Disclosed herein are signal amplifiers having a plurality of amplifier cores. Individual amplifier cores can be designed for particular gain modes to enhance particular advantages while reducing other disadvantages. The signal amplifier can then switch between amplifier cores when switching gain modes to achieve desired performance characteristics (e.g., improving noise figure or linearity). Examples of signal amplifiers disclosed herein include amplifier architectures with a high gain amplifier core that reduces the noise figure and a linearity boost amplifier core that increases linearity (e.g., for lower gain modes). The disclosed signal amplifiers have a first active core with amplification chains for each of a plurality of inputs and a second active core with a single amplification chain to amplify signals received at the plurality of inputs.

Disclosed herein are signal amplifiers having a plurality of amplifier cores. Individual amplifier cores can be designed for particular gain modes to enhance particular advantages while reducing other disadvantages. The signal amplifier can then switch between amplifier cores when switching gain modes to achieve desired performance characteristics (e.g., improving noise figure or linearity). Examples of signal amplifiers disclosed herein include amplifier architectures with a high gain amplifier core that reduces the noise figure and a linearity boost amplifier core that increases linearity (e.g., for lower gain modes). The disclosed signal amplifiers have a first active core with amplification chains for each of a plurality of inputs and a second active core with a single amplification chain to amplify signals received at the plurality of inputs.

A control circuit with a bypass function includes a first signal terminal, a second signal terminal, an output terminal, a first switch unit to a fourth switch unit, an output switch unit and a bypass unit. The first signal terminal is used for receiving a first signal. The second signal terminal is used for receiving a second signal. The first switch unit is coupled to the first signal terminal. The second switch unit is coupled between the first switch unit and the output switch unit. The third switch unit is coupled to the second signal terminal. The fourth switch unit is coupled between the third switch unit and the output switch unit. The output switch unit is coupled between the second switch unit and the output terminal. The bypass unit is coupled between the first switch unit and the output terminal to provide a bypass path corresponding to the first signal.

An amplification circuit configured to generate an output signal by differentially amplifying first and second input signals. The first and second input signals are a differential signal pair. Alternatively, the first input signal is a single-ended signal, and the second input signal is a reference signal. The amplification circuit is configured to perform a differential amplification operation by increasing a gain for generating an output signal based on the first input signal.

An amplification circuit configured to generate an output signal by differentially amplifying first and second input signals. The first and second input signals are a differential signal pair. Alternatively, the first input signal is a single-ended signal, and the second input signal is a reference signal. The amplification circuit is configured to perform a differential amplification operation by increasing a gain for generating an output signal based on the first input signal.

An RF receiver circuit configuration and design limited by conditions and frequencies to simultaneously provide steady state low-noise signal amplification, frequency down-conversion and image signal rejection. The invention provides combined circuits of an RF transceiver architecture that measure antenna reflected power relative to forward power using the error amplifier signal to adjust the gain of the variable gain amplifier in order to compensate for the mismatch between forward reflected power and forward power at the antenna in order to achieve constant radiated power. The RF receiver circuit may be implemented as one of a CMOS single chip device or as part of an integrated system of CMOS components.

An RF receiver circuit configuration and design limited by conditions and frequencies to simultaneously provide steady state low-noise signal amplification, frequency down-conversion and image signal rejection. The invention provides combined circuits of an RF transceiver architecture that measure antenna reflected power relative to forward power using the error amplifier signal to adjust the gain of the variable gain amplifier in order to compensate for the mismatch between forward reflected power and forward power at the antenna in order to achieve constant radiated power. The RF receiver circuit may be implemented as one of a CMOS single chip device or as part of an integrated system of CMOS components.

A radio frequency (RF) power transistor circuit includes a power transistor and at least one decoupling circuit. The power transistor has a control electrode coupled to an input terminal for receiving an RF input signal, and a current electrode for providing an RF output signal at an output terminal. A decoupling circuit is coupled between the control electrode and a ground terminal, and/or between the current electrode and the ground terminal. The decoupling circuit includes a resistor coupled in series with components of a resonant circuit having a resonance that is lower than an RF frequency (e.g., lower than 20 megahertz). The resistor is for dampening the resonance of the resonant circuit.

A radio frequency (RF) power transistor circuit includes a power transistor and at least one decoupling circuit. The power transistor has a control electrode coupled to an input terminal for receiving an RF input signal, and a current electrode for providing an RF output signal at an output terminal. A decoupling circuit is coupled between the control electrode and a ground terminal, and/or between the current electrode and the ground terminal. The decoupling circuit includes a resistor coupled in series with components of a resonant circuit having a resonance that is lower than an RF frequency (e.g., lower than 20 megahertz). The resistor is for dampening the resonance of the resonant circuit.

An apparatus for detecting difference in operating characteristics of a main circuit by using a replica circuit is presented. In one exemplary case, a sensed difference in operating characteristics of the two circuits is used to drive a tuning control loop to minimize the sensed difference. In another exemplary case, several replica circuits of the main circuit are used, where each is isolated from one or more operating variables that affect the operating characteristic of the main circuit. Each replica circuit can be used for sensing a different operating characteristic, or, two replica circuits can be combined to sense a same operating characteristic.