Circuits, devices and methods related to protection of radio-frequency amplifiers
In some embodiments, a method for operating a radio-frequency amplifier can include providing a bias signal to an amplifier implemented between an input node and an output node, and generating a detected voltage representative of a peak of a radio-frequency signal present at the input node. The method can further include enabling a protection mode when the detected voltage is greater than a first threshold value and disabling the protection mode when the detected voltage is less than a second threshold value that is less than the first threshold value.
1 . An amplifier circuit comprising:
an amplifier;
a bias circuit configured to provide a bias signal to the amplifier; and
a protection circuit configured to generate a detected signal representative of a power of a radio-frequency signal provided to the amplifier, the protection circuit further configured to enable a protection mode when the detected signal is greater than a first threshold value and to disable the protection mode when the detected signal is less than a second threshold value that is different from the first threshold value, the protection circuit including an assembly of one or more switches configured to implement the enablement and disablement of the protection mode.
2 . A method for operating an amplifier, the method comprising:
providing a bias signal to an amplifier;
generating a detected signal representative of a power of a radio-frequency signal provided to the amplifier; and
enabling a protection mode when the detected signal is greater than a first threshold value and disabling the protection mode when the detected signal is less than a second threshold value that is different from the first threshold value, the enabling and disabling including operating one or more switches to provide the enablement and disablement of the protection mode.