Power control and modulation of switched-mode power amplifiers with one or more stages
View Patent ↗This invention controls and modulates switched-mode power amplifiers to enable the production of signals that include amplitude modulation (and possibly, but not necessarily, phase modulation), the average power of which may be controlled over a potentially wide range.
1. An amplifier apparatus, comprising:
at least an initial amplification stage and a final amplification stage each having at least three ports including an input port for receiving an RF input signal, an output port for outputting an output signal, and a power supply port; and
a control block for receiving a DC supply voltage and, responsive to each independent and separate control signal respectively assigned to each of the initial and final amplification stages, producing and supplying a separate power supply voltage respectively to each of the initial and final amplification stages.
2. The amplifier apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said control block consists of a plurality of units for respectively receiving a DC supply voltage and, responsive to each independent and separate control signal respectively assigned to each of the initial and final amplification stages, producing and supplying a separate power supply voltage respectively to each of the initial and final amplification stages.
3. The amplifier apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said control block conducts at least one of power control, burst control, and modulation control.
4. The amplifier apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said respective control block conducts at least one of power control, burst control, and modulation control.
5. The amplifier apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said control block varies a voltage applied to the power supply port of the final amplification stage in order to control at least one of a power output and a modulation characteristic of a variable output signal of the final amplification stage produced at the output port thereof.
6. The amplifier apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said respective control block varies a voltage applied to the power supply port of the final amplification stage in order to control at least one of a power output and a modulation characteristic of a variable output signal of the final amplification stage produced at the output port thereof.
7. The amplifier apparatus to claim 1 , wherein said control block varies in amplitude an input signal applied to the input port of the final amplification stage in accordance with a desired characteristic of the output signal of the final amplification stage.
8. The amplifier apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said respective control black varies in amplitude an input signal applied to the input port of the final amplification stage in accordance with a desired characteristic of the output signal of the final amplification stage.