A Doherty amplifier circuit comprising: a splitter having: a splitter-input-terminal for receiving an input signal; a main-splitter-output-terminal; and a peaking-splitter-output-terminal; a main-power-amplifier having a main-power-input-terminal and a main-power-output-terminal, wherein; the main-power-input-terminal is connected to the main-splitter-output-terminal; and the main-power-output-terminal is configured to provide a main-power-amplifier-output-signal; a peaking-power-amplifier having a peaking-power-input-terminal and a peaking-power-output-terminal, wherein: the peaking-power-input-terminal is connected to the peaking-splitter-output-terminal; and the peaking-power-output-terminal is configured to provide a peaking-power-amplifier-output-signal. The splitter, the main-power-amplifier and the peaking-power-amplifier are provided by means of an integrated circuit.

Thermal temperature sensors for power amplifiers are provided herein. In certain implementations, a semiconductor die includes a compound semiconductor substrate, and a power amplifier including a plurality of field-effect transistors (FETs) configured to amplify a radio frequency (RF) signal. The plurality of FETs are arranged on the compound semiconductor substrate as a transistor array. The semiconductor die further includes a semiconductor resistor configured to generate a signal indicative of a temperature of the transistor array. The semiconductor resistor is located adjacent to one end of the transistor array.

A current source and/or current sink digital-to-analog converter (DAC) includes a DAC circuit that converts a digital code to an analog current or voltage signal, an optional transconductance circuit that converts a voltage output of the DAC circuit into a current signal, and an output circuit that amplifies a current output of the DAC circuit or optionally amplifies a current output of the transconductance circuit to set a desired high current output for application to an output of the current source and/or current sink DAC. A power supply control current may be coupled to a power supply circuit that supplies power to the output circuit of the current source and/or current sink DAC. The power supply control current adjusts the output of the power supply circuit to cause the current source and/or current sink DAC to operate at a higher power efficiency.

A high-frequency (HF) driver circuit for an acousto-optical component includes an HF power amplifier connected to a voltage regulator for supply with a supply voltage and a bias voltage generator connected to an input of the HF power amplifier via a switch. The HF driver circuit can include a measurement device configured to measure a temperature of the HF power amplifier and a compensation device configured to control the bias voltage generator according to the temperature. The bias voltage generator is configured to provide a bias voltage to the HF power amplifier. By switching in the bias voltage, the HF power amplifier can be adjusted to a low quiescent current. By switching off the bias voltage, the HF power amplifier can be very rapidly and effectively blocked. As a result, very rapid switching-on and switching-off times, e.g., in a range of 10 to 50 ns, can be achieved.

Power amplification system with adjustable common base bias. A power amplification system can include a cascode amplifier coupled to a radio-frequency input signal and coupled to a radio-frequency output. The power amplification system can further include a biasing component configured to apply one or more biasing signals to the cascode amplifier, the biasing component including a bias controller and one or more bias components. Each respective bias component may be coupled to a respective bias transistor.

A method for performing predictive maintenance of an amplifier module is described. At least one parameter of at least one amplifier module is acquired via a measurement data acquisition unit. The at least one parameter acquired is analyzed via a measurement data analyzing unit so as to predict the probability and/or time of default of the at least one amplifier module. Further, a system is described.

A power amplifier includes a transistor, a temperature sensor and a filter. The transistor is used to receive a bias signal and amplify a radio frequency (RF) signal. The temperature sensor is arranged in proximity to the transistor, and is used to detect a temperature of the transistor to provide a voltage signal at a control node accordingly. The filter is coupled to the temperature sensor and is used to filter the voltage signal to generate a filtered voltage. The bias signal is adjusted according to the filtered voltage.

An audio amplifier system is described herein, comprising: an amplifier adapted to amplify an audio signal and comprising an output enable/disable input, the amplifier further adapted to receive an output enable signal at the output enable/disable input that enables/disables an output of the amplifier; a Zobel network connected to the output of the audio amplifier and comprising a Zobel capacitor and a Zobel resistor arranged such that they form a high pass frequency filter function and wherein the Zobel network is adapted to be substantially resistive when a frequency of an audio signal output from the audio amplifier is within a first frequency range; a mirroring resistor connected in parallel to the Zobel resistor and adapted to mirror a power that is dissipated in the Zobel resistor, and wherein a printed circuit board upon which the mirroring resistor is located is adapted to conduct heat generated by the mirroring resistor; a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) resistor located in close proximity to the mirroring resistor to receive the conducted heat from the mirroring resistor and which is adapted to change its resistance in response to the transferred heat such that its resistance goes down as a temperature of the NTC resistor increases; and a circuit adapted to generate the output enable signal, wherein the circuit generates an output enable signal that enables the output of the amplifier when the temperature of the Zobel resistor is below a first temperature, and wherein the circuit generates an output enable signal that disables the output of the amplifier when the temperature of the Zobel resistor is substantially the same or above the first temperature.

A power amplifier includes an over-current protection loop and/or an over-voltage protection loop to assist in preventing operation outside a safe operation zone. In a further exemplary aspect, triggering of the over-current protection loop adjusts a threshold voltage for the over-voltage protection loop. In further exemplary aspects, the over-current protection loop may adjust not only a bias regulator, but also provide an auxiliary control signal that further limits signals reaching the power amplifier. In still further exemplary aspects, the over-voltage protection loop may operate independently of the over-current protection current loop or the over-voltage protection loop contribute to an over-current protection signal.

A power amplifier includes an over-current protection loop and/or an over-voltage protection loop to assist in preventing operation outside a safe operation zone. In a further exemplary aspect, triggering of the over-current protection loop adjusts a threshold voltage for the over-voltage protection loop. In further exemplary aspects, the over-current protection loop may adjust not only a bias regulator, but also provide an auxiliary control signal that further limits signals reaching the power amplifier. In still further exemplary aspects, the over-voltage protection loop may operate independently of the over-current protection current loop or the over-voltage protection loop contribute to an over-current protection signal.