Abstract: The present invention provides an improved high power RF (radio frequency) splitter/combiner that is appropriate for use in a wide range of frequencies and applications, including KHz to GHz, including in the L, S, and C bands. The present invention provides a high power RF splitter/combiner that operates without the inconvenience of the balanced isolation load requirement of the Wilkinson splitter/combiner topology—i.e. the isolation load returns to ground rather than being connected between a pair of floating nodes.

Abstract: Shared-current electronic systems (120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200, 210, and 220) include two or more electronic devices, such as an electronic device (Q1), a baseband processor (110), and a multiplier/up-converter (112), that are connected in dc series or dc series-parallel, that may be connected in rf series, and that either fixedly or variably share portions of a dc source voltage. Various embodiments produce separate rf outputs, variably shift the phase of a single rf output, variably shift rf power between/among rf outputs, or produce a frequency-compressed modulation. The apparatus includes means (122, 162, 162A, and/or 162B) for precisely proportioning the regulated dc source voltage to one or more of the dc series-connected electronic devices irrespective of production variations in operating parameters of the electronic devices and/or drift of the electronic devices.

Abstract: Shared-current electronic systems (120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, and 200) include two or more solid-state electronic devices, such as a solid-state amplifying device (Q1), a baseband processor (110), and a multiplier/up-converter (112), that are connected in dc series or dc series-parallel, that may be connected in rf series, and that either fixedly or variably share percentages of a dc source voltage. Various embodiments produce separate rf outputs, variably shift the phase of a single rf output, variably shift rf power between/among rf outputs, or produce a frequency-compressed modulation. The apparatus includes means (122, 162, 162A, and /or 162B) for precisely proportioning percentages of the regulated dc source voltage to the dc series-connected electronic devices irrespective of production variations in operating parameters of the electronic devices and/or drift of the electronic devices.

Abstract: Divided-voltage FET amplifiers (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 200, or 220) include two or more solid-state current devices, preferably gallium arsenide FETs (Q1, Q2, Q4, Q5, Q6, and/or Q8), connected in series or series-parallel for dc operation, and connected in parallel for rf operation, thereby improving power efficiency by using the same current two or more times to develop rf power. Various ones of the embodiments produce separate rf outputs, separately amplify two rf outputs and subsequently combine them into a single rf output, and/or selectively phase shift rf outputs. Isolation between rf frequencies and dc voltages includes using decoupling capacitors with selected resonant frequencies and low effective series resistances (ESRs) and using inductors with selected self-resonant frequencies for rf chokes.

Abstract: Shared-current electronic systems (10, 20, 26, 30, 38, 48, 66, 70, 82, 90, 96, 100, 104, 108, 118, and 122) include two or more solid-state electronic devices, such as a solid-state amplifying device Q1, a baseband processor 110, and a multiplier/upconverter 112, that are connected in dc series or dc series-parallel, and that either fixedly or variably share percentages of a dc supply voltage. Various embodiments produce separate rf outputs, variably shift the phase of a single rf output, variably shift rf power between/among rf outputs, or produce a frequency-compressed modulation. RF decoupling of the dc series-connected electronic devices comprises making an effective series resistance (ESR) of an rf decoupling capacitance lower than the ESR of a porcelain capacitor that resonates at the operating frequency of the electronic device that is being decoupled.

Abstract: Apparatus (70, 80, 90) and method are provided for selectively proportioning, or hot-switching, rf power to a plurality of rf outputs. The method includes: splitting a single rf signal into a plurality of split rf signals using power splitters (12, 36, 38A, 38B); separately power amplifying the split rf signals into the plurality of rf power outputs in solid-state current devices (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4); selectively proportioning gains of the power amplifying steps; and maintaining a total rf power substantially constant during the selectively proportioning step. Preferably, the method includes series connecting the solid-state current devices (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4) in series between a dc source-voltage (VDC) and a lower dc voltage; and performing the separate amplifying steps in the series-connected solid-state current devices (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4). The selective proportioning step includes adjusting gate voltages of the solid-state current devices (Q1, Q2, Q3).

Abstract: Variable phase-shifting rf power amplifiers (10, 30, 50) shift rf outputs at any angle up to 90, 180, or 270 degrees, respectively, while maintaining an rf output substantially constant. The variable phase-shifting rf power amplifiers (10, 30, 50) include two to four field-effect transistors (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4) that are interposed between phase splitters and combiners, and that are connected in series between a source voltage and a lower voltage. Phase shifting is achieved by selectively and variably controlling amplification of the field-effect transistors (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4). Selective and variable control of amplification is achieved by separately and variably controlling gate voltages of the field-effect transistors (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4), whereby a difference between the source voltage and the lower voltage is used selectively by one of the field-effect transistors (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4) and selectively proportioned between two of the field-effect transistors (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4).

Abstract: Divided-voltage FET amplifiers (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 200, or 220) include two or more solid-state current devices, preferably gallium arsenide FETs, (Q1, Q2, Q4, Q5, Q6, and/or Q8), connected in series or series-parallel for dc operation, and connected in parallel for rf operation, thereby improving power efficiency by using the same current two or more times to develop rf power. Various ones of the embodiments produce separate rf outputs, separately amplify two rf outputs and subsequently combine them into a single rf output, and/or selectively phase shift rf outputs. Isolation between rf frequencies and dc voltages includes using decoupling capacitors with selected resonant frequencies and low effective series resistances (ESRs) and using inductors with selected self-resonant frequencies for rf chokes.

Abstract: Apparatus (40, 70, and 80) and method are provided for minimizing power losses when combining rf signals in conductors (50A, 50B, 62A, and 62B) that are at quadrature phase angles. The method includes: mixing rf signals that are at quadrature phase angles; producing a dc voltage from the mixing step that is a function of a phase-angle deviation from quadrature; and correcting the phase-angle deviation. The correcting step includes tuning a length of a selected one of two rf conductors. Preferably, the method also includes equalizing amplitudes of the rf signals. When the method includes series connecting upper (Q1) and lower (Q2) solid-state current devices, the step of equalizing amplitudes of the rf signals includes adjusting a bias voltage of one (Q1) of the solid-state current devices.