Aspects and examples described herein provide a variable gain amplifier circuit and assembly. In one example, a variable gain amplifier circuit includes a signal input, a signal output, and a variable gain amplifier including a plurality of unit cell groups coupled between the signal input and the signal output, the variable gain amplifier configured to provide an adjustable gain to a signal received at the signal input during each of a plurality of amplify modes of the variable gain amplifier, each of the plurality of amplify modes corresponding to at least one unit cell group of the plurality of unit cell groups. A bypass path including a fixed attenuator is coupled in parallel with the variable gain amplifier between the signal input and the signal output to selectively couple the signal input to the signal output through the fixed attenuator during a bypass mode.

Described herein are variable gain amplifiers and multiplexers that embed programmable attenuators into switchable paths to provide variable gain for individual amplifier inputs. The variable gain for an individual input is provided using a amplification stage that is common for each input of the amplifier. A variable attenuation is provided for individual inputs through a combination of a band selection switch and an attenuation selection branch. The attenuation can be tailored for individual inputs and can depend on a gain mode of the amplifier.

An amplifier circuit includes a first terminal and a second terminal, an amplifier disposed in a first path connecting the first terminal and the second terminal, a first switch circuit disposed in the first path between the amplifier and the second terminal, an attenuator disposed in the first path between the amplifier and the first switch circuit, and a second switch circuit disposed in a second path that is connected to the first terminal and the second terminal while bypassing the amplifier, the attenuator, and the first switch circuit.

A broadband amplifier assembly is provided that includes a fixed gain amplifier coupled to an adjustable attenuator which is further coupled to a power amplifier. The adjustable attenuator includes a plurality of attenuation cells directly coupled in series between the input and the output of the adjustable attenuator.

Example embodiments provide a process that includes one or more of receiving an audio signal at a feedback compressor circuit, multiplying the received audio signal with a power feedback signal to create a product audio signal, wherein the feedback signal comprises a low-pass filtered signal, applying a power amplifier to the product audio signal, and providing the amplified product audio signal as an output signal to a speaker.

Example embodiments provide a process that includes one or more of receiving an audio signal at a feedback compressor circuit, determining how much to attenuate the audio signal when a power level of the audio signal exceeds a threshold power level, combining the audio signal with an auxiliary attenuation signal from an auxiliary attenuation source and a compressed attenuation signal from the feedback compressor circuit to create a combination signal, and generating an audio output signal of the feedback compressor circuit based on the combination signal.

Example embodiments provide a process that includes one or more of receiving an audio signal at a feedback compressor circuit, receiving an auxiliary attenuation signal from an auxiliary attenuation source, determining a threshold power level based on a value of the auxiliary attenuation signal, determining an output power level of the audio signal exceeds the threshold power level, combining the audio signal with the auxiliary attenuation signal from the auxiliary attenuation source and a compressed attenuation signal from the feedback compressor circuit to create a combination signal, and generating an audio output signal of the feedback compressor circuit based on the combination signal.

Example embodiments provide a process that includes one or more of receiving an audio signal from a feedback path of a feedback compressor circuit, determining whether an auxiliary attenuation value applied to the feedback compressor circuit has changed since a last audio signal was received, responsive to determining the auxiliary value has changed, determining a current operational state value of the LPF needs to be modified based on the changed auxiliary attenuation value, modifying the operational state value of the LPF, and applying the audio signal to the modified LPF.

An apparatus including an electronic circuit. The apparatus includes a path unit configured to form a first impedance for controlling a gain of an input signal. The apparatus also includes a shunt unit configured to form a second impedance for performing attenuation between the path unit and a ground, wherein the path unit forms the first impedance using an on-resistance of at least one transistor.

At least one embodiment relates to a radio-frequency (RF) power amplifier system for amplifying a first RF signal. The RF power amplifier system includes a RF power amplifier being configured to amplify a second RF signal. The RF power amplifier system also includes a control loop for controlling a power level of the second RF signal. The control loop includes a RF output power determining unit for determining a power level of the amplified second RF signal. The control loop also includes a gain determining unit for determining an actual large signal gain based on the determined power level of the amplified second RF signal and a power level of the second RF signal. Further, the control loop includes an attenuator for attenuating the first RF signal and for providing the attenuated first RF signal to the RF power amplifier as the second RF signal.