Switched-mode power amplifier using lumped element impedance inverter for parallel combining
First Claim
1. A power amplifier configured for parallel connection with at least one other amplifier for combining signals output from such parallel connected amplifiers, said amplifier comprising:
- (a) an active input component configured to be switched by a signal input thereto to present an amplified signal constituting a low output impedance voltage source;
(b) an output resonator component; and
,(c) a lumped element impedance inverter connected between said input component and said output component, said impedance inverter configured for transforming said, low output impedance voltage source so as to constitute a high output impedance current source, and said high output impedance current source configured for said parallel connection;
wherein negative reactive component values theoretically required by said impedance inverter are actually incorporated into pro-selected reactive components of said input and output components, and wherein said output resonator component comprises an inductor and a capacitor coupled in series, at least one of said inductor or said capacitor, or combinations thereof, incorporating a negative reactive component of said lumped element impedance inverter, said series coupled inductor and capacitor being parallel coupled to a ground reference.
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Abstract
A switched-mode Class F power amplifier is provided for parallel connection with at least one other like amplifier, within a Chireix architecture, for combining the signals output therefrom. An input component includes at least one active device configured to be alternately switched by a signal input thereto to present an amplified signal corresponding to the input signal and constituting a low output impedance voltage source. A lumped element impedance inverter is provided between the input component and an output resonator component, the impedance inverter being configured for transforming the low output impedance voltage source to instead constitute a high output impedance current source configured for said parallel connection. In accordance with the invention, the negative reactive component values required by the impedance inverter are eliminated and effectively provided by incorporating those values into pre-selected reactive components of the input and output components. Further, a source-drain parasitic capacitance across the active device is eliminated by one or more pre-selected reactive components of the input component, the value(s) of which effectively compensate for the parasitic capacitance.
13 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A power amplifier configured for parallel connection with at least one other amplifier for combining signals output from such parallel connected amplifiers, said amplifier comprising:
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(a) an active input component configured to be switched by a signal input thereto to present an amplified signal constituting a low output impedance voltage source; (b) an output resonator component; and
,(c) a lumped element impedance inverter connected between said input component and said output component, said impedance inverter configured for transforming said, low output impedance voltage source so as to constitute a high output impedance current source, and said high output impedance current source configured for said parallel connection; wherein negative reactive component values theoretically required by said impedance inverter are actually incorporated into pro-selected reactive components of said input and output components, and wherein said output resonator component comprises an inductor and a capacitor coupled in series, at least one of said inductor or said capacitor, or combinations thereof, incorporating a negative reactive component of said lumped element impedance inverter, said series coupled inductor and capacitor being parallel coupled to a ground reference.
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2. An apparatus, comprising:
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means for amplifying an input signal, said amplifying means being capable of providing an output signal corresponding to an amplified version of the input signal; means for resonating a resonant frequency, said resonating means being coupled to an output of said amplifying means; and means for inverting an impedance, said impedance inverting means being coupled between said amplifying means and said resonating means, said impedance inverting means being capable of transforming an output of said amplifying means from a voltage source having a lower output impedance to a current source having a higher output impedance; wherein said inverting means comprises one or more negative valued theoretical reactive components realized as one or more positive valued reactive components of at least one of said amplifying means or said resonating means, or combinations thereof, and wherein said resonating means comprises means for realizing an inductance and means for realizing a capacitance coupled in series, at least one of said inductance realizing means or said capacitance realizing means, or combinations thereof, incorporating a negative reactive component of said impedance inverting means, said series coupled inductance realizing means and said capacitance realizing means being parallel coupled to a ground reference. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus, comprising:
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an active circuit capable of amplifying an input signal to provide an output signal corresponding to an amplified version of the input signal; a first resonator capable of resonating at a second harmonic of the output signal; a second resonator capable of resonating at a third harmonic of the output signal; and an impedance inverter coupled to at least one of said first resonator or said second resonator, or a combination thereof, said impedance inverter being capable of at least partially transforming a the lower impedance voltage source of said active device to a higher impedance current source; at least one of said first resonator or said second resonator, or a combination thereof at least partially realizing a theoretical negative valued reactive element of said impedance inverter as a non-negative valued reactive element; and wherein said second resonator comprises an inductor and a capacitor coupled in series, and at least one of said inductor or said capacitor, or combinations thereof, incorporating a negative reactive component of said impedance inverter, said series coupled inductor and capacitor being parallel coupled to a ground reference. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification