Linear amplification systems and methods using more than two constant length vectors

A system for generating from a signal of varying amplitude and varying phase, a plurality of constant amplitude varying phase signals, the sum of which is the signal of varying amplitude and varying phase, the system comprising:

• means for generating a cosine carrier modulation waveform I(t) and a sine carrier modulation waveform Q(t) from the signal of varying amplitude and varying phase;
• means for generating a complementary waveform Q′(t) from the cosine carrier modulation waveform I(t) such that the sum of the squares of I(t) and Q′(t) is constant;
• means for modulating a cosine carrier signal with I(t) to obtain a first modulated cosine carrier;
• means for modulating a sine carrier signal with Q′(t) to obtain a first modulated sine carrier;
• and
• means for forming a sum and difference of the first modulated cosine carrier and the first modulated sine carrier to obtain the constant amplitude varying phase signals.

A system for generating from a signal of varying amplitude and varying phase, a plurality of constant amplitude varying phase signals, the sum of which is the signal of varying amplitude and varying phase, the system comprising:

• an IQ waveform generator that generates a cosine carrier modulation waveform I(t) and a sine carrier modulation waveform Q(t) from the signal of varying amplitude and varying phase;
• a function generator that generates a complementary waveform Q′(t) from the cosine carrier modulation waveform I(t) such that the sum of the squares of I(t) and Q′(t) is constant;
• a first modulator that modulates a cosine carrier signal with I(t) to obtain a first modulated cosine carrier;
• a second modulator that modulates a sine carrier signal with Q′(t) to obtain a first modulated sine carrier;
• and
• a circuit that forms a sum and difference of the first modulated cosine carrier and the first modulated sine carrier to obtain the constant amplitude varying phase signals.

A method for generating a radio frequency signal at a desired transmit power level, the radio frequency signal being modulated in phase and amplitude with an information source signal, the method comprising:

• generating from the information source signal a complex baseband signal representative of the phase and amplitude modulation, the complex baseband signal comprising an in-phase signal and a quadrature signal;
• using the in-phase and quadrature signals to modulate a radio carrier frequency to produce more than two modulated radio frequency signals of constant amplitude and varying phase;
• separately amplifying each of the more than two modulated radio frequency signals;
• and
• combining the more than two amplified modulated radio frequency signals to produce the desired radio frequency signal that is modulated in phase and amplitude with the information source signal at the desired transmit power level.

A system for generating a radio frequency signal at a desired transmit power level, the radio frequency signal being modulated in phase and amplitude with an information source signal, the system comprising:

• means for generating from the information source signal a complex baseband signal representative of the phase and amplitude modulation, the complex baseband signal comprising an in-phase signal and a quadrature signal;
• means for modulating a radio carrier frequency using the in-phase and quadrature signals to produce more than two modulated radio frequency signals of constant amplitude and varying phase;
• means for separately amplifying each of the more than two modulated radio frequency signals;
• and
• means for combining the more than two amplified modulated radio frequency signals to produce the desired radio frequency signal that is modulated in phase and amplitude with the information source signal at the desired transmit power level.

A system for generating a radio frequency signal at a desired transmit power level, the radio frequency signal being modulated in phase and amplitude with an information source signal, the system comprising:

• a generator this is configured to generate from the information source signal a complex baseband signal representative of the phase and amplitude modulation, the complex baseband signal comprising an in-phase signal and a quadrature signal;
• a modulator that is configured to modulate a radio carrier frequency using the in-phase and quadrature signals to produce more than two modulated radio frequency signals of constant amplitude and varying phase;
• more than two amplifiers, a respective one of which is configured to separately amplify a respective one of the more than two modulated radio frequency signals;
• and
• a combining network that is configured to combine the more than two amplified modulated radio frequency signals to produce the desired radio frequency signal that is modulated in phase and amplitude with the information source signal at the desired transmit power level.