Outphasing amplifier and signal processor for outphasing amplifier

An outphasing amplifier comprising:

• a first amplifier that amplifies a first signal;
• a second amplifier that amplifies a second signal;
• a first coupler that couples the first signal as amplified by the first amplifier and a third signal;
• a second coupler that couples the second signal as amplified by the second amplifier and a fourth signal;
• a first impedance converter to which the first signal coupled with the third signal is input;
• a second impedance converter to which the second signal coupled with the fourth signal is input;
• and
• a combiner that combines the first signal as outputted from the first impedance converter and the second signal as outputted from the second impedance converter into a combined signal and that outputs the combined signal as an output signal;
• wherein a first phase of the first signal input to the first amplifier is a value associated with information relating to a power of the output signal, a second phase of the second signal input to the second amplifier is the value associated with the information, at least one of a third phase and a first amplitude of the third signal input to the first coupler is the value associated with the information, and at least one of a fourth phase and a second amplitude of the fourth signal input to the second coupler is the value associated with the information, and
• a signal processor that generates a phase difference comprising an outphasing angle of ninety degrees (90°) or one-hundred eighty degrees (180°) between the first phase and one of the second phase, the third phase, and the fourth phase, wherein the signal processor,
• wherein the signal processor:
• sets the first phase to a value associated with the first information and second information relating to a frequency of the output signal,
• sets the second phase to the value associated with the first information and the second information,
• sets the at least one of the third phase and the first amplitude to the value associated with the first information and the second information, and
• sets the at least one of the fourth phase and the second amplitude to the value associated with the first information and the second information,
• wherein the first impedance converter and the second impedance converter are transmission lines each having an electrical length of λ/4, where λ is a wavelength at a center frequency of an operating frequency band of the outphasing amplifier, and
• wherein the signal processor adjusts an impedance viewed from the first amplifier to the first impedance converter and an impedance viewed from the second amplifier to the second impedance converter by controlling the third phase, the first amplitude, the fourth phase, and the second amplitude.

A signal processor for an outphasing amplifier comprising:

• a first processor that acquires information relating to a power of an output signal, sets a first phase of a first signal to a value associated with the information, and outputs the first signal in which the first phase is set to a first amplifier amplifying the first signal;
• a second processor that acquires the information, sets a second phase of a second signal to the value associated with the information, and outputs the second signal in which the second phase is set to a second amplifier amplifying the second signal;
• a third processor that acquires the information, sets at least one of a third phase and a first amplitude of a third signal to the value associated with the information, and outputs the third signal in which the at least one of the third phase and the first amplitude is set to a first coupler coupling the first signal amplified by the first amplifier and the third signal;
• a fourth processor that acquires the information, sets at least one of a fourth phase and a second amplitude of a fourth signal to the value associated with the information, and outputs the fourth signal in which the at least one of the fourth phase and the second amplitude is set to a second coupler coupling the second signal amplified by the second amplifier and the fourth signal;
• and
• wherein the output signal is a signal in which the first signal as outputted from a first impedance converter to which the first signal coupled with the third signal is inputted and the second signal as outputted from a second impedance converter to which the second signal coupled with the fourth signal is inputted are combined with each other,
• a signal processor that generates a phase difference comprising an outphasing angle of ninety degrees (90°) or one-hundred eighty degrees (180°) between the first phase and one of the second phase, the third phase, and the fourth phase,
• wherein the signal processor:
• sets the first phase to a value associated with the first information and second information relating to a frequency of the output signal,
• sets the second phase to the value associated with the first information and the second information,
• sets the at least one of the third phase and the first amplitude to the value associated with the first information and the second information, and
• sets the at least one of the fourth phase and the second amplitude to the value associated with the first information and the second information,
• wherein the first impedance converter and the second impedance converter are transmission lines each having an electrical length of λ/4, where λ is a wavelength at a center frequency of an operating frequency band of the outphasing amplifier, and
• wherein the signal processor adjusts an impedance viewed from the first amplifier to the first impedance converter and an impedance viewed from the second amplifier to the second impedance converter by controlling the third phase, the first amplitude, the fourth phase, and the second amplitude.