Harris Corporation

Hbc Solutions, Inc.

Gatesair, Inc.

Other

Imagine Communications Corp.

George Cabrera

Timothy Wilfred Dittmer

Dmitri Borodulin

Dmitriy Borodulin

Peter John Poggi

Zhiqun Hu

Paul Thomas Moore

Gavin Martin Monson

Wayne Douglas Duello

Tim Dittmer

Wayne Douglas-Duello

Dimitri Borodulin

Bryce A Robertson

Dale J Doyle

Dmitryi Borodulin

Timothy Dittmer

Peter Poggi

Bryce Roberston

An amplification system includes a differential output circuit that provides an amplified output to drive a load. A main amplifier is coupled to a terminal of the differential output circuit via a main path, corresponding to a transmission line. A peak amplifier is coupled to another terminal of the differential output circuit via a peak path, corresponding to a transmission line. In a single-ended mode while the peak amplifier is deactivated for amplification purposes, the peak path performs an impedance inversion to effectively ground the other terminal of the differential output circuit. In a differential mode, each of the peak amplifier and the main amplifier operates to conduct current to respective terminals of the differential output circuit and each of the main path and the peak path provides a predetermined output impedance to the differential output circuit.

Push-pull amplification systems and methods

A broadband high efficiency (RF) radio frequency amplifier architecture is disclosed. Systems and methods are provided for generating an amplified radio frequency (RF) signal representing a baseband input signal. First, second, and third signal paths are configured to amplify first, second, and third intermediate signals to provide respective amplified signals. A signal combiner assembly is configured to combine the amplified signals to produce the compound amplified RF signal. The signals are combined such that a first amplified signal modulates a load impedance at respective outputs of an active device associated with the plurality of amplifiers in the second signal path, and one of the first amplified signal, the second amplified signal, and a sum of the first and second amplified signals modulates a load impedance of an active device associated with the plurality of amplifiers in the third signal path.

Broadband high efficiency amplifier system and a method of constructing high power amplitude modulated RF signal

Systems and methods are provided for generating a modulated radio frequency (RF) output signal representing a baseband input signal. A digitizer is configured to sample the baseband input signal and produce an N-bit binary digital signal representing a scaled linear function of the signal amplitude. An RF signal source configured to produce an RF carrier signal. N amplifier paths each include at least one amplifier configured to receive the RF carrier signal as an input and provide a corresponding output RF signal. The amplifiers associated with each of the N amplifier paths are active only when a corresponding bit of the digital signal assumes a first value. A power combiner assembly is configured to combine the outputs of the plurality of amplifier paths to deliver the modulated RF output signal.

Broadband high efficiency amplifier system

Systems and methods are provided for producing an amplified radio frequency (RF) signal representing a baseband input signal. A first amplifier amplifies a first intermediate signal to provide a first amplified signal. Second and third amplifiers amplify a second intermediate signal to provide second and third amplified signals. A signal combiner combines the first, second, and third amplified signals to produce the amplified RF signal. An RF modulator modulates an RF carrier signal with a baseband input signal to provide the first and second intermediate signals. The RF modulator provides the first and second intermediate signals such that the first amplified signal is out-of-phase with each of the second and third amplified signals at an output of an active device within the second amplifier when the amplitude of the baseband input signal exceeds a threshold voltage and in phase when the baseband input signal is below a threshold voltage.

Broadband high efficiency amplifier system incorporating dynamic modulation of load impedance

A circuit for amplifying an input signal can comprise a plurality of couplers. A splitting coupler of the plurality of couplers can receive the input signal and a combining coupler of the plurality of couplers can provides an output signal. N number of amplifiers can be included in the circuit to amplify the input signal, wherein N is a non-binary integer greater than one. At least one of the plurality of couplers can comprise a hybrid coupler that has two ports terminated into substantially equal reactances.

Hybrid coupler

Systems and methods are provided for modulating a radio frequency (RF) carrier signal with a baseband input signal and amplifying the modulated RF carrier signal to provide an amplified RF signal. A quadrature combiner is configured to provide the amplified RF signal at an associated output port. A main amplifier is configured to receive a first modulated RF signal and provide a main output to one of a through port and a coupled port of the quadrature combiner. An auxiliary amplifier is configured to receive a second modulated RF signal and provide an auxiliary output to an isolation port of the quadrature combiner.

Broadband amplifier system using a 3dB quadrature combiner to dynamically modulate load impedance

An amplification system is provided that comprises a push-pull amplifier system having a first power transistor series coupled with a second power transistor that alternately switch between a push-pull amplifier mode of operation and a single-ended amplifier mode of operation. In the push-pull amplifier mode, both the first power transistor and the second power transistor alternately conduct to provide an amplified output signal to an output load in response to an input signal having an amplitude that is greater than or equal to a threshold level. In the single-ended amplifier mode of operation, the first power transistor conducts and the second power transistor is disabled for amplification purposes in response to the input signal having an amplitude that is less than the threshold level.

A system for amplifying an input signal can comprise a main amplifier to amplify a delayed version of the input signal. The system can also comprise a peak amplifier to amplify the input signal upon the input signal reaching a threshold level and disable amplification upon the input signal falling below the threshold level. The system can further comprise a voltage combiner to electromagnetically couple the output of the main amplifier and the peak amplifier, such that an output impedance at an output node of the voltage combiner is a high impedance if the input signal is below the threshold level.

Amplifying system

Systems and methods are provided for generating dual outputs in a digital exciter system. A first signal path produces one of a frequency modulated audio signal, a digital information signal, and a signal comprising both frequency modulated audio and digital information. A second signal path produces one of a frequency modulated audio signal, a digital information signal, and a signal comprising both frequency modulated audio and digital information. A main exciter output provides one of the signal produced at the first signal path and the signal produced at the second signal path to an associated first signal destination. An auxiliary exciter output provides one of the signal produced at the first signal path and the signal produced at the auxiliary signal path to an associated second signal destination.

Dual output digital exciter

Apparatus and method are presented for broadcasting an RF signal comprised of analog FM and digital signals. An analog FM source provides an analog FM signal. A digital source provides a digital signal. A splitter splits the FM signal into a fractional portion and remainder portion. A summer combines the fractional portion with the digital signal to provide a first combined signal. A main FM transmitter amplifies the remainder portion to provide an amplified FM signal. A digital transmitter amplifies the first combined signal to provide an amplified combined signal. A combiner combines the amplified FM signal and the amplified combined signal to provide a composite RF signal to be broadcasted.

Transmitting RF signals employing improved high-level combinations of analog FM and digital signals

Systems and methods are provided for efficient amplification of a signal utilizing a modified Doherty amplifier system. A modified Doherty amplifier system includes a nonlinear main amplifier and a nonlinear auxiliary amplifier. An impedance-inverting network separates the main amplifier from an associated load. A second quarter wave transmission line separates the auxiliary amplifier from an associated signal source. The signal source has an associated minimum signal power, such that the signal power never drops below a predetermined percentage of a peak signal power.

Modified doherty amplifier

The variable power supply to an amplifier in an electrical circuit is dynamically controlled through the use of a lookup table responsive to one or more operating conditions of the electrical circuit. The lookup table is indexed by one or more of the operating conditions and the amount of amplification to be applied to an input signal to the amplifier is determined. One embodiment of the invention comprises a television transmitter circuit including a power amplifier circuit capable of amplifying a variable frequency COFDM or 8VSB input signal where the amount of amplification applied to the input signal is dynamically controlled through the use of a lookup table as a function of the frequency of the input signal.

System and method for minimizing dissipation in RF power amplifiers

An RF wideband amplifier system is provided that includes an M way splitter for receiving an RF input signal and splitting same into M RF signals for respective application to M power amplifier modules PAM- to PAM-M that amplify the M signals and apply the amplified M signals to an M way combiner that applies an amplified RF signal to a load. A main controller provides an automatic level control reference signal, representative of the desired output power level of each of the power amplifier modules. Each power amplifier module includes an 2*N way balanced splitter that receives one of the M RF signals and splits the signal into 2*N signal portions; 2*N RF amplifiers that respectively receive the 2*N signal portions and amplify same and provide therefrom 2*N amplified signal portions; an 2*N way RF combiner that receives and combines the amplified RF signal portions and provides therefrom a combined amplified output RF signal; a power detector that provides a power signal representative of the level of the output power of the power amplifier module; a difference circuit that provides an attenuation control signal having a value in accordance with the difference in values of the power signal and the reference signal; and, a variable adjuster that adjusts the magnitude of the one of the M RF signals in accordance with the difference.

Broadband amplifier system having improved linearity and minimum loss

A directional coupler comprises a coupler circuit board which is mounted substantially perpendicular to the surface of a parent circuit board. First and second upper traces are disposed on the opposing surfaces of the coupler circuit board. The coupling between the upper electrically conductive traces determines the odd mode impedance of the coupler. First and second lower traces are also disposed on opposing surfaces and connected to ground. The upper and lower traces are arranged such that the even mode of the impedance is determined by the coupling between the first upper trace and the second lower trace and the coupling between the second upper trace and the first lower trace.

Surface mounted broadside directional coupler

A system and method for improving the input return loss in RF amplifiers is disclosed. One embodiment of the present invention amplifies only one of the two output quadrature signals of 3 dB coupler in an amplifier module while substantially maintaining a constant impedance at the input to the 3 dB coupler. This removes one of the design constraints for designing the input network for an amplifier module thereby allowing for more flexible amplifier designs and ease of cascading amplifier modules. One embodiment of the present invention improves the input return loss of an RF amplifier pallet in a cascaded-stage power amplifier circuit for a television transmitter including a 3 dB coupler by replacing one of the two amplifiers connected to the output of the 3 dB coupler with an electrical circuit of substantially equivalent impedance to the input impedance of the non-replaced amplifier.

Growing community of inventors

Mason, OH, United States of America

George Cabrera