Abstract: A system and method for post filtering signal peak reduction adapted for use in a multi-carrier communication system incorporating a source of a multi-carrier communication signal band limited in plural bands corresponding to the plural carriers. A first signal path receives as an input the band limited multi-carrier communication signal. A second parallel signal path includes a peak reduction calculation circuit for calculating a peak reduction correction signal and a plurality of filters providing a plurality of parallel filtering operations on the peak reduction correction signal corresponding to the plural bands to which the communication system is limited. The filtered peak reduction correction signals and delayed input signal are combined to provide peak adjusted output signals without violating the band limits of the communication signal or the modulation scheme of the communication signal.

Abstract: A group delay adjusting circuit. The group delay adjusting circuit comprises an electronically adjustable variable capacitance, and an electronically variable virtual inductor coupled in parallel to the electronically variable capacitance at a node.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for linear amplification of a modulated carrier signal or multi-carrier signal is disclosed. The linearity of the amplifier is improved by employing dynamic load line adjustments. A second current source coupled to the amplifier output load is turned on just before the amplifier reaches a nonlinear regime and reduces the effective load to prevent the amplifier allowing sufficient power to reach the nonlinear regime near saturation. The technique is particularly advantageous for amplification of a signal with large peak to average ratio.

Abstract: A feed forward power amplifier is disclosed which utilizes three signal cancellation loops. Loop 1 includes a main amplifier and is used to derive a carrier cancelled sample of the main amplifier output. Loop 2 includes an error amplifier used to amplify the carrier cancelled signal derived from Loop 1 operation in order to cancel distortion products generated due to the nonlinear nature of the main amplifier. Loop 2 also utilizes a very short Loop 2 delay line. A significant efficiency gain is provided due to reduced output power losses associated with the Loop 2 delay line. Lower output losses also results in lower distortion levels produced by the main amplifier. This, in turn, reduces the size and performance requirements placed on the error amplifier. A smaller and more efficient error amplifier is employed resulting in further amplifier system efficiency improvement.

Abstract: An RF power amplifier having reduced memory effects is disclosed. This is achieved by a novel design of the DC supply feed network to achieve low impedance across video frequencies, whilst maintaining the correct RF output matching. One or more transmission zeros are provided in the bias circuit transfer function, which are positioned in the video bandwidth so as to provide low and relatively constant impedance across the video bandwidth. Also, a parallel DC feed line may be employed to reduce impedance across the video bandwidth. The reduction in memory effects allows improved performance of predistortion linearization techniques and an implementation in a feed forward amplifier employing predistortion linearization is also disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for signal peak reduction in a spread spectrum communication system of the type including a filter for limiting signal bandwidth of symbols transmitted from the system. A signal peak reduction unit is provided before the filter that includes a filter predictor that predicts the effect of the filter on input symbols by using filter coefficient values corresponding to the filter impulse response function. Input symbols that are predicted to cause the output signal to exceed a predetermined peak limit value are adjusted. Several examples of suitable algorithms for calculating the necessary peak reduction to be applied to the input symbols are disclosed. The peak reduction unit provides adjusted symbols to the filter for processing and communication system output.

Abstract: A delay mismatched feed forward amplifier system employing a control system and method using floors and penalties is disclosed. The disclosed control system and method allows the second loop phase adjuster setting to be offset in a repeatable and controlled manner. Applying floors and penalties to offset the steady-state phase adjuster setting modifies the conventional pilot cancellation approach. In the conventional case, pilot cancellation has a distinct minimum that corresponds to the desired adjustment setting. In the disclosed approach, the measured pilot cancellation is clipped to a lower bound or floor to produce a set of equal valued minimum control results. The floor is selected to place a desired phase offset to the phase adjuster at the edge of minimum floor. To ensure that the correct phase adjuster offset is selected from the set of equal valued minimum control results, a control direction based penalty is added.

Abstract: A feed forward amplifier employing a new adaptive controller and method is disclosed. The controller aligns both a gain adjuster and phase adjuster of a first cancellation loop. The phase adjuster may be controlled following a standard approach. However, the gain adjuster is offset intentionally causing an incomplete cancellation, increasing the signal power passing through the error amplifier. If the gain adjuster is offset low, below the gain adjustment required to maximize carrier cancellation, peak power output from the main amplifier is reduced while the second loop maintains constant system output power. If the gain adjuster is offset high, peak power output from the error amplifier is reduced while the second loop maintains constant system output power. By controlling the gain adjuster offset from full first loop cancellation, the feed forward amplifier can be optimized for the power handling capabilities of the main and error amplifiers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rapid alignment of adaptive feed forward power amplifiers are disclosed. Successful alignment settings are correlated with the operating conditions that affect the gain and phase of an amplifier. These operating conditions may include input power level, carrier frequency, temperature, DC supply voltage, or others. The successful alignment settings along with the corresponding operating conditions are stored in a list that is indexed using multi-dimensional attribute vectors. The elements of the list are generated automatically.

Abstract: A feedforward amplifier. The present invention therefore provides a feedforward amplifier, comprising: a pilot reference generator that generates a pilot signal; a first carrier cancellation loop; a first error amplifier loop including a first error amplifier, wherein the pilot signal is utilized to provide gain stabilization in the first error amplifier a third loop; a second carrier cancellation loop that includes a first phase and amplitude adjuster in module and a second amplitude and phase adjuster disposed between module and module, wherein the pilot signal is utilized to control the adjustment of the second carrier cancellation loop.

Abstract: A printed circuit board assembly employing a solder vent hole adjacent solder filled interconnect vias connecting to a conductive pallet, is disclosed. The solder vent hole allows gases to escape from an otherwise sealed cavity during solder reflow, relieving positive pressure and thereby allowing solder to flow into it. By providing an escape path for trapped air and gases generated during solder paste reflow, the out-gassing pressure and weight of the molten solder is sufficient to allow the solder paste to flow into the cavity.

Abstract: A microstrip coupler is provided which includes an controlled capacitance bridge for improved directivity as compared to prior art controlled capacitance bridges. The novel controlled capacitance bridge provides the functionality of prior art wire or ribbon controlled capacitance bridges and also provides the necessary capacitance to compensate for the different phase velocities of odd and even modes in the transmission lines. Both the dimensions of the controlled capacitance bridge and the dimensions of an input microstrip conductor may be adjusted to provide the appropriate level of capacitance. In some embodiments, the controlled capacitance bridge connects segments of an input microstrip conductor. In other embodiments, the controlled capacitance bridge connects microstrip conductors which are configured to couple an input signal from an input microstrip conductor.

Abstract: A surface mount technology (“SMT”) apparatus for use in routing radio frequencies (“RF”) between cavities that require a high level of isolation on a single printed circuit board (“PCB”). The SMT part is attached to the PCB over a stripline-ready trace which transitions to microstrip before and after the SMT stripline part to maintain consistent characteristic impedance. When presented with a high isolation need between two cavities using microstrip transmission lines, the proposed stripline SMT apparatus under the isolation wall will tend to provide the necessary isolation. The present invention provides a repeatable and reliable interconnect while improving the electrical match between the two cavities. Furthermore, the invention removes the costs associated with manually forming and soldering cables between PCBs.

Abstract: A system and method of pilot tone reuse.

Abstract: A dynamic bias switching circuit is provided that includes a switching unit for switching between a first signal level and a second signal level based on a signal envelope of an input signal to an amplifier.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing or eliminating signal amplitudes near or crossing zero is disclosed. Communication systems and methods employing a single carrier or multiple carriers and employing reduction of signal amplitudes near or crossing zero are also disclosed. Communication systems and methods using envelope elimination and restoration amplification and reduction of amplitudes near or crossing zero are also disclosed.

Abstract: A group delay adjusting circuit. The group delay adjusting circuit comprises an electronically adjustable variable capacitance, and an electronically variable virtual inductor coupled in parallel to the electronically variable capacitance at a node.

Abstract: A feed forward amplifier employing high efficiency main and/or error amplifiers with amplifier devices biased in a lower bias class. Small signal nonlinearities in the gain response of the amplifier devices are compensated by a small signal gain adjustment circuit. The resulting gain response is substantially linear over the entire usable range of RF input power.

Abstract: A method allowing for the inexpensive automated construction of interconnections between circuit boards is provided. According to the present invention, printed circuit pins are inserted in a circuit board from the top (component side). Provided the heads of the pins are thin enough to lie beneath a solder stencil, the pins may be pre-installed on the circuit board and solder applied to the pins at the same time solder is applied to other regions of the board. Thus, known surface mount techniques may be employed to form solder connections between the pins and conductive traces on the circuit board, which facilitates the automation of the previously manual operation of soldering the printed circuit pins separately.

Abstract: A printed circuit board (PCB) assembly comprising a PCB having a top circuitry layer and a bottom layer with a hole through the PCB, a component, and a pallet. The printed circuit board manufactured by a method including forming a hole through the top circuitry layer and the bottom layer, attaching the bottom layer to a pallet, placing the component in the hole, and soldering the component to the top circuitry layer and to the pallet.