US 10,476,452 B2Granted

Adjustable load line power amplifier circuits and methods

AssigneeThe Boeing Company

InventorsAlireza Shapoury, Brian Kenneth Kormanyos

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Abstract

Adjustable load line amplifier circuits may comprise a power amplifier that has a signal input terminal to receive an input signal, a powered signal output terminal to be coupled to a load that has changing impedances, and a transistor array of transistor cells operatively coupled in parallel between the signal input terminal and the powered signal output terminal such that the transistor cells are independently configured to amplify the input signal present at the signal input terminal and effect a selected load line impedance of the transistor array that corresponds to at least one of the changing impedances of the load. The transistor array controller may be configured to effect the selected load line impedance by selectively activating one or more of the transistor cells and/or providing the transistor cells with a selectable operating voltage.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A transmission system, comprising:

a power amplifier that has a signal input terminal to receive an input signal, a powered signal output terminal to be coupled to a load that has changing impedances, and a transistor array of transistor cells operatively coupled in parallel between the signal input terminal and the powered signal output terminal such that one or more of the transistor cells independently is configured to amplify the input signal present at the signal input terminal and to contribute to a powered transmit signal at the powered signal output terminal;
a transistor array controller that is configured to dynamically effect a selected load line impedance of the transistor array that corresponds to at least one of the changing load impedances of the load, wherein the transistor array controller is configured to dynamically effect the selected load line impedance by:
(i) selectively and dynamically activating one or more of the transistor cells, and
(ii) selectively and dynamically establishing an operating voltage for the transistor cells;
and
a load impedance indicator to provide an indication of the at least one of the changing impedances of the load, wherein the transistor array controller is responsive to the load impedance indicator to selectively and dynamically activate one or more of the transistor cells.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/801,202Filed 1 Nov 2017
Published: US 2019/0131939 A12 May 2019
Granted: 12 Nov 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

H03F 3/193
With semiconductor devices only: with field-effect devices
H01Q 3/2658
Varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of…
H01Q 3/28
Varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of…
H01Q 5/378
Arrangements for providing operation on different wavebands: combination of fed elements with parasitic elements