Systems and methods of RF power transmission, modulation, and amplification, including a switching stage embodiment
First Claim
1. An apparatus for power amplification, the apparatus comprising:
- input circuitry that generates a plurality of control signals;
circuitry that receives said plurality of control signals and a frequency reference signal, and that generates a plurality of substantially constant envelope signals using said frequency reference signal and said plurality of control signals;
a plurality of switches each receiving one of said substantially constant envelope signals; and
a plurality of multiple-input single-output (MISO) amplifiers each amplifying and combining a subset of said substantially constant envelope signals to generate an output signal.
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Abstract
Methods and systems for vector combining power amplification are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a plurality of signals are individually amplified, then summed to form a desired time-varying complex envelope signal. Phase and/or frequency characteristics of one or more of the signals are controlled to provide the desired phase, frequency, and/or amplitude characteristics of the desired time-varying complex envelope signal. In another embodiment, a time-varying complex envelope signal is decomposed into a plurality of constant envelope constituent signals. The constituent signals are amplified equally or substantially equally, and then summed to construct an amplified version of the original time-varying envelope signal. Embodiments also perform frequency up-conversion.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An apparatus for power amplification, the apparatus comprising:
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input circuitry that generates a plurality of control signals; circuitry that receives said plurality of control signals and a frequency reference signal, and that generates a plurality of substantially constant envelope signals using said frequency reference signal and said plurality of control signals; a plurality of switches each receiving one of said substantially constant envelope signals; and a plurality of multiple-input single-output (MISO) amplifiers each amplifying and combining a subset of said substantially constant envelope signals to generate an output signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of power amplification, the method comprising:
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generating a plurality of control signals; generating a plurality of substantially constant envelope signals using a frequency reference signal and said plurality of control signals; switching a subset of said substantially constant envelope signals to one of a plurality of multiple-input single-output (MISO) amplifiers; and amplifying and combining said subset of said substantially constant envelope signals by said one of a plurality of MISO amplifiers to generate an output signal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification