Linear RF power amplifier with optically activated switches
AssigneeTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
InventorLars Richard Birger Hellberg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A linear power amplifier amplifies a linear baseband signal having I and Q components. An up-converting mixer uses optically activated switches to mix the amplified baseband signal with a local oscillator signal at specified carrier frequency. The optically activated switches are activated according to a switching sequence that produces a constant impedance over each carrier frequency cycle. In this way, the optically activated switches prevents introduction of non-linearities during the up-conversion process.
Claims37
A transmitter, comprising:
- an amplifier stage that amplifies a baseband signal having linear In-phase (I) and Quadrature-phase (Q) components to produce an amplified baseband signal;
- a local oscillator that generates a local oscillator signal corresponding to a specified carrier frequency;
- and
- an up-converting mixer that mixes the amplified baseband signal with the local oscillator signal, wherein the mixer includes a plurality of optically activated switches that are switched according to a switching sequence.
A method for linearly transmitting an RF signal, comprising:
- amplifying a baseband signal having linear In-phase (I) and Quadrature (Q) components to produce an amplified baseband signal;
- generating a local oscillator signal corresponding to a specified carrier frequency;
- and
- mixing the amplified baseband signal with the local oscillator signal with a plurality of optically activated switches that are switched according to a switching sequence.
A transmitter, comprising:
- an antenna for radiating a linear signal that is modulated over a carrier signal;
- a radio transmitter coupled to the antenna, including:
- an amplifier stage that amplifies a baseband signal having linear In-phase (I) and Quadrature-phase (Q) components to produce an amplified baseband signal;
- a local oscillator that generates a local oscillator signal corresponding to a specified carrier frequency;
- and
- an up-converting mixer that mixes the amplified baseband signal with the local oscillator signal, wherein the mixer includes a plurality of optically activated switches that are switched according to a switching sequence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.