A limiter circuit is integrated into an RF power amplifier. The limiter circuit automatically starts adding attenuation at the input of the RF power amplifier after a predetermined input power level threshold is exceeded, thereby extending the safe input drive level to protect the amplifier. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the limiter circuit is implemented using a pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor (PHEMT) device or a metal semiconductor field effect transistor (MESPET) device. Diode connected transistors or Schottky diodes may also be used in the limiter circuit.

A transmitter according to the present invention includes: a baseband amplitude value distribution processor (90) for changing a distribution of an amplitude value of a baseband signal based on a control signal that has been input and outputting the baseband signal as an output signal; a digital transmitter (91) that ΔΣ modulates the output signal and transmits the modulated signal; an in-band distortion measurement unit (92) for measuring an in-band distortion amount of the output signal; an amplitude value distribution measurement unit (93) for calculating an amplitude value distribution of the output signal; a sideband distortion prediction unit (94) for predicting a sideband distortion amount occurring in the output signal by the digital transmitter (91) from the calculated amplitude value distribution; and a baseband processing controller (95) for adjusting the control signal based on the measured in-band distortion amount and the sideband distortion amount and outputting the adjusted signal.

A transmitter according to the present invention includes: a baseband amplitude value distribution processor (90) for changing a distribution of an amplitude value of a baseband signal based on a control signal that has been input and outputting the baseband signal as an output signal; a digital transmitter (91) that ΔΣ modulates the output signal and transmits the modulated signal; an in-band distortion measurement unit (92) for measuring an in-band distortion amount of the output signal; an amplitude value distribution measurement unit (93) for calculating an amplitude value distribution of the output signal; a sideband distortion prediction unit (94) for predicting a sideband distortion amount occurring in the output signal by the digital transmitter (91) from the calculated amplitude value distribution; and a baseband processing controller (95) for adjusting the control signal based on the measured in-band distortion amount and the sideband distortion amount and outputting the adjusted signal.

The present invention relates to an amplifying device and to an amplifying system comprising the same. According to the present invention, an amplifier line-up is presented comprising four amplifying units which is operable in a Doherty mode and an outphasing mode. By integration of Chireix compensating elements in the matching networks used in the amplifying units a bandwidth improvement can be obtained.

An inductor-less low noise amplifier (LNA) with high linearity is disclosed. The low noise amplifier includes: an input signal stage receiving an input signal; a first amplifier configured to receive the input signal, generate a first amplification signal by amplifying the received input signal, and output the generated first amplification signal, as a first output signal, to a first output terminal; a second amplifier configured to receive the input signal, generate a second amplification signal by amplifying the received input signal, and output the generated second amplification signal, as a second output signal, to a second output terminal; an output signal stage outputting a superimposition signal obtained by superimposing the first output signal and the second output signal; a first resistor feeding back the superimposition signal to the input signal stage; and a switch connecting/disconnecting between the input signal stage and the output signal stage.

An inductor-less low noise amplifier (LNA) with high linearity is disclosed. The low noise amplifier includes: an input signal stage receiving an input signal; a first amplifier configured to receive the input signal, generate a first amplification signal by amplifying the received input signal, and output the generated first amplification signal, as a first output signal, to a first output terminal; a second amplifier configured to receive the input signal, generate a second amplification signal by amplifying the received input signal, and output the generated second amplification signal, as a second output signal, to a second output terminal; an output signal stage outputting a superimposition signal obtained by superimposing the first output signal and the second output signal; a first resistor feeding back the superimposition signal to the input signal stage; and a switch connecting/disconnecting between the input signal stage and the output signal stage.

An electronic device including an amplifier which includes a first transistor configured to receive an input signal through a gate terminal thereof and having a source terminal electrically connected to ground, a second transistor configured to transmit an output signal through a drain terminal thereof and having a gate terminal electrically connected to the ground, and a switch electrically connected to the gate terminal of the second transistor and configured to switch a voltage being supplied to the gate terminal of the second transistor in accordance with turn-on or turn-off of the amplifier.

A band-switching network includes a dual-band balun and a switch network. The dual-band balun includes a first output and a second output. The switch network includes a first switch and a second switch in which an input to the first switch is coupled to the first output and an input to the second switch is coupled to the second balanced output. The dual-band balun further includes a primary coil, a first secondary coil and a second secondary coil in which the first secondary coil is coupled to the first balanced output and the second secondary coil is coupled to the second balanced output. In one embodiment, the primary coil and the first secondary coil are coupled by a first coupling factor k.sub.1, and the primary coil and the second secondary coil are coupled by a second coupling factor k.sub.2 that is different from the first coupling factor k.sub.1.

A novel and useful linear, efficient, smart wideband CMOS hybrid power amplifier that combined an analog linear amplification path and a digital power amplification (DPA) path. PA path control logic analyzes the input I and Q signals and determines which amplification paths to steer the input I and Q signals to. The analog linear amplification path comprises digital to analog converters for both I and Q paths and one or more analog linear power amplifiers. The digital power amplification path comprises I and Q up-sampling circuits and I and Q RF DAC circuits (e.g., digital PA circuits). In operation, the PA path control logic compares the I and Q signals to thresholds (which may or may not be different) and based on the comparisons, selects one or more paths for the input I and Q signals. Whether the signals from the analog and digital amplification paths are to be combined or selected (i.e. switched), the PA path control circuit is operative to generate select (switch) control signals which are applied to summer/selector elements which generate the output of the hybrid PA.

A novel and useful linear, efficient, smart wideband CMOS hybrid power amplifier that combined an analog linear amplification path and a digital power amplification (DPA) path. PA path control logic analyzes the input I and Q signals and determines which amplification paths to steer the input I and Q signals to. The analog linear amplification path comprises digital to analog converters for both I and Q paths and one or more analog linear power amplifiers. The digital power amplification path comprises I and Q up-sampling circuits and I and Q RF DAC circuits (e.g., digital PA circuits). In operation, the PA path control logic compares the I and Q signals to thresholds (which may or may not be different) and based on the comparisons, selects one or more paths for the input I and Q signals. Whether the signals from the analog and digital amplification paths are to be combined or selected (i.e. switched), the PA path control circuit is operative to generate select (switch) control signals which are applied to summer/selector elements which generate the output of the hybrid PA.