Programmable gain amplifier apparatus and method
AssigneeFuturewei Technologies, Inc.
InventorsWilliam Roeckner, Terrie McCain, Matthew Richard Miller, Lawrence E. Connell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus comprises a plurality of selectable gain stages connected in parallel between a first bias voltage and ground, wherein each selectable gain stage comprises an amplification portion and a current steering portion, and wherein the current steering portion comprises a first selectable signal path connected between an output of the amplification portion and a signal output terminal, and a second selectable signal path connected between the output of the amplification portion and ground through a shunt device.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of selectable gain stages connected in parallel between a first supply voltage and ground, wherein each selectable gain stage comprises an amplification portion and a current steering portion, and wherein the current steering portion comprises:
- a first selectable signal path connected between an output of the amplification portion and a signal output terminal;
- and
- a second selectable signal path connected between the output of the amplification portion and ground through a shunt device.
A system comprising:
- an inverting phase path comprising a plurality of first gain stages connected in parallel between a first voltage and a second voltage, wherein each first gain stage comprises a first amplification portion and a first current steering portion, and wherein the first current steering portion sends an output signal of the first amplification portion to either a first output signal path or ground through a shunt device;
- and
- a non-inverting phase path comprising a plurality of second gain stages connected in parallel between the first voltage and the second voltage, wherein each second gain stage comprises a second amplification portion and a second current steering portion, and wherein the second current steering portion sends an output signal of the second amplification portion to either a second output signal path or ground through the shunt device.
A method comprising:
- receiving a radio frequency signal by an amplifier, wherein the amplifier comprises a plurality of amplification portions connected in parallel and a plurality of current steering portions connected to their corresponding amplification portions, respectively;
- increasing a gain of the amplifier by turning on a first switch of a current steering portion and turning off a second switch of the current steering portion, wherein the first switch is coupled to an output of the amplifier and the second switch is coupled to ground;
- and
- reducing the gain of the amplifier by turning off the first switch of the current steering portion and turning on the second switch of the current steering portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.