Methods and devices for impedance matching in power amplifier circuits

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9276527-B2
Application number	US-201314042312-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2013
Priority date	Sep 30, 2013
Publication date	Mar 1, 2016
Grant date	Mar 1, 2016

Abstract

Methods of turning on and/or turning off amplifier segments in a scalable periphery amplifier architecture are described in the present disclosure. The turning on and/or turning off the amplifier segments according to the various embodiments of the present can reduce spectral splatter in adjacent channels. In some embodiments, amplifier performance and efficiency can be improved by dissipating heat more uniformly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of turning off a subset of amplifier segments in an amplifier circuit comprising a plurality of amplifier segments, the method comprising:
providing a matching circuit coupled with the amplifier circuit, the matching circuit having a first impedance value substantially matching a first output impedance value of the amplifier circuit;
determining a number of amplifier segments of the plurality of amplifier segments to be turned off;
determining a second output impedance value of the amplifier circuit expected upon turning off the determined number of amplifier segments;
changing the first impedance value of the matching circuit to a second impedance value of the matching circuit, the second impedance value of the matching circuit being substantially equal to the determined second output impedance value of the amplifier circuit; and
turning off, upon the changing, the number of amplifier segments determined to be turned off, thus changing the first output impedance value of the amplifier circuit to an actual second output impedance value of the amplifier circuit, wherein the actual second output impedance value of the amplifier circuit substantially matches the second impedance value of the matching circuit.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first impedance value and the second impedance value of the matching circuit are substantially equal to or greater than the corresponding first output impedance value and second output impedance value of the amplifier circuit at all times.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the matching circuit is a low pass filter.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the matching circuit comprises one or more digital tunable capacitors (DTC) and/or one or more digital tunable inductors (DTLs).

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the first impedance value of the matching circuit is changed to the second impedance value of the matching circuit by adjusting the one or more digital tunable capacitors.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first impedance value of the matching circuit is different from the second impedance value of the matching circuit.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first impedance value of the amplifier circuit is different from the second output impedance value of the amplifier circuit.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the turning off lowers an output power of the amplifier circuit.

9. A method for turning on a subset of amplifier segments in an amplifier circuit, the method comprising:
providing a matching circuit coupled with the amplifier circuit, the matching circuit having a first impedance value substantially matching a first output impedance value of the amplifier circuit;
determining a number of amplifier segments of a plurality of amplifier segments to be turned on;
determining a second output impedance value of the amplifier circuit expected upon turning on the determined number of amplifier segments;
turning on the number of amplifier segments determined to be turned on, wherein the turning on the number of amplifier segments establishes a second output impedance value of the amplifier circuit; and
changing the first impedance value of the matching circuit to a second impedance value of the matching circuit, the second output impedance value of the matching circuit being substantially equal to the second output impedance value of the amplifier circuit.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the first impedance value and the second impedance value of the matching circuit are substantially equal to or greater than the corresponding first output impedance value and second the output impedance value of the amplifier circuit at all times.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the turning on increases an output power of the amplifier circuit.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the matching circuit comprises one or more digital tunable capacitors and one or more inductors.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the first impedance value of the matching circuit is changed to the second impedance value of the matching circuit by adjusting the one or more digital tunable capacitors.

14. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the first impedance value of the matching circuit is different from the second impedance value of the matching circuit.

15. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the first impedance value of the amplifier circuit is different from the second output impedance value of the amplifier circuit.

16. A circuit arrangement comprising:
an amplifier circuit comprising a plurality of amplifier segments and having an output impedance; and
a matching circuit coupled with the amplifier circuit, the matching circuit comprising one or more inductors and one or more digital tunable capacitors,
wherein the amplifier circuit output impedance has a first value in a first configuration of the amplifier segments, the first value adapted to change to a second value in a second configuration of the amplifier segments, and
wherein an impedance value of the matching circuit is configured to be adjustable to substantially equal or exceed the output impedance of the amplifier circuit before the output impedance of the amplifier circuit is changed from the first value to the second value.

17. The circuit arrangement according to claim 16 , wherein the impedance value of the matching circuit is adjusted before changing the output impedance of the amplifier circuit.

18. The circuit arrangement according to claim 16 , wherein the impedance value of the matching circuit is adjusted after changing the output impedance of the amplifier circuit.

Assignees

• Peregrine Semiconductor Corp

Inventors

• Gaynor Michael P

Classifications

• H03F3/193 Primary

  with field-effect devices (H03F3/195 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H03F2200/378

  A variable capacitor being added in the output circuit, e.g. collector, drain, of an amplifier stage · CPC title

• H03F2200/387

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

• H03F1/223 Primary

  with MOSFET's · CPC title

• H03F1/56 Primary

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