Patent · US Expired

Feedforward amplifier with improved characteristics without using pilot signal

US6133791A · kind A · utility

14Cited by
4References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 23, 1998
Grant dateOct 17, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 23, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03F1/3229
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A feedforward amplifier which includes a distortion detector, a distortion eliminator, an error power extractor, a first level detector and a first controller. The error power extractor extracts output error power due to variations in the distortion eliminator by combining the output signal from the distortion eliminator with the signal from a first linear signal path in the distortion detector in opposite phases. The first level detector detects the output error power extracted by the error power extractor, and the first controller controls a first variable attenuator and a first phase shifter which are interposed in the distortion eliminator such that the output error power is maintained at zero. This can solve a problem of a conventional feedforward amplifier in that the power level of the pilot signal must be increased to heighten the detection sensitivity of the pilot signal because the detection level of the pilot signal becomes minimum at an optimum operation point, and that the increasing power of the pilot signal degrades the communication quality of a system employing the conventional feedforward amplifier.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.