Patents by Inventor Kerry B. Phillips
Kerry B. Phillips has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8369803Abstract: A power correction module for use with an amplifier driving a load impedance is configured to sample the supply current and to cause a change in a control voltage, which corrects the supply voltage in response to a change in the load impedance. The supply voltage is corrected to cause the power amplifier to have a substantially constant output power. The power correction module is further configured to output a corrected peak voltage determined by an average value of the supply current.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2010Date of Patent: February 5, 2013Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Kerry B. Phillips, Michael L. Hageman, Robert M. Fisher, Paul R. Andrys
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Patent number: 8330546Abstract: A power amplification circuit includes a power amplifier, an RF detector, an error amplifier, a saturation detector, and an offset circuit. The power amplifier provides an amplified signal based on an input signal and a gain control signal. The RF detector provides a detection signal indicative of a logarithm of the power of the amplified signal. The error amplifier provides the gain control signal based on an amplification control signal and the detection signal. The saturation detector provides a saturation signal in response to the gain control signal differing from a reference signal by less than a first predetermined voltage. The offset circuit decreases a voltage level of the amplification control signal by up to a second predetermined voltage in response to the saturation signal and the amplification control signal differing from the detection signal by less than the second predetermined voltage.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2012Date of Patent: December 11, 2012Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: David S. Ripley, Kerry B. Phillips
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Publication number: 20120218039Abstract: A power amplification circuit includes a power amplifier, an RF detector, an error amplifier, a saturation detector, and an offset circuit. The power amplifier provides an amplified signal based on an input signal and a gain control signal. The RF detector provides a detection signal indicative of a logarithm of the power of the amplified signal. The error amplifier provides the gain control signal based on an amplification control signal and the detection signal. The saturation detector provides a saturation signal in response to the gain control signal differing from a reference signal by less than a first predetermined voltage. The offset circuit decreases a voltage level of the amplification control signal by up to a second predetermined voltage in response to the saturation signal and the amplification control signal differing from the detection signal by less than the second predetermined voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2012Publication date: August 30, 2012Applicant: SKYWORKS SOLUTIONS, INC.Inventors: David S. Ripley, Kerry B. Phillips
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Patent number: 8188793Abstract: Systems and methods are described for detecting and correcting saturation in a power amplification circuit. An exemplary circuit comprises a power amplifier that provides an amplified output signal based upon an input signal and a gain control signal; a power detector that provides a detector signal indicative of the amplified signal magnitude; an error amplifier that generates the gain control signal based upon a setpoint signal and the detector signal; and a saturation detector that provides a saturation detection signal indicating whether gain control signal exceeds a reference signal. In another embodiment the circuit comprises an offset generator that provides a correction to the setpoint signal in response to the saturation detection signal indicating that the gain control signal exceeds the reference signal. In still another embodiment the circuit includes an offset cutoff circuit that freezes the correction to the setpoint signal in response to the correction exceeding a threshold.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2008Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: David S Ripley, Kerry B Phillips
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Patent number: 7937049Abstract: According to an exemplary embodiment, a transmitter system includes a power amplifier receiving a supply voltage and a supply current from a power control/current detection circuit, where the power amplifier drives a load impedance. The transmitter system further includes a power correction module configured to sample the supply current and to cause a change in a control voltage, which corrects the supply voltage in response to a change in the load impedance. The supply voltage is corrected to cause the power amplifier to have a substantially constant output power. The power correction module is further configured to output a corrected peak voltage determined by an average value of the supply current. The transmitter system further includes a predistortion module configured to determine the control voltage from a product of the corrected peak voltage and an amplitude modulation component and to output the control voltage to the power control/current detection circuit.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2007Date of Patent: May 3, 2011Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Kerry B. Phillips, Michael L. Hageman, Robert M. Fisher, Paul R. Andrys
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Publication number: 20110032030Abstract: Systems and methods are described for detecting and correcting saturation in a power amplification circuit. An exemplary circuit comprises a power amplifier that provides an amplified output signal based upon an input signal and a gain control signal; a power detector that provides a detector signal indicative of the amplified signal magnitude; an error amplifier that generates the gain control signal based upon a setpoint signal and the detector signal; and a saturation detector that provides a saturation detection signal indicating whether gain control signal exceeds a reference signal. In another embodiment the circuit comprises an offset generator that provides a correction to the setpoint signal in response to the saturation detection signal indicating that the gain control signal exceeds the reference signal. In still another embodiment the circuit includes an offset cutoff circuit that freezes the correction to the setpoint signal in response to the correction exceeding a threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2008Publication date: February 10, 2011Applicant: SKYWORKS SOLUTIONS, INC.Inventors: David S Ripley, Kerry B Phillips
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Publication number: 20100248657Abstract: A power correction module for use with an amplifier driving a load impedance is configured to sample the supply current and to cause a change in a control voltage, which corrects the supply voltage in response to a change in the load impedance. The supply voltage is corrected to cause the power amplifier to have a substantially constant output power. The power correction module is further configured to output a corrected peak voltage determined by an average value of the supply current.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2010Publication date: September 30, 2010Inventors: Kerry B. Phillips, Michael L. Hageman, Robert M. Fisher, Paul R. Andrys
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Publication number: 20080085684Abstract: According to an exemplary embodiment, a transmitter system includes a power amplifier receiving a supply voltage and a supply current from a power control/current detection circuit, where the power amplifier drives a load impedance. The transmitter system further includes a power correction module configured to sample the supply current and to cause a change in a control voltage, which corrects the supply voltage in response to a change in the load impedance. The supply voltage is corrected to cause the power amplifier to have a substantially constant output power. The power correction module is further configured to output a corrected peak voltage determined by an average value of the supply current. The transmitter system further includes a predistortion module configured to determine the control voltage from a product of the corrected peak voltage and an amplitude modulation component and to output the control voltage to the power control/current detection circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2007Publication date: April 10, 2008Inventors: Kerry B. Phillips, Michael L. Hageman, Robert M. Fisher, Paul R. Andrys
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Patent number: 7193474Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a circuit arrangement includes a regulator circuit. The circuit arrangement further includes a current limit circuit coupled to the regulator circuit. The circuit arrangement further includes a power amplifier coupled to the regulator circuit, where the power amplifier is configured to draw a first current from the regular circuit. The current limit circuit is configured to decrease the first current when the first current causes a second current in the current limit circuit to be greater than a reference current. According to this embodiment, the second current is a mirror current of the first current. The current limit circuit includes a current sink, where the current sink is configured to sink the reference current to ground. The current limit circuit further includes a feedback loop, where the feedback loop causes the second current to be substantially equal to the reference current.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2004Date of Patent: March 20, 2007Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Kerry B. Phillips, David S. Ripley
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Patent number: 7142053Abstract: A power control circuit for a power amplifier comprises a voltage regulator having a first input configured to receive a envelope control signal, a second input configured to receive a feedback signal, and a third input configured to receive a voltage clamp signal; and a clamp voltage reference circuit configured to generate the voltage clamp signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2004Date of Patent: November 28, 2006Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Kerry B. Phillips, David S. Ripley, Robert M. Fisher