Power amplifier operated as an envelope digital to analog converter with digital pre-distortion

Abstract

A power amplifier that amplifies an electrical signal that is passed through a power amplification array. The power amplifier is employed in various applications including cellular telephones, radio frequency signal transmission, and other electrical signal applications requiring power amplification. The power amplifier contains a number of power amplifiers arranged in a power amplifier array. To reproduce a particular envelope profile, a selected number of the power amplifiers of the power amplifier array is switched ON, whereas another selected number of the power amplifiers of the power amplifier array are switched OFF. All elements are fed with an RF signal containing phase information as well. The amplified, output signal provided after the power amplifier array is fed to an antenna for signal transmission. Impedance matching circuitry is employed between the power amplifier array and the antenna to provide efficiency for those applications having low power budgets or seeking to operate with extremely high efficiency. The present invention provides a solution that is extremely energy efficient, making it ideally suited for applications having low available power budgets such as battery operated devices such as cellular telephones. From one perspective, the power amplifier array is operated as if it were a digital device. For example, each of the individual power amplifiers of the power amplifier array is either switched ON or switched OFF, as described above, and a selected number of the power amplifiers provides the desired level for the specific application.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.