IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,573,986
Granted Patent B2
US 12,573,986 · App. 17/960,884 · Granted Mar 10, 2026

Amplifier circuit

Inventors: Shuichi Sakata (Tokyo, JP); Yuji Komatsuzaki (Tokyo, JP); Shintaro Shinjo (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
H03F1/565H03F1/0288H03F3/68H03F2200/102H03F2200/318
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 12,573,986
App. No.
17/960,884
Granted
Mar 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An amplifier circuit is configured in such a way that the amplifier circuit includes: a first amplifier to amplify a signal to be amplified; an output matching circuit through which the signal amplified by the first amplifier propagates; and a second amplifier to amplify the signal which has propagated through the output matching circuit, and the output matching circuit is a lumped constant circuit including multiple lumped constant elements, and, by using the multiple lumped constant elements, transforms the impedance seen on the second amplifier side from the first amplifier when the output power of the second amplifier is lower than saturation electric power, to impedance higher than impedance seen on the second amplifier side from the first amplifier when the output power of the second amplifier is equal to the saturation electric power.

Claims (16)

1 . An amplifier circuit comprising:

a first amplifier to amplify a signal to be amplified;

an output matching circuit through which the signal amplified by the first amplifier propagates; and

a second amplifier to amplify the signal which has propagated through the output matching circuit, wherein

the output matching circuit is a lumped constant circuit including multiple lumped constant elements, and, by using the multiple lumped constant elements, transforms impedance seen on a side of the second amplifier from the first amplifier when output power of the second amplifier is lower than saturation electric power of the second amplifier, to impedance higher than impedance seen on the side of the second amplifier from the first amplifier when the output power of the second amplifier is equal to the saturation electric power of the second amplifier, and

the output matching circuit includes: as the multiple lumped constant elements,

a low pass filter type matching circuit that includes only one element corresponding to a first inductor having one end connected to an output side of the first amplifier; and

a high pass filter type matching circuit that includes

a second inductor having one end connected to the other end of the first inductor, and having the other end grounded; and

a capacitor having one end connected to each of the following ends: the other end of the first inductor, and the one end of the second inductor, and having the other end connected to an input side of the second amplifier.

2 . The amplifier circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the output matching circuit, by using the multiple lumped constant elements, transforms the impedance seen on the side of the second amplifier from the first amplifier when the output power of the second amplifier is lower than the saturation electric power, according to a condition that an absolute value of a sum total of a transmission phase of a parasitic component included in the first amplifier, a transmission phase of the output matching circuit and an input reflection phase of the second amplifier is equal to or less than a threshold.

3 . The amplifier circuit according to claim 2 , wherein the threshold is 45 degrees, and, the output matching circuit, by using the multiple lumped constant elements, transforms the impedance seen on the side of the second amplifier from the first amplifier when the output power of the second amplifier is lower than the saturation electric power, according to the condition that the absolute value of the sum total is equal to or less than 45 degrees.

4 . The amplifier circuit according to claim 2 , wherein the threshold is 0 degrees, and, the output matching circuit, by using the multiple lumped constant elements, transforms the impedance seen on the side of the second amplifier from the first amplifier when the output power of the second amplifier is lower than the saturation electric power, according to the condition that the absolute value of the sum total is equal to 0 degrees.

5 . The amplifier circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the second amplifier is a Doherty amplifier.

6 . The amplifier circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the second amplifier is an envelope tracking amplifier.

7 . The amplifier circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the output matching circuit includes no distributed constant circuit corresponding to a transmission line.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 6, 2022
From: SAKATA, SHUICHI; KOMATSUZAKI, YUJI; SHINJO, SHINTARO
To: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 061338/0400 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2020022456 · Jun 8, 2020
Related Publication 20230026142A1 · Jan 26, 2023
References Cited (23)
US 6812794B1 · Mori et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 9479119B2 · Kikuchi et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 10530306B2 · Srinidhi Embar et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20110043285A1 · Zhao et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110050350A1 · Honjo · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20110316636A1 · Zhao et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20150311869A1 · Kikuchi et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20170244369A1 · Mimis et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
CN 1346538A · 2002 [cited by applicant]
JP 2014116757A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
JP 2014239472A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017529747A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
Chinese Office Action and Search Report for Chinese Application No. 202080100358.5, dated Oct. 15, 2024, with English translation. [cited by applicant]
European Communication pursuant to Article 94(3) EPC for European Application No. 20939853.6, dated Mar. 18, 2025. [cited by applicant]
“Maximum power transfer theorem,” Wikipedia, Jan. 22, 2020, XP093139773, pp. 1-6, URL: <https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Maximum_power_transfer_theorem&oldid=937038651>. [cited by applicant]
European Communication pursuant to Article 94(3) EPC for European Application No. 20939853.6, dated Mar. 21, 2024. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report (PCT/ISA/210) issued in PCT/JP2020/022456, dated Jul. 21, 2020. [cited by applicant]
Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority (PCT/ISA/237) issued in PCT/JP2020/022456, dated Jul. 21, 2020. [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report for European Application No. 20939853.6, dated Jun. 1, 2023. [cited by applicant]
European Office Action for European Application No. 20 939 853.6, dated Sep. 5, 2024. [cited by applicant]
Chinese Office Action for Chinese Application No. 202080100358.5, dated Apr. 10, 2025, with English translation. [cited by applicant]
European Office Action for European Application No. 20 939 853.6, dated Oct. 10, 2025. [cited by applicant]
Unknown, “Distributed-Element Circuit,” The free Encyclopedia, Oct. 27, 2019, XP093322321, pp. 1-18. [cited by applicant]