Apparatus and method for a digital transmitter architecture with outphasing power amplifier

A power amplifier circuit comprising:

• a signal decomposer configured to decompose an input signal into a first component signal and a second component signal;
• a first power amplifier (PA) coupled to the signal decomposer and configured to amplify the first component signal;
• a second PA coupled to the signal decomposer and configured to amplify the second component signal upon receiving the second component signal from the signal decomposer;
• a non-isolating combiner having a capacitive branch coupled to the first PA, and having an inductive branch coupled to the second PA;
• and
• a switch between the signal decomposer and the second PA configured to disconnect the second PA from the signal decomposer upon determining that the input signal is in a first condition and further configured to connect the second PA to the signal decomposer upon determining that the input signal is in a second condition different from the first condition.

A method for outphased power amplification, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a signal decomposer, an input signal;
• determining whether the input signal is in a first power region or a second power region;
• upon determining that the signal is in the second power region, linearly amplifying a portion of the input signal at a first power amplifier (PA) coupled to the signal decomposer;
• passing the linearly amplified signal from the first PA through one of a capacitive branch or an inductive branch of a non-isolating combiner to provide an outphased amplified signal;
• and
• inhibiting any remaining portion of the signal from passing to a second PA coupled to the signal decomposer.