Patent · US Active

Low noise amplifier with current bleeding branch

US8258869B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
5References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 30, 2010
Grant dateSep 4, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 30, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03F2203/45726
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An LNA circuit for providing a wide range of gain while maintaining the output headroom. In a radio frequency (RF) receiver, the signal received by the receiver may be extremely small. For a transmitter in a short distance, the received signal may be relatively strong. A low power amplifier usually is used to amplify the input signal. The LNA has to be designed to accommodate a wide range of gain. A convention LNA circuit supporting a wide range of gain often suffers from reduced output headroom due to increased current through the load resistor. The present invention discloses the use of current bleeding branch to allow a portion of current to flow through the current bleeding branch and consequently reduces the current that would have flown through the load resistor. Consequently, the voltage across the load resistor may be maintained low to allow adequate output headroom.

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