Reconfigurable distributed active transformers

• US 20080204139A1
• Filed: 02/08/2008
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbas Komijani, Ichiro Aoki, Scott D. Kee, Seyed-Ali Hajimiri
• Original Assignee: Abbas Komijani, Ichiro Aoki, Scott D. Kee, Seyed-Ali Hajimiri
• Inventors: Hajimiri, Seyed-Ali, Aoki, Ichiro, Kee, Scott D., Komijani, Abbas
• Granted Patent: US 7,733,183 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 330/276
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/223 with MOSFET's
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/372 Noise reduction and elimination in amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/421 Multiple switches coupled in the output circuit of an amplifier are controlled by a circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/534 Transformer coupled at the input of an amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/537 A transformer being used as coupling element between two amplifying stages
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/541 Transformer coupled at the output of an amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/265 with field-effect transistors only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/423 with MOSFET's
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/602 Combinations of several amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/604 using FET's

Abstract

Reconfigurable distributed active transformers are provided. The exemplary embodiments provided allow changing of the effective number and configuration of the primary and secondary windings, where the distributed active transformer structures can be reconfigured dynamically to control the output power levels, allow operation at multiple frequency bands, maintain a high performance across multiple channels, and sustain desired characteristics across process, temperature and other environmental variations. Integration of the distributed active transformer power amplifiers and a low noise amplifier on a semiconductor substrate can also be provided.

Claims

1. A distributed active transformer comprising:

a primary winding having one or more pairs of amplifiers;

a secondary winding disposed adjacent to the primary winding; and

wherein the primary winding and the secondary winding are disposed on a semiconductor substrate.

2. The distributed active transformer of claim 1 further comprising one or more switches that can be used to bypass one or more of the amplifiers.

3. The distributed active transformer of claim 1 wherein the primary winding further comprises:

two or more sections, wherein each section terminates in one of the pairs of amplifiers; and

a switch connected to one of the amplifiers from the first section and to one of the amplifiers from the second section, wherein the switch can be used to bypass the amplifier from the first section and the amplifier from the second section so as to combine two of the sections into a single section.

12. The distributed active transformer of claim 1 further comprising one or more additional primary windings.

4-11. -11. (canceled)

13. A method for operating a distributed active transformer on a semiconductor substrate comprising:

controlling a first amplifier and a second amplifier so as to cause current to flow in a first direction on a primary winding section;

controlling the first amplifier and the second amplifier so as to cause current to flow in a second direction on the primary winding section; and

wherein the current flowing in the first direction and the second direction in the primary winding section induces an alternating current in a secondary winding.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising providing a current source.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising controlling a third amplifier and a fourth amplifier so as to cause current to flow in the same direction on a second primary winding section as the current on the first primary winding section.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising bypassing the second amplifier and the third amplifier so as to cause current to flow over a portion of the first primary winding section and a portion of the second primary winding section.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

turning off the first amplifier and the second amplifier; and

inducing an alternating current in the secondary winding using a second primary winding.

18. A distributed active transformer comprising:

a primary winding having two or more sections, where each section has a pair of push/pull amplifiers;

a secondary winding disposed adjacent to the primary winding; and

wherein the primary winding and the secondary winding are disposed on a semiconductor substrate.

19. The distributed active transformer of claim 18 wherein the push/pull amplifiers of each section can be independently controlled.

20. The distributed active transformer of claim 18 further comprising a second primary winding having one or more sets of push/pull amplifiers disposed adjacent to the secondary winding.

27. The distributed active transformer of claim 18 wherein the primary winding having two or more sections, where each section has the pair of push/pull amplifiers comprises means for driving current in a primary winding.

21. A system for amplifying a signal comprising:

a distributed active transformer having a primary and a secondary winding; and

a low noise amplifier coupled to the secondary winding of the distributed active transformer through a switch.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the system operates in a receive mode when the switch is opened and in a transmit mode when the switch is closed.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the low noise amplifier is coupled to the distributed active transformer when the switch is opened and the low noise amplifier is bypassed when the switch is closed.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein the low noise amplifier comprises a differential low noise amplifier having a first input and a second input, and the secondary winding further comprises a second switch.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the system operates in a receive mode when the switches are opened and in a transmit mode when the switches are closed.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein the low noise amplifier is coupled to the distributed active transformer when the switches are opened and the low noise amplifier is bypassed when the switches are closed.