Amplification systems and methods using fixed and modulated...

Details Amplification systems and methods using fixed and modulated... Amplification systems and methods using fixed and modulated...

2000-08-17

2001-09-04

Pascal, Robert (Department: 2817)

Amplifiers

With control of power supply or bias voltage

C330S12400D

Reexamination Certificate

active

06285251

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to power amplifiers and amplifying methods, and more particularly to high-efficiency power amplifiers and related methods Power amplifiers are widely used in communication systems, for example in radiotelephone base stations and radiotelephones. In radiotelephone communication systems, power amplifiers typically amplify high frequency signals for transmission.
A major consideration in the design of power amplifiers is the efficiency thereof. High efficiency is generally desirable so as to reduce the amount of power that is dissipated as heat. Moreover, in many applications, such as in satellites and portable radiotelephones, the amount of power that is available may be limited. An increase in efficiency in the power amplifier therefore may be desirable, in order to allow an increase the operational time or capacity for the satellite or portable radiotelephone.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,210,028 to Doherty (August 1940), an arrangement of two vacuum tube power amplifiers coupled by a single quarter wave line is described. A semiconductor version of the Doherty amplifier is described in a more recent U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,541 entitled “Microwave Doherty Amplifier”, to Upton et al. In Proc. IRE, Vol. 23 No. 11 (1935), pages 1370-1392, entitled “High Power Outphasing Modulation”, Chireix describes producing a transmitter giving a modulated amplitude output signal by combining two constant output amplitude amplifiers with a variable phase difference so that their outputs can be varied in relative phase from additive to subtractive. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,568,088; 5,574,967; 5,631,604; and 5,638,024 to coinventor Dent, all entitled “Waste Energy Control and Management in Power Amplifiers”, various arrangements of coupled power amplifiers are disclosed in which a varying amplitude signal may be produced using constant amplitude power amplifiers. In applicant's 1964 graduate thesis project, an amplifier was built and reported in which the value of Vcc was selected to be either Vcc or 0.7 Vcc based on whether the desired output amplitude was greater or less than 0.7 Vcc. Finally, in the 1960s, many so-called “class-D” or pulse-width modulation amplifiers were proposed and manufactured.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention can amplify a signal using fixed and modulated power supply voltages, and buck/boost control. In particular, an embodiment of the present invention amplifies a signal of varying amplitude in a first saturated power amplifier that operates from a fixed voltage power supply to produce a first output signal of constant amplitude. The signal of varying amplitude also is amplified in a second saturated power amplifier that operates from a modulated voltage power supply, to produce a second output signal of amplitude that depends on the signal of varying amplitude, a modulated power supply voltage, and on an invert
oninvert control signal. The first and second output signals are combined into a load. The modulated voltage power supply is modulated while generating the invert
oninvert control signal, such that the combined first and second output signals into the load amplify the signal of varying amplitude. The signal of varying amplitude also may be of varying amplitude and varying phase.


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