Patents by Inventor Scott D. Kee

Scott D. Kee 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).

  • Patent number: 7646249
    Abstract: A cross-differential amplifier is provided. The cross-differential amplifier includes an inductor connected to a direct current power source at a first terminal. A first and second switch, such as transistors, are connected to the inductor at a second terminal. A first and second amplifier are connected at their supply terminals to the first and second switch. The first and second switches are operated to commutate the inductor between the amplifiers so as to provide an amplified signal while limiting the ripple voltage on the inductor and thus limiting the maximum voltage imposed across the amplifiers and switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Seyed-Ali Hajimiri, Scott D. Kee, Ichiro Aoki
  • Patent number: 7570928
    Abstract: A system for controlling the power output of a power amplifier includes a power amplifier through which a transmit signal having an amplitude-modulated (AM) component and a phase-modulated (PM) component is passed and amplified, the power amplifier comprising a forward path, a feedback signal comprising a portion of the output of the power amplifier, a first control loop configured to receive the feedback signal and configured to apply an amplitude modulated (AM) signal to the power amplifier and configured to control the gain of the power amplifier, a second control loop configured to receive the feedback signal and configured to correct for offsets in the forward path and to linearize the first control loop; and a third control loop configured to receive the feedback signal and configured to control the phase of the PM component of the transmit signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Axiom Microdevices, Inc.
    Inventors: Rahul Magoon, Morten Damgaard, Roberto Aparicio Joo, Scott D. Kee, Ichiro Aoki
  • Publication number: 20090102592
    Abstract: An integrated power combiner is disclosed. The power combiner includes a first circular geometry primary winding having one or more inductive elements, such as an active winding with one or more driver stages. A circular geometry secondary winding is disposed adjacent to the first primary winding, such as an active winding with one or more driver stages. A second circular geometry primary winding is disposed adjacent to the secondary winding and has one or more inductive elements. One or more connections are provided between one or more of the inductive elements of the first circular geometry primary winding and one or more of the inductive elements of the second circular geometry primary winding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Inventors: Scott D. Kee, Ichiro Aoki, Hui Wu, Seyed-Ali Hajimiri, Frank Carr, Rahul Magoon, Alexandre Kral, Afshin Mellati, Florian Bohn, Donald McGlymont
  • Publication number: 20090015336
    Abstract: A system for amplifying a signal is provided. The system includes a plurality of driver stages, each having an input, an output, and a disable control. An output stage having an input is coupled to the outputs of the plurality of driver stages. A plurality of disable control signals is provided to the driver stages so as to controllably enable and disable one or more of the driver stages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventors: Ichiro Aoki, Scott D. Kee, Seyed-Ali Hajimiri, Roberto Aparicio Joo, Rahul Magoon, Donald McClymont
  • Publication number: 20090015324
    Abstract: A system for controlling amplifier power is provided. The system includes a voltage envelope detector receiving a voltage signal and generating an attenuated voltage envelope signal. A current envelope detector receives a current signal and generates an attenuated current envelope signal. A controller receives power level data and generates attenuation control data for the voltage envelope signal and the current envelope signal. A detector receives the voltage envelope signal and the current envelope signal and generates a control signal based on the greater of the voltage envelope signal and the current envelope signal. A power amplifier level controller receives the control signal and generates a power amplifier level control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventors: Rahul Magoon, Scott D. Kee, Seyed-Ali Hajimiri, Ichiro Aoki, Roberto Aparicio Joo, Morten Damgaard, Setu Mohta, Geoff Hatcher
  • Publication number: 20090017775
    Abstract: A device having a radio front end is provided. The radio front end includes an inductor having a first end and a second end. A capacitor having a first end and a second end is connected to the second end of the inductor. An antenna is connected to the second end of the inductor and the second end of the capacitor. A first switch is connected to the first end of the inductor and the first end of the capacitor, wherein the inductor and capacitor form a resonant circuit when the first switch is closed. A second switch is connected to the resonant circuit, the second switch connecting the resonant circuit to ground through a low impedance when the first switch is closed. A third switch is connected to a transmit power amplifier connecting the transmit power amplifier to ground through a low impedance when the first switch is closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventors: Dongjaing Qiao, Scott D. Kee, Ichiro Aoki, Donald McClymont
  • Patent number: 7471153
    Abstract: An integrated power combiner is disclosed. The power combiner includes a first circular geometry primary winding having one or more inductive elements, such as an active winding with one or more driver stages. A circular geometry secondary winding is disposed adjacent to the first primary winding, such as an active winding with one or more driver stages. A second circular geometry primary winding is disposed adjacent to the secondary winding and has one or more inductive elements. One or more connections are provided between one or more of the inductive elements of the first circular geometry primary winding and one or more of the inductive elements of the second circular geometry primary winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Axiom Microdevices, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott D. Kee, Ichiro Aoki, Hui Wu, Seyed-Ali Hajimiri, Frank Carr, Rabul Magoon, Alexandre Kral, Afshin Mellati, Florian Bohn, Donald McClymont
  • Publication number: 20080211584
    Abstract: A cross-differential amplifier is provided. The cross-differential amplifier includes an inductor connected to a direct current power source at a first terminal. A first and second switch, such as transistors, are connected to the inductor at a second terminal. A first and second amplifier are connected at their supply terminals to the first and second switch. The first and second switches are operated to commutate the inductor between the amplifiers so as to provide an amplified signal while limiting the ripple voltage on the inductor and thus limiting the maximum voltage imposed across the amplifiers and switches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventors: Seyed-Ali Hajimiri, Scott D. Kee, Ichiro Aoki
  • Publication number: 20080207138
    Abstract: A phase detector includes a plurality of phase detectors located in a phase correction loop, each phase detector configured to receive as input a radio frequency (RF) input signal and an RF reference signal, each of the plurality of phase detectors also configured to provide a signal representing a different phase offset based on the phase difference between the RE input signal and the RF reference signal; and a switch configured to receive an output of each of the plurality of phase detectors and configured to select the output representing the phase offset, that is closest to a phase of an output of an amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: Ichiro Aoki, Scott D. Kee, Dongjiang Qiao, Alyosha C. Molnar
  • Publication number: 20080204139
    Abstract: Reconfigurable distributed active transformers are provided. The exemplary embodiments provided allow changing of the effective number and configuration of the primary and secondary windings, where the distributed active transformer structures can be reconfigured dynamically to control the output power levels, allow operation at multiple frequency bands, maintain a high performance across multiple channels, and sustain desired characteristics across process, temperature and other environmental variations. Integration of the distributed active transformer power amplifiers and a low noise amplifier on a semiconductor substrate can also be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: Abbas Komijani, Seyed-Ali Hajimiri, Scott D. Kee, Ichiro Aoki
  • Publication number: 20080061875
    Abstract: An architecture for detecting amplifier power is provided. The architecture includes a voltage envelope detector that receives a voltage signal and generates a voltage envelope signal. A current envelope detector receives a current signal and generates a current envelope signal. A power amplifier level controller receives the greater of the voltage envelope signal and the current envelope signal, such as by connecting the output of the voltage envelope detector and the current envelope detector at a common point and conducting the high frequency current components to ground via a capacitor. A power amplifier level control signal is then generated based on the voltage drop across the capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Inventors: Rahul Magoon, Scott D. Kee, John E. Lyu, Ichiro Aoki, Roberto Aparicio Joo
  • Publication number: 20080061874
    Abstract: A system for controlling amplifier power is provided. The system includes a voltage envelope detector that receives a voltage signal and generates a voltage envelope signal. A current envelope detector receives a current signal and generates a current envelope signal. A power amplifier level controller receives the greater of the voltage envelope signal and the current envelope signal, such as by connecting the output of the voltage envelope detector and the current envelope detector at a common point and conducting the high frequency current components to ground via a capacitor. A power amplifier level control signal is then generated based on the voltage drop across the capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Inventors: Rahul Magoon, Scott D. Kee, Jon E. Lyu, Ichiro Aoki, Roberto Aparicio Joo, Winfried Bakalski, Thomas Bruder
  • Patent number: 7342457
    Abstract: A cross-differential amplifier is provided. The cross-differential amplifier includes an inductor connected to a direct current power source at a first terminal. A first and second switch, such as transistors, are connected to the inductor at a second terminal. A first and second amplifier are connected at their supply terminals to the first and second switch. The first and second switches are operated to commutate the inductor between the amplifiers so as to provide an amplified signal while limiting the ripple voltage on the inductor and thus limiting the maximum voltage imposed across the amplifiers and switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Seyed-Ali Hajimiri, Scott D. Kee, Ichiro Aoki
  • Patent number: 7330076
    Abstract: Reconfigurable distributed active transformers are provided. The exemplary embodiments provided allow changing of the effective number and configuration of the primary and secondary windings, where the distributed active transformer structures can be reconfigured dynamically to control the output power levels, allow operation at multiple frequency bands, maintain a high performance across multiple channels, and sustain desired characteristics across process, temperature and other environmental variations. Integration of the distributed active transformer power amplifiers and a low noise amplifier on a semiconductor substrate can also be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Abbas Komijani, Seyed-Ali Hajimiri, Scott D. Kee, Ichiro Aoki
  • Publication number: 20080032634
    Abstract: A system for controlling the power output of a power amplifier includes a power amplifier through which a transmit signal having an amplitude-modulated (AM) component and a phase-modulated (PM) component is passed and amplified, the power amplifier comprising a forward path, a feedback signal comprising a portion of the output of the power amplifier, a first control loop configured to receive the feedback signal and configured to apply an amplitude modulated (AM) signal to the power amplifier and configured to control the gain of the power amplifier, a second control loop configured to receive the feedback signal and configured to correct for offsets in the forward path and to linearize the first control loop; and a third control loop configured to receive the feedback signal and configured to control the phase of the PM component of the transmit signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Inventors: Rahul Magoon, Morten Damgaard, Roberto Aparicio Joo, Scott D. Kee, Ichiro Aoki
  • Publication number: 20080032639
    Abstract: A phase shifter includes a plurality of variable gain elements, each variable gain element configured to receive one of a plurality of input signals, each input signal having a phase that is shifted with respect to each other input signal; and a control signal supplied to each variable gain element, where the control signals define a phase shift.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Inventors: Scott D. Kee, Ichiro Aoki, Weifeng Feng
  • Publication number: 20080031383
    Abstract: A power amplifier includes a power amplifier core in which a transmit signal having an amplitude-modulated (AM) component and a phase-modulated (PM) component is passed and amplified, the power amplifier comprising a forward path, and an additional amplification device configured to generate an output that is proportional to an output of the power amplifier core, such that the output of the additional amplification device indirectly controls the output of the power amplifier core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Inventors: Rahul Magoon, Roberto Aparicio Joo, Scott D. Kee, Ichiro Aoki
  • Patent number: 7157975
    Abstract: A cross-differential amplifier is provided. The cross-differential amplifier includes an inductor connected to a direct current power source at a first terminal. A first and second switch, such as transistors, are connected to the inductor at a second terminal. A first and second amplifier are connected at their supply terminals to the first and second switch. The first and second switches are operated to commutate the inductor between the amplifiers so as to provide an amplified signal while limiting the ripple voltage on the inductor and thus limiting the maximum voltage imposed across the amplifiers and switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Seyed-Ali Hajimiri, Scott D. Kee, Ichiro Aoki
  • Patent number: 7119619
    Abstract: Reconfigurable distributed active transformers are provided. The exemplary embodiments provided allow changing of the effective number and configuration of the primary and secondary windings, where the distributed active transformer structures can be reconfigured dynamically to control the output power levels, allow operation at multiple frequency bands, maintain a high performance across multiple channels, and sustain desired characteristics across process, temperature and other environmental variations. Integration of the distributed active transformer power amplifiers and a low noise amplifier on a semiconductor substrate can also be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Abbas Komijani, Seyed-Ali Hajimiri, Scott D. Kee, Ichiri Aoki
  • Patent number: 7095283
    Abstract: An integrated power combiner is disclosed. The power combiner includes a first circular geometry primary winding having one or more inductive elements, such as an active winding with one or more driver stages. A circular geometry secondary winding is disposed adjacent to the first primary winding, such as an active winding with one or more driver stages. A second circular geometry primary winding is disposed adjacent to the secondary winding and has one or more inductive elements. One or more connections are provided between one or more of the inductive elements of the first circular geometry primary winding and one or more of the inductive elements of the second circular geometry primary winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Axiom Microdevices, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott D. Kee, Ichiro Aoki, Hui Wu, Seyed-Ali Hajimiri, Frank Carr, Rabul Magoon, Alexandre Kral, Afshin Mellati, Florian Bohn, Donald McClymont