Patent · US Active

Amplitude control system and method for communication systems

US8432219B1 · kind B1 · utility

5Cited by
5References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateOct 6, 2011
Grant dateApr 30, 2013
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 6, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04B2001/0408
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An amplitude control system including one or more multi-element array power amplifiers (MEA-PA), each MEA-PA including multiple amplifiers, multiple capacitors, and multiple enable circuits. Each amplifier has an input coupled to a common input node and an output coupled to a corresponding one of multiple intermediate nodes. Each capacitor has a first end coupled to an output node and a second end coupled to a corresponding intermediate node. The enable circuits are collectively controlled by an amplitude control value, and each is operative to enable or disable a corresponding amplifier. The enable circuits may be dynamically controlled to modulate amplitude. A coupling circuit may be provided to couple an intermediate node to a reference node when a corresponding amplifier is disabled to adjust a coupling ratio. Each amplifier, when enabled, may receive one of multiple supply reference voltages. The capacitors may have equal capacitance or may be binary-weighted.

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