Method and apparatus for calibration and equalization of multiport amplifiers (MPAs)

An amplifier system, comprising:

• a first multiport amplifier (MPA) comprising:
• a first input network having a plurality of input ports including a first pilot input port configured to selectively receive a pilot signal, the first input network including a first plurality of input hybrid couplers;
• a first output network having a plurality of output ports, the first output network including a first plurality of output hybrid couplers;
• a first plurality of amplification units coupled between the first input network and the first output network, the first plurality of amplification units configured to amplify signals from the plurality of input ports of the first input network;
• a first plurality of couplers between the first plurality of amplification units and the first output network;
• a second MPA comprising:
• a second input network having a plurality of input ports including a second pilot input port configured to selectively receive the pilot signal, the second input network including a second plurality of input hybrid couplers;
• a second output network having a plurality of output ports, the second output network including a second plurality of output hybrid couplers;
• a second plurality of amplification units coupled between the second input network and the second output network, the second plurality of amplification units configured to amplify signals from the plurality of input ports of the second input network;
• a second plurality of couplers between the second plurality of amplification units and the second output network;
• a pilot signal generator configured to generate a pilot signal;
• a first pilot signal switching network extending between the pilot signal generator and the first and second pilot input ports;
• a second pilot signal switching network extending between the pilot signal generator and the first and second pluralities of couplers;
• a calibration unit to calibrate signals from the plurality of amplification units;
• and
• a calibration switching network extending between the calibration unit and the first and second pluralities of couplers, the calibration switching network and the first pilot switching network configured to select the first MPA or the second MPA as a selected MPA, couple the pilot signal through the first pilot switching network to the pilot input port of the selected MPA and couple the plurality of couplers of the selected MPA to the calibration unit for calibration of amplification units of the selected MPA.

An amplification system comprising:

• a plurality of multi-port amplifiers (MPAs), each MPA including an input network, an output network, a plurality of amplification units coupled between the input network and the output network;
• a first pilot signal switching network connected to the plurality of MPAs, the first pilot switching network configured to provide a pilot signal to an input port of the input network of a selected MPA of the plurality of MPAs for calibration of the plurality of amplification units of the selected MPA;
• a calibration switching network connected to the plurality of MPAs, the calibration switching network configured to send amplified pilot signals from between the plurality of amplification units and the output network of the selected MPA for calibration of the plurality of amplification units of the selected MPA;
• a second pilot signal switching network connected to the plurality of MPAs, the second pilot switching network configured to provide the pilot signal without amplification to nodes between the plurality of amplification units and the output network of the selected MPA for initial calibration of the selected MPA that bypasses the plurality of amplification units of the selected MPA;
• and
• the first pilot signal switching network and the calibration switching network are configured to individually select each of the plurality of MPAs at different times as the selected MPA and to perform calibration of the plurality of amplification units of the selected MPA.