Systems and methods for optimizing amplifier operations
Methods and systems for optimizing amplifier operations are described. The described methods and systems particularly describe a feed-forward control circuit that may also be used as a feed-back control circuit in certain applications. The feed-forward control circuit provides a control signal that may be used to configure an amplifier in a variety of ways.
1. A signal amplification circuit including:
(a) an amplifier configured to receive an input signal and a control signal configured to modify an operating characteristic of the amplifier, and to generate an output signal having a desired characteristic in response to the input signal and the control signal;
(b) a control circuit configured to output a control data signal;
(c) a measurement circuit including at least one detector or analyzer configured to measure a selected characteristic of at least one data signal input or monitored signal input and to output at least one derived data signal as a function of the measurement; and
(d) a feed-forward control circuit, coupled to the amplifier, the control circuit, and the measurement circuit, the feed-forward control circuit configured to receive the input signal, analyze the input signal using an input signal monitoring circuit, generate the control signal based on the analyzed input signal and the at least one of the control data signal and the at least one derived data signal, and provide the control signal to the amplifier for impressing the desired characteristic upon the output signal.
2. The signal amplification circuit of claim 1 , wherein the feed-forward control circuit includes a look-up table, the feedforward control circuit further configured to apply to the look-up table (a) the analyzed input signal and (b) the at least one of the control data signal and the at least one derived data signal to generate the control signal.
3. The signal amplification circuit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one derived data signal represents one or more of: power level data obtained from a monitored output signal from the amplifier, temperature data, power supply data, battery data, biasing data, signal level data, voltage level data, frequency data, power level data, logic level conditions, switch position data, physical location data, mode of operation of the amplifier, a modulation format of the output signal, and/or load mismatch data.
4. The signal amplification circuit of claim 1 , wherein the input signal monitoring circuit of the feed-forward control circuit analyzes the input signal using at least one of: a power level detector, a frequency detector, a signal amplitude detector for detecting a load mismatch, a bandwidth detector, a spectral analyzer, a voltage level detector, a temperature detector, a modulation detector, and/or a circuit element detector.
5. The signal amplification circuit of claim 1 , wherein the control data may include one or more of modulation mode, frequency band, frequency of operation, power level, raw data, trigger conditions, and/or gating logic.
6. The signal amplification circuit of claim 1 , wherein the amplifier includes a signal modification block, and wherein the control signal configures the signal modification block.
7. The signal amplification circuit of claim 6 , wherein the signal modification block includes one or more of: a gain stage block, an attenuator block, a bias adjustment block, a power supply control block, a signal delay block, or a path modifier block, wherein at least one included block has one or more parameters alterable by the control signal input to reconfigure the signal modification block.
8. The signal amplification circuit of claim 1 , wherein the amplifier includes a load matching block, and wherein the control signal configures the load matching block.
9. The signal amplification circuit of claim 8 , wherein the load matching block is configurable by one or more of: matching impedances to provide a desired VSWR or desired power level transfer from the amplifier into a load, switching one or more impedance elements in or out of circuit in a tunable matching network, providing one or more control voltages to one or more variable impedances in the tunable matching network, changing a bias voltage, changing a bias current, changing a supply voltage, switching in or out one or more stages of a multi-stage gain unit, modifying the physical size of one or more elements, modifying amplifier gain, modifying amplifier phase, modifying amplifier compression points, and/or enabling or disabling one or more elements.
10. The signal amplification circuit of claim 1 , wherein the input signal is a radio frequency input signal, and wherein the amplifier includes a scalable periphery amplifier configured to receive the radio frequency input signal, the scalable periphery amplifier including a plurality of selectable unit cells for providing an adjustable amount of gain to the radio frequency input signal by applying the radio frequency input signal to a selection of one or more of the plurality of selectable unit cells.
11. A signal amplification circuit including:
(a) an amplifier configured to receive an input signal and a control signal configured to modify an operating characteristic of the amplifier, and to generate an output signal having a desired characteristic in response to the input signal and the control signal;
(b) a control circuit configured to output a control data signal;
(c) a measurement circuit including at least one detector or analyzer configured to measure a selected characteristic of at least one data signal input or monitored signal input and to output at least one derived data signal as a function of the measurement; and
(d) a feed-forward control circuit including a look-up table, the feed-forward control circuit coupled to the amplifier, the control circuit, and the measurement circuit, the feed-forward control circuit configured to receive the input signal, analyze the input signal using an input signal monitoring circuit, apply to the look-up table (a) the analyzed input signal and (b) the at least one of the control data signal and the at least one derived data signal to generate the control signal, and provide the control signal to the amplifier for impressing the desired characteristic upon the output signal.
12. The signal amplification circuit of claim 11 , wherein the at least one derived data signal represents one or more of: power level data obtained from a monitored output signal from the amplifier, temperature data, power supply data, battery data, biasing data, signal level data, voltage level data, frequency data, power level data, logic level conditions, switch position data, physical location data, mode of operation of the amplifier, a modulation format of the output signal, and/or load mismatch data.
13. The signal amplification circuit of claim 11 , wherein the input signal monitoring circuit of the feed-forward control circuit analyzes the input signal using at least one of: a power level detector, a frequency detector, a signal amplitude detector for detecting a load mismatch, a bandwidth detector, a spectral analyzer, a voltage level detector, a temperature detector, a modulation detector, and/or a circuit element detector.
14. The signal amplification circuit of claim 11 , wherein the control data may include one or more of modulation mode, frequency band, frequency of operation, power level, raw data, trigger conditions, and/or gating logic.
15. The signal amplification circuit of claim 11 , wherein the amplifier includes a signal modification block, and wherein the control signal configures the signal modification block.
16. The signal amplification circuit of claim 15 , wherein the signal modification block includes one or more of: a gain stage block, an attenuator block, a bias adjustment block, a power supply control block, a signal delay block, or a path modifier block, wherein at least one included block has one or more parameters alterable by the control signal input to reconfigure the signal modification block.
17. The signal amplification circuit of claim 11 , wherein the amplifier includes a load matching block, and wherein the control signal configures the load matching block.
18. The signal amplification circuit of claim 17 , wherein the load matching block is configurable by one or more of: matching impedances to provide a desired VSWR or desired power level transfer from the amplifier into a load, switching one or more impedance elements in or out of circuit in a tunable matching network, providing one or more control voltages to one or more variable impedances in the tunable matching network, changing a bias voltage, changing a bias current, changing a supply voltage, switching in or out one or more stages of a multi-stage gain unit, modifying the physical size of one or more elements, modifying amplifier gain, modifying amplifier phase, modifying amplifier compression points, and/or enabling or disabling one or more elements.
19. The signal amplification circuit of claim 11 , wherein the input signal is a radio frequency input signal, and wherein the amplifier includes a scalable periphery amplifier configured to receive the radio frequency input signal, the scalable periphery amplifier including a plurality of selectable unit cells for providing an adjustable amount of gain to the radio frequency input signal by applying the radio frequency input signal to a selection of one or more of the plurality of selectable unit cells.
20. A signal amplification circuit including:
(a) an amplifier configured to receive an input signal and a control signal configured to modify an operating characteristic of the amplifier, and to generate an output signal having a desired characteristic in response to the input signal and the control signal;
(b) a control circuit configured to output a control data signal;
(c) a measurement circuit including at least one detector or analyzer configured to measure a selected characteristic of at least one data signal input or monitored signal input and to output at least one derived data signal as a function of the measurement; and
(d) a feed-forward control circuit, coupled to the amplifier, the control circuit, and the measurement circuit, the feed-forward control circuit configured to receive the input signal, analyze the input signal using an input signal monitoring circuit, generate the control signal based on the analyzed input signal and the at least one of the control data signal and the at least one derived data signal, and provide the control signal to the amplifier for impressing the desired characteristic upon the output signal;
wherein any of the control data signal and/or the at least one derived data signal to the feed-forward control circuit may be used in addition to, or in lieu of, the input signal to generate the control signal.