Including Frequency-responsive Means In The Signal Transmission Path Patents (Class 330/302)
  • Patent number: 8922282
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) power amplifier includes a low impedance pre-driver driving the input of a common-source output amplifier stage. The preamplifier includes a first transistor that has a first terminal coupled to a preamplifier RF input node, a second terminal coupled to a preamplifier RF output node, and a third terminal coupled to a supply voltage node. A first inductor is coupled between the RF output node and a bias voltage node. A voltage difference between respective first and second voltages on the RF input node and the RF output node that are substantially in phase, determines current through the first transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Black Sand Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Susanne Paul, Marius Goldenberg
  • Patent number: 8917145
    Abstract: There is provided an amplifier circuit. The amplifier circuit includes an amplifying unit including at least one transistor; at least one first bias circuit unit including a resistor and connected to the at least one transistor; and at least one second bias circuit unit connected between an input terminal to which an input signal is applied and the at least one transistor so as to block an input signal having a frequency higher than a first frequency or having a frequency lower than a second frequency. The amplifier circuit according to embodiment of the present invention may prevent thermal runaway, remove a harmonic component from an input signal to be amplified and suppress oscillations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Jean Song, Jun Goo Won, Youn Suk Kim, Shinichi Iizuka, Ju Young Park, Ki Joong Kim
  • Publication number: 20140368296
    Abstract: An acoustic wave filter includes a piezoelectric substrate, an insulating pattern that has higher thermal conductivity than the piezoelectric substrate formed on the piezoelectric substrate, at least two pads formed on the piezoelectric substrate or the insulating pattern, at least one pad formed on the insulating pattern, at least one acoustic resonator formed on the insulating pattern, and at least one acoustic resonator directly formed on the piezoelectric substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: TAIYO YUDEN CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toshio Nishizawa
  • Patent number: 8907727
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to capacitance compensation via a compensation device coupled to a gain device to compensate for a capacitance change occurring due to an input signal change, along with a controller coupled to the compensation device to receive the input signal and to control an amount of compensation based on the input signal. In some embodiments, banks may be formed of multiple compensation devices, where each of the banks has a different size and is coupled to receive a different set of bias voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Anil Samavedam, David E. Bockelman, Vishnu Srinivasan, Eric Kimball
  • Patent number: 8896377
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes first and second ICs configured to communicate using a plurality of differential signal lines. The apparatus includes a common mode suppression circuit having a plurality of common mode voltage adjustment circuits, each configured to provide a low impedance path for common mode signals and a high impedance path for differential AC signaling, thereby suppressing the effect of common mode transients between the voltage domains. The plurality of common mode voltage adjustment circuits each have components that are impedance matched up to an impedance-tolerance specification. The common mode suppression circuit also includes an AC coupling circuit configured to be less dependent on impedance mismatch, beyond the impedance-tolerance specification, by cross coupling the impedance differentials from each of the differential signal lines through the AC coupling circuit and to one of the common mode voltage adjustment circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Rameswor Shrestha
  • Publication number: 20140340177
    Abstract: In order to provide a resonant circuit in which the variation in the coupling coefficient with the process fluctuation of the capacitance value is suppressed in a resonant circuit composed of a transmission line and a capacitance, a resonant circuit according to an exemplary aspect of the invention includes a stub; a first capacitance whose one to be connected to the stub and whose another end to be grounded; and a second capacitance whose one end to be connected to a connection between the stub and the first capacitance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenichi Hosoya
  • Patent number: 8890620
    Abstract: A power amplifier includes a first matching circuit configured to perform harmonic processing of an input signal, and a second matching circuit configured to perform the harmonic processing of an output signal, the output signal being generated by amplifying a power of the input signal. The power amplifier rotates a phase of output impedance at a matching point of the harmonic included in the generated output signal when the power of the input signal is decreased from a value higher than a certain value to a value lower than the certain value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Ken Tamanoi, Toru Maniwa
  • Publication number: 20140333385
    Abstract: There is described a dual-band semiconductor RF amplifier device. The device comprises (a) a transistor (205) having an output capacitance (CO), (b) a first shunt element (210) arranged in parallel with the output capacitance, the first shunt element comprising a first shunt inductor (L1) connected in series with a first shunt capacitor (C1), and (c) a second shunt element (220) arranged in parallel with the first shunt capacitor, the second shunt element comprising a second shunt inductor (L2) connected in series with a second shunt capacitor (C2), wherein the capacitance of the second shunt capacitor (C2) is at least two times the capacitance of the first shunt capacitor (C1). Furthermore, there is described a method of manufacturing a dual-band semiconductor RF amplifier device and a dual-band RF amplifier comprising a plurality of such amplifier devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Venkata Gutta, Anna Walesieniuk, Rob Volgers
  • Publication number: 20140333384
    Abstract: Disclosed are circuits and methods related to low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) having improved linearity. In some embodiments, a radio-frequency (RF) amplifier circuit can include a first amplifying transistor configured to amplify an RF signal. The RF amplifier circuit can further include a switchable inductance circuit that couples the first amplifying transistor to a signal ground. The switchable inductance circuit can be configured to be capable of providing at least two different inductance values that yield different linearity levels for the RF amplifier circuit. A high linearity performance can be obtained with a higher inductance and a lower bias voltage, thereby reducing power consumption of the RF amplifier. Examples of methods and devices related to such an RF amplifier circuit are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventor: Bharatjeet Singh GILL
  • Patent number: 8884696
    Abstract: A control circuit and a method for controlling an operation of a power amplifier core are provided. The power amplifier core is switchable between an envelope tracking operation mode and a non-envelope tracking operation mode. The control circuit is configured to provide a control signal for controlling the operation of the power amplifier core or to process an amplified signal received from the power amplifier core in dependence on the operation mode of the power amplifier core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Intel Mobile Communications GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Langer
  • Patent number: 8879754
    Abstract: A home use sound reproduction system for Hi-fi, with digital signal transfer from a playback unit via a control unit to one or more active loudspeakers, each including or arranged beside an amplifier unit. The control unit is arranged to control sound parameters and send both a digital sound information signal and a power signal for powering the amplifier units, and to superimpose the single ended or differential digital signal together with the power signal on at least one common lead in a cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Actiwave AB
    Inventor: Risberg par Gunnars
  • Patent number: 8878611
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a high-frequency amplifier is provided with a field effect transistor for performing amplification, and a stabilizing circuit. The field effect transistor has a source which is configured to be grounded. The stabilizing circuit is connected to a gate of the field effect transistor. The stabilizing circuit has impedance which changes so as to increase as the voltage of a drain of the field effect transistor increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Tomohiro Senjiyuu
  • Patent number: 8872583
    Abstract: An amplifier is provided. The amplifier includes an input matching unit suppressing harmonic components of an input signal; a high power amplification unit amplifying a signal suppressed by the input matching unit; and an output matching unit suppressing harmonic components of an output signal amplified by the high power amplification unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignees: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, Soongsil University Foundation of University-Industry Cooperation
    Inventors: Chong Min Lee, Chul Hun Seo
  • Patent number: 8866546
    Abstract: A voltage converter can be switched among two or more modes to produce an output voltage tracking a reference voltage that can be of an intermediate level between discrete levels corresponding to the modes. One or more voltages generated from a power supply voltage, such as a battery voltage, can be compared with the reference voltage to determine whether to adjust the mode. The reference voltage can be independent of the power supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Hui Liu, David Steven Ripley
  • Patent number: 8836432
    Abstract: An amplifier includes an amplifying element that amplifies an input signal; an output terminal that outputs the signal amplified by the amplifying element; a matching circuit disposed in series between the amplifying element and the output terminal, and performing impedance matching; an impedance converter disposed in series between the amplifying element and the matching circuit or between the matching circuit and the output terminal; and a first resonator and a second resonator connected at the ends of the impedance converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Toru Maniwa, Shigekazu Kimura
  • Publication number: 20140240052
    Abstract: A device comprises a switch network having a plurality of switch cells connected in series, wherein each switch cell has a plurality of input voltages, and a plurality of switches, wherein each switch is coupled to an input voltage, and wherein the switch network is configured such that a different output voltage is produced in response to a different configuration, an output voltage with an output capacitance, and an impedance network coupled between the switch network and an output voltage port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Inventor: Hengchun Mao
  • Patent number: 8816771
    Abstract: A signal amplifying circuit includes: an input stage circuit, arranged to receive an input signal; a first inductive device coupled between the input stage circuit and a first reference voltage; an output stage circuit arranged to generate an output signal according to the input signal; and a second inductive device coupled between the output stage circuit and a second reference voltage, wherein at least a part of a winding of the first inductive element is cross-coupled to at least a part of a winding of the second inductive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Hsien-Ku Chen, Chia-Jun Chang, Ka-Un Chan, Ying-Hsi Lin
  • Patent number: 8810313
    Abstract: A power amplifier (20) for operation in at least a first and a second frequency band, wherein a center frequency f2 of the second frequency band is higher than a center frequency f1 of the first frequency band, is disclosed. The power amplifier (20) comprises a transistor (35) for amplifying an input signal of the power amplifier (20) and an output coupling network (45) for connecting the power amplifier to a resistive load (55). The output coupling network (45) is operatively connected to an output terminal (40) of the transistor (35), has an output terminal (50) for connection to said resistive load (55), and is configured such that, when the power amplifier (20) is connected to said resistive load (55), the power amplifier (20) is arranged to operate in class F for frequencies in one of the first and the second frequency bands, and operate in inverse class F for frequencies in the other one of the first and the second frequency band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Linsheng Liu, Xiaochuan Jiang
  • Patent number: 8803613
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a power amplification apparatus includes an field effect transistor (FET), a first decoupling element, a power supply circuit, a second decoupling element, and a third decoupling element. The FET is arranged within a package having an input terminal and an output terminal, and power-amplify an input signal from the input terminal to a transmission signal. The first decoupling element decreases an inductance component of the transmission signal output from the FET. The power supply circuit supplies a driving power to the FET. The second decoupling element cut an RF component. The third decoupling element decreases an impedance of a drain bias circuit over a wide band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Ryo Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 8803605
    Abstract: An integrated circuit is described for providing a power supply to a radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (PA). The integrated circuit includes a low-frequency power supply path including a switching regulator and a high-frequency power supply path arranged to regulate an output voltage of a combined power supply at an output port of the integrated circuit for coupling to a load. The combined power supply is provided by the low-frequency power supply path and high-frequency power supply path. The high-frequency power supply path includes: an amplifier including a voltage feedback and arranged to drive a power supply signal on the high-frequency power supply path; and a capacitor operably coupled to the output of the amplifier and arranged to perform dc level shifting of the power supply signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: MediaTek Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Paul Fowers, Patrick Stanley Riehl
  • Patent number: 8803614
    Abstract: A current reuse device including a first stage provided with a first input for a first input signal and a first output for a first output signal; a second stage comprising a second input for a second input signal and a direct current terminal operating as a ground terminal for alternate signals; a first inductor connected to a first output and to the direct current terminal so that the first and second stages share a direct current; a second inductor reciprocally coupled to the first inductor and connected to the second input in order to generate the second input signal as a function of the first output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Vittorio Giammello, Egidio Ragonese, Giuseppe Palmisano
  • Patent number: 8803615
    Abstract: An impedance matching circuit with at least one tunable notch filter for a power amplifier is disclosed. The power amplifier amplifies an input radio frequency (RF) signal and provides an amplified RF signal. The impedance matching circuit performs output impedance matching for the power amplifier and includes at least one tunable notch filter. Each tunable notch filter has a notch that can be varied in frequency to provide better attenuation of an undesired signal. The at least one tunable notch filter attenuates at least one undesired signal in the amplified RF signal. The at least one tunable notch filter may include (i) a first tunable notch filter to attenuate a first undesired signal at a second harmonic of the amplified RF signal and/or (ii) a second tunable notch filter to attenuate a second undesired signal at a third harmonic of the amplified RF signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jose Cabanillas, Calogero D. Presti, Babak Nejati, Guy Klemens
  • Patent number: 8797101
    Abstract: A high frequency amplifier circuit includes a first transistor that has a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal, the first terminal being grounded, a second transistor that has a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal, the control terminal of the second transistor being coupled to the second terminal of the first transistor, the first terminal of the second transistor being coupled to only the second terminal of the first transistor with respect to high frequency wave, the second terminal of the second transistor being coupled to a direct-current power supply, and a first resistor of which first terminal is coupled to a node between the second terminal of the first transistor and the control terminal of the second transistor, and of which second terminal is coupled to the first terminal of the second transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Device Innovations, Inc.
    Inventors: Masaki Imagawa, Tsuneo Tokumitsu
  • Patent number: 8797102
    Abstract: A high-frequency module including a power amplifying circuit includes a high-frequency power amplifying element, a matching circuit, and a driving power-supply circuit. The high-frequency power amplifying element includes a high-frequency amplifying circuit and a directional coupler. A first end of a main line of the directional coupler is connected to an output terminal of a latter-stage amplifying circuit of the high-frequency amplifying circuit. A second end of the main line of the directional coupler is connected through an output matching circuit to a high-frequency signal output terminal of the high-frequency power amplifying element. The output terminal of the latter-stage amplifying circuit is also connected to a second driving power-supply voltage application terminal of the high-frequency power amplifying element. The second driving power-supply voltage application terminal is connected to the high-frequency signal output terminal by a connecting conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Hirooka
  • Patent number: 8791689
    Abstract: Disclosed is a probe for an oscilloscope comprising a multi-stage transistor amplifier that acts as an impedance transformer. Said amplifier is a d.c.-coupled emitter follower circuit that is composed of bipolar transistors or a d.c.-coupled source follower circuit which is composed of field effect transistors and the successive amplifier elements of which are dimensioned and tuned to each other in such a way that the resulting offset direct voltage between the input and the output is minimal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Martin Peschke, Alexander Schild
  • Patent number: 8791753
    Abstract: Embodiments of a capacitance sensing system including an integrating amplifier and methods for operating the same to provide a higher slew rate and bandwidth are described. In one embodiment, the integrating amplifier comprises an input stage including an inverting input coupled to an electrode of a capacitor to sense a capacitance and a non-inverting input coupled to a reference potential, and an output stage including a compensating capacitor coupled to an output. The compensating capacitor comprises two smaller capacitors coupled in parallel and a switching element configured to open when the integrating amplifier is operated in a RESET mode decoupling one of the two smaller capacitors from the output to decrease capacitance of the compensating capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Saravanan Murugesan, Paul Walsh, Gerard Baldwin, Kaveh Hosseini
  • Patent number: 8786373
    Abstract: Techniques for bypassing a supply voltage for an amplifier are disclosed. In an exemplary design, an apparatus includes an amplifier and an adjustable bypass circuit. The amplifier (e.g., a power amplifier) receives a supply voltage from a supply source. The adjustable bypass circuit is coupled to the supply source and provides bypassing for the supply voltage. The adjustable bypass circuit includes an adjustable capacitor or a fixed capacitor coupled to an adjustable resistor. The supply source may be (i) a power supply source providing a fixed supply voltage for the amplifier or (ii) an envelope tracker providing a variable supply voltage for the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Inventors: Calogero D. Presti, Jose Cabanillas
  • Patent number: 8779274
    Abstract: An electronic signal processor for processing signals includes a complex first filter, one or more gain stages and a second filter. The first filter is characterized by a frequency response curve that includes multiple corner frequencies, with some corner frequencies being user selectable. The first filter also has at least two user-preset gain levels which may be alternately selected by a switch. Lower frequency signals are processed by the first filter with at least 12 db/octave slope, and preferably with 18 db/octave slope to minimize intermodulation distortion products by subsequent amplification in the gain stages. A second filter provides further filtering and amplitude control. The signal processor is particularly suited for processing audio frequency signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Inventor: Jeffrey Arnold
  • Patent number: 8779857
    Abstract: Techniques for reducing distortion and improving linearity of amplifiers are described. In an exemplary design, an apparatus includes a driver amplifier, a variable matching circuit, and a power amplifier. The driver amplifier amplifies a first RF signal and provides a second RF signal. The variable matching circuit receives the second RF signal and provides a third RF signal. The power amplifier amplifies the third RF signal and provides a fourth RF signal. The variable matching circuit matches a fixed impedance at the output of the driver amplifier to a variable impedance at the input of the power amplifier in order to improve the linearity of the amplifiers. In an exemplary design, the power amplifier includes a first transistor (e.g., an NMOS transistor) of a first type, and the variable matching circuit includes a second transistor (e.g., a PMOS transistor) of a second type that is different from the first type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Nathan M. Pletcher, Yu Zhao
  • Publication number: 20140191809
    Abstract: A radio frequency amplifier circuit includes a transistor and an output-side matching circuit. The output-side matching circuit includes a first distributed constant line to which a radio frequency signal from the transistor is transmitted, a flat plate lead terminal transmitting the radio frequency signal from the first distributed constant line to an outside of the package, and a capacitive element having one electrode that is connected to the lead terminal and the other electrode that is grounded. A back surface of the lead terminal is joined to a resin substrate, and the capacitive element and the first distributed constant line are disposed adjacent to each other, with an alignment direction of the capacitive element and the first distributed constant line intersecting an alignment direction of the first distributed constant line and the lead terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Inventors: Tomohide Kamiyama, Hiroshi Naitou, Takashi Uno, Motoyoshi Iwata, Kazuhiro Yahata, Hikaru Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8766727
    Abstract: A power amplification circuit amplifies and then outputs transmission signals of a first frequency and a second frequency, which are different from each other. When the transmission signal of the first frequency is input, a first switch is turned ON, a first LC parallel resonant circuit enters a resonant state and the transmission signal is transmitted using a line containing a first capacitor as a main line. When the transmission signal of the second frequency is input, a second switch is turned ON, a second LC parallel resonant circuit enters a resonant state and the transmission signal is transmitted using a line containing a second capacitor as a main line. Therefore, a transmission signal does not pass through, using as a main line, a line into which a switch has been incorporated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomohide Aramata
  • Publication number: 20140179243
    Abstract: Radio Frequency (RF) amplifier circuits are disclosed which may exhibit improved video/instantaneous bandwidth performance compared to conventional circuits. For example, disclosed RF amplifier circuits employ various concepts for reducing an overall circuit inductance or enabling an increase in capacitance for a given circuit size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Gerard Jean-Louis Bouisse, Xavier Moronval
  • Publication number: 20140171005
    Abstract: A circuit for a low-noise interface between an amplifier and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) may comprise a capacitor element having a capacitance of C coupled between a first and second output node of the amplifier. A first resistor R1 may be coupled in parallel with the capacitor. A second resistor R2 may be coupled between the first output node of the amplifier and a first input node of the ADC. A third resistor R3 may be coupled between the second output node of the amplifier and a second input node of the ADC. Initial values of the resistances R1, R2, and R3 may be selected to provide a desired value RL for a load resistance of the amplifier. A value of the capacitance C may be selected so that, in combination with the desired value RL, a desired bandwidth for the amplifier is achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mohyee MIKHEMAR, Amir HADJI-ABDOLHAMID, Hooman DARABI
  • Publication number: 20140167863
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) power transistor circuit includes a power transistor and a decoupling circuit. The power transistor has a control electrode coupled to an input terminal for receiving an RF input signal, a first current electrode for providing an RF output signal at an output terminal, and a second current electrode coupled to a voltage reference. The decoupling circuit includes a first inductive element, a first resistor, and a first capacitor coupled together in series between the first current electrode of the power transistor and the voltage reference. The decoupling circuit is for dampening a resonance at a frequency lower than an RF frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: HUSSAIN H. LADHANI, GERARD J. BOUISSE, JEFFREY K. JONES
  • Patent number: 8742853
    Abstract: An amplifier system comprises a cascode common-source (CS) amplifier including a plurality of transistors connected in a common-source configuration. A stress reducing circuit is connected to at least one of the plurality of transistors to equalize a voltage drop across the plurality of transistors. The stress reducing circuit includes a first transistor including a control terminal, a first terminal and a second terminal. The second terminal of the first transistor is connected to a first terminal of a first one of the plurality of transistors. A capacitance has a first terminal connected to the control terminal of the first transistor and a second terminal connected to a control terminal of a second one of the plurality of transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Aaron Vinh Thanh Do, Poh Boon Leong
  • Patent number: 8736379
    Abstract: A power circuit includes a RF transistor and an input match network coupled to an input to the RF transistor and to an input to the power circuit. The input match network includes a resistor, an inductor and a capacitor that are coupled together in series between the input to the RF transistor and a ground. The values of the resistor and the inductor are selected to match an input impedance of the RF transistor to a source impedance at the input to the power circuit over at least a portion of a high frequency range, wherein the value of the capacitor has a substantially negligible contribution to the match at the high frequency range. The value of the capacitor is selected so that the series combination of the resistor, the inductor and the capacitor substantially reduce the magnitude of the impedance presented to the input of the RF transistor in a low frequency range relative to the source impedance at the input to the power circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Richard Wilson, Saurabh Goel
  • Patent number: 8736378
    Abstract: An output matching network comprising a plurality of impedance matching circuits. The inputs of each of the plurality of impedance matching circuits are connected to a first input of the output matching network. The outputs of each of the plurality of impedance matching circuits are connected to a plurality of first outputs of the output matching network. One of the plurality of impedance matching circuits is active at a given time. The active impedance matching circuit of the plurality of impedance matching circuits exhibits a first input impendence at a first frequency band. Each inactive impedance matching circuit of the plurality of impedance matching circuits exhibits a second input impedance at the first frequency band. The second input impendence is at least 10 times greater than the first input impendence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Anadigics, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary Hau
  • Publication number: 20140132356
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a power amplifier includes a variable passive element and a comparator. The variable passive element is connected directly or indirectly to a first terminal of a switch element and serves to increase or reduce a resonant frequency of the amplifier. The comparator compares a voltage of interest with a reference voltage and outputs a control voltage for the variable passive element based on a difference between the voltage of interest and the reference voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Kohei ONIZUKA, Shigehito SAIGUSA
  • Patent number: 8723598
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an electronic circuit for reducing leakage of radio frequency signals from a power amplifier of a wireless communication device is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Blackberry Limited
    Inventors: Lizhong Zhu, George Soliman Mankaruse, Michael Stephen Corrigan, Jun Xu, Kent Arnold Nickerson
  • Patent number: 8717102
    Abstract: An amplifier circuit includes an RF transistor, a parallel resonator and a series resonator. The RF transistor has an input, an output and an intrinsic output capacitance. The parallel resonator is connected to the output of the RF transistor and includes a first inductive component connected in parallel with the intrinsic output capacitance of the RF transistor. The series resonator connects the output of the RF transistor to an output terminal and includes a second inductive component connected in series with a capacitive component. The series resonator is operable to compensate for a change in impedance of the parallel resonator over frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Richard Wilson, Saurabh Goel
  • Patent number: 8717103
    Abstract: An amplifier includes a first transistor, and a first inductor disposed between the first transistor and a voltage source. A first output node is between the first transistor and the first inductor. The amplifier further includes a second inductor disposed between the first transistor and ground. The amplifier further includes a second transistor, and a third inductor disposed between the second transistor and a ground. A second output node is between the second transistor and the third inductor. The amplifier further includes a fourth inductor disposed between the second transistor and the voltage source. The amplifier further includes a first capacitor disposed between the first output node and the second output node, and a second capacitor disposed between a first mid-node, which is between the first transistor and the first inductor, and a second mid-node, which is between the second transistor and fourth inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Poh Boon Leong, Ping Song, Sehat Sutardja
  • Patent number: 8704600
    Abstract: A power amplifier includes an input terminal into which an input signal is input; a first amplification element amplifying the input signal; a second amplification element amplifying an output signal of the first amplification element; an output terminal from which an output signal of the second amplification element is output; a first matching circuit connected between an output of the second amplification element and the output terminal; a first switch connected between an output of the first amplification element and an input of the second amplification element; a second switch having a first end connected to the output of the first amplification element, and a second end; and a second matching circuit having a first end connected to the second end of the second switch, and a second end directly connected to the output of the second amplification element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshinobu Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8686796
    Abstract: Amplifiers with improved efficiency and output power are described. In an exemplary design, an apparatus includes an amplifier having at least three transistors and at least two capacitors. The at least three transistors are coupled in a stack and receive and amplify an input signal and provide an output signal. The at least two capacitors include at least one capacitor coupled between the drain and source of an associated transistor for each of at least two transistors in the stack, e.g., at least one capacitor for each transistor in the stack except for the bottommost transistor in the stack. The at least two capacitors recycle energy from gate-to-source parasitic capacitors of the at least two transistors to the output signal, which improves efficiency and output power of the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Calogero D. Presti
  • Patent number: 8659359
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) power transistor circuit includes a power transistor and a decoupling circuit. The power transistor has a control electrode coupled to an input terminal for receiving an RF input signal, a first current electrode for providing an RF output signal at an output terminal, and a second current electrode coupled to a power supply voltage terminal. The decoupling circuit includes a first inductive element, a first resistor, and a first capacitor coupled together in series between the control electrode of the first power transistor and the power supply voltage terminal. The first decoupling circuit is for dampening a resonance at a frequency lower than an RF frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Hussain H. Ladhani, Gerard J. Bouisse, Jeffrey K. Jones
  • Patent number: 8659357
    Abstract: A method for processing signals may include, in a conditionally-stable operational amplifier, shifting the gain curve of the conditionally-stable operational amplifier to a desired position, by buffering at least one output signal from at least one transconductance module within the conditionally-stable operational amplifier using a buffer. The desired position of the gain curve may be associated with a desired feedback factor. The shifting of the gain may take place without shifting a corresponding phase. The tuning of the buffer may be based on the desired position of the gain curve which is derived from feedback factor value(s) specified by an application. A phase corresponding to the desired position of the gain curve at 0 dB frequency may be greater than a threshold phase. The buffering may be tuned using at least one tunable wideband buffer so that the corresponding phase at 0 dB frequency remains higher than the threshold phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Honglei Wu
  • Patent number: 8653889
    Abstract: A Doherty amplifier having a main amplifier branch and one or more peak amplifier branches, where the functionality and structure of the cascade of the main output matching network, the main offset line, and the quarter-wave transformer of the main amplifier branch of a conventional Doherty amplifier are subsumed into the main output matching network of the main amplifier branch, and the functionality and structure of each cascade of the peak output matching network and the peak offset line of each peak amplifier branch of a conventional Doherty amplifier are subsumed into the peak output matching network of the corresponding peak amplifier branch. Furthermore, the output quarter-wave transformer can be replaced by a wideband node matching network that does not have to perform frequency inversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Igo Acimovic, Brian Racey
  • Patent number: 8653896
    Abstract: A class-AB power amplifier according to the present embodiment includes an amplifying element whose power supply voltage is expressed as Vdc and whose maximum current is expressed as Imax, a conduction angle ?o of the amplifying element being more than ?(rad) and less than 2·?(rad), and load impedance of a fundamental wave being expressed as Z1=R1+j·X1, load impedance of a 2nd harmonic being expressed as Z2=R2+j·X2, and load impedance of a 3rd harmonic being expressed as Z3=R3+j?X3 which are observed from a dependent current source of an equivalent circuit of the amplifying element, and a relationship between variables X1 and R1 is set to ?0.5·R1<=X1<=0.5·R1, variable R1 is set to R1=Vdc/Imax·{1?cos(?o/2)}·?/{?o/2?sin(?o)/2}, variable X2/X1 is set to X2/X1=?2·{?o?sin(?o)}/{sin(?o/2)?sin(1.5·?o)/3}, and variable X3/X1 is set to X3/X1={?o?sin(?o)}/{sin(?o)/3?sin(2·?o)/6}, or each of the variables is set thereto so as to become equal substantially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazutaka Takagi, Naotaka Tomita
  • Patent number: 8649738
    Abstract: A high-frequency amplifier includes: an amplification section having a function to convert an input signal from a voltage signal into a current signal and output the current signal; output terminals; and a load circuit which is connected to the output node of the amplification section and outputs the current signal output by the amplification section to the output terminals as a voltage signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuaki Takahashi, Noboru Sasho, Naoto Yoshikawa, Taiwa Okanobu
  • Patent number: 8643438
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a class-AB power amplifier includes an amplifying element whose power supply voltage is expressed as Vdc and whose maximum current is expressed as Imax, a conduction angle ?o of the amplifying element being more than ?(rad) and less than 2·?(rad), and load impedance of a fundamental wave being expressed as Z1=R1+j·X1 and load impedance of a 2nd harmonic being expressed as Z2=R2+j·X2 which are observed from a dependent current source of an equivalent circuit of the amplifying element, wherein a relationship between variables X1 and R1 is set to ?R1<=X1<=R1, variable R1 is set to R1=Vdc/Imax·?·{1?cos(?o/2)}/{?o/2?sin(?o)/2}, and variable X2/X1 is set to X2/X1=?{?o/2?sin(?o)/2}/{sin(?o/2)?sin(1.5·?o)/3}, or each of the variables is set thereto so as to become equal substantially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazutaka Takagi, Naotaka Tomita
  • Patent number: 8638249
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method includes determining an amplitude of an input signal provided by a capacitive signal source, compressing the input signal in an analog domain to form a compressed analog signal based on the determined amplitude, converting the compressed analog signal to a compressed digital signal, and decompressing the digital signal in a digital domain to form a decompressed digital signal. In an embodiment, compressing the analog signal includes adjusting a first gain of an amplifier coupled to the capacitive signal source, and decompressing the digital signal comprises adjusting a second gain of a digital processing block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Michael Kropfitsch, Jose Luis Ceballos