A distortion imparting device capable of obtaining a natural distortion effect even when output is decreased is provided. The distortion imparting device includes a first amplification part which attenuates an input audio signal on the basis of an attenuation factor set by a user and amplifies the attenuated audio signal, a second amplification part serially connected to the first amplification part, and a limiting part which is connected between an output terminal of the first amplification part and an input terminal of the second amplification part and limits an input voltage of the second amplification part to a predetermined clip voltage, wherein the limiting part determines the clip voltage on the basis of the attenuation factor.

An apparatus for controlling the gain and phase of an input signal input to a power amplifier comprises a gain control loop configured to control the gain of the input signal based on power levels of the input signal and an amplified signal output by the power amplifier, to obtain a predetermined gain of the amplified signal, and a phase control loop configured to obtain an error signal related to a phase difference between a first signal derived from the input and a second signal derived from the amplified signal, and control the phase based on the error signal, to obtain a predetermined phase of the amplified signal. The phase control loop delays the first signal such that the delayed first signal and the second signal used to obtain the error signal correspond to the same part of the input signal. The apparatus may be included in a satellite.

A power amplifier circuit includes a first transistor that amplifies an RF signal; a bias current source that supplies a bias current to a second terminal of the first transistor through a first current path; and an adjustment circuit that adjusts the bias current in accordance with a variable power-supply voltage supplied from a power-supply terminal. The adjustment circuit includes first to third resistors, and an adjustment transistor including a first terminal connected to the power-supply terminal through the first resistor, a second terminal connected to the bias current source through the second resistor, and a third terminal connected to the first current path through the third resistor. When the variable power-supply voltage is not less than a first voltage and not greater than a third voltage, the adjustment circuit increases a current that flows to the power-supply terminal through a second current path as the variable power-supply voltage decreases.

A power amplifier including a first transistor for amplifying and outputting a radio frequency signal, a second transistor, a third transistor for supplying a bias current, a first voltage supply circuit for supplying a lower voltage to a base of the third transistor as a temperature of a first diode is higher. The third transistor and the first transistor, or the third transistor and the second transistor, are disposed without another electronic element interposed therebetween. The third transistor is disposed such that a distance between the third transistor and the first transistor is smaller than a distance between the first voltage supply circuit and the first transistor, or a distance between the third transistor and the second transistor is smaller than a distance between the first voltage supply circuit and the second transistor.

Examples disclosed herein relate to a vector modulator architecture, having an input splitter network configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) input signal and generate a plurality of quadrature signals at different phases, a variable gain amplifier (VGA) stage coupled to the input splitter network and configured to apply a first gain to one or more of the plurality of quadrature signals, a power combiner coupled to the VGA stage and configured to combine the plurality of quadrature signals into a combined RF signal, and a power amplifier (PA) stage coupled to the power combiner and configured to apply a second gain to the combined RF signal and generate an output RF signal. Other examples disclosed herein relate to an antenna system for autonomous vehicles and a radar system for use in an autonomous driving vehicle.

A signal amplifying circuit and associated methods and apparatuses, the circuit comprising: a signal path extending from an input terminal to an output terminal, a gain controller arranged to control the gain applied along the signal path in response to a control signal; an output stage within the signal path for generating the output signal, the output stage having a gain that is substantially independent of its supply voltage, and a variable voltage power supply comprising a charge pump for providing positive and negative output voltages, the charge pump comprising a network of switches that is operable in a number of different states and a controller for operating the switches in a sequence of the states so as to generate positive and negative output voltages together spanning a voltage approximately equal to the input voltage.

A signal amplifying circuit and associated methods and apparatuses, the circuit comprising: a signal path extending from an input terminal to an output terminal, a gain controller arranged to control the gain applied along the signal path in response to a control signal; an output stage within the signal path for generating the output signal, the output stage having a gain that is substantially independent of its supply voltage, and a variable voltage power supply comprising a charge pump for providing positive and negative output voltages, the charge pump comprising a network of switches that is operable in a number of different states and a controller for operating the switches in a sequence of the states so as to generate positive and negative output voltages together spanning a voltage approximately equal to the input voltage.

A signal amplifying circuit and associated methods and apparatuses, the circuit comprising: a signal path extending from an input terminal to an output terminal, a gain controller arranged to control the gain applied along the signal path in response to a control signal; an output stage within the signal path for generating the output signal, the output stage having a gain that is substantially independent of its supply voltage, and a variable voltage power supply comprising a charge pump for providing positive and negative output voltages, the charge pump comprising a network of switches that is operable in a number of different states and a controller for operating the switches in a sequence of the states so as to generate positive and negative output voltages together spanning a voltage approximately equal to the input voltage.

In a preferred embodiment, the gain expansion in low power mode of a single chain PA is minimized by dynamically adjusting the output impedance of the bias circuit of each gain stage for each mode of operation. Instead of switching in a series attenuator or switching in additional feedback in the first gain stage of a single-chain PA to limit the gain at the increased quiescent current level, this embodiment achieves linear performance by adjusting the quiescent current in each stage to the minimum level that meets the target gain and then increasing the output resistance of the bias circuit of each gain stage in low power mode (LPM) to provide the appropriate level of negative feedback at the base of each amplifying HBT to linearize the gain versus power response.

A wide range differential current switching circuit can operate across a wide range of input currents and across a broad range of frequencies. A first differential current source can include a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor receives a switching signal and provides an output current and at output node. The second transistor receives an inverted switching signal, the first transistor and the second transistor coupled to each other at a tail node. A current source provides an input current to the tail node. A third transistor can provide a boost current to the tail node while the first transistor is off.