An outphasing amplifier includes a first class-E power amplifier (16-1) having an output coupled to a first conductor (31-1) and an input receiving a first RF drive signal (S.sub.1(t)). A first reactive element (C.sub.A-1) is coupled between the first conductor and a second conductor (30-1). A second reactive element (L.sub.A-1) is coupled between the second conductor and a third conductor (32-1). A second class-E power amplifier (17-1) includes an output coupled to a fourth conductor (31-2) and an input coupled to a second RF drive signal (S.sub.2(t)), a third reactive element (C.sub.A-3) coupled between the second and fourth conductors. Outputs of the first and second power amplifiers are combined by the first, second and third reactive elements to produce an output current in a load (R). An efficiency enhancement circuit (L.sub.EEC-1) is coupled between the first and fourth conductors to improve power efficiency at back-off power levels. Power enhancement circuits (20-1,2) are coupled to the first and fourth conductors, respectively.

An outphasing amplifier includes a first class-E power amplifier (16-1) having an output coupled to a first conductor (31-1) and an input receiving a first RF drive signal (S.sub.1(t)). A first reactive element (C.sub.A-1) is coupled between the first conductor and a second conductor (30-1). A second reactive element (L.sub.A-1) is coupled between the second conductor and a third conductor (32-1). A second class-E power amplifier (17-1) includes an output coupled to a fourth conductor (31-2) and an input coupled to a second RF drive signal (S.sub.2(t)), a third reactive element (C.sub.A-3) coupled between the second and fourth conductors. Outputs of the first and second power amplifiers are combined by the first, second and third reactive elements to produce an output current in a load (R). An efficiency enhancement circuit (L.sub.EEC-1) is coupled between the first and fourth conductors to improve power efficiency at back-off power levels. Power enhancement circuits (20-1,2) are coupled to the first and fourth conductors, respectively.

Described herein are several configurations of Class-D audio amplifiers, including a single-ended and a bridge-tied load (BTL) configuration, in which voltage-mode control and average current-mode control circuitry in feedback loops can be included to control the outputs of the Class-D amplifier to reduce open-loop errors and maintain a relatively high loop gain over an expected audio frequency range. The average current-mode control circuitry monitors current through a resistor common to both a current flow into a positive terminal of a loudspeaker associated with the amplifier and a current flow into a negative terminal of the loudspeaker. The voltage-mode control circuitry works with the average current-mode control circuitry in controlling the output of the Class-D audio amplifier.

A high-power, high-frequency radio frequency power amplifier includes an output stage and a single-phase driver. The output stage is arranged in a Class-D amplifier configuration and includes a first depletion mode field effect transistor (FET), a second depletion mode FET, and a bootstrap path that couples the output of the output stage to the gate of the second FET. The first and second depletion mode FETs are switched out-of-phase and between fully-ON and fully-OFF states, under the direction of the single-phase driver. The single-phase driver directly controls the ON/OFF state of the first depletion mode FET and provides a discharge path through which the input gate capacitor of the second depletion mode FET in the output stage can discharge to turn OFF the second depletion mode FET. The bootstrap path provides a current path through which the input gate capacitor of the second depletion mode FET can charge to turn the second depletion mode FET ON.

Implementations of a class-D amplifier can be used to amplify an input analog signal and provide to a load a multilevel amplified signal having an amplitude larger than a voltage level of a power source used by the class-D amplifier.

A RF amplifier is provided that includes a plurality of switch modules connected in a cascade configuration and divided into disjoint sets in accordance with their corresponding distinct peak DC voltages or currents, each switch module including a plurality of switch devices connected in a half-bridge or full-bridge circuit and a DC voltage or current source electrically connected with the half-bridge or full-bridge circuit, and a control circuit configured to determine an output voltage or current of the RF amplifier at the next switching interval, examine the states of the switching devices in the respective switch modules to identify a combination of least-recently-switched switching devices within each set of switch modules that, when switched to an opposite state, will produce the determined output voltage or current, and switch to an opposite state, at the next switching interval, the switching devices in the identified combination.

A RF amplifier is provided that includes a plurality of switch modules connected in a cascade configuration and divided into disjoint sets in accordance with their corresponding distinct peak DC voltages or currents, each switch module including a plurality of switch devices connected in a half-bridge or full-bridge circuit and a DC voltage or current source electrically connected with the half-bridge or full-bridge circuit, and a control circuit configured to determine an output voltage or current of the RF amplifier at the next switching interval, examine the states of the switching devices in the respective switch modules to identify a combination of least-recently-switched switching devices within each set of switch modules that, when switched to an opposite state, will produce the determined output voltage or current, and switch to an opposite state, at the next switching interval, the switching devices in the identified combination.

This invention enables to efficiently improve the signal-to-noise power ratio of a delta-sigma modulator without increasing the operating frequency. A digital modulation device 40 includes: a setting unit 41 that sets mutually different default values for N delta-sigma modulation units 42-1 to 42-N; N delta-sigma modulation units 42-1 to 42-N that input signals for each clock cycle indicated in a first clock signal and then perform delta-sigma modulation on the input signals to output modulated signals including noise signals having values that change in accordance with default values; and a serial output unit 43 that inputs, in order, the modulated signals output by the delta-sigma modulation units 42-1 to 42-N for each clock cycle indicated in a second clock signal, the second clock signal having a clock cycle that is 1/N of the clock cycle of the first clock signal, and then serializes and outputs the modulated signals.

This invention enables to efficiently improve the signal-to-noise power ratio of a delta-sigma modulator without increasing the operating frequency. A digital modulation device 40 includes: a setting unit 41 that sets mutually different default values for N delta-sigma modulation units 42-1 to 42-N; N delta-sigma modulation units 42-1 to 42-N that input signals for each clock cycle indicated in a first clock signal and then perform delta-sigma modulation on the input signals to output modulated signals including noise signals having values that change in accordance with default values; and a serial output unit 43 that inputs, in order, the modulated signals output by the delta-sigma modulation units 42-1 to 42-N for each clock cycle indicated in a second clock signal, the second clock signal having a clock cycle that is 1/N of the clock cycle of the first clock signal, and then serializes and outputs the modulated signals.

An audio amplifier circuit for providing an output signal to an audio transducer may include a power amplifier and a control circuit. The power amplifier may include an audio input for receiving an audio input signal, an audio output for generating the output signal based on the audio input signal, and a power supply input for receiving a power supply voltage, wherein the power supply voltage is variable among at least a first supply voltage and a second supply voltage greater than the first supply voltage. The control circuit may be configured to predict, based on one or more characteristics of a signal indicative of the output signal, an occurrence of a condition for changing the power supply voltage, and responsive to predicting the occurrence of the condition, change, at an approximate zero crossing of the signal indicative of the output signal, the power supply voltage.