Power efficient transmitter with high dynamic range

1. A power efficient transmitter with high dynamic range, comprising:

a first amplification path configured to receive a first signal and output a first amplified signal to a first port of an output power combiner when activated and provide an impedance that results in a high reflection factor when deactivated;

a second amplification path configured to receive a second signal with 90° phase shift with respect to the first signal and output a second amplified signal to a second port of the output power combiner when activated and provide an impedance that results in a high reflection factor when deactivated; and

a third amplification path configured to receive a third signal and output a third amplified signal to a third port of the output power combiner when activated and provide an impedance that results in an impedance that matches the output impedance when deactivated;

wherein the amplification paths are selectively activated and deactivated to output a received signal with high efficiency and linearity, and wherein the first and the second amplification path are concurrently activated or deactivated.

2. The transmitter of claim 1 , wherein both the first signal and the second signal are high amplitude phase-modulated constant envelope signals and the third signal is an in-phase/quadrature phase modified low power signal.

3. The transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the first amplification path and the second amplification path each comprise a first high power amplifier.

4. The transmitter of claim 3 , wherein the first amplification path and the second amplification path each further comprise:

a second high power amplifier;

a first power combiner having a first input port configured to receive the first signal or the second signal, a first 0° phase port coupled to the first high power amplifier, a first 90° phase port coupled to the second high power amplifier, and a first isolation port; and

a second power combiner having a second isolation port, a second 0° phase port coupled to the first high power amplifier, a second 90° phase port coupled to the second high power amplifier, and a second output port coupled to the output power combiner.

5. The transmitter of claim 4 , wherein both the first amplification path and the second amplification path further comprise a first low power amplifier coupled to the output port of the first power combiner and the second isolation port.

6. The transmitter of claim 5 , further comprising:

a first switch connected to the first isolation port and the input of the first low power amplifier; and

a second switch connected to the output of the first low power amplifier and the second isolation port;

wherein both the first switch and the second switch are configured to provide a high reflection factor when the first low power amplifier is deactivated.

7. The transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the third amplification path comprises a low power amplifier.

8. The transmitter of claim 7 , wherein the third amplification path further comprises a switch coupled to the low power amplifier and an isolation port of the output power combiner.

9. The transmitter of claim 1 , wherein an input power combiner receives an input signal and outputs the first signal, the second signal, or the third signal.

10. A power efficient transmitter with high dynamic range,

comprising:

a first amplification path configured to receive a first signal and output a first amplified signal to a first port of a output power combiner;

a second amplification path configured to receive a second signal, phase shifted by 90° with respect to the first signal, and output a second amplified signal to a second port of the output power combiner;

a third amplification path in parallel with the first and second amplification paths, and configured to receive a third signal and output a third amplified signal to an isolation port of the output power combiner; and

a switch in the third amplification path configured to selectively provide an impedance in the third amplification path that matches substantially an output impedance of the third amplification path to the isolation port of the output power combiner.

11. A power efficient transmitter with high dynamic range, comprising:

a first amplification path configured to receive a first signal and output a first amplified signal to a first port of a output power combiner;

a second amplification path configured to receive a second signal, phase shifted by 90° with resect to the first signal, and output a second amplified signal to a second port of the output power combiner; and

a switch configured to provide an impedance that matches the output impedance to an isolation port of the output power combiner, wherein the first amplification path comprises:

a first high power amplifier;

a second high power amplifier;

a first low power amplifier;

a first power combiner having a first input port configured to receive the first or second signal, a first 0° phase port coupled to the first high power amplifier, a first 90° phase port coupled to the second high power amplifier, and a first isolation port coupled to the first low power amplifier; and

a second power combiner having, a second isolation port coupled to the first low power amplifier, a second 0° phase port coupled to the first high power amplifier, a second 90° phase port coupled to the second high power amplifier, and a second output port coupled to the output power combiner;

wherein both the first high power amplifier and the second high power amplifier provide an impedance that results in a high reflection factor at the first and second 0° and 90° ports when deactivated, and wherein the first low power amplifier provides an impedance at the isolation port that matches the output impedance when deactivated.

12. The transmitter of claim 11 , wherein the first amplification path further comprises:

a first switch connected to the first isolation port and the input of the first low power amplifier; and

a second switch connected to the output of the first low power amplifier and the second isolation port;

wherein both the first switch and the second switch are configured to provide a high reflection factor when the first low power amplifier is deactivated.

13. The transmitter of claim 10 , wherein the output power combiner is a hybrid power combiner.

14. The transmitter of claim 10 , wherein the output power combiner is a ratrace power combiner.

15. A method of power efficient transmission, comprising:

selectively separating a received signal into a first signal, a second signal having a 90° phase shift with respect to the first signal, or a third signal;

performing high power transmission comprising:

concurrently amplifying both the first and second signals and outputting a first amplified signal to a first pod of an output power combiner and a second amplified signal to a second port of the output power combiner respectively;

providing an impedance of a third port of the output power combiner substantially equal to the output impedance of the output power combiner; and

combining the first and second amplified signals using the output power combiner to output the received signal amplified;

performing low power transmission comprising:

amplifying the third signal and outputting a third amplified signal to a third port of the output power combiner; and

providing an impedance to the first and second ports of the output power combiner that results in a high reflection factor.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein both the first signal and the second signal are high amplitude phase-modulated constant envelope signals and the third signal is an in-phase/quadrature phase modified low power signal.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein amplifying the first signal further comprises:

separating the first signal into a first high power component, a second high power component, or a low power component using an input power combiner;

concurrently amplifying the first and second high power components; and

combining the first and second amplified high power components.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising outputting twenty-four different output voltages.

19. A method of power efficient transmission, comprising:

separating a received signal into high power signals or low power signals;

isolating the high power signals from the low power signals by selectively activating and deactivating amplifiers;

concurrently amplifying two or more of the high power signals or one or more of the low power signals with activated amplifiers; and

combining the isolated high power signals or the isolated low power signals to form the received signal amplified.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein isolating the high power signals from the low power signals is performed by switches configured to selectively provide power to the amplifiers, thereby activating or deactivating the amplifiers, respectively.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein isolating the high power signals from the low power signals is performed by directing the high power signals and the low power signals along different amplification paths, and selectively configuring amplifier impedance within the various amplification paths.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein selectively activating and deactivating amplifiers is performed by controlling an amplifier bias.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein selectively activating and deactivating amplifiers is performed by switches configured to selectively provide power to the amplifiers, thereby activating or deactivating the amplifiers, respectively.

24. A power efficient transmitter, comprising:

separating means for separating a received signal into high power signals or low power signals;

isolating means for isolating the high power signals from the low power signals;

amplifying means for separately amplifying two or more of the high power signals or one or more of the low power signals; and

combining means for combining the isolated high power signals or the isolated low power signals to form the received signal amplified.

25. The transmitter of claim 24 , wherein the isolating means comprises selectively configuring an impedance associated with the amplifying means.