US6137367A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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High power high impedance microwave devices for power applications
Assignee: Amcom Communications Inc
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Filing: 1999-03-08
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Granted: 2000-10-24
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Expires: 2019-03-08
Abstract
Abstract Simplified, efficient multiple-transistor power amplifiers provide high power and high impedance while avoiding the use of RF power divider and combiner circuits. The input signal is directly applied to a first transistor, amplified, and supplied to the succeeding transistor, and so on, for amplification in series. Feedback is provided between the drain of the last transistor and the gates of all the transistors. Series connection of the transistors allows their power outputs and their output impedances to be summed, such that no RF output combiner is required. In a first high voltage embodiment of the amplifier of the invention, e.g., as used for satellite transmission, bias voltage is provided in series. In a second low voltage embodiment, suitable for use in cordless telephones and other battery-powered equipment, bias voltage V ds is provided separately across the drain and source terminals of each transistor, through paired chokes.
Inventors
- 👤 Amin Ezzedine
- 👤 Ho C. Huang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 12:20
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03F; H03F3/00; H03F3/20; H03F3/24; H03F3/245; H03F1/00; H03F1/08; H03F1/22; H03F1/223; H03F3/189; H03F3/19; H03F3/193; H03F3/42; H03F3/423; H03F3/60; H03F3/602; H03F3/604; H03F2200/00; H03F2200/271; H03F2200/54; H03F2203/00; H03F2203/20; H03F2203/21; H03F2203/211; H03F2203/21142
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
296 words
An amplifier for amplifying an input signal, comprising: a plurality of semiconductor amplifying elements, each comprising a control terminal to which a signal may be applied for controlling the flow of current between additional input and output terminals, and a source of bias voltage providing power for said amplifying elements, said plurality of amplifying elements being connected in series, such that the output terminal of a first element of the series is connected to the input terminal of the next element of the series, and so on, the input signal being applied to the control terminal of the first element of the series, and the output terminal of the last element of the series being connected to an output circuit, and the output terminal of the last element of the series also being connected to the control terminals of each of the elements of the series, such that the output signal from the last element of the series is supplied to the control terminals of each of the elements of the series for feedback, wherein capacitors are connected between the control terminals of each of the amplifying elements in the series except the first and ground, the value of each said capacitor being chosen to optimize the impedance of and power output by the corresponding amplifying elements; wherein said source of bias voltage is connected to the output terminal of the last of said elements in said series through a choke, and wherein said bias voltage is provided to each of said elements by voltage-dividing resistors in series across the control terminals of said elements; and wherein said output signal is supplied to the control terminals of each of the elements of the series for feedback through the same series-connected resistors used to supply bias voltage.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
296 words
An amplifier for amplifying an input signal, comprising: a plurality of semiconductor amplifying elements, each comprising a control terminal to which a signal may be applied for controlling the flow of current between additional input and output terminals, and a source of bias voltage providing power for said amplifying elements, said plurality of amplifying elements being connected in series, such that the output terminal of a first element of the series is connected to the input terminal of the next element of the series, and so on, the input signal being applied to the control terminal of the first element of the series, and the output terminal of the last element of the series being connected to an output circuit, and the output terminal of the last element of the series also being connected to the control terminals of each of the elements of the series, such that the output signal from the last element of the series is supplied to the control terminals of each of the elements of the series for feedback, wherein capacitors are connected between the control terminals of each of the amplifying elements in the series except the first and ground, the value of each said capacitor being chosen to optimize the impedance of and power output by the corresponding amplifying elements; wherein said source of bias voltage is connected to the output terminal of the last of said elements in said series through a choke, and wherein said bias voltage is provided to each of said elements by voltage-dividing resistors in series across the control terminals of said elements; and wherein said output signal is supplied to the control terminals of each of the elements of the series for feedback through the same series-connected resistors used to supply bias voltage.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The amplifier of claim 1, wherein the control terminal of the first of said amplifying elements of the series is connected to a point maintained at a fixed potential through a choke, such that high-frequency input signal components are not grounded.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
The amplifier of claim 1, further comprising an input matching network between the input terminal of said amplifier and the control terminal of the first amplifying element in said series, and an output matching network between the output terminal of the last amplifying element in the series and the output terminal of said amplifier.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The amplifier of claim 3, wherein said input and output matching networks comprise capacitors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The amplifier of claim 1, wherein additional bias voltage is supplied separately to each of said amplifying elements.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
The amplifier of claim 5, wherein the additional bias voltage is applied separately across the input and output terminals of each of said amplifying elements, and a choke is provided between at least the output terminal of each and the source of bias voltage.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The amplifier of claim 6, wherein a choke is also provided between the input terminals of all but the first of said amplifying elements in said series and ground.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The amplifier of claim 6, wherein capacitors are connected between the output and input terminals of adjoining elements of said series.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The amplifier of claim 6, wherein said output signal is supplied to the control terminals of each of the elements of the series for feedback through a string of series-connected resistors.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
105 words
The amplifier of claim 1, wherein the value C shunt of each of said capacitors connected between the control terminals of each of the amplifying elements in the series except the first and ground is chosen so as to optimize the impedance Z source of the corresponding amplifying element, in accordance with the following equation: Z.sub.source ≅1/g.sub.m *(C.sub.gs +C.sub.shunt)/C.sub.shunt where Z source is the impedance of the corresponding amplifying element; g m is the cell transconductance of the corresponding amplifying element; C gs is the gate to source cell capacitance; and C shunt is the value of the capacitance between the control terminal and ground.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
233 words
A circuit for providing high-power, high-impedance amplification of a RF signal, comprising: a plurality of amplifying elements, each comprising input, output, and control terminals, said plurality of amplifying elements being connected in series, such that the output terminal of the first element in the series is connected to the input terminal of the second, and so on; an input connection for applying a RF input signal to the control terminal of the first element in the series; an output connection connected to the output terminal of the last element in the series, for applying an amplified RF output signal to a load; a source of bias voltage operatively connected to each of said amplifying elements; a feedback path for supplying a portion of the output signal to the control terminals of each of the elements in the series; capacitors connected between the control terminals of each of the amplifying elements in the series except the first and ground, the value of each said capacitor being chosen to optimize the impedance of and power output by the corresponding amplifying element; wherein said bias voltage is provided to each of said elements by voltage-dividing resistors in series across the control terminals of said elements; and wherein said output signal is supplied to the control terminals of each of the elements of the series for feedback through the same series-connected resistors used to supply bias voltage.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
233 words
A circuit for providing high-power, high-impedance amplification of a RF signal, comprising: a plurality of amplifying elements, each comprising input, output, and control terminals, said plurality of amplifying elements being connected in series, such that the output terminal of the first element in the series is connected to the input terminal of the second, and so on; an input connection for applying a RF input signal to the control terminal of the first element in the series; an output connection connected to the output terminal of the last element in the series, for applying an amplified RF output signal to a load; a source of bias voltage operatively connected to each of said amplifying elements; a feedback path for supplying a portion of the output signal to the control terminals of each of the elements in the series; capacitors connected between the control terminals of each of the amplifying elements in the series except the first and ground, the value of each said capacitor being chosen to optimize the impedance of and power output by the corresponding amplifying element; wherein said bias voltage is provided to each of said elements by voltage-dividing resistors in series across the control terminals of said elements; and wherein said output signal is supplied to the control terminals of each of the elements of the series for feedback through the same series-connected resistors used to supply bias voltage.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The circuit of claim 11, wherein said source of bias voltage is connected to the output terminal of the last of said elements in said series through a choke.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
The circuit of claim 11, further comprising an input matching network between said input connection and the control terminal of the first amplifying element in said series, and an output matching network between the output terminal of the last amplifying element in the series and said output connection.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The circuit of claim 13, wherein said input and output matching networks comprise capacitors.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The circuit of claim 11, wherein additional bias voltage is supplied separately to each of said amplifying elements.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
44 words
The circuit of claim 15, wherein the additional bias voltage is applied separately across the input and output terminals of each of said amplifying elements, and a choke is provided between at least the output terminal of each and the source of bias voltage.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The circuit of claim 16, wherein capacitors are connected between the output and input terminals of adjacent elements in said series.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
The circuit of claim 16, wherein a choke is also provided between the input terminals of all but the first of said amplifying elements in said series and ground.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
The circuit of claim 15, wherein said output signal is supplied to the control terminals of each of the elements of the series for feedback through a set of series-connected resistors.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
105 words
The circuit of claim 11, wherein the value C shunt of each of said capacitors connected between the control terminals of each of the amplifying elements in the series except the first and ground is chosen so as to optimize the impedance Z source of the corresponding amplifying element, in accordance with the following equation: Z.sub.source ≅1/g.sub.m *(C.sub.gs +C.sub.shun)/C.sub.shunt where Z source is the impedance of the corresponding amplifying element; g m is the cell transconductance of the corresponding amplifying element; C gs is the gate to source cell capacitance; and C shunt is the value of the capacitance between the control terminal and ground.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
258 words
A method for providing high-power, high-impedance amplification of an RF input signal, comprising the steps of: connecting a plurality of amplifying elements, each comprising input, output, and control terminals, in series, such that the output terminal of the first element in the series is connected to the input terminal of the second, and so on; applying an RF input signal to the control terminal of the first element in the series; providing bias voltage to each of said amplifying elements, such that the input RP signal is amplified in each element; connecting a load to the output terminal of the last element in the series, for applying an amplified RF output signal to the load; feeding back a portion of the output signal to the control terminals of each of the elements in the series; and wherein capacitors are connected between the control terminals of each of said amplifying elements, except the first, and ground, the value of each of said capacitors being chosen to adjust the impedance of and power output by the corresponding amplifying element; wherein said step of providing bias voltage to each of said amplifying elements is performed by providing a voltage V dd greater than the desired bias voltage V ds , and dividing V dd into smaller voltages employing a plurality of series-connected resistors; and wherein said plurality of series-connected resistors are connected across the control terminals of said amplifying elements, and wherein said portion of the output signal is also fed back thereby to the control terminals of said amplifying elements.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
258 words
A method for providing high-power, high-impedance amplification of an RF input signal, comprising the steps of: connecting a plurality of amplifying elements, each comprising input, output, and control terminals, in series, such that the output terminal of the first element in the series is connected to the input terminal of the second, and so on; applying an RF input signal to the control terminal of the first element in the series; providing bias voltage to each of said amplifying elements, such that the input RP signal is amplified in each element; connecting a load to the output terminal of the last element in the series, for applying an amplified RF output signal to the load; feeding back a portion of the output signal to the control terminals of each of the elements in the series; and wherein capacitors are connected between the control terminals of each of said amplifying elements, except the first, and ground, the value of each of said capacitors being chosen to adjust the impedance of and power output by the corresponding amplifying element; wherein said step of providing bias voltage to each of said amplifying elements is performed by providing a voltage V dd greater than the desired bias voltage V ds , and dividing V dd into smaller voltages employing a plurality of series-connected resistors; and wherein said plurality of series-connected resistors are connected across the control terminals of said amplifying elements, and wherein said portion of the output signal is also fed back thereby to the control terminals of said amplifying elements.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 21, comprising the further step of providing additional bias voltage to each of said amplifying elements by supplying a desired bias voltage V ds separately to each of said amplifying elements.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 22, wherein a source of said desired bias voltage V ds is connected to the output terminal of each of said amplifying elements through a choke.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 23, wherein the input terminal of each amplifying elements except the first is connected through a choke to ground.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 22, wherein capacitors are connected between he output and input terminals of adjoining ones of said amplifying elements.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
105 words
The method of claim 21, wherein the value C shunt of each of said capacitors connected between the control terminals of each of the amplifying elements in the series except the first and ground is chosen so as to optimize the impedance Z source of the corresponding amplifying element, in accordance with the following equation: Z.sub.source ≅1/g.sub.m *(C.sub.gs +C.sub.shunt)/C.sub.shunt where Z source is the impedance of the corresponding amplifying element; g m is the cell transconductance of the corresponding amplifying element; C gs is the gate to source cell capacitance; and C shunt is the value of the capacitance between the control terminal and ground.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-10-24 | 2004-04-24 | 2004-10-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-10-24 | 2008-04-24 | 2008-10-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-10-24 | 2012-04-24 | 2012-10-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |