Apparatus, methods and articles of manufacture for power amplifier control in a communication system
AssigneeM/A-Com, Inc.
InventorThomas Aaron Winslow
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for amplifying a radiofrequency (RF) signal. The apparatus comprises a control circuit including a first transistor, a second transistor, and a ballast resistor coupled between an emitter terminal of the first transistor and a base terminal of the second transistor, such that a control voltage applied to a base terminal of the first transistor controls the amplification of a signal applied to the base terminal of the second transistor. Additional elements may be coupled to the control circuit to improve the performance thereof, including a feedback stabilization circuit, a diode stack circuit, a bypass capacitor and an additional resistor.
Claims30
A circuit comprising:
- a first transistor;
- a second transistor;
- a ballast resistor coupled between an emitter terminal of the first transistor and a base terminal of the second transistor;
- and,
- a feedback stabilization circuit coupled to the first transistor,
- wherein a control voltage applied to a base terminal of the first transistor controls the amplification of a signal applied to the base terminal of the second transistor.
A circuit comprising:
- a first transistor;
- a second transistor;
- a ballast resistor coupled between an emitter terminal of the first transistor and a base terminal of the second transistor;
- and,
- a diode stack circuit coupled to the first transistor,
- wherein a control voltage applied to a base terminal of the first transistor controls the amplification of a signal applied to the base terminal of the second transistor.
A circuit comprising:
- a first transistor;
- a second transistor;
- a ballast resistor coupled between an emitter terminal of the first transistor and a base terminal of the second transistor;
- and,
- at least one bypass capacitor coupled to a collector terminal of the first transistor,
- wherein a control voltage applied to a base terminal of the first transistor controls the amplification of a signal applied to the base terminal of the second transistor.
A circuit comprising:
- a first transistor;
- a second transistor;
- a ballast resistor coupled between an emitter terminal of the first transistor and a base terminal of the second transistor;
- and,
- at least one additional resistor coupled between the emitter terminal of the first transistor and a base terminal of the first transistor,
- wherein a control voltage applied to a base terminal of the first transistor controls the amplification of a signal applied to the base terminal of the second transistor.
A method for amplifying a signal, comprising the steps of:
- providing a control signal to a base terminal of a first transistor;
- creating a bias voltage across a ballast resistor coupled to an emitter terminal of the first transistor;
- providing feedback stabilization of the control signal;
- and,
- applying the bias voltage to the base terminal of a second transistor to change the amplification of a signal also applied to the base terminal of the second transistor.
A method for amplifying a signal, comprising the steps of:
- providing a control signal to a base terminal of a first transistor;
- creating a bias voltage across a ballast resistor coupled to an emitter terminal of the first transistor;
- providing a circuit to compensate for temperature variations;
- and,
- applying the bias voltage to the base terminal of a second transistor to change the amplification of a signal also applied to the base terminal of the second transistor.
A method for amplifying a signal, comprising the steps of:
- providing a control signal to a base terminal of a first transistor;
- creating a bias voltage across a ballast resistor coupled to an emitter terminal of the first transistor;
- providing at least one bypass capacitor coupled to a collector terminal of the first transistor to improve peak operating performance;
- and,
- applying the bias voltage to the base terminal of a second transistor to change the amplification of a signal also applied to the base terminal of the second transistor.
A method for amplifying a signal, comprising the steps of:
- providing a control signal to a base terminal of a first transistor;
- creating a bias voltage across a ballast resistor coupled to an emitter terminal of the first transistor;
- providing at least one resistor coupled between the base terminal and the emitter terminal of the first transistor to reduce the power control waveform slope;
- and,
- applying the bias voltage to the base terminal of a second transistor to change the amplification of a signal also applied to the base terminal of the second transistor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.