Power amplifier, wireless communication device, and power amplification method

A power amplifier comprising:

• a polar modulator that receives a modulated signal including an amplitude-modulated component and a phase-modulated component, outputs the amplitude-modulated component, superimposes the phase-modulated component on a carrier wave to generate a signal output as an RF phase-modulated signal, and delays at least one of the amplitude-modulated component and the RF phase-modulated signal;
• a first amplitude modulator that receives the amplitude-modulated component, pulse-modulates the amplitude-modulated component to generate a signal output as a pulse-modulated signal, and amplifies the amplitude-modulated component with the amplitude-modulated component and the pulse-modulated signal as control signals;
• a second amplitude modulator that receives the amplitude-modulated component and the pulse-modulated signal, and amplifies the amplitude-modulated component with the amplitude-modulated component and the pulse-modulated signal as control signals;
• and
• a first RF amplifier that receives the RF phase-modulated signal, amplifies the RF-modulated signal, and amplitude-modulates the amplified RF-modulated signal with an output signal of the second amplitude modulator.

A power amplification method comprising:

• extracting an amplitude-modulated component from a modulated signal including the amplitude-modulated component and a phase-modulated component, superimposing the modulated signal on a carrier wave to generate an RF-modulated signal, and delaying at least one of the amplitude-modulated component and the RF-modulated signal;
• pulse-modulating the amplitude-modulated component by a first amplitude modulator to generate a pulse-modulated signal, and first amplifying the amplitude-modulated component with the amplitude-modulated component and the pulse-modulated signal as control signals;
• receiving at a second amplitude modulator the pulse-modulated signal from the first amplitude modulator, and second amplifying the amplitude-modulated component with the amplitude-modulated component and the pulse-modulated signal as control signals to generate an amplified amplitude-modulated component;
• and
• third amplifying the RF-modulated signal and amplitude-modulating the amplified RF-modulated signal with the amplified amplitude-modulated component.

A power amplification method comprising:

• extracting an amplitude-modulated component from a modulated signal including the amplitude-modulated component and a phase-modulated component, superimposing the phase-modulated component on a carrier wave to generate an RF phase-modulated signal, and delaying at least one of the amplitude-modulated component and the RF phase-modulated signal;
• pulse-modulating the amplitude-modulated component by a first amplitude modulator, to have a pulse-modulated signal, and first amplifying the amplitude-modulated component with the amplitude-modulated component and the pulse-modulated signal as control signals;
• receiving at a second amplitude modulator the pulse modulated signal from the first amplitude modulator and second amplifying the amplitude-modulated component with the amplitude-modulated component and the pulse-modulated signal as control signals to generate an amplified amplitude-modulated component;
• and
• third amplifying the RF phase-modulated signal and amplitude-modulating the amplified RF phase-modulated signal with the amplified amplitude-modulated component.