Method of switching on and off a power amplifier, related power amplifier circuit, system and computer program product

A power amplifier circuit, comprising:

• a power amplifier including:
• a signal input for receiving an input signal,
• a signal output for providing an output signal,
• a gain control input for receiving a gain control signal being indicative of a requested gain;
• and
• a mute control input for receiving a mute control signal indicating whether said signal output should be switched on or switched off;
• a control unit coupled to said power amplifier to provide the gain control signal and the mute control signal, the control unit being configured to generate the gain control signal having a switch-on ramp and a switch-off ramp based on switch-on and switch-off ramp data having a maximum gain value, the power amplifier being configured:
• in response to said mute control signal indicating that the said signal output should be switched on, to generate at said signal output the output signal by amplifying said input signal as a function of said gain control signal;
• in response to said mute control signal indicating that the said signal output should be switched off, to set said gain control signal to the maximum gain value and to deactivate said signal output;
• and
• delay the mute control signal for a predetermined time relative to the gain control signal when the mute control indicates said signal output should be switch off.

A system, comprising:

• a radio frequency signal generator;
• and
• a power amplifier circuit coupled to the radio frequency signal generator, the power amplifier circuit including a power amplifier including:
• a signal input for receiving an input signal,
• a signal output for providing an output signal,
• a gain control input for receiving a gain control signal being indicative of a requested gain, and
• a mute control input for receiving a mute control signal indicating whether said signal output should be switched on or switched off;
• and
• a control unit coupled to said power amplifier to provide the gain control signal and the mute control signal, the control unit being configured to generate the gain control signal having a switch-on ramp and a switch-off ramp based on switch-on and switch-off ramp data having a maximum gain value, the power amplifier being configured to:
• in response to said mute control signal indicating that the said signal output should be switched on, generate at said signal output the output signal a first predetermined delay time after the mute control signal indicates the signal output should be switched on by amplifying said input signal as a function of said gain control signal;
• in response to said mute control signal indicating that the said signal output should be switched off, set said gain control signal to the maximum gain value and to deactivate said signal output;
• and
• deactivate said signal output a second predetermined delay time after the mute control signal indicates the signal output should be switched off when the mute control signal indicates said signal output should be switched off.