Back to results
US 2012/0231753 A1Published application
Wide-band multi stage doherty power amplifier
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsNIKOLAI MASLENNIKOV, AHMAD KHANIFAR
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multi-stage Doherty power amplifier (“PA”) circuit which achieves superior efficiency over broadband range of frequencies is disclosed. Conventional multi-stage amplifiers may offer potential for efficiency enhancement but may suffer from cost penalties and severe bandwidth limitation in practice. Embodiments may employ a driver in the peaking arm which is biased in class C which may alleviate such limitations. The amplifier topology and associated circuitry described in embodiments may achieve high efficiency, smooth PA gain, and enhanced phase characteristics over a 15% fractional bandwidth with reduced costs.
Claims20
A power amplifier adapted for amplifying an RF signal, comprising:
- an input for receiving an RF input signal;
- a divider circuit coupled to the input and receiving the input signal and splitting the input signal into a first input signal and a second input signal;
- a main signal path coupled to the divider circuit and receiving the first input signal and providing an amplified main signal, the main signal path comprising a main path driver amplifier and a main amplifier, wherein the main signal path further comprises a passive attenuator receiving the first input signal and providing an attenuated first input signal to the input of the main path driver amplifier;
- and,
- a peaking signal path coupled to the divider circuit and receiving the second input signal and providing an amplified peaking signal, the peaking signal path comprising a peaking path driver amplifier and a peaking amplifier, wherein the peaking path driver amplifier has substantially the same power rating as the main path driver amplifier and is biased in a higher efficiency class than the main path driver amplifier.
2 more elements
A power amplifier adapted for amplifying an RF signal, comprising:
- an input for receiving an RF input signal;
- a divider circuit receiving the input signal and splitting the input signal into a first input signal and a second input signal;
- a main signal path coupled to the divider circuit and receiving the first input signal and providing an amplified main signal, the main signal path comprising a first main signal path isolator and a main amplifier;
- and,
- a peaking signal path coupled to the divider circuit and receiving the second input signal and providing an amplified peaking signal, the peaking signal path comprising a first peaking signal path isolator and a peaking amplifier.
2 more elements
A method for amplifying an RF input signal, comprising:
- receiving an RF input signal;
- splitting the input signal into first and second substantially equal power input signals between a main signal path and a peaking signal path, the main signal path receiving the first input signal and the peaking signal path receiving the second input signal;
- attenuating the first input signal to provide an attenuated first input signal;
- amplifying the attenuated first input signal in the main signal path with a main path driver amplifier to provide a first-stage amplified main signal;
- amplifying the first-stage amplified main signal in the main signal path with a main amplifier to provide an amplified main signal;
- amplifying the second input signal in the peaking signal path with a peaking path driver amplifier biased in class C to provide a first-stage amplified peaking signal;
- amplifying the first-stage amplified peaking signal with a peaking amplifier to provide an amplified peaking signal;
- and,
- combining the amplified main signal and the amplified peaking signal and providing an output signal.
6 more elements
A method for amplifying an RF input signal, comprising:
- receiving an RF input signal;
- splitting the input signal into first and second substantially equal power input signals between a main signal path and a peaking signal path, the main signal path receiving the first input signal and the peaking signal path receiving the second input signal;
- removing reflected power in the main signal path with a first main isolator to provide an isolated first input signal;
- amplifying the isolated first input signal in the main signal path with a main path driver amplifier to provide a first-stage amplified main signal;
- amplifying the first-stage amplified main signal in the main signal path with a main amplifier to provide an amplified main signal;
- removing reflected power in the peaking signal path with a first peaking isolator to provide an isolated second input signal;
- amplifying the isolated second input signal in the peaking signal path with a peaking path driver amplifier biased in class C to provide a first-stage amplified peaking signal;
- amplifying the first-stage amplified peaking signal with a peaking amplifier to provide an amplified peaking signal;
- and,
- combining the amplified main signal and the amplified peaking signal and providing an output signal.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.