Optimization Methods for Amplifier with Variable Supply Power

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016190989-A1
Application number	US-201514858772-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 18, 2015
Priority date	Dec 28, 2012
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Optimization methods via various circuital arrangements for amplifier with variable supply power are presented. In one embodiment, a switch can be controlled to include or exclude a feedback network in a feedback path to the amplifier to adjust a response of the amplifier dependent on a region of operation of the amplifier arrangement (e.g. linear region or compression region).

First claim

1 . A circuit comprising:
an amplifying arrangement configured to operate in a compression region of the amplifying arrangement and/or in a linear region of the amplifying arrangement, the amplifier arrangement comprising:
an RF input terminal;
an RF output terminal
a feedback network comprising a resistive-capacitive series network in series connection with a switch, the feedback network being connected between the RF input terminal and the RF output terminal to provide a feedback path; and
a variable power supply operatively coupled to the amplifying arrangement and adapted to provide a dynamic supply power to the amplifying arrangement, wherein the feedback network is configured to operatively affect a response of the amplifying arrangement according to a variable value of a first input control signal, thus impressing a desired effect upon a radio frequency (RF) output of the amplifying arrangement.

2 . The circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the desired effect impressed upon the RF output of the amplifying arrangement when operating in the linear region and/or in the compression region comprises one or more of: a) improving output amplitude linearity, b) improving output phase linearity, c) improving output gain, d) reducing output distortion, e) improving output efficiency and f) reducing undesired effects in correspondence of a transition from a linear region of operation to a compression region of operation and vice versa.

3 . The circuit according to claim 2 wherein the variable value of the first input control signal is based on a region of operation of the amplifying arrangement.

4 . The circuit according to claim 3 , wherein the switch of the feedback network is adapted to operatively connect and disconnect the feedback path between the RF output terminal and the RF input terminal based on the value of the first input control signal wherein:
the feedback path is operatively connected when the amplifying arrangement operates in the linear region, and the feedback path is operatively disconnected when the amplifying arrangement operates in the compression region.

5 . The circuit according to claim 3 , wherein the feedback network comprises a variable resistor adapted to operatively affect the response of the amplifying arrangement according to the value of the first input control signal wherein:
a resistance value of the variable resistor is varied by the first input control signal within a first range of resistance values when the amplifying arrangement operates in the linear region, and the resistance value of the variable resistor is varied by the first input control signal within a second range of resistance values when the amplifying arrangement operates in the compression region.

6 . The circuit according to claim 5 , wherein the resistance value of the variable resistor is:
a) continuously variable, or b) variable in discrete steps.

7 . The circuit according to claim 3 , wherein the feedback network comprises at least one active device.

8 . The circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising an optimizing circuital arrangement, the optimizing circuital arrangement comprising a first tunable matching network operatively coupled to the RF output terminal of the amplifying arrangement such as to affect an output load to the amplifying arrangement in correspondence of an impedance value of the first tunable matching network, said first tunable matching network not included within the feedback path, wherein the impedance value of the first tunable matching network is adjustable based on a variable value of a second input control signal.

9 . The circuit according to claim 8 , wherein the impedance value of the first tunable matching network is: a) continuously variable, or b) variable in discrete steps.

10 . The circuit according to claim 8 , wherein varying the value of the second input control signal in correspondence of the region of operation of the amplifying arrangement operatively modifies the load lines of the amplifying arrangement.

11 . The circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising an optimizing circuital arrangement, the optimizing circuital arrangement comprising a second tunable matching network operatively coupled to an RF input of the amplifying arrangement such as to affect an input load to the amplifying arrangement in correspondence of an impedance value of the second tunable matching network, said second tunable matching network not included within the feedback path, wherein the second tunable matching network is adjustable based on a variable value of a third input control signal.

12 . The circuit according to claim 11 , wherein the impedance value of the second tunable matching network is: a) continuously variable, or b) variable in discrete steps.

13 . The circuit according to claim 11 , wherein varying the value of the third input control signal in correspondence of the region of operation of the amplifying arrangement operatively affects the response of the amplifying arrangement.

14 . The circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the dynamic supply power is configured to vary as a time varying function of an envelope signal of an RF input signal of the amplifying arrangement.

15 . The circuit according to any one of claims 1 , 8 or 11 , wherein the variable values of one or more of:
a) the first input control signal,
b) the second input control signal, and
c) the third input control signal,
are varied in correspondence of the region of operation of the amplifying arrangement, such as to affect the response of the amplifying arrangement by impressing a desired effect upon the output of the amplifying arrangement.

16 . The circuit according to claim 15 , wherein the desired effect impressed upon the RF output of the amplifying arrangement when operating in the linear region or in the compression region comprises one or more of: a) improving output amplitude linearity, b) improving output phase linearity, c) improving output gain, d) reducing output distortion, e) improving output efficiency and f) reducing undesired effects in correspondence of a transition from a linear region of operation to a compression region of operation and vice versa.

17 . The circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the amplifying arrangement further comprises stacked transistors having a plurality of bias terminals configured to operatively provide a plurality of variable bias supplies to a plurality of gates of the stacked transistors, wherein the plurality of variable bias supplies are configured to further affect the response of the amplifying arrangement.

18 . The circuit according to claim 17 , wherein the variable values of one or more of:
a) the first input control signal, b) the second input control signal, c) the third input control signal, and d) one or more of the plurality of variable bias supplies, are varied in correspondence of the region of operation of the amplifying arrangement, such as to affect the response of the amplifying arrangement by impressing a desired effect upon the output of the amplifying arrangement.

19 . The circuit according to claim 17 , further comprising a circuital arrangement adapted to provide one or more variable bias supplies from the plurality of variable bias supplies to the one or more gate terminals, wherein the circuital arrangement comprises at least one of: a) a plurality of resistors configured as a voltage divider network, b) a transceiver unit, c) a variable power supply unit, and d) a lookup table.

2

Assignees

• Peregrine Semiconductor Corp

Inventors

• Nobbe Dan William
• Dykstra Jeffrey A
• Olson Chris
• Cable James S

Classifications

• H03F3/191

  Tuned amplifiers (H03F3/193, H03F3/195 take precedence) · CPC title

• H03F3/21

  with semiconductor devices only {(H03F3/245 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• H03F2200/387

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

• H03F2200/451

  the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier · CPC title

• H03F1/56

  Modifications of input or output impedances, not otherwise provided for · CPC title