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.

Provided is a harmonic suppression method, a corresponding low-noise amplifier (20, 30, 40), and a communication terminal. In the harmonic suppression method, an isolation unit (23, 33, 43) is arranged between a harmonic suppression unit (24, 34, 44) of the low-noise amplifier (20, 30, 40) and an output match network (25, 35, 45)/input match network (21, 31, 41). The harmonic suppression unit (24, 34, 44) is isolated from the output match network (25, 35, 45)/input match network (21, 31, 41) by means of the isolation unit (23, 33, 43), so that the two are not affected or compromised by each other, and can be designed separately. In this way, the design flexibility of a signal amplification circuit is greatly improved, and the design difficulty is reduced.

Provided is a harmonic suppression method, a corresponding low-noise amplifier (20, 30, 40), and a communication terminal. In the harmonic suppression method, an isolation unit (23, 33, 43) is arranged between a harmonic suppression unit (24, 34, 44) of the low-noise amplifier (20, 30, 40) and an output match network (25, 35, 45)/input match network (21, 31, 41). The harmonic suppression unit (24, 34, 44) is isolated from the output match network (25, 35, 45)/input match network (21, 31, 41) by means of the isolation unit (23, 33, 43), so that the two are not affected or compromised by each other, and can be designed separately. In this way, the design flexibility of a signal amplification circuit is greatly improved, and the design difficulty is reduced.

An amplifier including a signal input terminal, at least one signal output terminal, a first and a second cascode amplifier circuits, a capacitor and a loading circuit. The signal input terminal receives an input signal. The first cascode amplifier circuit includes a first and a second input terminals and a first and a second output terminals. The first input terminal coupled to the signal input terminal receives the input signal. The second cascode amplifier circuit includes a third and a fourth input terminals and a third output terminal. The third input terminal is coupled to the first output terminal, and the third output terminal is coupled to the second input terminal. Two terminals of the capacitor are coupled to the fourth input terminal and the first output terminal respectively. A terminal of the loading circuit is coupled to the third output terminal, and another terminal of the loading circuit is coupled to the second output terminal. At least one of two terminals of the loading circuit is further coupled to the at least one signal output terminal.

An amplifier including a signal input terminal, at least one signal output terminal, a first and a second cascode amplifier circuits, a capacitor and a loading circuit. The signal input terminal receives an input signal. The first cascode amplifier circuit includes a first and a second input terminals and a first and a second output terminals. The first input terminal coupled to the signal input terminal receives the input signal. The second cascode amplifier circuit includes a third and a fourth input terminals and a third output terminal. The third input terminal is coupled to the first output terminal, and the third output terminal is coupled to the second input terminal. Two terminals of the capacitor are coupled to the fourth input terminal and the first output terminal respectively. A terminal of the loading circuit is coupled to the third output terminal, and another terminal of the loading circuit is coupled to the second output terminal. At least one of two terminals of the loading circuit is further coupled to the at least one signal output terminal.

An apparatus comprises a plurality of selectable gain stages connected in parallel between a first bias voltage and ground, wherein each selectable gain stage comprises an amplification portion and a current steering portion, and wherein the current steering portion comprises a first selectable signal path connected between an output of the amplification portion and a signal output terminal, and a second selectable signal path connected between the output of the amplification portion and ground through a shunt device.

A power amplification module includes a first transistor which amplifies and outputs a radio frequency signal input to its base; a current source which outputs a control current; a second transistor connected to an output of the current source, a first current from the control current input to its collector, a control voltage generation circuit connected to the output and which generates a control voltage according to a second current from the control current; a first FET, the drain being supplied with a supply voltage, the source being connected to the base of the first transistor, and the gate being supplied with the control voltage; and a second FET, the drain being supplied with the supply voltage, the source being connected to the base of the second transistor, and the gate being supplied with the control voltage.

A power amplification module includes a first transistor which amplifies and outputs a radio frequency signal input to its base; a current source which outputs a control current; a second transistor connected to an output of the current source, a first current from the control current input to its collector, a control voltage generation circuit connected to the output and which generates a control voltage according to a second current from the control current; a first FET, the drain being supplied with a supply voltage, the source being connected to the base of the first transistor, and the gate being supplied with the control voltage; and a second FET, the drain being supplied with the supply voltage, the source being connected to the base of the second transistor, and the gate being supplied with the control voltage.

Apparatus for performing offset cancellation is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a gating circuit (6) for receiving an analogue signal (3) from a source (2) and providing a gated analogue signal (9) to an analogue circuit (10), a gating controller (7; 14; FIG. 1) and a digital processor (14; FIG. 1) for receiving a digital signal (13) converted from an analogue output (11) from the analogue circuit (10). The gating circuit comprises at least one path (21.sub.1), each path respectively comprising, an input terminal (22.sub.1), an output terminal (23.sub.1), a node (24.sub.1) interposed between the input and output terminals, a first transistor (Q1) having a channel arranged between the input terminal and the node, and a second transistor (Q3) having channel arranged between the node and a fixed reference, such as ground (GND). The gating controller is configured, in a first time window (15.sub.A), to switch the first transistor so that the input terminal and the output terminal are decoupled and to switch the second transistor so that the node is coupled to the fixed reference. The gating controller is configured, in a second, different time window (15.sub.B), to switch the second transistor so that the node and the fixed reference are decoupled and to switch the first transistor so that the input terminal is coupled to the input terminal. The digital processor is configured, in the first time window, to take a first measurement of the digital signal, and, in the second, different time window, to take a second measurement of the digital signal. The digital processor configured to subtract the first measurement from the second measurement.

A low noise amplifier includes at least two variable gain amplifier stages, each variable gain amplifier configured to accept an input signal and to provide a load driving signal; a tunable bandpass filter connected as a load to each variable gain amplifier stage, wherein each bandpass filter includes a resonant tank, each resonant tank including an inductor, wherein each inductor of each resonant tank is oriented in orthogonal relation with respect to each respective longitudinal axis of each next inductor, the orthogonal relation of the respective longitudinal axes configured to reduce mutual coupling between the tunable bandpass filters; a cross-coupled transistor pair, and at least one cross-coupled compensation transistor pair biased in a subthreshold region configured to add a transconductance component as a function of a load driving signal; and, a controller circuit configured to tune each tunable bandpass filter.