Gate modulation for high power amplifiers

A RF power amplifier system comprising:

• a FIFO buffer for buffering baseband digital data;
• a FIFO buffer for buffering a digital representation of the power of the baseband digital data;
• a comparator for providing a bias signal to an RF power amplifier as a function of the digital representation of the power of the baseband digital data;
• and
• a converter for converting the baseband digital data to RF, and providing it to the RF power amplifier.

A method of controlling a RF power amplifier system, the method comprising:

• buffering baseband digital data in a FIFO buffer;
• buffering a digital representation of the power of the baseband digital data in a FIFO buffer;
• providing a bias signal to an RF power amplifier as a function of the digital representation of the power of the baseband digital data such that the bias signal is in an on or off state;
• and
• converting the baseband digital data to RF, and providing it to the RF power amplifier.

A method of controlling an RF power amplifier comprising:

• providing a bias signal to the RF power amplifier for normal operation;
• detecting the magnitude of baseband input signal to be amplified by the RF power amplifier buffering a digital representation of the baseband input signal in a FIFO buffer;
• buffering a digital representation of the magnitude of the input signal in a FIFO buffer;
• and
• maintaining the bias signal relatively static when the magnitude of the input signal is above a predetermined threshold, and removing the bias signal when the magnitude of the input signal falls below the predetermine threshold.