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:
Oct. 02, 2007
Filed:
Sep. 08, 2005
David A. Newman, Tempe, AZ (US);
Benjamin R. Gilsdorf, Phoenix, AZ (US);
David S. Peckham, Barrington Hills, IL (US);
David A. Newman, Tempe, AZ (US);
Benjamin R. Gilsdorf, Phoenix, AZ (US);
David S. Peckham, Barrington Hills, IL (US);
Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
Method and apparatus are provided for protecting radio frequency (RF) power amplifiers. A circuit () is provided for limiting a supply current to a first stage (Q) of the RF power amplifier having a second stage (Q) coupled to the first stage. The circuit comprises a comparator () having first and second inputs and an output, and a switching circuit () having an input coupled to the output of the comparator () and having an output configured to couple to the first stage (Q). The first input of the comparator () is configured to receive the supply current, and the second input is configured to receive a current supplied to the second stage (Q). The comparator () is configured to compare a ratio of the supply current to the first stage to the current supplied to the second stage (Q) with a predetermined value. The switching circuit () is configured to limit the supply current to the first stage (Q) when the ratio exceeds the predetermined value.