# US 10,873,296 B2 · Amplifier device

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- Number: US 10,873,296 B2
- Document ID: US10873296B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/697,195
- Filed: 2019-11-27
- Published: 2020-03-26
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2016-12-30
- Assignees: RichWave Technology Corp.
- Applicants: RichWave Technology Corp.
- Inventors: Chih-Sheng Chen; Tien-Yun Peng; Hung-Chia Lo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873296B2

## CPC

- H03F 1/0222: {by using a signal derived from the input signal}
- H03F 3/45475: {using IC blocks as the active amplifying circuit}
- H03F 1/0266: {by using a signal derived from the input signal}
- H03F 1/302: {in bipolar transistor amplifiers (H03F1/303, H03F1/305, H03F1/307 take precedence)}
- H03F 3/213: in integrated circuits
- H03F 3/45071: {with semiconductor devices only}
- H03F 3/45183: {Long tailed pairs (H03F3/4521, H03F3/45237 take precedence)}
- H03F 3/68: Combinations of amplifiers, e.g. multi-channel amplifiers for stereophonics {(power amplifiers using a combination of several semiconductor amplifiers H03F3/211; combinations of amplifiers using coupling networks with distributed constants H03F3/602)}
- H03F 1/3241: {using predistortion circuits (H03F1/3211, H03F1/3217 take precedence)}
- H03F 1/56: Modifications of input or output impedances, not otherwise provided for
- H03F 2200/222: A circuit being added at the input of an amplifier to adapt the input impedance of the amplifier
- H03F 2200/294: the amplifier being a low noise amplifier [LNA]
- H03F 2200/451: the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
- H03F 2200/555: A voltage generating circuit being realised for biasing different circuit elements
- H03F: AMPLIFIERS

## Abstract

An amplifier device comprises an amplifying unit and a bias module. The amplifying unit has a first end coupled to a voltage source configured to receive a source voltage, a second end configured to receive an input signal, and a third end coupled to a first reference potential terminal configured to receive a first reference potential. The first end of the amplifying unit is configured to output an output signal amplified by the amplifying unit. The bias module is coupled to the second end of the amplifying unit, and configured to receive a voltage signal to provide a bias current to the amplifying unit. The voltage signal is a variable voltage. A supply current flowing into the amplifying unit and is adjusted in accordance with the voltage signal to stay within a predetermined range.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An amplifier device comprising:
an amplifying unit having a first end coupled to a voltage source configured to receive a source voltage, a second end configured to receive an input signal, and a third end coupled to a first reference potential terminal configured to receive a first reference potential, wherein the first end of the amplifying unit is configured to output an output signal amplified by the amplifying unit; and
a bias module coupled to the second end of the amplifying unit, configured to receive a voltage signal to provide a bias current to the amplifying unit, and comprising a variable current source comprising:
an operational amplifier comprising a first input end coupled to a first signal terminal and configured to receive a first reference signal, a second input end coupled to a second signal terminal and configured to receive the voltage signal, and an output end configured to output an output voltage;
a first resistor comprising a first end coupled to the second input end of the operational amplifier, and a second end coupled to the output end of the operational amplifier;
a voltage-to-current convertor comprising a first end coupled to the output end of the operational amplifier, and a second end coupled to the second end of the amplifying unit, and configured to convert the output voltage into the bias current;
a second resistor comprising a first end coupled to the first signal terminal, and a second end coupled to the first input end of the operational amplifier; and
a third resistor comprising a first end coupled to the second signal terminal, and a second end coupled to the second input end of the operational amplifier;
wherein the voltage signal is a variable voltage; and
wherein a supply current flowing into the amplifying unit is adjusted in accordance with the voltage signal to stay within a predetermined range.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The amplifier device of claim 1, wherein:
the bias module is configured to provide the bias current according to a first counter-gradient, a second counter-gradient, or the first counter-gradient and the second counter-gradient;
wherein the voltage signal is substantially positively correlated to the source voltage, the first counter-gradient and the second counter-gradient are negatively correlated to the voltage signal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The amplifier device of claim 1, wherein the second resistor and the third resistor are variable resistors.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The amplifier device of claim 1, wherein the variable current source further comprises:
a first resistor selection circuit comprising a first end coupled to the first signal terminal, and a second end coupled to the first end of the second resistor; and
a second resistor selection circuit comprising a first end coupled to the second signal terminal, and a second end coupled to the first end of the third resistor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The amplifier device of claim 4, wherein:
the first resistor selection circuit comprises:
a first switch comprising a first end coupled to the first end of the first resistor selection circuit, a second end coupled to the second end of the first resistor selection circuit, and a control end; and
a fourth resistor coupled between the first end of the first switch and the second end of the first switch; and
the second resistor selection circuit comprises:
a second switch comprising a first end coupled to the first end of the second resistor selection circuit, a second end coupled to the second end of the second resistor selection circuit, and a control end; and
a fifth resistor coupled between the first end of the second switch and the second end of the second switch.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The amplifier device of claim 1, wherein the variable current source further comprises:
a sixth resistor comprising a first end coupled to a third signal terminal and configured to receive a power signal; and a second end coupled to the first input end of the operational amplifier; and
a seventh resistor comprising a first end coupled to a fourth signal terminal and configured to receive a second reference signal; and a second end coupled to the second input end of the operational amplifier;
wherein the second reference signal is a fixed voltage independent of power variations of the input signal or the output signal; and
the output end of the operational amplifier is further configured to output the output voltage according to the power signal and the second reference signal.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The amplifier device of claim 1, wherein the variable current source further comprises:
an eighth resistor comprising a first end coupled to a fifth signal terminal and configured to receive a first temperature signal; and a second end coupled to the first input end of the operational amplifier; and
a ninth resistor comprising a first end coupled to a sixth signal terminal and configured to receive a third reference signal; and a second end coupled to the second input end of the operational amplifier;
wherein the third reference signal is a fixed voltage independent of temperature variations; and
the output end of the operational amplifier is further configured to output the output voltage according to the first temperature signal and the third reference signal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The amplifier device of claim 1, wherein the variable current source further comprises:
a tenth resistor comprising a first end coupled to a seventh signal terminal and configured to receive a second temperature signal; and a second end coupled to the first input end of the operational amplifier; and
an eleventh resistor comprising a first end coupled to an eighth signal terminal and configured to receive a third temperature signal; and a second end coupled to the second input end of the operational amplifier;
wherein the output end of the operational amplifier is further configured to output the output voltage according to the second temperature signal and the third temperature signal.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The amplifier device of claim 1, wherein the variable current source further comprises:
a twelfth resistor comprising a first end coupled to a ninth signal terminal and configured to receive a fourth reference signal; and a second end coupled to the first input end of the operational amplifier; and
a thirteenth resistor comprising a first end coupled to a second reference potential terminal and configured to receive a second reference potential;
and a second end coupled to the second input end of the operational amplifier;
wherein the fourth reference signal is a fixed voltage independent of voltage variations of the source voltage; and
the output end of the operational amplifier is further configured to output the output voltage according to the fourth reference signal and the second reference potential.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The amplifier device of claim 1, wherein the variable current source further comprises a fourteenth resistor comprising a first end coupled to the first end of the first resistor, and a second end coupled to a third reference potential terminal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The amplifier device of claim 1, wherein the first input end of the operational amplifier is a non-inverting end, and the second input end of the operational amplifier is an inverting end.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The amplifier device of claim 1, wherein the operational amplifier is an adder.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The amplifier device of claim 1, wherein the bias module further comprises a first transistor comprising a first end coupled to a bias voltage source, a second end coupled to the variable current source, and a third end coupled to the second end of the amplifying unit.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The amplifier device of claim 13, wherein the bias module further comprises:
a fifteenth resistor comprising a first end coupled to the variable current source, and a second end coupled to the second end of the first transistor;
a first diode comprising a first end coupled to the second end of the fifteenth resistor, and a second end; and
a second diode comprising a first end coupled to the second end of the first diode, and the second end coupled to a fourth reference potential terminal.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The amplifier device of claim 13, wherein the bias module further comprises:
a sixteenth resistor comprising a first end coupled to the variable current source, and a second end coupled to the second end of the first transistor;
a seventeenth resistor comprising a first end, and a second end coupled to the third end of the first transistor; and
a second transistor comprising a first end coupled to the second end of the sixteenth resistor, a second end coupled to the first end of the seventeenth resistor, and a third end coupled to a fifth reference potential terminal.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The amplifier device of claim 1, wherein the amplifying unit is a power amplifier.