Amplifier and transmitter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10411654-B2
Application number	US-201815906191-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2018
Priority date	Sep 20, 2017
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

An amplifier has an N number of input networks connected to an input terminal to receive an input signal, a first amplifier to amplify one output signal from the N number of input networks, a (N−1) number of secondary amplifiers to amplify the remaining (N−1) number of output signals, except for the one output signal, from the N number of input networks, where the amplification order of the (N−1) number of secondary amplifiers is determined based on the power level of each output signal from the N number of input networks when the first amplifier is operational, an N number of output networks which are arranged, and a first bias network to supply a D.C. bias voltage to at least one of the N number of output networks. An electrical length of the first bias network is less than 90 degrees.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An amplifier comprising:
an N number of input networks connected to an input terminal to receive an input signal;
a first amplifier to amplify one output signal from the N number of input networks;
a (N−1) number, N being an integer of three or more, of second amplifiers to amplify the remaining (N−1) number of output signals, from the N number of input networks, in accordance with amplitudes of output signals from the N number of input networks while the first amplifier is performing an amplification operation;
an N number of output networks which are situated between an output node of the first amplifier and a load connection node, and also connected between output nodes of the (N−1) number of second amplifiers and the load connection node; and
a first bias network to supply a D.C. bias voltage to at least one of the N number of output networks,
wherein an electrical length of the first bias network is less than 90 degrees, and
a phase shift amount between the input terminal and the load connection node in a passage via the first amplifier using one input network among the N number of input networks, is equal to a phase shift amount between the input terminal and the load connection node via a passage of any secondary amplifier using the input network connected to the amplifier in question.

2. The amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the N number of output networks comprise a harmonic-impedance controllable network.

3. The amplifier of claim 2 , wherein electrical lengths of the N number of output networks are adjusted, separately, and
the electrical lengths of the N number of output networks are adjusted to be greater or less than 90 degrees.

4. The amplifier of claim 3 , wherein the electrical lengths of the N number of output networks are adjusted separately so that transfer characteristics at a fundamental frequency of the input signal, at a second harmonic frequency, and at a third harmonic frequency become ideal characteristics.

5. The amplifier of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of first bias networks, connected to two or more of the N number of output networks,
wherein the D.C. bias voltage of a same level is supplied to one end of each of the plurality of first bias networks.

6. The amplifier of claim 1 further comprising a second bias network to perform bias setting of a different voltage level from the first bias network, to the load connection node.

7. The amplifier of claim 6 , wherein the second bias network performs harmonic impedance control to the N number of output networks.

8. The amplifier of claim 6 , wherein an end of the second bias network is set to a ground level.

9. The amplifier of claim 6 , wherein electrical lengths and widths of the N number of output networks, the first bias network, and the second bias network are adjusted separately.

10. A transmitter comprising:
a baseband processor to perform signal processing to a baseband signal;
a modulator to modulate the baseband signal by using a local oscillation signal to generate a high-frequency signal; and
a harmonic amplifier to amplify the high-frequency signal and transmit the amplified high-frequency signal to an antenna;
wherein the harmonic amplifier comprises:
an N number of input networks connected to an input terminal to receive an input signal;
a first amplifier to amplify one output signal from the N number of input networks;
a (N−1) number, N being an integer of three or more, of second amplifiers to amplify the (N−1) number of output signals, except for the one output signal, from the N number of input networks, in accordance with amplitudes of output signals from the N number of input networks while the first amplifier is performing an amplification operation;
an N number of output networks connected between an output node of the first amplifier and a load connection node, and also connected between output nodes of the (N−1) number of second amplifiers and the load connection node; and
a first bias network to supply a D.C. bias voltage to at least one of the N number of output networks,
wherein an electrical length of the first bias network is less than 90 degrees, and
a phase shift amount between the input terminal and the load connection node in a passage to the first amplifier via a one input network among the N number of input networks, is equal to a phase shift amount between the input terminal and the load connection node in a passage to any secondary amplifier via the input network connected to the secondary amplifier in question.

11. The transmitter of claim 10 , wherein the N number of output networks comprise a harmonic-impedance controllable network.

12. The transmitter of claim 11 , wherein electrical lengths of the N number of output networks are adjusted, separately, and
the electrical lengths of the N number of output networks are adjusted to be greater or less than 90 degrees.

13. The transmitter of claim 12 , wherein the electrical lengths of the N number of output networks are adjusted separately so that transfer characteristics at a fundamental frequency of the input signal, at a second harmonic frequency, and at a third harmonic frequency become ideal characteristics.

14. The transmitter of claim 10 further comprising a plurality of first bias networks, connected to two or more of the N number of output networks,
wherein the D.C. bias voltage of a same level is supplied to one end of each of the plurality of first bias networks.

15. The transmitter of claim 10 further comprising a second bias network to perform bias setting of a different voltage level from the first bias network, to the load connection node.

16. The transmitter of claim 15 , wherein the second bias network performs harmonic impedance control to the N number of output networks.

17. The transmitter of claim 15 , wherein an end of the second bias network is set to a ground level.

18. The transmitter of claim 15 , wherein electrical lengths and widths of the N number of output networks, the first bias network, and the second bias network are adjusted separately.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Hone Thomas Martin
• Yamaoka Atsushi
• Yamaguchi Keiichi

Classifications

• H03F2200/387

  A circuit being added at the output of an amplifier to adapt the output impedance of the amplifier · CPC title

• H03F1/565

  using inductive elements · CPC title

• H04B2001/0408

  with power amplifiers · CPC title

• H04B1/04

  Circuits · CPC title

• H03F2200/423

  Amplifier output adaptation especially for transmission line coupling purposes, e.g. impedance adaptation · CPC title