Stacked pre-driver amplifier
First Claim
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1. An amplifier for amplifying an input signal, comprising:
- a first amplifying stage connected with a second amplifying stage, wherein;
the first amplifying stage comprises at least two amplifying circuits connected in series, each amplifying circuit receiving as input the input signal, each amplifying circuit having an output, andthe outputs of the amplifying circuits of the first amplifying stage are input to the second amplifying stage,wherein the outputs of the amplifying circuits of the first amplifying stage are capacitively combined before being input to the second amplifying stage.
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Abstract
A stacked pre-driver stage and a power amplifier including the stacked pre-driver stage are described. The stacked pre-driver stage comprises stacked pre-drivers arranged in series between a supply voltage and a reference voltage. Each pre-driver includes a pre-driving amplifier, together with MOS transistors. Each pre-driver is subject, in operation, to a voltage difference which is inferior to a maximum allowed use voltage of the MOS transistors with a largely reduced voltage drop across the regulator included in the power amplifier.
31 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An amplifier for amplifying an input signal, comprising:
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a first amplifying stage connected with a second amplifying stage, wherein; the first amplifying stage comprises at least two amplifying circuits connected in series, each amplifying circuit receiving as input the input signal, each amplifying circuit having an output, and the outputs of the amplifying circuits of the first amplifying stage are input to the second amplifying stage, wherein the outputs of the amplifying circuits of the first amplifying stage are capacitively combined before being input to the second amplifying stage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A power amplifier for amplifying an input carrier signal, comprising:
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a stacked pre-driver stage, the stacked pre-driver stage comprising a plurality of stacked pre-drivers arranged in series between a supply voltage and a reference voltage, each pre-driver comprising a pre-driving amplifier, the input carrier signal being fed, in operation, to each pre-driver, outputs of the stacked pre-drivers being combined to form an output of the stacked pre-driver stage; a driver stage receiving the output of the stacked pre-driver stage; and a regulator located between a power supply supplying the supply voltage and the stacked pre-driver stage, wherein each pre-driver comprises MOS transistors and is subject to a voltage difference which is inferior to a maximum allowed use voltage of the MOS transistors, and wherein voltage drop across the regulator is small when compared to the voltage difference to which the stacked pre-driver stage is subjected. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A stacked pre-driver stage adapted to be used in a power amplifier circuit for amplification of an input signal, the power amplifier comprising a regulator connected with the stacked pre-driver stage, the stacked pre-driver stage comprising:
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a plurality of stacked pre-drivers to be arranged in series between a supply voltage and a reference voltage, each pre-driver comprising a pre-driving amplifier, the input signal being fed, in operation, to each pre-driver, wherein each pre-driver comprises MOS transistors and is subject, in operation, to a voltage difference which is inferior to a maximum allowed use voltage of the MOS transistors, and wherein voltage drop across the regulator is small when compared to the voltage difference to which the plurality of stacked pre-drivers is subjected.
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Specification