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).
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Patent number: 10574192Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 19, 2018Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Yu Zhu, Boshi Jin, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Florinel G. Balteanu, Oleksiy Klimashov, Dylan Charles Bartle, Paul T. DiCarlo
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Patent number: 10483918Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 26, 2017Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Boshi Jin, Jing-Hwa Chen, Paul T. DiCarlo, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Florinel G. Balteanu, David Scott Whitefield
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Publication number: 20190190462Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2018Publication date: June 20, 2019Inventors: Yu Zhu, Boshi Jin, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Florinel G. Balteanu, Oleksiy Klimashov, Dylan Charles Bartle, Paul T. DiCarlo
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Patent number: 10164582Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 20, 2017Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Yu Zhu, Boshi Jin, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Florinel G. Balteanu, Oleksiy Klimashov, Dylan Charles Bartle, Paul T. DiCarlo
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Publication number: 20180278214Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2017Publication date: September 27, 2018Inventors: Boshi JIN, Jing-Hwa CHEN, Paul T. DICARLO, Steven Christopher SPRINKLE, Florinel G. BALTEANU, David Scott WHITEFIELD
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Publication number: 20180167037Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2017Publication date: June 14, 2018Inventors: Yu Zhu, Boshi Jin, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Florinel G. Balteanu, Oleksiy Klimashov, Dylan Charles Bartle, Paul T. DiCarlo
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Publication number: 20180159478Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2017Publication date: June 7, 2018Inventors: Florinel G. Balteanu, Paul T. DiCarlo, Boshi Jin, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, David Scott Whitefield
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Patent number: 9893682Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 24, 2016Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Yu Zhu, Boshi Jin, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Florinel G. Balteanu, Oleksiy Klimashov, Dylan Charles Bartle, Paul T. DiCarlo
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Patent number: 9806676Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 27, 2016Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Florinel G. Balteanu, Paul T. DiCarlo, Boshi Jin, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, David Scott Whitefield
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Patent number: 9774300Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 22, 2015Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Boshi Jin, Jing-Hwa Chen, Paul T. DiCarlo, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Florinel G. Balteanu, David Scott Whitefield
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Patent number: 9595951Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 29, 2014Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Fikret Altunkilic, Haki Cebi
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Publication number: 20170033747Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2016Publication date: February 2, 2017Inventors: Florinel G. Balteanu, Paul T. DiCarlo, Boshi Jin, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, David Scott Whitefield
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Publication number: 20170005625Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2016Publication date: January 5, 2017Inventors: Yu Zhu, Boshi Jin, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Florinel G. Balteanu, Oleksiy Klimashov, Dylan Charles Bartle, Paul T. DiCarlo
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Publication number: 20160322385Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2016Publication date: November 3, 2016Inventors: Hanching FUH, Steven Christopher SPRINKLE, David Scott WHITEFIELD, Jerod F. MASON
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Publication number: 20160028351Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2015Publication date: January 28, 2016Inventors: Boshi JIN, Jing-Hwa CHEN, Paul T. DICARLO, Steven Christopher SPRINKLE, Florinel G. BALTEANU, David Scott WHITEFIELD
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Patent number: 9160328Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 6, 2013Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Inventors: Fikret Altunkilic, Guillaume Alexandre Blin, Haki Cebi, Hanching Fuh, Mengshu Hsu, Jong-Hoon Lee, Anuj Madan, Nuttapong Srirattana, Chuming Shih, Steven Christopher Sprinkle
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Publication number: 20150022256Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2014Publication date: January 22, 2015Inventors: Steven Christopher SPRINKLE, Fikret ALTUNKILIC, Haki Cebi
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Publication number: 20140009214Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2013Publication date: January 9, 2014Inventors: Fikret Altunkilic, Guillaume Alexandre Blin, Haki Cebi, Hanching Fuh, Mengshu Hsu, Jong-Hoon Lee, Anuj Madan, Nuttapong Srirattana, Chuming Shih, Steven Christopher Sprinkle
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Publication number: 20140009212Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2013Publication date: January 9, 2014Inventors: Fikret Altunkilic, Anuj Madan, Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Guillaume Alexandre Blin
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Publication number: 20140009213Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2013Publication date: January 9, 2014Inventors: Steven Christopher Sprinkle, Mengshu Hsu, Chuming Shih, Jong-Hoon Lee