The disclosure presents a method and an amplifier system for minimizing variation in an acoustical signal caused by variation in gain of an amplifier, comprising a battery for providing a supply voltage to the amplifier, a digital signal processor for providing the acoustical signal to the amplifier, a controller unit receiving an enablement signal when the supply voltage is in an offset mode, and based on the enablement signal requesting a measured voltage during a time period, and a first analog-to-digital converter configured for measuring the supply voltage to the amplifier when receiving the request from the controller unit or the first analog-to-digital converter is configured for measuring the supply voltage to the amplifier continuously, and where variations in the measured voltage relates to variations in the supply voltage during the time period. Furthermore, the controller unit is configured to predict offset modes (i.e. changes) in the supply voltage based on the enablement signals and a fitting of the measured voltages, and wherein the controller unit is configured to generate a compensating signal based on the fitting and transmit the compensating signal to the digital signal processor, the digital signal processor is then configured to minimize variation in the acoustical signal at the output of the amplifier by compensating the variation in gain of the amplifier based on the compensating signal.

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for providing efficient Digital Predistortion (DPD). In some embodiments, a system comprises a DPD system comprising a DPD actuator. The DPD actuator comprises a Look-Up Table (LUT), selection circuitry, and an approximate multiplication function. Each LUT entry comprises information that represents a first set of values {p.sub.1, p.sub.2, . . . , p.sub.k} and a second set of values {s.sub.1, s.sub.2, . . . , s.sub.k} that represent a LUT value of s.sub.1.Math.2.sup.p.sup.1+s.sub.2.Math.2.sup.p.sup.2+ . . . +s.sub.k.Math.2.sup.p.sup.k where each value s.sub.i∈{+1,−1} where k≥2. The selection circuitry is operable to, for each input sample of an input signal, select a LUT entry based on a value derived from the input sample that is indicative of a power of the input signal. The approximate multiplication function comprises shifting and combining circuitry that operates to, for each input sample, shift and combine bits that form a binary representation of the input sample in accordance with {p.sub.1, p.sub.2, . . . , p.sub.k} and {s.sub.1, s.sub.2, . . . , s.sub.k} to provide an output sample.

The disclosure presents a method and an amplifier system for minimizing variation in an acoustical signal caused by variation in gain of an amplifier, comprising a battery for providing a supply voltage to the amplifier, a digital signal processor for providing the acoustical signal to the amplifier, a controller unit receiving an enablement signal when the supply voltage is in an offset mode, and based on the enablement signal requesting a measured voltage during a time period, and a first analog-to-digital converter configured for measuring the supply voltage to the amplifier when receiving the request from the controller unit or the first analog-to-digital converter is configured for measuring the supply voltage to the amplifier continuously, and where variations in the measured voltage relates to variations in the supply voltage during the time period. Furthermore, the controller unit is configured to predict offset modes (i.e. changes) in the supply voltage based on the enablement signals and a fitting of the measured voltages, and wherein the controller unit is configured to generate a compensating signal based on the fitting and transmit the compensating signal to the digital signal processor, the digital signal processor is then configured to minimize variation in the acoustical signal at the output of the amplifier by compensating the variation in gain of the amplifier based on the compensating signal.

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for providing efficient Digital Predistortion (DPD). In some embodiments, a system comprises a DPD system comprising a DPD actuator. The DPD actuator comprises a Look-Up Table (LUT), selection circuitry, and an approximate multiplication function. Each LUT entry comprises information that represents a first set of values {p.sub.1, p.sub.2, . . . , p.sub.k} and a second set of values {s.sub.1, s.sub.2, . . . , s.sub.k} that represent a LUT value of s.sub.1.Math.2.sup.p.sup.1+s.sub.2.Math.2.sup.p.sup.2+ . . . +s.sub.k.Math.2.sup.p.sup.k where each value s.sub.i∈{+1,−1} where k≥2. The selection circuitry is operable to, for each input sample of an input signal, select a LUT entry based on a value derived from the input sample that is indicative of a power of the input signal. The approximate multiplication function comprises shifting and combining circuitry that operates to, for each input sample, shift and combine bits that form a binary representation of the input sample in accordance with {p.sub.1, p.sub.2, . . . , p.sub.k} and {s.sub.1, s.sub.2, . . . , s.sub.k} to provide an output sample.

The embodiments described herein include amplifiers that are typically used in radio frequency (RF) applications. Specifically, the amplifiers described herein include a phase distortion compensation circuit that can compensate for input impedance variations that could otherwise lead to reduced efficiency and power performance. In one specific embodiment, the phase distortion compensation circuit is used to compensate for input impedance variations in the peaking amplifiers of a Doherty amplifier. In such embodiments, the phase distortion compensation circuit can absorb the non-linear input impedances of the peaking amplifiers in a way that may facilitate improved phase maintenance between the carrier and peaking stages of the Doherty amplifier.

Systems comprising a low power Digital Predistortion (DPD) system and methods of operation thereof are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a system comprises a DPD system for digitally predistorting an input signal to provide an output signal. The DPD system comprises a DPD actuator comprising one or more configurable multiplication functions, each configurable to operate in different power modes. The different power modes comprise a first power mode in which the configurable multiplication function multiplies a first value related to an input sample of the input signal and a second value related to a respective DPD value to provide an output value and a second power mode in which the configurable multiplication function outputs, as the output value, are an approximation of a multiplication of the first value and the second value.

The disclosure presents a method and an amplifier system for minimizing variation in an acoustical signal caused by variation in gain of an amplifier, comprising a battery for providing a supply voltage to the amplifier, a digital signal processor for providing the acoustical signal to the amplifier, a controller unit receiving an enablement signal when the supply voltage is in an offset mode, and based on the enablement signal requesting a measured voltage during a time period, and a first analog-to-digital converter configured for measuring the supply voltage to the amplifier when receiving the request from the controller unit or the first analog-to-digital converter is configured for measuring the supply voltage to the amplifier continuously, and where variations in the measured voltage relates to variations in the supply voltage during the time period. Furthermore, the controller unit is configured to predict offset modes (i.e. changes) in the supply voltage based on the enablement signals and a fitting of the measured voltages, and wherein the controller unit is configured to generate a compensating signal based on the fitting and transmit the compensating signal to the digital signal processor, the digital signal processor is then configured to minimize variation in the acoustical signal at the output of the amplifier by compensating the variation in gain of the amplifier based on the compensating signal.

The present disclosure describes a method and system for linearizing an amplifier using transistor-level dynamic feedback. The method and system enables nonlinear amplifiers to exhibit linear performance using one or more of gain control elements and phase shifters in the feedback path. The disclosed method and system may also allow an amplifier to act as a pre-distorter or a frequency/gain programmable amplifier.

An amplifier circuit for compensating an output signal provided at an output of the amplifier circuit comprises a cascade of sub-amplifiers. Each sub-amplifier of the cascade contributes to a respective part of the output signal. The cascade of sub-amplifiers comprises an end sub-amplifier and at least one preliminary sub-amplifier. At least one error correction block is coupled to apply feedforward error correction to an output of one of the at least one preliminary sub-amplifier.

Variable gain amplifiers (VGA) with output phase invariance are provided herein. In certain embodiments, a VGA is operable in a selected gain setting chosen from multiple gain settings that provide different amounts of amplification to a radio frequency (RF) input signal. The VGA includes a gain transistor that has a substantially constant bias current across the gain settings, such that the VGA's output phase, input impedance matching, and/or input return loss are substantially constant. The gain setting of the VGA is selected by controlling relative biasing of a pair of cascode transistors each connected to the gain transistor by a corresponding degeneration resistor. The degeneration resistors provide compensation that reduces or eliminates a difference in output phase of the VGA across gain settings, for instance, by introducing a zero in a transfer function of the VGA that cancels a pole arising from the cascode transistors.