Motorola Corporation

Qorvo Us, Inc.

Rf Micro Devices, Inc.

David Q Ngo

Praveen Varma Nadimpalli

Natalino Camilleri

Gregory Redmond Black

David K Lovelace

Wayne R Burger

Julio C Costa

Daniel J Lamey

Christopher Paul Dragon

Michael B Thomas

Shih K Cheng

Don R Holcomb, Sr

Han-Bin K Liang

Jun Ma

Bruce R Yeung

Mike B Thomas

Edward T Spears

Christopher B Foye

Radio frequency (RF) amplification devices are disclosed along with methods of providing power to an RF signal. In one embodiment, an RF amplification device includes an RF amplification circuit and a voltage regulation circuit. The RF amplification circuit includes a plurality of RF amplifier stages coupled in cascade. The voltage regulation circuit is coupled to provide a regulated voltage to a driver RF amplifier stage. The voltage regulation circuit is configured to generate the regulated voltage so that the maximum output power of the RF amplification circuit is provided approximately at a first power level while the supply voltage is above a threshold voltage level. The first power level should be within the physical capabilities of the RF amplification circuit, and thus, the RF amplification circuit is prevented from being damaged once the supply voltage is above the threshold voltage level.

RF amplification device with power protection during high supply voltage conditions

A radio frequency (RF) amplification device comprises an RF amplification circuit, and a dynamic level shifter (DLS) circuit coupled between a supply voltage and the RF amplification circuit. The DLS circuit is configured to provide a first shifted voltage to the RF amplification circuit via a first diode when the supply voltage is above a first threshold voltage level. The DLS circuit is further configured to provide a second shifted voltage to the RF amplification circuit via a first shunt transistor when the supply voltage is below the first threshold voltage level, wherein the supply voltage less the second shifted voltage is less than the supply voltage less the first shifted voltage.

An amplifier chain that switches between a saturated mode of operation and a linear mode of operation comprises at least two amplifier stages. A switch is associated with the first amplifier stage and dampens the gain of the amplifier chain when the switch is closed. In a first embodiment, this is done by bypassing the first amplifier stage. In second and third embodiments, this is done by providing a feedback loop to the first amplifier stage. Dynamic device scaling and changing the bias may also be used to affect the performance of the amplifier chain.

Switched gain amplifier circuit

A monolithic integrated circuit die (10) is fabricated to include unilateral FETs (113, 114, 115), RF passive devices such as a double polysilicon capacitor (57), a polysilicon resistor (58), and an inductor (155), and an ESD protection device (160). A first P.sup.+ sinker (28) provides signal isolation between two FETs (113, 115) separated by the first sinker (28) and is coupled to a source region (86) of a power FET (115) via a self-aligned titanium silicide structure (96). A second P.sup.+ sinker (29) is coupled to a bottom plate (44) of the double polysilicon capacitor (57). A third P+ sinker (178) is coupled to a source region (168) of the ESD protection device (160) via another titanium silicide structure (174).

Monolithic RF mixed signal IC with power amplification

A high frequency power FET device (22) is integrated with passive components (23,24,26,28,31), an electro-static discharge (ESD) device (27,127,227), and/or a logic structure (29) on a semiconductor body (13) to form a monolithic high frequency integrated circuit structure (10). The high frequency power FET device (22) includes a grounded source configuration. The logic structure (29) utilizes the high frequency power FET structure in a grounded source configuration as one device in a CMOS implementation.

Monolithic high frequency integrated circuit structure having a grounded

The amplifier (201) uses transistors (401,403) such as MOSFET transistors in a current mirror configuration. The transistors (401,403) are easy to package as surface mount devices. The drain port of the first transistor is coupled to an output signal (207) and a bias input signal (VB+). A gate port of the first transistor is coupled to a bias control input (117) and the signal input (115). The source of the first transistor and the source of the second transistor are coupled to an electrical ground (409). A first end of a resistive device (411) is coupled to the gate port and the drain port of the second transistor and a second end of the resistive device (411) is coupled the signal input (115) and the bias control input (117). This amplifier (201) has low sensitivity to the variations of the bias current to the control signal threshold, making the amplifier ideal for use in a radiotelephone (103).

Amplifier suitable for use in a radiotelephone

A temperature compensated power detector utilizes a temperature compensating diode connected to an inverting input of an amplifier to enable the amplifier to substantially cancel out undesirable temperature effects caused by a power level detector diode coupled to the non-inverting input of the amplifier. As a result, the amplifier output voltage tends to remain constant over temperature in response to a fixed power level being applied to the detector. A lookup table is utilized to determine the power level corresponding to a power detector output voltage of a particular magnitude.

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Phoenix, AZ, United States of America

David Q Ngo