Polar modulation using amplitude modulated quadrature signals

A method of polar modulating a RF carrier signal, comprising:

• splitting the RF carrier signal into quadrature component signals that are 90 degrees out of phase with each other;
• generating a plurality of modulation control signals based on information that is to be transmitted wherein the plurality of modulation control signals are varied independently of one another;
• generating a plurality of variable amplitude current signals that are each based on a different one of the plurality of modulation control signals;
• separately adjusting current gain of a plurality of transistor circuits based on a different one of the quadrature component signals and a different one of the plurality of variable amplitude current signals to generate amplitude adjusted quadrature component signals;
• and
• combining the amplitude adjusted quadrature component signals from each of the transistor circuits to generate a phase-modulated RF carrier output signal.

A polar modulator for a RF carrier signal comprising:

• a controller that is configured to generate four modulation control signals based on information that is to be transmitted, wherein the controller varies the plurality of modulation control signals independently of one another;
• a phase splitter that is configured to split the RF carrier signal into quadrature component signals that are 90 degrees out of phase with each other;
• four power amplifiers, each configured to amplify a different one of the quadrature component signals with a variable amplification based on the four modulation control signals to generate an amplitude adjusted quadrature component signal;
• and
• a combiner that is configured to combine the amplitude adjusted quadrature component signals from the four power amplifiers to generate a phase-modulated RF carrier output signal, wherein the combiner comprises four quarter wave transmission lines that are each configured to couple a different one of the amplitude adjusted quadrature component signals to a common output load.

A method of polar modulating a RF carrier signal, comprising:

• splitting the RF carrier signal into quadrature component signals that are 90 degrees out of phase with each other;
• generating four modulation control signals based on information that is to be transmitted, wherein the four modulation control signals are varied independently of one another;
• separately adjusting the amplitude of each of the quadrature component signals separately based on a different one of the four modulation control signals to generate amplitude adjusted quadrature component signals;
• combining the amplitude adjusted quadrature component signals by passing each of the amplitude adjusted quadrature component signals through a different one of four quarter wave transmission lines that are coupled at a common node to generate a phase-modulated RF carrier output signal;
• and
• passing the phase-modulated RF carrier output signal to a common output load.

A polar modulator for a RF carrier signal, comprising:

• a controller that is configured to generate a plurality of modulation control signals based on information that is to be transmitted, wherein the controller varies the plurality of modulation control signals independently of one another;
• a phase splitter that is configured to split the RF carrier signal into phase component signals that are out of phase with each other;
• a plurality of variable current sources that are each configured to generate a variable amplitude current signal based on a different one of the modulation control signals;
• a plurality of transistor circuits that are each configured to amplify a different one of the phase component signals with a variable amplification based on the variable amplitude current signal from a different one of the variable current sources to generate an amplitude adjusted phase component signal;
• and
• a combiner that is configured to combine the amplitude adjusted phase component signals from each of the transistor circuits to generate a phase-modulated RF carrier output signal.