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AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsAngelo Scuderi, Antonino Scuderi, Luca La Paglia, Francesco Carrara, Giuseppe Palmisano
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A protection method may prevent a load-mismatch-induced failure in solid-state power amplifiers. In an RF power amplifier, the load voltage standing-wave ratio results in very high voltage peaks at the collector of the final stage and may eventually lead to permanent failure of the power transistor due to avalanche breakdown. The method avoids breakdown by attenuating the input power to the final stage during overvoltage conditions, thus limiting the output collector swing. This is accomplished by a feedback control system, which detects the peak voltage at the output collector node and clamps its value to a given threshold by varying the circuit gain. Indeed, the control loop is unlocked in the nominal condition and it acts when an output mismatching condition is detected. A control circuit also allows a supply-independent collector-clamping threshold to be accurately set.
A method of controlling output power of an RF power amplifier comprising an output stage, the method comprising:
A method of controlling an RF power amplifier comprising an output stage, the method comprising:
A control circuit for an output voltage of an output stage driven by a driver stage of an RF power amplifier, the control circuit comprising:
An RF power amplifier comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.