Rockwell Collins, Inc.

Rockwell International Corporation

Michael R Vagher

Clayton Harmon

Robert J Frank

Carlos J Chavez

Carlen R Welty

Peter Tilly

Andrew J Wiebold

A digital power amplifier is disclosed. The digital power amplifier may comprise an amplifying stage configured for applying a first level of attenuation to an RF input signal in response to a desired output power level of the digital power amplifier; a reference loop configured for determining an average power of a sample of the RF input signal and providing a reference value at least partially based upon the average power of the sample of the RF input signal; a feedback loop configured for applying a second level of attenuation to a sample of an output of the amplifying stage and providing a feedback value indicating an average power of the attenuated sample of the output; and an error amplifier configured for providing a gain control adjustment signal to the amplifying stage, the gain control adjustment signal being determined based upon the reference value and the feedback value.

Power amplifier control system with gain calibration

A system for simultaneously transmitting and receiving signals in a frequency hopping system. The system includes a multiplexor configured to filter a plurality of frequency hopping message pulses based on a frequency associated with each pulse, a plurality of transceivers configured to receive the pulses from the multiplexor, and a modem configured for simultaneous transmission and reception whereby transmission of the pulses are isolated from potentially received pulses by selecting a specific sub-band and transceiver corresponding to the specific sub-band through which to transmit each pulse.

Multiplexed architecture for simultaneous transmission and reception

The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for wideband amplification of RF signals. A wideband amplification apparatus in accordance with the present invention may comprise: (a) a high-band amplifier; (b) a low-band amplifier; (c) a quadrature hybrid; and (d) a plurality of antennas.

Apparatus and method for wideband amplification of RF signals

A digital power amplifier with variable output power control is disclosed. An amplifying stage includes a first attenuator that applies one of n attenuation steps to an RF signal in response to a desired output power level of the digital power amplifier. A feedback loop provides a gain control signal to the amplifying stage based upon an output of the amplifying stage. The feedback loop includes a second attenuator that applies another of the n attenuation steps to a sample of the output of the amplifying stage. The second attenuator applies the khighest of the n attenuation steps when the first attenuator applies the klowest of the n attenuation steps, where 1&#x2266;k&#x2266;n.

Digital power amplifier level control

A multilevel power amplifier using hybrid couplers is disclosed. A splitter network is connected to an input amplifier stage that amplifies and modulates the input signal with the outputs of the splitter network connected to switches for selecting desired splitter output signals. The desired splitter output signals are amplified by power amplifier stages connected to the switches. A bypass network is connected to the splitter network and an output combiner network to bypass the power amplifier stages. The output combiner network is connected to the power amplifier stages and to the bypass network to combine the bypass signals and the amplified signals into a desired power output signal. Two or four power amplifier stages may be used to deliver power at low, medium, and high power levels.

Power amplifier with multilevel power modes

An apparatus having a distortion cancelling feedback signal that suppresses undesired signal components. One embodiment of the present invention is comprised of a balanced mixer coupled to a common-mode detector, a filter and having a resulting feedback signal that suppresses the common-mode component of the mixer output signal while allowing the differential component of the mixer output signal to pass on to additional processing.

Apparatus with distortion cancelling feedback signal

An apparatus and a method for cancelling distortion in a direct conversion receiver, such distortion created by the mixing of the desired signal with the output signal of an local oscillator. Subsequent to filtering the mixer output signal, the even mode distortion component is extracted, phase shifted, amplified and recombined with the mixed signal in such manner as to suppress even order distortion.

Apparatus with distortion cancelling feed forward signal

A digitally switched gain amplifier designed for use in binary controlled systems. The amplifier is designed for fabrication as a monolithic integrated circuit. The amplifier provides gain that varies in discrete levels in a binary manner under direct control of a digital word. The smallest resolution, or distance between gain steps, is one decibel and the maximum amount of gain reduction is determined by the number of stages included in the amplifier. The incremental resolution of the amplifier allows for the amplifier to keep a received signal at a constant level with a digital word. Thus, eliminating the need for digital to analog conversion.

Growing community of inventors

Cedar Rapids, IA, United States of America

Michael R Vagher