# US 2021/0242582 A1 · Systems and methods for dynamic biasing of microwave amplifier > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0242582 A1 - Document ID: US20210242582A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/235,875 - Filed: 2021-04-20 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-12 - Assignees: Epirus, Inc. - Applicants: Epirus, Inc. - Inventors: Harry Bourne Marr, JR.; Denpol Kultran - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242582A1 ## CPC - H01Q 3/28: varying the amplitude - H03F 1/56: Modifications of input or output impedances, not otherwise provided for - G01S 7/032: {Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems} - H01Q 3/38: the phase-shifters being digital - H03F 1/0211: {with control of the supply voltage or current} - H03F 1/0222: {by using a signal derived from the input signal} - H03F 3/19: with semiconductor devices only - H03F 3/245: {with semiconductor devices only} - H03F 3/68: Combinations of amplifiers, e.g. multi-channel amplifiers for stereophonics {(power amplifiers using a combination of several semiconductor amplifiers H03F3/211; combinations of amplifiers using coupling networks with distributed constants H03F3/602)} - H03F 2200/451: the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) - H03F: AMPLIFIERS - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract A system for adjusting bias power provided to a radio-frequency amplifier to increase plurality of figures of merit based on sensed characteristics of the amplifier and/or characteristics of the input or output power. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An amplifying system comprising: a radio-frequency (RF) amplifier, the RF amplifier configured to receive an incoming RF signal having an input power through an input port and an outgoing RF signal through an output port, the outgoing RF signal having an output power; and a power management system configured to adjust the RF amplifier by controlling an amount of bias power provided to the RF amplifier, wherein the power management system is configured to sense at least one of the input power of the incoming RF signal, the output power of the outgoing RF signal, or a characteristic of the RF amplifier and adjust the amount of bias power provided to the RF amplifier based on the sensed input power of the incoming RF signal, the output power of the outgoing RF signal, or a characteristic of the RF amplifier to improve a figure of merit of the RF amplifier. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The amplifying system of claim 1, wherein the figure of merit is linearity of the RF amplifier, and wherein power management system is configured to improve linearity of the RF amplifier by adjusting the amount of bias power to the RF amplifier to reduce an amount of third order intermodulation distortions (IMD3). ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The amplifying system of claim 2, wherein the power management system is configured to adjust the amount of bias power provided to the RF amplifier to reduce third order intermodulation distortions (IMD3) by an amount less than or equal to about 150 dB. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The amplifying system of claim 1, wherein the RF amplifier comprises a field effect transistor (FET) amplifier comprising a gate terminal, a drain terminal and a source terminal, and wherein the power management system is configured to adjust the bias power provided to the RF amplifier by adjusting a gate bias voltage between the gate terminal or the source terminal or adjusting a drain bias voltage between the drain terminal and the source terminal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The amplifying system of claim 4, wherein for a given output power, the power management system is configured to provide an amount of gate bias voltage that reduces third order intermodulation distortions (IMD3) to improve linearity. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The amplifying system of claim 5, wherein the third order intermodulation distortions (IMD3) is reduced by an amount less than or equal to about 150 dB. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The amplifying system of claim 5, wherein a drain efficiency obtained at the amount of gate bias voltage that reduces third order intermodulation distortions (IMD3) is lower than a maximum drain efficiency for the given output power. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The amplifying system of claim 4, wherein the characteristic of the RF amplifier comprises at least one of temperature, drain voltage, gate voltage, drain current, or gate current of the FET amplifier. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A phased array system comprising: a plurality of amplifying systems of claim 1 arranged in a first array; and a plurality of antennas arranged in a second array, each of the plurality of antennas arranged in the second array being coupled to the output port of a corresponding one of the amplifying system in the first array. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The phased array system of claim 9, configured as a radar system, a communications system, or an electronic counter measures system. ### Claim 11 An amplifying module comprising: a radio-frequency (RF) amplifier configured to receive an incoming RF signal having an input power through an input port and output an outgoing RF signal through an output port, the outgoing RF signal having an output power, the RF amplifier configured to be operated in a saturation mode in which the output power is approximately equal to saturation power of the RF amplifier and a non-saturation mode in which the output power is less than the saturation power of the RF amplifier; and a power management system configured to transition the RF amplifier between the saturation mode and the non-saturation mode by adjusting an amount of bias power provided to the RF amplifier. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The amplifying module of claim 11, wherein the power management system can be configured to transition operating mode of the RF amplifier from the saturation mode and the non-saturation mode smoothly along a power transfer curve of the RF amplifier. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The amplifying module of claim 11, wherein the power management system is configured to change operating mode of the RF amplifier in real-time. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The amplifying module of claim 11, wherein the power management system is configured to change the operating mode of the RF amplifier based on an input received from a user, a computing device controlling the power management system, or a sensor sensing the input power of the incoming RF signal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The amplifying module of claim 11, wherein the RF amplifier comprises a field effect transistor (FET) amplifier comprising a gate terminal, a drain terminal and a source terminal, and wherein the power management system is configured to transition the RF amplifier between the saturation mode and the non-saturation mode by adjusting an amount of gate bias voltage between the gate terminal and the source terminal. ### Claim 16 An amplifying module comprising: a radio-frequency (RF) amplifier configured to receive an incoming RF signal having an input power through an input port and output an outgoing RF signal through an output port, the outgoing RF signal having an output power; and a power management system configured to change a class of operation of the RF amplifier by controlling an amount of bias power provided to the RF amplifier. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The amplifying module of claim 16, wherein the power management system is configured to change the class of operation of the RF amplifier in real-time. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The amplifying module of claim 16, wherein the power management system is configured to change the class of operation of the RF amplifier based on an input received from a user, a computing device controlling the power management system, or a sensor sensing the input power of the incoming RF signal. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The amplifying module of claim 16, wherein the RF amplifier comprises a field effect transistor (FET) amplifier comprising a gate terminal, a drain terminal and a source terminal, and wherein the power management system is configured to change the class of operation of the RF amplifier by controlling an amount of gate bias voltage between the gate terminal and the source terminal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The amplifying module of claim 16, wherein the class of the RF amplifier is selected from a group consisting of class A, class B, class AB, class C, class D, class E, Class F, class G, class H, class S, and Class T.