High power solid state microwave transmitter
AssigneeUnisys Corporation
InventorsMahesh Kumar, Michael Hanczor
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Abstract
A power amplifier includes a plurality of signal amplifying stages. An amplitude compensator positioned prior to the ultimate signal amplifying stage equalizes the signal amplitudes in the frequency band of interest to provide a substantially flat frequency response. Fail-soft operation is established by providing switchably redundant amplifiers. When an operating amplifier is detected as failing, automatic switching is performed to replace the failing unit with an identical unit to maintain amplifier operation. High-power amplification is accomplished by splitting a preamplified signal into a plurality of signals, amplifying the lower level signals so obtained, and then recombining the amplified signals.
Claims10
A power amplifier of the type having a multiplicity of amplifying stages comprising:
- a first stage amplifier having means for receiving signals for amplification, a preselected amplification, and a first stage frequency response which provides an output signal with an amplitude that varies with frequency;
- an amplitude compensator coupled to said first stage and constructed and arranged to have an inverse frequency response to that of said first stage frequency response so that said amplitude compensator and said first stage in combination have a frequency response which provides signal amplitudes at an output terminal of said amplitude compensator that are substantially equal over a predetermined frequency band;
- and
- a second stage amplifier including
- a power divider having an input terminal coupled to said output terminal of said amplitude compensator and a plurality of output terminals;
- a plurality of high power amplifiers having input terminals respectively coupled to said output terminals of said power divider and output terminals each high-power amplifier including
- input means for coupling said high-power amplifier to said power divider;
- a phase shifter coupled to said input means, said phase shifter adjustable for equalizing signal phase at each high-power amplifier;
- a pre-amplifier coupled to said phase shifter, said pre-amplifier having an input signal attenuator for equalizing input signal amplitudes at each high-power amplifiers;
- a signal divider having an input terminal coupled to receive signals from said pre-amplifier and having a plurality of output terminals;
- a plurality of signal amplifiers respectively coupled to receive signals from said signal divider, each signal amplifier having means for adjusting received signals to establish signals having equal amplitudes at input terminals of said signal amplifiers, each signal amplifier having an output terminal at which amplified adjusted signals are provided;
- a signal combiner having a plurality of input terminals respectively coupled to said plurality of signal amplifiers, said signal combiner having an output terminal, coupled to said combiner, whereat a sum of said amplified adjusted signals are provided;
- and
- a combiner having a plurality of input terminals respectively coupled to said output terminals of said high power amplifiers and an output terminal for said second stage amplifier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.