Temperature compensated automatic output control circuitry for RF signal power amplifiers with wide dynamic range

Control circuitry for maintaining the magnitude of a radio frequency (RF) signal from an RF signal amplifier at one of a pluraity of levels selected by level control signals from a signal source, the amplification of the RF signal amplifier being proportional to a drive current signal provided by current amplifying means, and the current amplifying means varying the magnitude of the drive current signal in response to a current control signal, said control circuitry comprising:

• means coupled to the RF signal amplifier for generating an output power signal having a magnitude that is proportional to the magnitude of the RF signal from the RF signal amplifier;
• means coupled to the generating means for compensating the output power signal for variations in temperature;
• means coupled to the generating means and level control signals for attenuating the output power signal by an attenuation factor selected by the level control signals;
• means coupled to the attenuating means for amplifying the attenuated output power signal by a predetermined amplification factor;
• and
• means coupled to the amplifying means for varying the magnitude of the current control signal in response to the difference between the magnitude of the amplified output power signal and a predetermined magnitude.

Control circuitry for maintaining the magnitude of a radio frequency (RF) signal from an RF signal amplifier at one of a plurality of levels selected by level control signals from a signal source, the amplification of the RF signal amplifier being proportional to a drive current signal provided by current amplifying means, and the current amplifying means varying the magnitude of the drive current signal in response to a current control signal, said control circuitry comprising:

• means coupled to the RF signal amplifier for generating an output power signal having a magnitude that is related to the magnitude of the RF signal from the RF signal amplifier;
• means coupled to the generating means for compensating the output power signal for variations in temperature and coupled to the level control signals for adjusting the output power signal by an adjustment factor selected in response to the level control signals;
• and
• means responsive to the magnitude of the compensated and adjusted output power signal for producing the current control signal.

Control circuitry for maintaining the magnitude of a radio frequency (RF) signal from an RF signal amplifier at one of a plurality of levels selected by level control signals from a signal source, the amplification of the RF signal amplifier being proportional to a drive current signal provided by current amplifying means, and the current amplifying means varying the magnitude of the drive current signal in response to a current control signal, said control circuitry comprising:

• means coupled to the RF signal amplifier for generating an output power signal having a magnitude that is related to the magnitude of the RF signal from the RF signal amplifier;
• means coupled to the generating means for compensating the output power signal for variations in temperature and coupled to the level control signals for attenuating the output power signal by an attenuation factor selected by the level control signals;
• and
• means responsive to the magnitude of the compensated and attenuated output power signal for producing the current control signal.

Amplifying circuitry for producing a plurality of levels of a radio frequency (RF) signal selected by level control signals from a signal source, said amplifying circuitry comprising:

• means responsive to a current control signal for amplifying the RF signal;
• means coupled to the amplifying means for generating an output power signal having a magnitude that is related to the magnitude of the amplified RF signal therefrom;
• means coupled to the generating means for compensating the output power signal for variations in temperature and coupled to the level control signals for adjusting the output power signal by an adjustment factor selected by the level control signals;
• and
• means responsive to the magnitude of the compensated and adjusted output power signal for producing the current control signal.

Circuitry for controlling the magnitude of a radio frequency (RF) signal in response to control signals comprising:

• means, having variable output, for amplifying the RF signal to an output magnitude;
• means for generating an output power signal having a magnitude related to said RF signal output magnitude;
• means for compensating said output power signal magnitude for variations in temperature and adjusting said output power signal by an adjustment factor selected by the control signals;
• and
• means, responsive to said compensated and adjusted output power signal, for varying said RF signal amplifying means output to produce a corresponding magnitude of the RF signal.

Control circuitry for maintaining the magnitude of a radio frequency (RF) signal from an RF signal amplifier at one of a plurality of levels selected by level control signals from a signal source, the amplification of the RF signal amplifier being proportional to a drive current signal provided by current amplifying means, and the current amplifying means varying the magnitude of the drive current signal in response to a current control signal, said control circuitry comprising:

• means coupled to the RF signal amplifier for generating an output power signal having a magnitude that is related to the magnitude of the RF signal from the RF signal amplifier;
• means coupled to the generating means for compensating the output power signal for variations in temperature;
• means coupled to the level control signals for adjusting the compensated output power signal by an adjustment factor selected in response to the level control signals;
• and
• means responsive to the magnitude of the adjusted output power signal for producing the current control signal.

Control circuitry for maintaining the magnitude of a radio frequency (RF) signal from an RF signal amplifier at one of a plurality of levels selected by level control signals from a signal source, the amplification of the RF signal amplifier being proportional to a drive current signal provided by current amplifying means, and the current amplifying means varying the magnitude of the drive current signal in response to a current control signal, said control circuitry comprising:

• means coupled to the RF signal amplifier for generating an output power signal having a magnitude that is related to the magnitude of the RF signal from the RF signal amplifier;
• means coupled to the generating means for compensating the output power signal for variations in temperature;
• means coupled to the level control signals for attenuating the compensated output power signal by an attenuation factor selected by the level control signals;
• and
• means responsive to the magnitude of the attenuated output power signal for producing the current control signal.

Amplifying circuitry for producing a plurality of levels of a radio frequency (RF) signal selected by level control signals from a signal source, said amplifying circuitry comprising:

• means responsive to a current control signal for amplifying the RF signal;
• means coupled to the amplifying means for generating an output power signal having a magnitude that is related to the magnitude of the amplified RF signal therefrom;
• means coupled to the generating means for compensating the output power signal for variations in temperature;
• means coupled to the level control signals for adjusting the compensated output power signal by an adjustment factor selected by the level control signals;
• and
• means responsive to the magnitude of the adjusted output power signal for producing the current control signal.

Circuitry for controlling the magnitude of a radio frequency (RF) signal in response to control signals, comprising:

• means, having variable output, for amplifying the RF signal to an output magnitude;
• means for generating an output power signal having a magnitude related to said RF signal output magnitude;
• means for compensating said output power signal magnitude for variations in temperature;
• means for adjusting said compensated output power signal by an adjustment factor selected by the control signals;
• and
• means, responsive to said adjusted output power signal, for varying said output of said RF signal amplifying means to produce a corresponding output magnitude of the RF signal.

Control circuitry for maintaining the magnitude of a radio frequency (RF) signal from an RF signal amplifier at one of a plurality of levels selected by level control signals from a signal source, the amplification of the RF signal amplifier being proportional to a drive current signal provided by current amplifying means, and the current amplifying means varying the magnitude of the drive current signal in response to a current control signal, said control circuitry comprising:

• means coupled to the RF signal amplifier for generating an output power signal having a magnitude that is related to the magnitude of the RF signal from the RF signal amplifier, and compensating the output power signal for variations in temperature;
• means coupled to the level control signals for selecting one of a plurality of amplification factors in response to the level control signals;
• means coupled to the generating and compensating means for amplifying the output power signal by the selected amplification factor;
• and
• means coupled to the amplifying means for varying the magnitude of the current control signal in response to the difference between the magnitude of the amplified output power signal and a predetermined magnitude.

Control circuitry for maintaining the magnitude of a radio frequency (RF) signal from an RF signal amplifier at one of a plurality of levels selected by level control signals from a signal source, the amplification of the RF signal amplifier being proportional to a drive current signal provided by current amplifying means, and the current amplifying means varying the magnitude of the drive current signal in response to a current control signal, said control circuitry comprising:

• means coupled to the RF signal amplifier for generating an output power signal having a magnitude that is related to the magnitude of the RF signal from the RF signal amplifier, and compensating the output power signal for variations in temperature;
• means coupled to the generating and compensating means for attenuating the output power signal by an attenuation factor selected by the level control signals;
• means coupled to the attenuating means for amplifying the attenuated output power signal by a predetermined amplification factor;
• and
• means coupled to the amplifying means for varying the magnitude of the current control signal in response to the difference between the magnitude of the amplified output power signal and a predetermined magnitude.

Amplifying circuitry for producing a plurality of levels of a radio frequency (RF) signal selected by level control signals from a signal source, said amplifying circuitry comprising:

• means responsive to a current control signal for amplifying the RF signal;
• means coupled to the RF amplifying means for generating an output power signal having a magnitude that is related to the magnitude of the amplified RF signal therefrom, and compensating the output power signal for variations in temperature;
• means coupled to the level control signals for adjusting the output power signal by an adjustment factor selected by the level control signals;
• means coupled to the adjusting means for amplifying the adjusted output power signal;
• and
• means responsive to the magnitude of the amplified output power signal for producing the current control signal.

Circuitry for controlling the magnitude of a radio frequency (RF) signal in response to control signals, comprising:

• means, having variable output, for amplifying the RF signal to an output magnitude;
• means for generating an output power signal having a magnitude related to said RF signal output magnitude, and compensating the output power signal for variations in temperature;
• means for adjusting said output power signal by an adjustment factor selected by the control signals;
• means coupled to the adjusting means for amplifying the adjusted output power signal;
• and
• means, responsive to said amplified output power signal, for varying said output of said RF signal amplifying means to produce a corresponding output magnitude of the RF signal.

Control circuitry for maintaining the magnitude of a radio frequency (RF) signal from an RF signal amplifier at one of a plurality of levels selected by level control signals from a signal source, the amplification of the RF signal amplifier being proportional to a drive current signal provided by current amplifying means, and the current amplifying means varying the magnitude of the drive current signal in response to a current control signal, said control circuitry comprising:

• means coupled to the RF signal amplifier for generating an output power signal having a magnitude that is related to the magnitude of the RF signal from the RF signal amplifier;
• means coupled to the generating means for compensating the output power signal for variations in temperature;
• and
• means responsive to the magnitude of the output power signal and the level control signals for producing the current control signal.

Amplifying circuitry for producing and maintaining one of a plurality of predetermined levels of a radio frequency (RF) signal selected by level control signals from a signal source, said amplifying circuitry comprising:

• means responsive to a current control signal for amplifying the RF signal;
• means coupled to the amplifying means for generating an output power signal having a magnitude that is related to the magnitude of the amplified RF signal therefrom;
• means coupled to the generating means for compensating the output power signal for variations in temperature;
• and
• means responsive to the magnitude of the output power signal and the level control signals for producing the current control signal.

Control circuitry for maintaining the magnitude of a radio frequency (RF) signal from an RF signal amplifier at one of a plurality of levels selected by level control signals from a signal source, the amplification of the RF signal amplifier being proportional to a drive current signal provided by current amplifying means, and the current amplifying means varying the magnitude of the drive current signal in response to a current control signal, said control circuitry comprising:

• means coupled to the RF signal amplifier for generating an output signal having a magnitude that is related to the level control signals and the magnitude of the RF signal from the RF signal amplifier;
• means coupled to said generating means for compensating said output signal for variations in temperature;
• and
• means responsive to the magnitude of the output signal for producing the current control signal.

Amplifying circuitry for producing and maintaining one of a plurality of predetermined levels of a radio frequency (RF) signal selected by level control signals from a signal source, said amplifying circuitry comprising:

• means responsive to a current control signal for amplifying the RF signal;
• means coupled to the amplifying means for generating an output signal having a magnitude that is related to the level control signals and the magnitude of the RF signal from the RF signal amplifying means;
• means coupled to the generating means for compensating the output signal for variations in temperature;
• and
• means responsive to the magnitude of the compensated output signal for producing the current control signal.

Control circuitry for establishing the magnitude of a radio frequency (RF) signal from an RF signal amplifier at one of a plurality of contiguous levels selected by level control signals from a signal source, the amplification of the RF signal amplifier being proportional to a drive current signal provided by current amplifying means, and the current amplifying means varying the magnitude of the drive current signal in response to a current control signal, said control circuitry comprising:

• means coupled to the RF signal amplifier for generating an output power signal having a magnitude that is related to the magnitude of the RF signal from the RF signal amplifier;
• means coupled to the generating means for maintaining the output power signal at a magnitude such that the RF signal magnitude is held at the selected level within a predetermined window of accuracy over variations in temperature;
• and
• means responsive to the magnitude of the output power signal and the level control signals for producing the current control signal.

Amplifying circuitry for producing a plurality of contiguous levels of a radio frequency (RF) signal selected by level control signals from a signal source, said amplifying circuitry comprising:

• an RF amplifier responsive to a current control signal for amplifying the RF signal;
• a rectifier, coupled to said RF amplifier, for generating an output power signal having a magnitude that is related to the magnitude of the amplified RF signal;
• a thermally variable element, coupled to the rectifier, for maintaining the output power signal at a magnitude such that the RF signal magnitude is held at the selected level within a predetermined window of accuracy;
• an output power signal amplifier, coupled to said half wave rectifier for amplifying and comparing the output power signal to a reference magnitude to produce said current control signal;
• and
• an attenuator, coupled to said output power signal amplifier, for adjusting said current control signal in accordance with the level control signals.