Amplification of an Incoming Signal Received Via an Antenna
AssigneeAtmel Corporation
InventorsMichael Sagebiel, Stephan Gerlach
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a radio frequency (RF) at an antenna; generating negative feedback to linearize an amplifier by resistively or transformer coupling an output signal of a transistor of the amplifier to the input of the transistor; generating a rectified voltage by rectification of the output signal of the transistor; generating a constant reference voltage; and outputting a control voltage or a control current to the transistor based on the sum of the reference voltage and a first voltage derived from the rectified voltage. The output of the control voltage or control current facilitates control of an operating point of the transistor.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- an antenna for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal;
- and
- an amplifier comprising a transistor operating in an operating point of the received RF signal, the operating point being based on a control voltage or a control current, the transistor being coupled to:
- a coupling device configured to produce negative feedback for linearizing the amplifier;
- a data-entry device configured to output a rectified voltage by rectification of an output signal of the transistor;
- a reference-voltage source configured to output a reference voltage;
- and
- a control device configured to adjust the control voltage or the control current by summing the reference voltage and a first voltage derived from the rectified voltage.
A method comprising:
- receiving a radio frequency (RF) at an antenna;
- generating negative feedback to linearize an amplifier by resistively coupling an output signal of a transistor of the amplifier to the input of the transistor;
- generating a rectified voltage by rectification of the output signal of the transistor;
- generating a constant reference voltage;
- and
- outputting a control voltage or a control current to the transistor based on the sum of the reference voltage and a first voltage derived from the rectified voltage, output of the control voltage or control current facilitating control of an operating point of the transistor.
A system comprising:
- an antenna for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal;
- a bandpass filter for filtering the received RF signal;
- an amplifier comprising a transistor operating in an operating point of the received RF signal, the operating point being based on a control voltage or a control current, the transistor being coupled to:
- a coupling device configured to produce negative feedback for linearizing the amplifier;
- a data-entry device configured to output a rectified voltage by rectification of an output signal of the transistor;
- and
- a reference-voltage source configured to output a reference voltage;
- a control device configured to adjust the control voltage or the control current by summing the reference voltage and a first voltage derived from the rectified voltage;
- and
- a transmission line coupled to an output of the amplifier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.