Amplifying diversity signals using power amplifiers

1. A method for amplifying diversity transmit signals, comprising:

receiving a transmit signal at a vector modulator, the vector modulator operable to process the transmit signal to yield a plurality of diversity transmit signals by:

splitting the transmit signal to yield at least two transmit signals;

adjusting a phase of at least one of the at least two transmit signals;

adjusting the amplitude of at least one of the at least two transmit signals; and

generating the plurality of diversity transmit signals according to the adjusted transmit signals;

amplifying each of the plurality of diversity transmit signals according to a gain using at least one power amplifier; and

transmitting the plurality of amplified diversity transmit signals at a plurality of antennas.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising passing each of the plurality of amplified diversity transmit signals through one or more loads, each load having a load impedance matching an antenna impedance corresponding to an antenna of the plurality of antennas.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vector modulator and the at least one power amplifier are located at a common substrate.

4. A method for amplifying diversity transmit signals, comprising:

receiving two or more transmit signals and a control signal, the control signal comprising a gain path selection;

selecting for each transmit signal at least one gain path from a plurality of gain paths according to the gain path selection of the control signal, each gain path of the plurality of gain paths comprising one or more amplifiers operable to yield at least one gain of a plurality of gains, a first gain path of the plurality of gain paths comprising one or more first amplifiers operable to yield a first gain of the plurality of gains, a second gain path of the plurality of gain paths comprising one or more second amplifiers operable to yield a second gain of the plurality of gains, the second gain different from the first gain;

amplifying the two or more transmit signals according to the at least one gain of the plurality of gains; and

transmitting the two or more amplified transmit signals using a plurality of antennas.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising passing each of the two or more amplified diversity transmit signals through one or more loads, each load having a load impedance matching an antenna impedance corresponding to an antenna of the plurality of antennas.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the control signal comprises an internal control signal.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the control signal comprises an external control signal.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein:

the first gain comprises a gain in a range of 5 dB to 15 dB.

9. The method of claim 4 , wherein:

the second gain comprises a gain in a range of 23 dB to 31 dB.

10. The method of claim 4 , wherein:

the second gain having 25 dB, the first gain having 12 dB.

11. The method of claim 4 , wherein selecting at least one gain path for each transmit signal from a plurality of gain paths according to the gain path selection of the control signal further comprises:

selecting the first gain path for a first transmit signal according to the control signal; and

selecting the second gain path for a second transmit signal according to the control signal.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the selection of the first gain path is performed substantially simultaneously with the selection of the second gain path.

13. A method for amplifying diversity transmit signals, comprising:

receiving two or more transmit signals and a control signal, the control signal comprising a gain path selection;

selecting for each transmit signal at least one gain path from a plurality of gain paths according to the gain path selection of the control signal, each gain path of the plurality of gain paths associated with at least one gain of a plurality of gains, wherein:

each gain path comprises one or more amplification stages of a plurality of amplification stages, the one or more amplification stages operable to yield the associated gain;

the plurality of gain paths comprises a first gain path and a second gain path;

the plurality of amplification stages comprises a first plurality of amplification stages and a second plurality of amplification stages;

the first gain path is associated with the first plurality of amplification stages and the second gain path is associated with the second plurality of amplification stages; and

the first plurality of amplification stages is substantially different from the second plurality of amplification stages;

amplifying the two or more transmit signals according to the at least one gain of the plurality of gains; and

transmitting the two or more amplified transmit signals using a plurality of antennas.

14. A system for amplifying diversity transmit signals, comprising:

a vector modulator operable to:

receive a transmit signal; and

process the transmit signal to yield a plurality of diversity transmit signals by:

splitting the transmit signal to yield at least two transmit signals;

adjusting a phase of at least one of the at least two transmit signals;

adjusting the amplitude of at least one of the at least two transmit signals; and

generating the plurality of diversity transmit signals according to the adjusted transmit signals;

at least one power amplifier coupled to the vector modulator and operable to amplify each of the plurality of diversity transmit signals according to a gain; and

a plurality of antennas for transmitting the plurality of amplified diversity transmit signals.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising one or more loads for passing through each of the plurality of amplified diversity transmit signals, each load having a load impedance matching an antenna impedance corresponding to an antenna of the plurality of antennas.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the vector modulator and the at least one power amplifier are located at a common substrate.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the vector modulator, the at least one power amplifier, and the one or more loads are located at a common substrate.

18. A system for amplifying diversity transmit signals, comprising:

a power amplifier module operable to:

receive two or more transmit signals and a control signal, the control signal comprising a gain path selection;

select for each transmit signal at least one gain path from a plurality of gain paths according to the gain path selection of the control signal, each gain path of the plurality of gain paths comprising one or more amplifiers operable to yield at least one gain of a plurality of gains, a first gain path of the plurality of gain paths comprising one or more first amplifiers operable to yield a first gain of the plurality of gains, a second gain path of the plurality of gain paths comprising one or more second amplifiers operable to yield a second gain of the plurality of gains, the second gain different from the first gain; and

amplify the two or more transmit signals according to the at least one gain of the plurality of gains; and

a plurality of antennas for transmitting the two or more amplified transmit signals.

19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising one or more loads for passing through each of the two or more amplified diversity transmit signal, each load having a load impedance matching an antenna impedance corresponding to an antenna of the plurality of antennas.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the control signal comprises an internal control signal.

21. The system of claim 18 , wherein the control signal comprises an external control signal.

22. The system of claim 18 , wherein:

the first gain comprises a gain in a range of 5 dB to 15 dB.

23. The system of claim 18 , wherein:

the second gain comprises a gain in a range of 23 dB to 31 dB.

24. The system of claim 18 , wherein:

the second gain having 25 dB, the first gain having 12 dB.

25. The system of claim 18 , the power amplifier further comprising a first switch and a second switch, the first switch operable to select the first gain path for a first transmit signal according to the control signal, the second switch operable to select the second gain path for a second transmit signal according to the control signal.

26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the first switch and the second switch select the first gain path and second gain path substantially simultaneously.

27. A system for amplifying diversity transmit signals, comprising:

a power amplifier module operable to:

receive two or more transmit signals and a control signal, the control signal comprising a gain path selection;

select for each transmit signal at least one gain path from a plurality of gain paths according to the gain path selection of the control signal, each gain path of the plurality of gain paths associated with at least one gain of a plurality of gains, wherein:

each gain path comprises one or more amplification stages of a plurality of amplification stages, the one or more amplification stages operable to yield the associated gain;

the plurality of gain paths comprises a first gain path and a second gain path;

the plurality of amplification stages comprises a first plurality of amplification stages and a second plurality of amplification stages;

the first gain path is associated with the first plurality of amplification stages and the second gain path is associated with the second plurality of amplification stages; and

the first plurality of amplification stages is substantially different from the second plurality of amplification stages; and

amplify the two or more transmit signals according to the at least one gain of the plurality of gains; and

a plurality of antennas for transmitting the two or more amplified transmit signals.

28. A system for amplifying diversity transmit signals, comprising:

means for receiving a transmit signal at a vector modulator, the vector modulator operable to process the transmit signal to yield a plurality of diversity transmit signals by:

splitting the transmit signal to yield at least two transmit signals;

adjusting a phase of at least one of the at least two transmit signals;

adjusting the amplitude of at least one of the at least two transmit signals; and

generating the plurality of diversity transmit signals according to the adjusted transmit signals;

means for amplifying each of the plurality of diversity transmit signals according to a gain using at least one power amplifier; and

means for transmitting the plurality of amplified diversity transmit signals at a plurality of antennas.

29. A system for amplifying diversity transmit signals, comprising:

means for receiving two or more transmit signals and a control signal, the control signal comprising a gain path selection;

means for selecting at least one gain path from a plurality of gain paths according to the gain path selection of the control signal, each gain path of the plurality of gain paths comprising one or more amplifiers operable to yield at least one gain of a plurality of gains, a first gain path of the plurality of gain paths comprising one or more first amplifiers operable to yield a first gain of the plurality of gains, a second gain path of the plurality of gain paths comprising one or more second amplifiers operable to yield a second gain of the plurality of gains, the second gain different from the first gain;

means for amplifying the two or more transmit signals according to the at least one gain of the plurality of gains; and

means for transmitting the two or more amplified transmit signals using a plurality of antennas.

30. A system for amplifying diversity transmit signals, comprising:

a power amplifier module operable to:

receive two or more transmit signals and a control signal, the control signal comprising a gain path selection and one of a received internal control signal or an external control signal;

select for each transmit signal at least one gain path from a plurality of gain paths according to the gain path selection of the control signal, each gain path of the plurality of gain paths associated with at least one gain of a plurality of gains and comprising one or more power amplifiers, the one or more power amplifiers collectively yielding the at least one gain of the plurality of gains; and

amplify the two or more transmit signals according to the at least one gain of the plurality of gains, the at least one gain comprising a high gain and a low gain;

a plurality of antennas for transmitting the two or more amplified transmit signals; and

one or more loads for passing through each of the two or more amplified diversity transmit signal, each load having a load impedance matching an antenna impedance corresponding to an antenna of the plurality of antennas.