A scalable periphery tunable matching power amplifier is presented. Varying power levels can be accommodated by selectively activating or deactivating unit cells of which the scalable periphery tunable matching power amplifier is comprised. Tunable matching allows individual unit cells to see a constant output impedance, reducing need for transforming a low impedance up to a system impedance and attendant power loss. The scalable periphery tunable matching power amplifier can also be tuned for different operating conditions such as different frequencies of operation or different modes.

In electronic circuits having various gain states, small gain phase shift differences required among various gain states may pose a challenging problem. The disclosed methods and devices provide solution to such challenge. Electronic circuits are described wherein a first path including an amplifier may be bypassed by a second path including only passive elements and for gain states smaller than 0 dB. In such electronic circuits, a phase shifter included in the second path can be adjusted to address the required phase shift among various gain states.

Radio frequency amplifiers with overload protection are provided herein. In certain configurations, an RF amplifier system includes an RF amplifier that receives an RF signal from an input terminal and that generates an amplified RF signal at an output terminal, and an overload detection circuit that generates a detection signal indicating a detected signal level of the RF amplifier. The RF amplifier includes an amplification device that amplifies the RF signal and a degeneration circuit that provides degeneration to the amplification device. Additionally, the detection signal is operable to control an amount of degeneration provided by the degeneration circuit so as to protect the RF amplifier from overload.

A multi-band power amplifier module includes at least one transmission input terminal, at least one power amplifier circuit that receives a first transmission signal and a second transmission signal through the at least one transmission input terminal, a first filter circuit that allows the first transmission signal to pass therethrough, a second filter circuit that allows the second transmission signal to pass therethrough, at least one transmission output terminal through which the first and second transmission signals output from the first and second filter circuits are output, a transmission output switch that outputs each of the first and second transmission signals output from the at least one power amplifier circuit to the first filter circuit or the second filter circuit, and a first tuning circuit that adjusts impedance matching between the at least one power amplifier circuit and the at least one transmission output terminal.

Circuits, methods and devices are disclosed, related to fast turn-on of radio-frequency amplifiers. In some embodiments, an RF amplifier circuit includes an amplification path implemented to amplify an RF signal, where the amplification path includes a switch and an amplifier. In some embodiments, each of the switch and the amplifier are configured to be ON or OFF to thereby enable or disable the amplification path, respectively. In some embodiments, the RF amplifier circuit includes a compensation circuit coupled to the amplifier, where the compensation circuit is configured to compensate for a slow transition of the amplifier between its ON and OFF states resulting from a signal applied to the switch.

Circuits, devices and methods related to amplification with active gain bypass. In some embodiments, an amplifier can include a first amplification path implemented to amplify a signal, and having a cascode arrangement of a first input transistor and a cascode transistor to provide a first gain for the signal when in a first mode. The amplifier can further include a second amplification path implemented to provide a second gain for the signal while bypassing at least a portion of the first amplification path when in a second mode. The second amplification path can include a cascode arrangement of a second input transistor and the cascode transistor shared with the first amplification path. The amplifier can further include a switch configured to allow routing of the signal through the first amplification path in the first mode or the second amplification path in the second mode.

Envelope trackers providing compensation for power amplifier output load variation are provided herein. In certain configurations, a radio frequency (RF) system includes an antenna, a power amplifier that receives a radio frequency signal and outputs an amplified radio frequency signal to the antenna, a plurality of detectors coupled to the power amplifier and operable to generate a plurality of detection signals, and an envelope tracker that controls a supply voltage of the power amplifier based on an envelope of the radio frequency signal. The envelope tracker processes the plurality of detection signals to generate a load variation detection signal indicating a change in an output load of the power amplifier arising from a change in a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of the antenna. Additionally, the envelope tracker adjusts a gain of the power amplifier based on the load variation detection signal.

Apparatus and methods for LNAs with mid-node impedance networks are provided herein. In certain configurations, an LNA includes a mid-node impedance circuit including a resistor and a capacitor electrically connected in parallel, a cascode device electrically connected between an output terminal and the mid-node impedance circuit, and a transconductance device electrically connected between the mid-node impedance circuit and ground. The transconductance device amplifies a radio frequency signal received from an input terminal. The LNA further includes a feedback bias circuit electrically connected between the output terminal and the input terminal and operable to control an input bias voltage of the transconductance device.

A multi-band power amplifier module includes at least one transmission input terminal, at least one power amplifier circuit that receives a first transmission signal and a second transmission signal through the at least one transmission input terminal, a first filter circuit that allows the first transmission signal to pass therethrough, a second filter circuit that allows the second transmission signal to pass therethrough, at least one transmission output terminal through which the first and second transmission signals output from the first and second filter circuits are output, a transmission output switch that outputs each of the first and second transmission signals output from the at least one power amplifier circuit to the first filter circuit or the second filter circuit, and a first tuning circuit that adjusts impedance matching between the at least one power amplifier circuit and the at least one transmission output terminal.

A configurable radio frequency system. The system includes: a plurality of radio frequency cells connected in a cascade. Each of the radio frequency cells includes an input switch connected to an input of the radio frequency system, an output switch connected to an output of the radio frequency system, and a plurality of elements, each of the elements being connected between the input switch and the output switch. The input switch and the output switch are configured, depending on their respective settings, to cause a radio frequency signal path from an input of the cell to an output of the cell to include one of the elements. The plurality of elements in each cell includes a band pass filter, an attenuator, a through path, an amplifier, and a mixer.