Method and apparatus for high efficiency power amplification
AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorsRonald Gene Myers, Bernard Eugene Sigmon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for efficient power amplification of a wideband signal with a correspondingly wide modulation bandwidth includes splitting means (110), class-G amplifier/modulator (120), and power amplifier (130). Three-level class-G amplifier/modulator (200, FIG. 2) comprises operational amplifier circuits (215, 225), three-state selection circuit (209), switch driver circuit (219), drive signal routing circuit (216), power stage circuit (217), and filter network (218). Multiple power stages are multiplexed based on the amplitude of the envelope signal.
Claims15
An apparatus comprising:
- an envelope detector coupled to an input of said apparatus;
- a multi-level class-G amplifier/modulator coupled to a first output of said envelope detector,
- a radio frequency (RF) amplifier coupled to a second output of said envelope detector, coupled to an output of said apparatus, and coupled to said multilevel class-G amplifier/modulator;
- and
- wherein said multi-level class amplifier/modulator comprises:
- an operational amplifier circuit coupled to said first output of said envelope detector;
- a three-state selection circuit coupled to a first output of said operational amplifier circuit;
- a drive signal routing circuit coupled to a second output of said operational amplifier circuit;
- a switch driver circuit coupled to said three-state selection circuit and to said drive signal routing circuit;
- and
- a power stage circuit coupled to said drive signal routing circuit and to said RF amplifier.
An apparatus comprising:
- a multi-level selection means coupled to an input of the apparatus, said input comprising a signal path, said input for receiving a wide-bandwidth modulation signal and an output for providing at least one selection signal;
- a signal routing means coupled to said input and to said multi-level selection means;
- and
- a power stage circuit coupled to said signal routing means and to an output of said apparatus, said power stage circuit comprising a plurality of power stages.
A method of amplifying an input signal, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a selection signal from a selection circuit, said selection signal being responsive to an input signal;
- activating one of a plurality of transistors in a switch driver circuit responsive to said selection signal;
- activating one of a plurality of transistors in a drive signal routing circuit responsive said switch driver circuit;
- and
- activating one of a plurality of output power stages in a power stage circuit responsive to said drive signal circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.