POWER AMPLIFIER PROVIDING HIGH EFFICIENCY

摘要

A power amplifier containing a DC-DC converter, a linear amplifier and a control block. The DC-DC converter receives power from a power source and generates a regulated power supply voltage whose magnitude is controlled by the magnitude of a control signal provided to the DC-DC converter. The linear amplifier receives an input signal and generates a power-amplified output signal, and receives the regulated power supply voltage for operation. The control block is coupled to receive the input signal, and generates the control signal with a magnitude based on the amplitude of the input signal. The regulated power supply voltage is modulated based on the amplitude of the input signal, for peak-to-peak amplitudes of the power-amplified output greater than or less than or equal to the magnitude of the power source. High efficiency for the power amplifier is thereby obtained.

主权项

1. An Integrated Circuit (IC) comprising:
a DC-DC converter coupled to receive power from a power source and to generate a regulated power supply voltage as output, wherein a magnitude of said regulated power supply voltage is controlled by the magnitude of a control signal provided to said DC-DC converter; a first linear amplifier coupled to receive a first input signal, said first linear amplifier designed to amplify said first input signal to generate a power-amplified output signal, wherein said first linear amplifier is coupled to receive said regulated power supply voltage for operation; and a control block coupled to receive said first input signal, and to generate said control signal with a magnitude having positive correlation with an amplitude of said first input signal, wherein the operation of said control block in conjunction with said DC-DC converter causes said regulated power supply voltage to vary based on said amplitude of said first input signal when the amplitude of said power-amplified output signal is in a first range less than a magnitude of said power source, as well as when the amplitude of said power-amplified output signal is in a second range greater than or equal to said magnitude of said power source.