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US 2003/0197556 A1Published application
Power control and modulation of switched-mode power amplifiers with one or more stages
AssigneeTropian, Inc.
InventorsStephan V. Schell, Wendell B. Sander, Ronald A. Meck, Robert J. Bayruns
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention controls and modulates switched-mode power amplifiers to enable the production of signals that include amplitude modulation (and possibly, but not necessarily, phase modulation), the average power of which may be controlled over a potentially wide range.
Claims29
A method of generating a variable output signal using an amplifier device including a final amplification stage having at least three ports including an input port, an output port, and a power supply port, the method comprising:
- varying a signal applied to the power supply port of the amplifier device in order to control at least one of a power output and a modulation characteristic of an output signal of the amplifier device produced at the output port thereof;
- and
- selectively varying in amplitude an input signal applied to the input port of the amplifier device in accordance with a desired characteristic of the output signal of the amplifier device;
- wherein the final amplification stage has a drive signal causing the final amplification stage to be driven repeatedly between two states, a hard-on state and a hard-off state, without operating in a linear operating region for an appreciable percentage of time, the final amplification stage being controlled without continuous or frequent measurement and feedback adjustment of said variable output signal.
1 more element
An amplifier apparatus, comprising:
- at least a final amplification stage having at least three ports including an input port, an output port, and a power supply port;
- and
- control circuitry for:
- varying a signal applied to the power supply port of the final amplification stage in order to control at least one of a power output and a modulation characteristic of a variable output signal of the final amplification stage produced at the output port thereof;
- and
- selectively varying in amplitude an input signal applied to the input port of the final amplification stage in accordance with a desired characteristic of the output signal of the final amplification stage;
- wherein the final amplification stage has a drive signal causing the final amplification stage to be driven repeatedly between two states, a hard-on state and a hard-off state, without operating in a linear operating region for an appreciable percentage of time, the final amplification stage being controlled without continuous or frequent measurement and feedback adjustment of said variable output signal.
4 more elements
An amplifier apparatus, comprising:
- at least a final amplification stage having at least three ports including an input port, an output port, and a power supply port;
- means for varying a signal applied to the power supply port of the final amplification stage in order to control at least one of a power output and a modulation characteristic of a variable output signal of the final amplification stage produced at the output port thereof;
- and
- means for selectively varying in amplitude an input signal applied to the input port of the final amplification stage in accordance with a desired characteristic of the output signal of the final amplification stage;
- wherein the final amplification stage has a drive signal causing the final amplification stage to be driven repeatedly between two states, a hard-on state and a hard-off state, without operating in a linear operating region for an appreciable percentage of time, the final amplification stage being controlled without continuous or frequent measurement and feedback adjustment of said variable output signal.
2 more elements
A variable output signal RF power amplifier comprising:
- control means responsive to multiple different control signals for producing from a supply voltage multiple voltages within a range of voltages;
- and
- multiple power amplification stages, including a final amplification stage, each having one of said multiple voltages as a supply voltage;
- wherein the final amplification stage has a drive signal causing the final amplification stage to be driven repeatedly between two states, a hard-on state and a hard-off state, without operating in a linear operating region for an appreciable percentage of time, the final amplification stage being controlled without continuous or frequent measurement and feedback adjustment of said variable output signal.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.