Amplifiers – With semiconductor amplifying device – Including temperature compensation means
Reexamination Certificate
2003-06-27
2004-11-30
Shingleton, Michael B (Department: 2817)
Amplifiers
With semiconductor amplifying device
Including temperature compensation means
C330S278000, C330S285000, C330S290000, C330S296000, C330S297000, C330S098000, C330S310000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06825725
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to the field of amplifier circuits, and more specifically to the field of integrated power amplifier circuits.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Typical power amplifier (PA) technologies utilize multiple integrated circuits in order to provide functionality for amplification, power output control and for stabilization of the PA output signal level due to supply voltage and temperature fluctuations.
It is well appreciated to those skilled in the art of amplifier design that bias currents supplied to the RF signal amplification stages is are an important determinant of the performance of the amplification stages. For example, a bias current supplied to the base of a bipolar transistor acting as a RF signal amplification stage is a major determinant of the amplification performance demonstrated by that bipolar transistor. Selecting and supplying the correct bias current is crucial to optimizing the RF signal amplification characteristics of any transistor amplifier. Moreover, one can appreciate that having control over the bias current supplied to the transistor amplifiers can enable more sophisticated schemes for optimizing the power output characteristics of the transistor amplifier. For example, one might detect output power from a power amplifier and choose to modify the bias current in response to the measured output power. Furthermore, one can envisage other figures of merit associated with the performance of power amplifiers that might be optimized using control over the bias current, such as bias current reduction at lower output powers to improve operating efficiency when RF-induced rectification currents are low.
Of course, such a concept is not new to the art of power amplifier design or their utilization. Open-loop or close-loop control over the performance of a power amplifier through the bias current is well known to those of skill in the art. Moreover, closed loop control has been used to mitigate variations in power amplifier output power performance in response to input control voltages, external temperature changes, or simply to mitigate manufacturing tolerance.
Introducing a degree of control, however, over the performance of power amplifiers through the bias current entails using additional circuitry to convert voltage detection error signals into incremental base voltage changes on the transistors. That is, circuitry is required above and beyond the transistors used for providing RF signal amplification. For example, introducing control over the bias current will require, at a minimum, circuitry for receiving the control signal and for varying the bias current. Numerous circuit block architectures have been discussed in the prior art for achieving thereof.
Furthermore, all existing control architectures employ a substantial die area, and utilize multiple integrated circuit technologies with a net higher manufacturing cost and large associated packaging area. This traditional approach often results in a reduction in operating efficiency, due to the need for in-line coupling circuits, and poor repeatability of results, create more challenging calibration requirements and reduced manufacturing yields.
If is therefore an object of the invention to provide a power amplifier integrated circuit (PAIC) that overcomes the limitations of the prior art by fully integrating such bias and power control features on a single PAIC within a single manufacturing process technology. The PAIC advantageously realizes a reduced die and packaging area over existing solutions. Along with improved RF output signal power control repeatability versus temperature and supply voltage variations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention there is provided a power amplifier circuit comprising: an input port for receiving a RF input signal; an output port for providing therefrom a RF output signal, the RF output signal being an amplified version of the RF input signal; a supply voltage input port for receiving a supply voltage; a voltage regulator circuit for receiving the supply voltage and for providing a regulated supply voltage; a first amplification stage having a first gain and for receiving one of a signal derived from the RF input signal and the RF input signal and for providing a first amplified RF signal, the first amplification stage coupled to the voltage regulator circuit for receiving the regulated supply voltage; and, a second amplification stage having a second gain and coupled to the first amplification stage for receiving one of a signal derived from the first amplified RF signal and the first amplified RF signal and coupled to the output port for providing the output signal thereto, the second amplification stage coupled to the supply voltage input port for receiving the supply voltage other than regulated by the voltage regulator circuit.
In accordance with the invention there is provided a method of amplifying a RF input signal to form a RF output signal that is an amplified version of the RF input signal comprising the steps of: receiving the RF input signal; providing a first amplification stage having a first gain; providing a second amplification stage having a second gain; receiving a first supply voltage; regulating the first supply voltage to provide a regulated supply voltage; providing the regulated supply voltage to the first amplification stage; providing the first supply voltage to the second amplification stage; and, amplifying one of a signal derived from the received RF input signal and the received RF input signal using the first amplification stage having the first gain and the second amplification stage having the second gain to form the RF output signal.
In accordance with the invention there is provided a power amplifier circuit comprising: an input port for receiving a RF input signal; an output port for providing therefrom a RF output signal, the RF output signal being an amplified version of the RF input signal; a supply voltage input port for receiving a supply voltage; a voltage regulator circuit for receiving the supply voltage and for providing a regulated supply voltage; a first amplification stage having a first gain for receiving one of a signal derived from the RF input signal and the RF input signal and for providing a first amplified RF signal, the first amplification stage coupled to the voltage regulator circuit for receiving the regulated supply voltage; a second amplification stage having a second gain for receiving one of a signal derived from the first amplified RF signal and the first amplified RF signal and coupled to the output port for providing the output signal thereto, the second amplification stage coupled to the supply voltage input port for receiving the supply voltage, the supply voltage provided to the second amplification stage and other than regulated by the voltage regulator circuit; a temperature sensing circuit disposed for sensing a temperature of the power amplifier circuit and for providing a temperature signal therefrom in dependence upon the sensed temperature of the power amplifier circuit, the temperature signal for provision to the regulator circuit and at least one of the first amplification stage and the second amplification stage; a voltage sensing circuit disposed for sensing a potential of the supply voltage and for providing a sense signal in dependence thereon, the sense signal for provision to at least one of the regulator circuit and the first amplification stage and the second amplification stage; and, a control port coupled to at least one of the voltage regulator circuit and the first amplification stage and the second amplification stage for at least one of respectively controlling the regulated supply voltage and the first gain and the second gain.
In accordance with the invention there is provided a power amplifier circuit comprising: an input port for receiving a RF input signal; an output port for providing a RF output signal therefrom that is an amplified version of the RF input signal; a control port for receiving a control signal; a
Antognetti Phillip
Doherty Mark
Gillis John
Helms David
McPartlin Michael
Kenyon & Kenyon
Shingleton Michael B
SiGe Semiconductor Inc.
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