Wide dynamic range power amplifier
US5646578A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 30, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jul 8, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 30, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03G3/3042
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a wide dynamic range power amplifier having a power amplification circuit for increasing the power of an incoming signal to an output power suitable for transmitting the signal over a communication medium, and a feedback circuit coupled between the output and gain control input of the power amplification circuit for changing the output power to a new, desired output power. The feedback circuit may include a digital step attenuator, a power detector, a reference D.C. voltage, and a comparator. To change the output power, the digital step attenuates the output power sensed by the power detector, from a first attenuation level to a second attenuation level, by an amount corresponding to the desired change in output power. The power conversion circuit converts the output power at the second attenuation level to a D.C. voltage for comparison with the reference D.C. voltage which corresponds to the output power at the first attenuation level. The comparator increases the gain of the power amplification circuit, and thereby the output power, by an amount corresponding to the difference between the D.C. voltage and the reference D.C. voltage, until the …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.