Power Amplifier incorporating single drain switch and single negative voltage generator

• US 6,118,343 A
• Filed: 05/10/1999
• Issued: 09/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cobham Defense Electronic Systems Corporation (Cobham PLC)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Logistics AG (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Winslow, Thomas Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHANH V
• Application Number:
  US09/309,228
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 330/51, 330/124 R, 330/124 D, 330/126, 330/295
• US Class Current: 330/295
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/429 Two or more amplifiers or one amplifier with filters for different frequency bands are coupled in parallel at the input or output
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/7236 the gated amplifier being switched on or off by putting into parallel or not, by choosing between amplifiers by (a ) switch(es)
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/68 Combinations of amplifiers, e.g. multi-channel amplifiers for stereophonics power amplifiers using a combination of several semiconductor amplifiers H03F3/211; combinations of amplifiers using coupling networks with distributed constants H03F3/602
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/72 Gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal

Abstract

A dual band power amplifier circuit comprising first and second power amplifiers each operative to amplify an RF signal of a particular frequency range at an output terminal thereof, wherein the output terminals of the amplifiers are coupled at a common node, and wherein the amplifiers are operative in a first saturation mode and a second linear mode; a control circuit for providing a first control signal to the first power amplifier and a second control signal to the second power amplifier for controlling the mode of operation of each amplifier; and a switching device having a first terminal coupled to the outputs of the first and second power amplifiers at the common node and to a power source at a second terminal, the switching device responsive to a third control signal from the control circuit for providing a high output impedance to the amplifiers for limiting leakage current when the first and second amplifiers are in the saturation mode, and for enabling current to be drawn from the power source to a particular one of the power amplifiers when the particular power amplifier is in the linear mode.

Claims

1. A multiband power amplifier system operative in a first receive mode and in a second transmit mode for amplifying a radio frequency (RF) signal having one of a plurality of preselected frequencies comprising:

a first power amplifier having a signal input for receiving an RF signal of a first preselected frequency and an output terminal for outputting the amplified RF signal, and a second power amplifier having a signal input for receiving an RF signal of a second preselected frequency and an output terminal for outputting the amplified RF signal;

means for coupling the outputs of said first and second power amplifiers at a common terminal;

controller means for causing said first and second power amplifiers to operate in saturation when said system is in said receive mode, and for causing one of said first and second power amplifiers to operate in a linear mode according to the frequency of said RF signal when said system is in said transmit mode; and

switching means coupled to the output of said first and second power amplifiers at said common terminal and responsive to said controller means for providing a high output impedance to said power amplifiers when said system is in receive mode, and enabling said power amplifier operating in said linear mode to draw current from a power source when said system is in transmit mode.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller means comprises a single negative voltage generator.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said controller means further comprises a shifting level control circuit coupled to the output of said negative voltage generator for translating an input voltage to a corresponding negative voltage at the input of said power amplifiers sufficiently negative to saturate said power amplifiers when said system is in said receive mode.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller means is responsive to a transmit control signal for activating one of said first or second power amplifiers via a corresponding first or second control signal to cause said corresponding power amplifier to operate in said linear mode.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller means is responsive to a transmit control signal for generating a third control signal for activating said switching device for enabling power to be drawn to one of said first or second power amplifiers.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first and second power amplifiers comprise MESFETs.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said switching means comprises a single field effect transistor (FET).

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first FET terminal comprises a drain electrode and wherein said second FET terminal comprises a source electrode.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said FET is responsive to a third control signal from said controller means applied to a gate electrode for switching between an "off" state wherein said FET operates to block current to said first and second amplifiers, to an "on" state where current is drawn to one of said first or second power amplifiers.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein said FET is capacitively coupled at said first terminal to a reference potential for providing capacitive bypassing to said power amplifiers.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller means comprises a control circuit coupled to the output of a single negative voltage generator for translating an input voltage to a corresponding negative voltage sufficiently negative to saturate said power amplifiers, thereby causing said amplifiers to enter the deactivated state.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller means is responsive to a transmit control signal for activating one of said first or second power amplifiers via said corresponding first or second control signal according to the frequency of said RF signal to be amplified.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first and second power amplifiers comprise MESFETs.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein said switching device comprises a FET.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein said FET is responsive to a third control signal from said controller means for switching between an "off" state wherein said FET operates to block current to said first and second amplifiers, to an "on" state wherein said FET conducts current to one of said first or second power amplifiers.

11. A multiband power amplifier system for amplifying a radio frequency (RF) signal having one of a plurality of preselected frequencies comprising:

a first power amplifier having a signal input for receiving an RF signal of a first preselected frequency and amplifying said RF signal to produce an amplified RF signal at an output terminal, and a control input for receiving a control signal;

a second power amplifier having a signal input for receiving an RF signal of a second preselected frequency to produce an amplified RF signal at an output terminal, and a control input for receiving a control signal;

means for coupling said output terminals of said first and second power amplifiers at a common node;

controller means for providing a first control signal to said first power amplifier control input and a second control signal to said second power amplifier control input for activating in a first mode, and for deactivating in a second mode, said respective power amplifiers; and

a switching device having a first terminal coupled to the output of each of said first and second power amplifiers at said common node and capacitively coupled to a reference potential at said first terminal, and a second terminal coupled to a power source, said switching device responsive to a control signal from said controller means for providing a high impedance at the output of said first and second power amplifiers when said power amplifiers are deactivated, and for enabling current to be drawn from said power source to an active power amplifier to enable amplification of said RF signal of preselected frequency.

17. A dual band power amplifier circuit comprising:

first and second power amplifiers each operative to amplify an RF signal of a particular frequency range at an output terminal thereof, wherein said output terminals of said amplifiers are coupled together at a common node, and wherein said amplifiers are operative in a first saturation mode and in a second linear mode;

a control circuit for providing a first control signal to said first power amplifier and a second control signal to said second power amplifier for controlling the mode of operation of each said amplifier; and

a switching device having a first terminal coupled to the outputs of said first and second power amplifiers at said common node and to a power source at a second terminal, said switching device responsive to a third control signal from said control circuit for providing a high output impedance to said amplifiers for limiting leakage current when said first and second amplifiers are in said saturation mode, and for enabling current to be drawn from said power source to a particular one of said power amplifiers when said particular power amplifier is in said linear mode.

18. The amplifier circuit according to claim 17, wherein said output terminals of said first and second power amplifiers are coupled at a common node via a first conductor directly connected to the output terminal having via a first conductor having a first terminal connected directly to the output terminal of said first power amplifier and a second terminal connected to said common node, and a second inductor having a first terminal connected directly to the output terminal of said second power amplifier and a second terminal directly connected to said common node.

19. The amplifier circuit according to claim 17, wherein said switching device comprises a single field effect transistor whose gate electrode is connected to said control circuit.

20. The amplifier circuit according to claim 19, wherein said control circuit comprises a single negative voltage generator coupled to a shifting level circuit.