Patents by Inventor Steven Christopher Sprinkle

Steven Christopher Sprinkle 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: 10574192
    Abstract: A linearization circuit that reduces intermodulation distortion in an amplifier output receives a first signal that includes a first frequency and a second frequency and generates a difference signal having a frequency approximately equal to the difference of the first frequency and the second frequency. The linearization circuit generates an envelope signal based at least in part on a power level of the first signal and adjusts a magnitude of the difference signal based on the envelope signal. When the amplifier receives the first signal at an input terminal and the adjusted signal at a second terminal, intermodulation between the adjusted signal and the first signal cancels at least a portion of the intermodulation products that result from the intermodulation of the first frequency and the second frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Yu Zhu, Boshi Jin, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Florinel G. Balteanu, Oleksiy Klimashov, Dylan Charles Bartle, Paul T. DiCarlo
  • Patent number: 10483918
    Abstract: A power amplifier can include a carrier amplifier having first and second differential amplification cells with outputs coupled by a primary loop of a carrier transformer, and a peaking amplifier having first and second differential amplification cells with outputs coupled by a primary loop of a peaking transformer. The power amplifier can further include a combiner having a quarter-wave circuit implemented between the secondary loop of the carrier transformer and a secondary loop of the peaking transformer. The quarter-wave circuit can be configured to provide a characteristic impedance, such that the carrier and peaking amplifiers are presented with an impedance that is approximately the same as the characteristic impedance when both of the carrier and peaking amplifiers are turned on, and the carrier amplifier is presented with an impedance that is approximately twice the characteristic impedance when the carrier amplifier is turned on and the peaking amplifier is turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Boshi Jin, Jing-Hwa Chen, Paul T. DiCarlo, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Florinel G. Balteanu, David Scott Whitefield
  • Publication number: 20190190462
    Abstract: A linearization circuit that reduces intermodulation distortion in an amplifier output receives a first signal that includes a first frequency and a second frequency and generates a difference signal having a frequency approximately equal to the difference of the first frequency and the second frequency. The linearization circuit generates an envelope signal based at least in part on a power level of the first signal and adjusts a magnitude of the difference signal based on the envelope signal. When the amplifier receives the first signal at an input terminal and the adjusted signal at a second terminal, intermodulation between the adjusted signal and the first signal cancels at least a portion of the intermodulation products that result from the intermodulation of the first frequency and the second frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Yu Zhu, Boshi Jin, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Florinel G. Balteanu, Oleksiy Klimashov, Dylan Charles Bartle, Paul T. DiCarlo
  • Patent number: 10164582
    Abstract: A linearization circuit that reduces intermodulation distortion in an amplifier output receives a first signal that includes a first frequency and a second frequency and generates a difference signal having a frequency approximately equal to the difference of the first frequency and the second frequency. The linearization circuit generates an envelope signal based at least in part on a power level of the first signal and adjusts a magnitude of the difference signal based on the envelope signal. When the amplifier receives the first signal at an input terminal and the adjusted signal at a second terminal, intermodulation between the adjusted signal and the first signal cancels at least a portion of the intermodulation products that result from the intermodulation of the first frequency and the second frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Yu Zhu, Boshi Jin, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Florinel G. Balteanu, Oleksiy Klimashov, Dylan Charles Bartle, Paul T. DiCarlo
  • Publication number: 20180278214
    Abstract: A power amplifier can include a carrier amplifier having first and second differential amplification cells with outputs coupled by a primary loop of a carrier transformer, and a peaking amplifier having first and second differential amplification cells with outputs coupled by a primary loop of a peaking transformer. The power amplifier can further include a combiner having a quarter-wave circuit implemented between the secondary loop of the carrier transformer and a secondary loop of the peaking transformer. The quarter-wave circuit can be configured to provide a characteristic impedance, such that the carrier and peaking amplifiers are presented with an impedance that is approximately the same as the characteristic impedance when both of the carrier and peaking amplifiers are turned on, and the carrier amplifier is presented with an impedance that is approximately twice the characteristic impedance when the carrier amplifier is turned on and the peaking amplifier is turned off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Boshi JIN, Jing-Hwa CHEN, Paul T. DICARLO, Steven Christopher SPRINKLE, Florinel G. BALTEANU, David Scott WHITEFIELD
  • Publication number: 20180167037
    Abstract: A linearization circuit that reduces intermodulation distortion in an amplifier output receives a first signal that includes a first frequency and a second frequency and generates a difference signal having a frequency approximately equal to the difference of the first frequency and the second frequency. The linearization circuit generates an envelope signal based at least in part on a power level of the first signal and adjusts a magnitude of the difference signal based on the envelope signal. When the amplifier receives the first signal at an input terminal and the adjusted signal at a second terminal, intermodulation between the adjusted signal and the first signal cancels at least a portion of the intermodulation products that result from the intermodulation of the first frequency and the second frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Yu Zhu, Boshi Jin, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Florinel G. Balteanu, Oleksiy Klimashov, Dylan Charles Bartle, Paul T. DiCarlo
  • Publication number: 20180159478
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are power amplification (PA) systems configured to amplify a signal, such as a radio-frequency signal. The PA system includes a plurality of power amplifiers that are configured to amplify a signal received at a signal input and to output the amplified signal at a signal output. The power amplifiers are configured to receive a supply voltage that is a combination of a battery voltage and an envelope tracking signal. The PA system includes a PA controller configured to control the power amplifiers based at least in part on the battery voltage or a power output of the power amplifiers. The PA controller can be configured to alter impedance matching components of the PA system to reconfigure a load line of the power amplifiers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Florinel G. Balteanu, Paul T. DiCarlo, Boshi Jin, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, David Scott Whitefield
  • Patent number: 9893682
    Abstract: A linearization circuit that reduces intermodulation distortion in an amplifier output receives a first signal that includes a first frequency and a second frequency and generates a difference signal having a frequency approximately equal to the difference of the first frequency and the second frequency. The linearization circuit generates an envelope signal based at least in part on a power level of the first signal and adjusts a magnitude of the difference signal based on the envelope signal. When the amplifier receives the first signal at an input terminal and the adjusted signal at a second terminal, intermodulation between the adjusted signal and the first signal cancels at least a portion of the intermodulation products that result from the intermodulation of the first frequency and the second frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Yu Zhu, Boshi Jin, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Florinel G. Balteanu, Oleksiy Klimashov, Dylan Charles Bartle, Paul T. DiCarlo
  • Patent number: 9806676
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are power amplification (PA) systems configured to amplify a signal, such as a radio-frequency signal. The PA system includes a plurality of power amplifiers that are configured to amplify a signal received at a signal input and to output the amplified signal at a signal output. The power amplifiers are configured to receive a supply voltage that is a combination of a battery voltage and an envelope tracking signal. The PA system includes a PA controller configured to control the power amplifiers based at least in part on the battery voltage or a power output of the power amplifiers. The PA controller can be configured to alter impedance matching components of the PA system to reconfigure a load line of the power amplifiers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Florinel G. Balteanu, Paul T. DiCarlo, Boshi Jin, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, David Scott Whitefield
  • Patent number: 9774300
    Abstract: Transformer-based Doherty power amplifier (PA). In some embodiments, a Doherty PA can include a carrier amplification path having an output that includes a carrier transformer, and a peaking amplification path having an output that includes a peaking transformer. The Doherty PA can further include a combiner configured to combine the outputs of the carrier and peaking amplification paths into an output node. The combiner can include a quarter-wave circuit implemented between the carrier and peaking transformers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Boshi Jin, Jing-Hwa Chen, Paul T. DiCarlo, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Florinel G. Balteanu, David Scott Whitefield
  • Patent number: 9595951
    Abstract: Radio-frequency (RF) switch circuits are disclosed providing improved switching performance. An RF switch system includes a plurality of field-effect transistors (FETs) connected in series between first and second nodes, each FET having a gate and a body. A compensation network including a gate-coupling circuit couples the gates of each pair of neighboring FETs. The compensation network may further including a body-coupling circuit that couples the bodies of each pair of neighboring FETs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Fikret Altunkilic, Haki Cebi
  • Publication number: 20170033747
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are power amplification (PA) systems configured to amplify a signal, such as a radio-frequency signal. The PA system includes a plurality of power amplifiers that are configured to amplify a signal received at a signal input and to output the amplified signal at a signal output. The power amplifiers are configured to receive a supply voltage that is a combination of a battery voltage and an envelope tracking signal. The PA system includes a PA controller configured to control the power amplifiers based at least in part on the battery voltage or a power output of the power amplifiers. The PA controller can be configured to alter impedance matching components of the PA system to reconfigure a load line of the power amplifiers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Florinel G. Balteanu, Paul T. DiCarlo, Boshi Jin, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, David Scott Whitefield
  • Publication number: 20170005625
    Abstract: A linearization circuit that reduces intermodulation distortion in an amplifier output receives a first signal that includes a first frequency and a second frequency and generates a difference signal having a frequency approximately equal to the difference of the first frequency and the second frequency. The linearization circuit generates an envelope signal based at least in part on a power level of the first signal and adjusts a magnitude of the difference signal based on the envelope signal. When the amplifier receives the first signal at an input terminal and the adjusted signal at a second terminal, intermodulation between the adjusted signal and the first signal cancels at least a portion of the intermodulation products that result from the intermodulation of the first frequency and the second frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Yu Zhu, Boshi Jin, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Florinel G. Balteanu, Oleksiy Klimashov, Dylan Charles Bartle, Paul T. DiCarlo
  • Publication number: 20160322385
    Abstract: Substrate bias for field-effect transistor (FET) devices. In some embodiments, a radio-frequency (RF) device can include a FET implemented over a substrate layer, and an electrical connection implemented to provide a substrate bias node associated with the substrate layer. The RF device can further include a non-grounding circuit connected to the substrate bias node to adjust RF performance of the FET. In some embodiments, the electrical connection can include a pattern of one or more conductive features in electrical contact with the substrate layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Hanching FUH, Steven Christopher SPRINKLE, David Scott WHITEFIELD, Jerod F. MASON
  • Publication number: 20160028351
    Abstract: Transformer-based Doherty power amplifier (PA). In some embodiments, a Doherty PA can include a carrier amplification path having an output that includes a carrier transformer, and a peaking amplification path having an output that includes a peaking transformer. The Doherty PA can further include a combiner configured to combine the outputs of the carrier and peaking amplification paths into an output node. The combiner can include a quarter-wave circuit implemented between the carrier and peaking transformers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Boshi JIN, Jing-Hwa CHEN, Paul T. DICARLO, Steven Christopher SPRINKLE, Florinel G. BALTEANU, David Scott WHITEFIELD
  • Patent number: 9160328
    Abstract: Radio-frequency (RF) switch circuits are disclosed providing improved switching performance. An RF switch system includes a plurality of field-effect transistors (FETs) connected in series between first and second nodes, each FET having a gate and a body. A compensation network including a gate-coupling circuit couples the gates of each pair of neighboring FETs. The compensation network may further including a body-coupling circuit that couples the bodies of each pair of neighboring FETs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Inventors: Fikret Altunkilic, Guillaume Alexandre Blin, Haki Cebi, Hanching Fuh, Mengshu Hsu, Jong-Hoon Lee, Anuj Madan, Nuttapong Srirattana, Chuming Shih, Steven Christopher Sprinkle
  • Publication number: 20150022256
    Abstract: Radio-frequency (RF) switch circuits are disclosed providing improved switching performance. An RF switch system includes a plurality of field-effect transistors (FETs) connected in series between first and second nodes, each FET having a gate and a body. A compensation network including a gate-coupling circuit couples the gates of each pair of neighboring FETs. The compensation network may further including a body-coupling circuit that couples the bodies of each pair of neighboring FETs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Steven Christopher SPRINKLE, Fikret ALTUNKILIC, Haki Cebi
  • Publication number: 20140009214
    Abstract: Radio-frequency (RF) switch circuits are disclosed providing improved switching performance. An RF switch system includes a plurality of field-effect transistors (FETs) connected in series between first and second nodes, each FET having a gate and a body. A compensation network including a gate-coupling circuit couples the gates of each pair of neighboring FETs. The compensation network may further including a body-coupling circuit that couples the bodies of each pair of neighboring FETs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: Fikret Altunkilic, Guillaume Alexandre Blin, Haki Cebi, Hanching Fuh, Mengshu Hsu, Jong-Hoon Lee, Anuj Madan, Nuttapong Srirattana, Chuming Shih, Steven Christopher Sprinkle
  • Publication number: 20140009212
    Abstract: Radio-frequency (RF) switch circuits are disclosed having one or more transistors coupled to provide improved switching performance. RF switches include at least one field-effect transistor (FET) disposed between first and second nodes, each the at least one FET having a respective body and a corresponding gate. A coupling circuit couples the respective body and corresponding gate of the at least one FET. The coupling circuit may include a diode in series with a resistor and may be configured to facilitate removal of excess charge from the respective body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: Fikret Altunkilic, Anuj Madan, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Guillaume Alexandre Blin
  • Publication number: 20140009213
    Abstract: Radio-frequency (RF) switch circuits are disclosed having one or more transistors coupled to provide improved harmonic management. The RF switch circuits including at least one field-effect transistor (FET) disposed between first and second nodes, each of the at least one FET having a respective body and gate. A coupling circuit can be configured to couple the respective body and gate of each of the at least one FET. The coupling circuit can include a capacitor electrically parallel with a diode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Mengshu Hsu, Chuming Shih, Jong-Hoon Lee