High dynamic range amplification circuit

An integrated circuit for amplifying a signal comprising:

• an input that receives the signal and an output that outputs an amplified signal;
• a first microelectromechanical switch that is coupled to the input of the integrated circuit and that receives the signal from the input of the integrated circuit, the first switch having at least two outputs;
• a second microelectromechanical switch that is coupled to the output of the integrated circuit and that transmits the amplified signal to the output of the integrated circuit, the second switch having at least two inputs;
• a first field effect transistor having a noise figure, a compression point, an input coupled to one of the outputs of the first microelectromechanical switch, and an output coupled to one of the inputs of the second microelectromechanical switch;
• a second field effect transistor in parallel with the first field effect transistor having a noise figure that is less than the noise figure of the first field effect transistor, a compression point that is less than the compression point of the first field effect transistor, an input coupled to the other output of the first microelectromechanical switch, and an output coupled to the other input of the second microelectromechanical switch;
• and
• wherein the first and second microelectromechanical switches simultaneously selectively couple one of the first and second field effect transistors to the input and output of the integrated circuit based on the level of the signal received at the input of the integrated circuit.

An integrated circuit for amplifying a signal comprising:

• an input that receives the signal and an output that outputs an amplified signal;
• a pair of first microelectromechanical switches that are coupled to the input of the integrated circuit and that receive the signal from the input of the integrated circuit, each of the pair of first microelectromechanical switches having an output;
• a pair of second microelectromechanical switches that are coupled to the output of the integrated circuit and that transmit the amplified signal to the output of the integrated circuit, each of the pair of second microelectromechanical switches having an input;
• a first field effect transistor having a noise figure, a compression point, an input coupled to the output of one of the pair of first microelectromechanical switches, and an output coupled to the input of one of the pair of second microelectromechanical switches;
• a second field effect transistor in parallel with the first field effect transistor having a noise figure that is less than the noise figure of the first field effect transistor, a compression point that is less than the compression point of the first field effect transistor, an input coupled to the output of the other of the pair of first microelectromechanical switches, and an output coupled to the input of the other of the pair of second microelectromechanical switches;
• and
• wherein one of the pair of first microelectromechanical switches and one of the pair of second microelectromechanical switches simultaneously selectively couple one of the first and second field effect transistors to the input and output of the integrated circuit based on the level of the signal received at the input of the integrated circuit.

A method for amplifying a signal comprising:

• receiving the signal at an input of the integrated circuit;
• switching simultaneously first and second microelectromechanical switches to selectively couple, based on the level of the signal received at the input of the integrated circuit, one of a plurality of transistors to the input and an output of the integrated circuit, wherein the respective transistors have different noise figures;
• transmitting the signal from the input of the integrated circuit to the first microelectromechanical switch;
• transmitting the signal from the first microelectromechanical switch to the selected one of the plurality of transistors;
• amplifying the signal using the selected one of the plurality of transistors;
• transmitting the amplified signal from the selected one of the plurality of transistors to the second microelectromechanical switch;
• and
• transmitting the amplified signal to the output of the integrated circuit from the second microelectromechanical switch.

A method for amplifying a signal comprising:

• receiving the signal at an input of the integrated circuit;
• receiving a control signal simultaneously at a control input of each of a first and second micro electromechanical switch that is based on the level of the signal;
• switching simultaneously the first and second microelectromechanical switches, using the control signal, to selectively couple one of a plurality of transistors to the input and an output of the integrated circuit, wherein the respective transistors have different noise figures;
• transmitting the signal from the input of the integrated circuit to the first microelectromechanical switch;
• transmitting the input signal from the first microelectromechanical switch to the selected one of the plurality of transistors;
• amplifying the signal using the selected one of the plurality of transistors;
• transmitting the amplified signal from the selected one of the plurality of transistors to the second microelectromechanical switch;
• and
• transmitting the amplified signal to the output of the integrated circuit from the second microelectromechanical switch.