal should be increased to raise the second gain if the first amplified carrier signal has an amplitude that has reached a second threshold value and to raise the first gain if the first amplified carrier signal has an amplitude that is less than the second threshold value; and a summing circuit operable to sum the output signals from the first and second digital amplitude modulators to generate an overall output signal. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A method for operating a digital amplitude modulator, comprising:
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multiplying a carrier signal by a first gain to generate an amplified carrier signal; multiplying a digital amplitude control signal by a second gain to generate an amplified digital amplitude control signal; splitting the amplified carrier signal to generate X corresponding split amplified carrier signals where X is an integer; multiplying Y split amplified carrier signals by a corresponding stage gain where Y is an integer that is less than or equal to X and Y has a value determined from the amplified digital amplitude control signal; combining the Y split amplified carrier signal to generate an output signal; controlling the power of the output signal in a first mode when a power control command signal indicates the power of the output signal is to be decreased by, lowering the second gain when a resolution of the amplified digital amplitude control signal is greater than a first threshold value, lowering the first gain when the resolution of the digital amplitude control signal is less than or equal to the first threshold value; and controlling the power of the output signal in a second mode when the power control command signal indicates the power of the output signal is to be increased by, raising the second gain when the first amplified carrier signal has an amplitude that has reached a second threshold value, and raising the first gain when the amplified carrier signal has an amplitude that is less than the second threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification