Ampleon Netherlands B.v.

Freescale Semiconductor,inc.

Other

Nxp B.v.

Jean-Jacques Bouny

Xavier Moronval

Gerard Jean-Louis Bouisse

Gerard Bouisse

Joseph Staudinger

Hugues Beaulaton

Jean-Christophe Nanan

Cedric Cassan

Xavier Bruno Jean Moronval

An amplifier assembly includes a three or more way Doherty amplifier arrangement (DAA) having at least three amplifiers, including a main amplifier and at least two peak amplifiers. The DAA is within a dual-path package including a first-RF-input-lead and a second-RF-input-lead for receiving components of a split RF-input signal and providing the components to the DAA. A first-RF-output-lead and a second-RF-output-lead receive a split output signal from the DAA. The DAA includes a first-semiconductor-die and a second-semiconductor-die, each having thereon respective amplifier(s). The first-semiconductor-die includes a Doherty-splitter element splitting the RF-input signal from the first-RF-input-lead to provide an input to two amplifiers thereon and a Doherty-combiner element to combine an output from the two amplifiers. The Doherty-combiner element is connected to the first-RF-output-lead. The second-semiconductor-die amplifier(s) are connected to the second-RF-input-lead to provide an input to the amplifier(s) and to the second-RF-output-lead to receive an output from the amplifier(s).

Amplifier assembly

A die is described comprising at least one 3-way Doherty amplifier comprising a main stage, a first peak stage and a second peak stage. An input is connected to an input network which is connected to the main stage, first peak stage and second peak stage. The input network includes a first impedance connected to an input of the first peak stage and providing a &#x2212;90&#xb0; phase shift and a second impedance connected to an input of the second peak stage and providing a 90&#xb0; phase shift. An output is connected to an output network which is connected to the main stage, first peak stage and second peak stage. The output network includes a third impedance connected to the output of the first peak stage and providing a 180&#xb0; phase shift and a fourth impedance connected to the output of the main stage and providing a 90&#xb0; phase shift.

Integrated 3-way Doherty amplifier

A Doherty amplifier for amplifying an input signal to an output signal, the Doherty amplifier comprising: a main amplifier for receiving a first signal and for amplifying the first signal to generate a first amplified signal; a first peak amplifier for receiving a second signal and for generating a second amplified signal, the first peak amplifier only operating when the second signal has reached a first threshold power, the first and second signal split from the input signal; and output circuitry to combine the first and second amplified signals to generate an output signal having an operating bandwidth, the output circuitry comprising inductors arranged in the format of a branch line coupler, the inductors coupled to the output parasitic capacitances of the main and peak amplifier.

Ultra wideband doherty amplifier

An integrated Doherty amplifier structure comprising;

Doherty amplifier structure

An embodiment of an amplifier includes N (N&#x3e;1) switch-mode power amplifier (SMPA) branches. Each SMPA branch includes two drive signal inputs and one SMPA branch output. A module coupled to the amplifier samples an input RF signal, and produces combinations of drive signals based on the samples. When an SMPA branch receives a first combination of drive signals, it produces an output signal at a first voltage level. Conversely, when the SMPA branch receives a different second combination of drive signals, it produces the output signal at a different second voltage level. Finally, when the SMPA branch receives a different third combination of drive signals, it produces the output signal at a voltage level of substantially zero. A combiner combines the output signals from all of the SMPA branches to produce a combined output signal that may have, at any given time, one of 2*N+1 quantization states.

Multiple-state, switch-mode power amplifier systems and methods of their operation

The invention relates to a Doherty amplifier for amplifying an input signal at an operating frequency, comprising: a main amplifier; a first peak amplifier; a second peak amplifier, each of the amplifiers comprising an input for receiving the input signal and an output for providing an amplified signal, a plurality of peak amplifiers, each of the amplifiers comprising an input for receiving the input signal and an output for providing an amplified signal; a first input phase shifter; a second input phase shifter; a first capacitor coupled between the source and drain of the first peak amplifier; a first output phase shifter and a second output phase shifter.

Doherty amplifier

Radio Frequency (RF) amplifier circuits are disclosed which may exhibit improved video/instantaneous bandwidth performance compared to conventional circuits. For example, disclosed RF amplifier circuits may employ a baseband decoupling network connected in parallel with a low-pass RF matching network of the amplifier circuit.

Amplifier circuits

Proposed is a bias circuit for a transistor in a C class amplifier. The bias circuit comprises: a class AB amplifier bias voltage generating means adapted to generate a bias voltage at an output terminal; and a transistor connected between the output terminal and a first reference voltage, the control terminal of the transistor being connected to a second reference voltage via a switch. Closure of the switch connects the second reference voltage to the control terminal of the transistor to cause a shift in the bias voltage generated by the class AB amplifier bias voltage generating means to achieve a predetermined class C bias voltage at the output terminal.

Bias circuit

A wireless communication unit comprises a semiconductor power amplifier device and a bias control circuit therefor. The bias control circuit comprises a detector for detecting at least a portion of the RF input signal; and a buffer for buffering the detected RF input signal. The detector is arranged to provide at least one inverted signal of the RF input signal. A semiconductor amplifier device is connected to an output of the bias control circuit and arranged to use an inverted detected signal to extract current from the output. When applied to a Doherty amplifier design, the biasing circuit requires fewer components, for example no video (buffer) amplifier and no delay block are required in the RF path. This facilitates integration of the circuit on a semiconductor die.

Wireless communication unit, integrated circuit and biasing therefor

Amplifier apparatus comprising a power amplifier () having an operating frequency in the radio frequency ('RF') or microwave or higher ranges and a pre-distorter (), the characteristics of the power amplifier () comprising a distortion from a linear transfer function. The pre-distorter () comprises a non-linear path (), a linear path (), input means () responsive to an amplifier input signal for applying respective prre-distorter input signals to the paths () and combining means () for combining a linear signal from the linear path () with a non-linear signal from the non-linear path () to produce a pre-distorted signal. The characteristics of the pre-distorter () comprise a distortion relative to a linear transfer function such as to tend to compensate for the distortion of the transfer function of the power amplifier. The input means () is arranged to apply the pre-distorter input signals to the paths () substantially in relative phase opposition (+) and the combining means () is arranged to combine the signals from the paths () without introducing any significant relative phase difference. The input means () and the combining means () consist substantially of passive components (toto) and substantially all the components of the pre-distorter () are formed in a common semiconductor substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Fontenilles, France

Jean-Jacques Bouny