Method for shaping signal pulses

• US 7,545,220 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2005
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
• Original Assignee: EADS Deutschland GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Luecke, Svenn, Salomon, Andreas, Wedemeyer, Markus, Hoffmann, Gebhard
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DINH THANH
• Application Number:
  US11/168,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20060001466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• Field of Search: 327560-563, 330/133, 330/279, 330/254, 330/285, 330/156, 330/310, 330/51
• US Class Current: 330/310
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0205 in transistor amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/32 Modifications of amplifiers to reduce non-linear distortion by negative feedback H03F1/34
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/18 the bias of the gate of a FET being controlled by a control signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/351 Pulse width modulation being used in an amplifying circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/408 the output amplifying stage of an amplifier comprising three power stages
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/72 the amplifier stage being a common gate configuration MOSFET
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/191 Tuned amplifiers H03F3/193, H03F3/195 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/217 Class D power amplifiers; Switching amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 of transmitter output stages

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for shaping an input signal S_on which is input to a multi-stage amplifier arrangement, to provide a definable output signal contour S_off. Individual amplifier stages are controlled by a control signal generated by a pulsed current source of a definable pulse length T. According to the invention, successive amplifier stages are each controlled (switched on) after a definable delay time Δt_{on 1}, Δt_{on 2} following the preceding stage. Each amplifier stage has an assigned pulsed current source for generating the control signals of definable pulse length T. One such pulse generator respectively is assigned to each current source.

Claims

1. A circuit for shaping an input signal which is input to a multi-stage amplifier arrangement, to provide a definable output signal spectrum, comprising:

a plurality of individual amplifier stages coupled in series, each having an associated pulsed current source that impresses a current corresponding to a definable pulse length upon a respective one of the amplifier stages for sequentially switching on all of the individual amplifier stages; and

a plurality of independent pulse generators, each of which is operatively connected to a respective one of said pulsed current sources to generate control signals that independently control the associated individual amplifier stages to avoid creation of non-linear distortion during switching operations of the plurality of individual amplifier stages.

2. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the individual amplifier stages are configured with a starting delay so as to be switched on sequentially in an order of rising amplifies power output.

3. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein each of the individual amplifies stages is configured to have an output power that is inversely proportional to the associated definable pulse length.

4. The circuit according to claim 2, wherein the individual amplifier stages are operable to provide a stopping delay so as to switch off the individual amplifier stages in a reverse sequence of their switching on.