HIGH EFFICIENCY POWER AMPLIFIER ARCHITECTURE FOR OFF-PEAK TRAFFIC HOURS

摘要

A power amplifier architecture includes high and low power paths. The high power path may include a number of different amplifier structures. The low power path includes a switching element configured to short a signal line to ground or provide an open between the signal line and ground. The low power path and an output of the high power path are summed at a summing junction. Circuitry, responsive to one or more control signals, is configured in a high power mode to turn on amplifier(s) in the amplifier structure, route an input signal through a driver amplifier to the high power path and place the switching element in one of the open/closed positions; the circuitry is configured in a low power mode to turn off the amplifier(s), route the input signal through a driver amplifier to the low power path and place the switching element in the other position.