Ultra wideband transmitter with gated push-pull RF amplifier
AssigneeMultispectral Solutions, Inc.
InventorEdward Richley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and an apparatus that reduce power consumption in an ultra wideband (UWB) transmitter that includes a push-pull RF amplifier and a switch that powers up or powers down the amplifier between UWB pulses. The gated push-pull amplifier amplifies the UWB pulses, including spurious signal energy appearing at the detector input, by splitting the signal with a 180-degree phase splitter, amplifying the split signals with substantially identical amplifiers, and combining the amplifier outputs with a 180-degree combiner. The 180-degree combiner essentially cancels common-mode spurious signals typically generated by the UWB amplifier during power-down and power-up.
Claims17
A UWB transmitter that includes a gated push-pull amplifier to generate a UWB transmission having reduced spurious outputs, said transmitter comprising:
- a signal splitter that divides a low-level UWB input signal into first and second signals of substantially opposite phase relationship,
- respective first and second amplifier segments of said push-pull amplifier that amplify the first and second signals to produce amplified output signals having a substantially opposite phase relative to each other;
- a switch responsive to a gate signal to activate the amplifiers prior to receiving the first and second signals;
- and
- a combiner that combines the amplified output signals of substantially opposite phase relationship whereby to provide a UWB signal transmission having reduced in-phase spurious output signals associated with activating said amplifiers.
In a UWB system, a push-pull amplifier comprising:
- a signal splitter that receives signal energy at an input thereof and partitions the signal energy into first and second signals of substantially opposite phase relationship;
- respective amplifier segments that amplify the first and second signals to produce first and second amplified signals;
- a switch responsive to a gate signal to activate the amplifiers before the amplifier receives the first and second signals;
- and
- a signal combiner that combines the first and second amplified signals whereby to provide a composite output signal having reduced spurious signal output.
An ultra wideband radio frequency transmitter comprising:
- an amplifier;
- a UWB source that provides a short-pulse radio frequency signal in response to a trigger signal;
- a timing circuit that controls activation of the amplifier during a UWB pulse generation interval to reduce inter-pulse power consumption outside of the interval;
- a first transformer for delivering signal energy at said output along first and second paths to create signals substantially opposite in phase;
- respective amplifiers disposed in said first and second paths;
- and
- a second transformer that combines signals in the first and second path signals to provide a composite output signal, whereby to provide cancellation of spurious signal energy.
A method of reducing spurious signal outputs in a UWB system that generates a UWB pulse during a time interval defined by switching events, the method comprising:
- splitting UWB signal energy into signals of opposite phase,
- push-pull amplifying the signals during switching events thereby to produce amplified signals, and
- combining the amplified signals, whereby to reduce said spurious signal outputs.
A method of reducing spurious signal outputs in a UWB system that detects a UWB pulse during a time interval defined by switching events, the method comprising:
- splitting signal energy into signals of opposite phase,
- push-pull amplifying the signals during switching events thereby to produce amplified signals, and
- combining the amplified signals, whereby to reduce said spurious energy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.