IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,278,599
Granted Patent B2
US 12,278,599 · App. 17/486,367 · Granted Apr 15, 2025

Differential amplifier including dual magnetically coupled feedback loops

Inventors: Ali Fard (Corona Del Mar, CA); Mats Carlsson (Sundbyberg, SE)
Assignee: QuantalRF AG
H03F1/32H01F38/14H03F1/3229H03F1/3247H03F1/347H03F3/21H03F3/24H03F1/36H03F3/26H03F2200/09H03F2200/451H03F2200/534H03F2200/541
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,278,599
App. No.
17/486,367
Granted
Apr 15, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An amplifier circuit including a first amplifier having a first amplifier input and a first amplifier output and a transformer including a first transformer component having a first primary winding in series with the first amplifier output and a first secondary winding coupled to the first amplifier input. The first primary winding and the first secondary winding are arranged such that a portion of a first magnetic field generated by the first primary winding couples to the first secondary winding through a first magnetically coupled feedback loop. The transformer further includes a second transformer component having a second primary winding in series with an output of a second amplifier and a second secondary winding coupled to an input of the second amplifier input. A portion of a second magnetic field generated by the second primary winding couples to the second secondary winding through a second magnetically coupled feedback loop.

Claims (35)

1. An amplifier circuit, comprising:

a first amplifier having a first amplifier input and a first amplifier output;

a transformer including a first transformer component having a first primary winding in series with the first amplifier output and a first secondary winding coupled to the first amplifier input wherein the first primary winding and the first secondary winding are arranged such that a portion of a first magnetic field generated by the first primary winding couples to the first secondary winding through a first magnetically coupled feedback loop, thereby providing first feedback from the first amplifier output to the first amplifier input;

a second amplifier having a second amplifier input and a second amplifier output; and

wherein the transformer includes a second transformer component having a second primary winding in series with the second amplifier output and a second secondary winding coupled to the second amplifier input wherein the second primary winding and the second secondary winding are arranged such that a portion of a second magnetic field generated by the second primary winding couples to the second secondary winding through a second magnetically coupled feedback loop, thereby providing second feedback from the second amplifier output to the second amplifier input;

wherein the first primary winding and the second primary winding are configured to provide output current for driving a load impedance included within an output load arrangement connected to the first primary winding and the second primary winding;

wherein the first primary winding has a first end connected to the first amplifier output and a second end directly connected to a first end of a balun and wherein the second primary winding has a first end connected to the second amplifier output and a second end directly connected to a second end of the balun.

2. The amplifier circuit of claim 1 wherein the first amplifier and the second amplifier are implemented in a cascode configuration.

3. An amplifier circuit, comprising:

a first amplifier having a first amplifier input and a first amplifier output;

a transformer including a first transformer component having a first primary winding in series with the first amplifier output and a first secondary winding coupled to the first amplifier input wherein the first primary winding and the first secondary winding are arranged such that a portion of a first magnetic field generated by the first primary winding couples to the first secondary winding through a first magnetically coupled feedback loop, thereby providing first feedback from the first amplifier output to the first amplifier input;

a second amplifier having a second amplifier input and a second amplifier output; and

wherein the transformer includes a second transformer component having a second primary winding in series with the second amplifier output and a second secondary winding coupled to the second amplifier input wherein the second primary winding and the second secondary winding are arranged such that a portion of a second magnetic field generated by the second primary winding couples to the second secondary winding through a second magnetically coupled feedback loop, thereby providing second feedback from the second amplifier output to the second amplifier input;

wherein the first primary winding and the second primary winding are configured to drive a load included within an output load arrangement connected to the first primary winding and the second primary winding wherein the output load arrangement includes an inductive element having and end connected to the first primary winding;

wherein the output load arrangement further includes a balun having a first input end directly connected to the first primary winding and a second input end directly connected to the second primary winding and an output connected to the load.

4. An amplifier circuit, comprising:

an amplifier having a differential amplifier input including a first input and a second input and a differential amplifier output including a first output and a second output;

a transformer arrangement including a first transformer configured to establish a first magnetically coupled feedback loop from the first output to the first input and a second transformer configured to establish a second magnetically coupled feedback loop from the second output to the second input;

wherein the transformer arrangement is configured to provide a current for driving a load included in an output load arrangement including a balun having a first input end directly connected to a primary winding of the first transformer and a second input end directly connected to a primary winding of the second transformer wherein the balun converts the current to an output current and wherein the output current generates power upon reaching the load.

5. The amplifier circuit of claim 4 wherein a loop gain of the first magnetically coupled feedback loop is independent of an impedance of the load and is defined at least in part by a coupling factor and turn-ratio of the first transformer.

6. The amplifier circuit of claim 4 wherein loop gains of the first magnetically coupled feedback loop and the second magnetically coupled feedback loop automatically increase in response to corresponding increases in a level of an input signal applied to the differential amplifier input so as to maintain a substantially constant level of an output signal produced at the differential amplifier output.

7. The amplifier circuit of claim 4 wherein power dissipation of the amplifier remains substantially constant independent of characteristics of an input signal applied to the differential amplifier input.

8. The amplifier circuit of claim 4 wherein a current gain of the amplifier circuit is substantially independent of gain characteristics of the amplifier when the transformer arrangement is configured such that loop gains of the first magnetically coupled feedback loop and the second magnetically coupled feedback loop are greater than 10 dB.

9. The amplifier circuit of claim 1 wherein loop gains of the first magnetically coupled feedback loop and the second magnetically coupled feedback loop automatically increase in response to corresponding increases in a level of an input signal applied to the differential amplifier input so as to maintain a substantially constant level of an output signal produced at the differential amplifier output.

10. The amplifier circuit of claim 1 wherein power dissipation of the amplifier remains substantially constant independent of characteristics of an input signal applied to the first amplifier input and the second amplifier input.

11. The amplifier circuit of claim 1 wherein a current gain of the amplifier circuit is substantially independent of gain characteristics of the amplifier when the transformer is configured such that loop gains of the first magnetically coupled feedback loop and the second magnetically coupled feedback loop are greater than 10 dB.

12. The amplifier circuit of claim 10 wherein the characteristics include at least one of amplitude and power.

13. The amplifier circuit of claim 10 wherein the characteristics include at least one of modulation type and bandwidth.

14. The amplifier circuit of claim 7 wherein the characteristics include at least one of amplitude and power.

15. The amplifier circuit of claim 7 wherein the characteristics include at least one of modulation type and bandwidth.

16. The amplifier circuit of claim 1 wherein power dissipation of the first amplifier and the second amplifier remains substantially constant independent of a level of an output signal produced at the first amplifier output and the second amplifier output.

17. The amplifier circuit of claim 4 wherein power dissipation of the amplifier remains substantially constant independent of a level of an output signal produced at the differential amplifier output.

18. The amplifier circuit of claim 1 wherein the transformer arrangement is configured such that a degree of coupling between the first primary winding and the first secondary winding and between the second primary winding and the second secondary winding is selected based upon a target current gain of the amplifier circuit.

19. The amplifier circuit of claim 8 wherein the current gain of the amplifier circuit depends substantially only on a turn-ratio and a coupling factor of the transformer.

20. The amplifier circuit of claim 11 wherein the current gain of the amplifier circuit depends substantially only on a turn-ratio and a coupling factor of the transformer.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2022
From: FARD, ALI; CARLSSON, MATS
To: QUANTALRF AG
Reel/Frame 060653/0915 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63084497 · Sep 28, 2020
Related Publication 20220103134A1 · Mar 31, 2022
References Cited (105)
US 4858094A · Barlage · 1989 [cited by applicant]
US 5434538A · Lee et al. · 1995 [cited by applicant]
US 5877654A · Fong et al. · 1999 [cited by applicant]
US 6107880A · Shaw · 2000 [cited by applicant]
US 6236274B1 · Liu · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 6744314B2 · Zhang et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 6747512B2 · Madni · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 7339436B2 · Fu et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7486137B2 · Magoon et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 7649413B2 · Shiikuma · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7764125B2 · Dawe · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7786807B1 · Li et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 8102213B2 · Tasic et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8306494B2 · Ojo · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8446217B2 · Bagga · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8451061B2 · Sagebiel et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 9813025B2 · Wang · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9941949B2 · Kessel · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10763228B2 · Seebacher et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 11205998B2 · Kong et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11206006B2 · Bagga · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11979114B2 · Fard et al. · 2024 [cited by applicant]
US 20030179038A1 · Madni · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 20050001680A1 · Ratzel · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20050208907A1 · Yamazaki et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20070285162A1 · Vitzilaios et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20090245541A1 · Wang · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090251217A1 · Keerti · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20110148527A1 · Bagga · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20130241672A1 · Tamaru et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130250536A1 · Satake · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20140184334A1 · Nobbe et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140191800A1 · Jordan · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140204806A1 · Chuang et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20160079930A1 · Jin · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160254785A1 · Wang · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160336983A1 · Wang et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20180062682A1 · Wloczysiak et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180167038A1 · Lee et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20200186177A1 · Gorbachov · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210250111A1 · Mori · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20220102070A1 · Fard et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220103131A1 · Fard et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220103132A1 · Fard et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220103133A1 · Fard et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220190796A1 · Carlsson · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220385238A1 · Fard et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20240072766A1 · Fard et al. · 2024 [cited by applicant]
US 20240080007A1 · Fard et al. · 2024 [cited by applicant]
US 20240080017A1 · Fard et al. · 2024 [cited by applicant]
CN 104682910A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
EP 2685630A1 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
JP S5814609A · 1983 [cited by applicant]
JP S6355805B2 · 1988 [cited by applicant]
JP 2003273664A · 2003 [cited by applicant]
JP 2006269653A · 2006 [cited by applicant]
JP 2011517232A · 2011 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018098565A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
KR 20030074324A · 2003 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2010007177A1 · 2010 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2019045073A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2020201298A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2022067201A1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2022067202A1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2022067205A1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2022067208A1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2022173862A1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2023073197A1 · 2023 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2023073199A1 · 2023 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2023154823A1 · 2023 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2024050442A1 · 2024 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2024050443A1 · 2024 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2024050444A1 · 2024 [cited by applicant]
European Patent Office, International Search Report and Written Opinion for Application No. PCT/US2021/052239 dated Jan. 4, 2022, 18 pages. [cited by applicant]
European Patent Office, International Search Report and Written Opinion for International Application No. PCT/US2021/052236 dated Jan. 7, 2022, 18 pages. [cited by applicant]
European Patent Office, International Search Report and Written Opinion for PCT/EP2020/059151, Oct. 7, 2020, 13 pages. [cited by applicant]
European Patent Office, International Search Report and Written Opinion for PCT/US2021/052242, Jan. 7, 2022, 18 pages. [cited by applicant]
European Patent Office, International Search Report and Written Opinion issued in Application No. PCT/US2021/052245, dated Jan. 20, 2022, 18 pages. [cited by applicant]
Gefers, et al., A 1.2V, 200 W rail-to-rail Op Amp with 90dB THD using replica gain enhancement, Solid-State Circuits Conference, Sep. 24-26, 2002, pp. 175-178. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion for International Application No. PCT/US2021/052237 dated Jan. 7, 2022, 18 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion for International Application No. PCT/US2021/052242 dated Jan. 5, 2022, 18 pages. [cited by applicant]
Jeon, J.Y., et al., “A Transformer Feedback Wideband CMOS LNA for UWB Application,” Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference (APMC), IEEE, Dec. 6, 2015, pp. 1-3, XP032868352. [cited by applicant]
Liscidini A., et al., “Common Gate Transformer Feedback LNA in a High IIP3 Current Mode RF CMOS Front-End,” IEEE Custom Integrated Circuits Conference (CICC), Sep. 10, 2006, pp. 25-28, XP031052414. [cited by applicant]
Ock, et al., A Cartesian Feedback Feedforward Transmitter, Circuits and Systems (ISCAS), 2011 IEEE International Symposium On, IEEE, May 15, 2011, pp. 209-212. [cited by applicant]
Reiha, M.T., et al., “A 1.2 V Reactive-Feedback 3.1-10.6 GHz Low-Noise Amplifier in 0.13 μm CMOS,” IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, May 2007, vol. 42(5), pp. 1023-1033, XP011179497. [cited by applicant]
Stochino, Audio Design Leaps Forward?, Electronics World, Oct. 1, 1994, pp. 818-820, vol. 100, No. 1703. [cited by applicant]
Wang, Y., et al., “A 69.5-79 GHz Low Noise Amplifier in 65-nm CMOS Employing Transformer Feedback Technique,” 14th IEEE International Conference on Solid-State and Integrated Circuit Technology (ICSICT), 2018, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]
Wu, L., et al., “Design and Analysis of CMOS LNAs with Transformer Feedback for Wideband Input Matching and Noise Cancellation,” IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems-I: Regular Papers, Jun. 2017, vol. 64(6), pp. 16… [cited by applicant]
Zhang, et al., Linearization Techniques for CMOS Low Noise Amplifiers: A Tutorial, IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems I: Regular Papers, Jan. 1, 2011, pp. 22-36, vol. 58, No. 1, XP011340986, ISSN: 1549-8328, DOI:… [cited by applicant]
Invitation to pay additional fees for International Application No. PCT/US2021/052237, dated Aug. 9, 2023, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability for International Application No. PCT/US21/52237, Aug. 9, 2023, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
Hsiao, C., et al., “CMOS Distributed Amplifiers Using Gate-Drain Transformer Feedback Technique,” IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE, USA, vol. 61, No. 8, Aug. 2, 2013 (Aug. 2, 2013) , pp. 2901-2… [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability for International Application No. PCT/US2021/052242 dated Apr. 6, 2023, 10 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability for International Application No. PCT/US2021/052245 dated Apr. 4, 2023, 8 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability for International Application No. PCT/US2022/015863 dated Apr. 13, 2023,7 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability for PCT/US2021/052236, Dec. 9, 2022, 22 pages. [cited by applicant]
Shailesh., et al., “A State-of-the Art Review on Distributed Amplifiers,” Wireless Personal Communications, Nov. 23, 2020, vol. 117(2), pp. 1471-1525, [online], Retrieved from the Internet: URL: http://link.springer.com… [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion for International Application No. PCT/US2022/015863 dated May 12, 2022, 18 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion issued in Application No. PCT/US2021/052245, dated Jan. 20, 2022, 18 pages. [cited by applicant]
Huang et al., Quasi-lumped Bandpass Filter with Sharp Transition Edge and Wide Stopband Rejection, Electronic Letters, Mar. 2013, pp. 479-480. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion for International Application No. PCT/US2023/073197, mailed on Jan. 23, 2024, 16 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion for International Application No. PCT/US2023/073198 dated Jan. 8, 2024, 14 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion for PCT Application No. PCT/US2023/073199 dated Jan. 23, 2024, 10 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability for International Application No. PCT/EP2020/059151 mailed Oct. 14, 2021, 10 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion for International Application No. PCT/US2023/062323 mailed May 12, 2023, 16 pages. [cited by applicant]
Cited By (3)
US 12,424,976 US 12,519,456 US 12,567,855