Abstract: A modulated RF carrier produced at the output of the polar transmitter's switch-mode power amplifier (SMPA) is conveyed to an output filter network comprising a harmonic low-pass filter (LPF) connected in parallel with an absorptive high-pass filter (HPF). Together the harmonic LPF and absorptive HPF pass the fundamental component of the modulated RF carrier to the polar transmitter's load while also absorbing higher harmonic components that would otherwise be undesirably reflected back toward the output of the SMPA.

Abstract: An integrated circuit/printed circuit board (IC-PCB) assembly comprises a PCB and a heatsink plate. The PCB has a first side including a first patterned conductive layer with one or more thermal pads onto which one or more heat slugs of one or more ICs mount, and a second, opposing side including a second patterned conductive layer with a heatsink plate receiving pad onto which the heatsink plate mounts. The heatsink plate has one or more posts that project from a mounting surface of the heatsink plate, and when the heatsink plate is mounted to the heatsink plate receiving pad, each post extends from the second side of the PCB, through a matching hole in the PCB, and to an associated thermal pad located on the first side of the PCB.

Abstract: A universal transmit-receive (UTR) module for phased array systems comprises an antenna element shared for both transmitting and receiving; a transmit path that includes a transmit-path phase shifter, a driver, a switch-mode power amplifier (SMPA) that is configured to be driven by the driver, and a dynamic power supply (DPS) that generates and supplies a DPS voltage to the power supply port of the SMPA; and a receive path that includes a TX/RX switch that determines whether the receive path is electrically connected to or electrically isolated from the antenna element, a bandpass filter (BPF) that aligns with the intended receive frequency and serves to suppress reflected transmit signals and reverse signals, an adjustable-gain low-noise amplifier (LNA), and a receive-path phase shifter. The UTR module is specially designed for operation in phased array systems.

Abstract: A wideband envelope modulator comprises a direct current (DC)-to-DC switching converter connected in series with a linear amplitude modulator (LAM). The DC-DC switching converter includes a pulse-width modulator that generates a PWM signal with modulated pulse widths representing a time varying magnitude of an input envelope signal or a pulse-density modulator that generates a PDM signal with a modulated pulse density representing the time varying magnitude of the input envelope signal, a field-effect transistor (FET) driver stage that generates a differential PWM or PDM drive signal, a high-power output switching stage that is driven by the PWM or PDM drive signal, and an output energy storage network including a low-pass filter (LPF) of order greater than two that filters a switching voltage produced at an output switching node of the high-power output switching stage.

Abstract: A universal transmit-receive (UTR) module for phased array systems comprises an antenna element shared for both transmitting and receiving; a transmit path that includes a transmit-path phase shifter, a driver, a switch-mode power amplifier (SMPA) that is configured to be driven by the driver, and a dynamic power supply (DPS) that generates and supplies a DPS voltage to the power supply port of the SMPA; and a receive path that includes a TX/RX switch that determines whether the receive path is electrically connected to or electrically isolated from the antenna element, a bandpass filter (BPF) that aligns with the intended receive frequency and serves to suppress reflected transmit signals and reverse signals, an adjustable-gain low-noise amplifier (LNA), and a receive-path phase shifter. The UTR module is specially designed for operation in phased array systems.

Abstract: A universal transmit-receive (UTR) module for phased array systems comprises an antenna element shared for both transmitting and receiving; a transmit path that includes a transmit-path phase shifter, a driver, a switch-mode power amplifier (SMPA) that is configured to be driven by the driver, and a dynamic power supply (DPS) that generates and supplies a DPS voltage to the power supply port of the SMPA; and a receive path that includes a TX/RX switch that determines whether the receive path is electrically connected to or electrically isolated from the antenna element, a bandpass filter (BPF) that aligns with the intended receive frequency and serves to suppress reflected transmit signals and reverse signals, an adjustable-gain low-noise amplifier (LNA), and a receive-path phase shifter. The UTR module is specially designed for operation in phased array systems.

Abstract: A frequency-multiplying DDS includes a digital multiplier, a phase accumulator, a post-accumulator digital processing section, and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The digital multiplier multiplies a digital tuning word of value M by a digital multiplier of value B, to produce a digital product (M×B), and the n-bit accumulator accumulates by a step size of the digital product (M×B), at a rate of a low-speed reference clock of frequency fCLK/B. The post-accumulator digital processing section synthesizes B digital waveforms from the sequence of n-bit accumulator output numbers produced by the n-bit accumulator, and rotates each digital waveform with respect to each adjacent digital waveform by (M/2n)×2? radians. The DAC serializes the digital samples of the B digital waveforms at full speed, i.e.

Abstract: An integrated circuit printed circuit board (IC-PCB) assembly comprises a PCB and a heatsink plate. The PCB has a first side including a first patterned conductive layer with one or more thermal pads onto which one or more heat slugs of one or more ICs mount, and a second, opposing side including a second patterned conductive layer with a heatsink plate receiving pad onto which the heatsink plate mounts. The heatsink plate has one or more posts that project from a mounting surface of the heatsink plate, and when the heatsink plate is mounted to the heatsink plate receiving pad, each post extends from the second side of the PCB, through a matching hole in the PCB, and to an associated thermal pad located on the first side of the PCB.

Abstract: A wideband envelope modulator comprises a direct current (DC)-to-DC switching converter connected in series with a linear amplitude modulator (LAM). The DC-DC switching converter includes a pulse-width modulator that generates a PWM signal with modulated pulse widths representing a time varying magnitude of an input envelope signal or a pulse-density modulator that generates a PDM signal with a modulated pulse density representing the time varying magnitude of the input envelope signal, a field-effect transistor (FET) driver stage that generates a differential PWM or PDM drive signal, a high-power output switching stage that is driven by the PWM or PDM drive signal, and an output energy storage network including a low-pass filter (LPF) of order greater than two that filters a switching voltage produced at an output switching node of the high-power output switching stage.

Abstract: An integrated circuit/printed circuit board (IC-PCB) assembly comprises a PCB and a heatsink plate. The PCB has a first side including a first patterned conductive layer with one or more thermal pads onto which one or more heat slugs of one or more ICs mount, and a second, opposing side including a second patterned conductive layer with a heatsink plate receiving pad onto which the heatsink plate mounts. The heatsink plate has one or more posts that project from a mounting surface of the heatsink plate, and when the heatsink plate is mounted to the heatsink plate receiving pad, each post extends from the second side of the PCB, through a matching hole in the PCB, and to an associated thermal pad located on the first side of the PCB.

Abstract: A frequency-multiplying DDS includes a digital multiplier, a phase accumulator, a post-accumulator digital processing section, and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The digital multiplier multiplies a digital tuning word of value M by a digital multiplier of value B, to produce a digital product (M×B), and the n-bit accumulator accumulates by a step size of the digital product (M×B), at a rate of a low-speed reference clock of frequency fCLK/B. The post-accumulator digital processing section synthesizes B digital waveforms from the sequence of n-bit accumulator output numbers produced by the n-bit accumulator, and rotates each digital waveform with respect to each adjacent digital waveform by (M/2n)×2? radians. The DAC serializes the digital samples of the B digital waveforms at full speed, i.e.

Abstract: A wideband envelope modulator comprises a direct current (DC)-to-DC switching converter connected in series with a linear amplitude modulator (LAM). The DC-DC switching converter includes a pulse-width modulator that generates a PWM signal with modulated pulse widths representing a time varying magnitude of an input envelope signal or a pulse-density modulator that generates a PDM signal with a modulated pulse density representing the time varying magnitude of the input envelope signal, a field-effect transistor (FET) driver stage that generates a PWM or PDM drive signal, a high-power output switching stage that is driven by the PWM or PDM drive signal, and an output energy storage network including a low-pass filter (LPF) of order greater than two that filters a switching voltage produced at an output switching node of the high-power output switching stage.

Abstract: An integrated circuit/printed circuit board (IC-PCB) assembly comprises a PCB and a heatsink plate. The PCB has a first side including a first patterned conductive layer with one or more thermal pads onto which one or more heat slugs of one or more ICs mount, and a second, opposing side including a second patterned conductive layer with a heatsink plate receiving pad onto which the heatsink plate mounts. The heatsink plate has one or more posts that project from a mounting surface of the heatsink plate, and when the heatsink plate is mounted to the heatsink plate receiving pad, each post extends from the second side of the PCB, through a matching hole in the PCB, and to an associated thermal pad located on the first side of the PCB.

Abstract: A wideband envelope modulator comprises a direct current (DC)-to-DC switching converter connected in series with a linear amplitude modulator (LAM). The DC-DC switching converter includes a pulse-width modulator that generates a PWM signal with modulated pulse widths representing a time varying magnitude of an input envelope signal or a pulse-density modulator that generates a PDM signal with a modulated pulse density representing the time varying magnitude of the input envelope signal, a field-effect transistor (FET) driver stage that generates a PWM or PDM drive signal, a high-power output switching stage that is driven by the PWM or PDM drive signal, and an output energy storage network including a low-pass filter (LPF) of order greater than two that filters a switching voltage produced at an output switching node of the high-power output switching stage.

Abstract: A universal transmit-receive (UTR) module for phased array systems comprises an antenna element shared for both transmitting and receiving; a transmit path that includes a transmit-path phase shifter, a driver, a switch-mode power amplifier (SMPA) that is configured to be driven by the driver, and a dynamic power supply (DPS) that generates and supplies a DPS voltage to the power supply port of the SMPA; and a receive path that includes a TX/RX switch that determines whether the receive path is electrically connected to or electrically isolated from the antenna element, a bandpass filter (BPF) that aligns with the intended receive frequency and serves to suppress reflected transmit signals and reverse signals, an adjustable-gain low-noise amplifier (LNA), and a receive-path phase shifter. The UTR module is specially designed for operation in phased array systems.

Abstract: A current regulating apparatus capable of regulating an electrical current with a high level of precision and over a wide range of voltages includes a first depletion mode field-effect transistor (FET), a second depletion mode FET, and a fixed resistor. The second depletion mode FET and fixed resistor are connected in series and across the gate-source terminals of the first depletion mode FET. The first depletion mode FET operates as an adjustable current source while the second depletion mode FET is controlled to operate as a voltage controlled resistor. The magnitude of current regulated by the current regulating apparatus is determined based on both the resistance of the fixed resistor and a current-setting control voltage applied to the gate of the second depletion mode FET. Various precision values of regulated current can be realized by simply changing the current-setting control voltage.

Abstract: A frequency-multiplying DDS includes a digital multiplier, a phase accumulator, a post-accumulator digital processing section, and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The digital multiplier multiplies a digital tuning word of value M by a digital multiplier of value B, to produce a digital product (M×B), and the n-bit accumulator accumulates by a step size of the digital product (M×B), at a rate of a low-speed reference clock of frequency fCLK/B. The post-accumulator digital processing section synthesizes B digital waveforms from the sequence of n-bit accumulator output numbers produced by the n-bit accumulator, and rotates each digital waveform with respect to each adjacent digital waveform by (M/2n)×2? radians. The DAC serializes the digital samples of the B digital waveforms at full speed, i.e.

Abstract: A wideband polar modulation transmitter includes a power amplifier (PA), a PA driver, a dynamic power supply (DPS), a PA driver VH controller, and a phase modulator. The phase modulator modulates a radio frequency (RF) carrier by an input phase modulating signal PM(t) to produce a phase modulated RF carrier. Meanwhile, the DPS produces a DPS voltage for the PA that follows an input amplitude modulating signal AM(t). Using the phase modulated RF carrier, the PA driver generates a PA drive signal VDRV for driving the PA. The PA drive signal VDRV has a high drive level VH and a low drive level VL. The PA driver VH controller is configured to control the magnitude of the high drive level VH so that it remains sufficiently high to force the PA to operate in a compressed mode (C-mode) most of the time but lowers the high drive level VH to force the PA to operate in a product mode (P-mode) during times low-magnitude events occur in the DPS voltage.

Abstract: A dynamic power supply (DPS) for polar modulation transmitters and envelope tracking (ET) transmitters includes a direct current (DC)-DC converter, a linear amplitude modulator (LAM) connected in series with the DC-DC converter, and a controller that dynamically controls both the switching of the DC-DC converter and the magnitude of the LAM's reference voltage, depending on time-varying changes in an input envelope voltage Venv. The DC-DC converter includes a high-power buck switching stage and an output energy storage network having a third-order or higher low-pass filter (LPF). The third-order or higher LPF filters out switching noise and ripple from the switching voltage produced by the high-power buck switching stage, and in one embodiment of the invention is augmented by a damping network that eliminates undesirable ringing at the power supply input of the LAM, thereby increasing efficiency and DPS conversion precision.

Abstract: A universal transmit-receive (UTR) module for phased array systems comprises an antenna element shared for both transmitting and receiving; a transmit path that includes a transmit-path phase shifter, a driver, a switch-mode power amplifier (SMPA) that is configured to be driven by the driver, and a dynamic power supply (DPS) that generates and supplies a DPS voltage to the power supply port of the SMPA; and a receive path that includes a TX/RX switch that determines whether the receive path is electrically connected to or electrically isolated from the antenna element, a bandpass filter (BPF) that aligns with the intended receive frequency and serves to suppress reflected transmit signals and reverse signals, an adjustable-gain low-noise amplifier (LNA), and a receive-path phase shifter. The UTR module is specially designed for operation in phased array systems.