The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 04, 2003
Filed:
Jun. 26, 2001
Tirdad Sowlati, Ossining, NY (US);
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V., Eindhoven, NL;
Abstract
A method for increasing the maximum useable supply voltage in an amplifier circuit is presented. A self-biased cascode amplifier circuit includes a first MOSFET and a second MOSFET connected in series and coupled between a DC voltage source terminal and a common terminal. An RF input signal terminal is coupled to a gate electrode of the first MOSFET, and the gate of the second MOSFET is connected between a resistor and a capacitor connected in series between the drain of the second MOSFET and the source of the first MOSFET. In preferred embodiments a unidirectionally-conducting boosting sub-circuit is coupled between a drain electrode and the gate electrode of the second MOSFET, which may comprise a diode-resistive sub-circuit, or a third MOSFET connected across a resistive voltage divider. The output of the amplifier circuit is taken from the drain electrode of the second MOSFET. These configuration permits the first and second MOSFETs to withstand a larger output voltage swing, thus permitting the use of a higher supply voltage and increased output power, without the necessity of complex biasing voltages.