An impedance control unit is disclosed. Also disclosed are a balun unit, an electronic device, and a Doherty amplifier, each comprising the impedance control unit.

The impedance control unit comprises a pair of re-entrant type coupled lines, and further comprises an electrical short between the intermediate plane and the ground plane arranged locally inside the pair of coupled lines.

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.

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.

A power amplification device comprises an amplifying unit and a combining unit. The amplifying unit is provided with a plurality of groups of amplifier circuits that amplifies the power of a radio frequency signal. The plurality of groups of amplifier circuits each includes a predetermined number of the amplifier circuits. The combining unit includes a plurality of combiners. The amplifying unit is housed by a first housing and the combining unit is housed by a second housing which is separate from the first housing. The amplifying unit is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the combining unit. The amplifying unit is configurable by one or more control voltages to perform amplification in classes AB, B and/or C. The amplification in classes AB, B, and/or C is compatible with a type of the combiner.

A power amplification device comprises an amplifying unit and a combining unit. The amplifying unit is provided with a plurality of groups of amplifier circuits that amplifies the power of a radio frequency signal. The plurality of groups of amplifier circuits each includes a predetermined number of the amplifier circuits. The combining unit includes a plurality of combiners. The amplifying unit is housed by a first housing and the combining unit is housed by a second housing which is separate from the first housing. The amplifying unit is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the combining unit. The amplifying unit is configurable by one or more control voltages to perform amplification in classes AB, B and/or C. The amplification in classes AB, B, and/or C is compatible with a type of the combiner.

In an amplifier that uses a transistor, a minimum operation voltage is lowered. An amplifier includes a P-type transistor and an N-type transistor connected in series, and an operational amplifier. An output terminal of the operational amplifier is connected to gates of both the P-type transistor and the N-type transistor. One of an inverting input terminal and a non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier is connected to drains of both the P-type transistor and the N-type transistor. Further, a predetermined reference voltage is applied to another of the inverting input terminal and the non-inverting input terminal.

In an amplifier that uses a transistor, a minimum operation voltage is lowered. An amplifier includes a P-type transistor and an N-type transistor connected in series, and an operational amplifier. An output terminal of the operational amplifier is connected to gates of both the P-type transistor and the N-type transistor. One of an inverting input terminal and a non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier is connected to drains of both the P-type transistor and the N-type transistor. Further, a predetermined reference voltage is applied to another of the inverting input terminal and the non-inverting input terminal.

Methods and devices for providing a feedback network in a multi-stage power amplifier are described. According to one aspect, a final amplifier of the multi-stage power amplifier is a cascode amplifier. The feedback network is placed between an output of the final amplifier and an output of a driver amplifier. The feedback network can decrease a mismatch between the output impedance of the final amplifier and a load presented to the final amplifier. In addition, the feedback network can change a load presented to the driver amplifier and thereby allow the transfer functions of each stage to be tuned so that the overall transfer function of the multi-stage amplifier becomes more linear.

This technology relates to a single-phase differential conversion circuit for improving the linearity of input/output characteristics, a signal processing method for use with the circuit, and a reception apparatus. The single-phase differential conversion circuit includes a first source-grounded amplifier and a second source-grounded amplifier. Each of the amplifiers includes a transconductance amplifier section including a transistor for converting an AC component of input potential to a current, a diode load section including a transistor in a diode connection configured as a first load, and a large-signal distortion compensation circuit configured as a second load connected in parallel with the first load. The transistors of the first source-grounded amplifier are each a P-type MOS transistor, and the transistors of the second source-grounded amplifier are each an N-type MOS transistor. This technology is applied advantageously to a reception apparatus for receiving TV signals, for example.

A variable-gain amplifier includes two amplification and attenuation branches, and first and a second resistive elements that are coupled between the two branches. Each branch includes a voltage follower stage and a configurable amplification stage. The voltage follower stages are intended to receive a differential signal and are configured to deliver, via the first resistive element, an intermediate differential current signal. The amplification stages are intended to receive the intermediate differential current signal and a digital control word, and are configured to deliver, via the second resistive element, an output differential voltage signal depending on the value of the digital control word.