A transceiver is configured for a calibration mode of operation in which an impedance of a transmit chain is tuned responsive to a power measurement of a mixed RF calibration signal to form a tuned transmit chain. A direct conversion mixes an RF calibration signal with a DC offset signal to form the mixed calibration signal. During a normal mode of operation, a heterodyne mixer mixes an LO signal with an IF signal to produce an RF signal that is amplified through the tuned transmit chain.

One example includes a device that is comprised of a pre-power amplifier, a power amplifier, a signal path, and a dynamic bias circuit. The pre-power amplifier amplifies an input signal and outputs a first amplified signal. The power amplifier receives the first amplified signal and amplifies the first amplified signal based on a dynamic bias signal to produce a second amplified signal at an output thereof. The signal path is coupled between an output of the pre-power amplifier and an input of the power amplifier. The dynamic bias circuit monitors the first amplified signal, generates the dynamic bias signal, and outputs the dynamic bias into the signal path.

Methods and devices used in mobile receiver front end to support multiple paths and multiple frequency bands are described. The presented devices and methods provide benefits of scalability, frequency band agility, as well as size reduction by using one low noise amplifier per simultaneous outputs. Based on the disclosed teachings, variable gain amplification of multiband signals is also presented.

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.

An improved architecture for a radio frequency (RF) power amplifier, impedance matching network, and selector switch. One aspect of embodiments of the invention is splitting the functionality of a final stage impedance matching network (IMN) into two parts, comprising a base set of off-chip IMN components and an on-chip IMN tuning component. The on-chip IMN tuning component may be a digitally tunable capacitor (DTC). In one embodiment, an integrated circuit having a power amplifier, an on-chip IMN tuner, and a selector switch is configured to be coupled to an off-chip set of IMN components. In another embodiment, an integrated circuit having an on-chip IMN tuner and a selector switch is configured to be coupled through an off-chip set of IMN components to a separate integrated circuit having an RF power amplifier.

Disclosed is an electronic device comprising: a wireless communication circuit for generating an RF signal, an amplifier circuit electrically connected to the wireless communication circuit and configured to amplify the RF signal, and an antenna connected to the amplifier circuit. The amplifier circuit may comprise: a first amplifier; a second amplifier; a first transmission path connected to an output terminal of the first amplifier and the antenna; a second transmission path connected to an output terminal of the second amplifier and the first transmission path; a first variable impedance circuit located on the first transmission path and configured to change an electrical length of the first transmission path based on the frequency of the RF signal; and a second variable impedance circuit located on the second transmission path and configured to change the electrical length based on a power mode.

An electronic device may include wireless circuitry with processor circuitry, a transceiver circuit, a front-end module, and an antenna. The front-end module may include amplifier circuitry such as low noise amplifier circuitry for amplifying received radio-frequency signals. The amplifier circuitry may include an amplifier having an input and an output, an adjustable load component coupled to the input, and an adjustable feedback component coupled across the input and output. A control circuit may simultaneously adjust the load and feedback components to tune the gain of the amplifier circuitry while maintaining the input resistance at a desired target level. The load and feedback components can be the same or different types of adjustable passive components.

A switching power amplifier includes logic circuitry that generates first and second components of a differential signal, based on received amplitude code and a delayed version of the same. The amplitude code includes a sign and a magnitude. When the sign is positive, a first logic path is configured to generate the first component based on the received amplitude code and the second logic path is configured to generate the second component based on the delayed amplitude code. When the sign is negative, the first logic path is configured to generate the first component based on the delayed amplitude code and the second logic path is configured to generate the second component based on the received amplitude code. The switching power amplifier further includes a differential-to-single ended conversion circuit configured to generate a single-ended signal based on the differential signal.

A transceiver is configured for a calibration mode of operation in which an impedance of a transmit chain is tuned responsive to a power measurement of a mixed RF calibration signal to form a tuned transmit chain. A direct conversion mixes an RF calibration signal with a DC offset signal to form the mixed calibration signal. During a normal mode of operation, a heterodyne mixer mixes an LO signal with an IF signal to produce an RF signal that is amplified through the tuned transmit chain.

Methods and devices used in mobile receiver front end to support multiple paths and multiple frequency bands are described. The presented devices and methods provide benefits of scalability, frequency band agility, as well as size reduction by using one low noise amplifier per simultaneous outputs. Based on the disclosed teachings, variable gain amplification of multiband signals is also presented.