Variable gain amplification circuit with linearity compensation mechanism and method
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- REALTEK SEMICON CORP
- Filing Date
- 2022-01-27
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-07
AI Technical Summary
然而电路结构的改变却往往也造成阻抗的改变,进而使输出的电压波形失真
[0004] In view of the problems of the prior art, one object of the present invention is to provide a variable gain amplifier circuit and method with a linearity compensation mechanism to improve the prior art.
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Figure CN116566337B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to gain amplification technology, and more particularly to a variable gain amplifier circuit and method with a linearity compensation mechanism. Background Technology
[0002] A variable gain amplifier (VGA) can be used in communication systems to amplify the signals of radio frequency circuits at different gains in the analog front-end circuit of the signal transceiver circuit.
[0003] For cascode variable gain amplifier circuits, changes to the circuit structure are required to achieve gain adjustment. However, changes to the circuit structure often also cause changes in impedance, leading to distortion of the output voltage waveform. Such a design will lose linearity because it cannot adapt to all adjustable gain values and output a complete waveform. Summary of the Invention
[0004] In view of the problems of the prior art, one object of the present invention is to provide a variable gain amplifier circuit and method with a linearity compensation mechanism to improve the prior art.
[0005] This invention includes a variable gain amplifier circuit with a linearity compensation mechanism, comprising: an amplifier circuit and a gain adjustment circuit. The amplifier circuit includes: a lower half-branch, an upper half-branch, multiple amplification control circuits, and an inductor. The lower half-branch includes a lower half-amplifier transistor electrically coupled between a connection terminal and a ground terminal, configured to be controlled by an AC input signal. The upper half-branch includes multiple upper half-amplifier transistors electrically connected in parallel between an amplification output terminal and a connection terminal, wherein the amplification output terminal is configured to generate an AC output signal. Each amplification control circuit controls the on / off state of one of the upper half-amplifier transistors according to an amplification control voltage, and is electrically coupled to a power supply terminal to operate according to the power supply supply. The inductor is electrically coupled between the power supply terminal and the amplification output terminal. The gain adjustment circuit includes: multiple adjustment transistors, multiple adjustment control circuits, and a first voltage adjustment circuit. The adjustment transistors are electrically connected in parallel between the power supply terminal and the connection terminal. Each adjustment control circuit controls the on / off state of one of the adjustment transistors according to an adjustment control voltage. The first voltage adjustment circuit is electrically coupled between the power supply terminal and the adjustment control circuit to adjust the impedance of each adjustment transistor, thereby adjusting the AC voltage cross-voltage relationship between the lower half-amplifier transistor and at least one conducting upper half-amplifier transistor.
[0006] The present invention also includes a variable gain amplification method with a linearity compensation mechanism, applied in a variable gain amplification circuit, the variable gain amplification circuit including an amplification circuit and a gain adjustment circuit. The variable gain amplification method includes the following steps. The lower half-branch of the amplifier circuit, electrically coupled between the connection terminal and the ground terminal, is controlled by an AC input signal; multiple upper half-branch transistors, electrically connected in parallel between the amplifier output terminal and the connection terminal, generate an AC output signal at the amplifier output terminal; multiple amplification control circuits in the amplifier circuit each control the conduction and shutdown of one of the upper half-branch transistors according to an amplification control voltage, and are electrically coupled to the power supply terminal to operate according to the power supply; an inductor in the amplifier circuit is electrically coupled between the power supply terminal and the amplifier output terminal; multiple adjustment transistors in the gain adjustment circuit are electrically connected in parallel between the power supply terminal and the connection terminal; multiple adjustment control circuits in the gain adjustment circuit each control the conduction and shutdown of one of the adjustment transistors according to an adjustment control voltage; and a first voltage adjustment circuit in the gain adjustment circuit is electrically coupled between the power supply terminal and the adjustment control circuit to adjust the impedance of each adjustment transistor, thereby adjusting the AC voltage cross-voltage relationship between the lower half-branch transistor and at least one conducting upper half-branch transistor.
[0007] The features, implementation, and effects of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, using preferred embodiments. Attached Figure Description
[0008] Figure 1 This diagram shows a circuit diagram of a variable gain amplifier circuit with a linearity compensation mechanism in one embodiment of the present invention.
[0009] Figures 2A to 2C More detailed circuit diagrams of the first voltage adjustment circuit are shown in one embodiment of the present invention.
[0010] Figure 3 This shows the waveforms of the AC cross voltage of the lower half-amplifier transistor and the AC cross voltage of the upper half-amplifier transistor before linearity compensation by the first voltage adjustment circuit in one embodiment of the present invention.
[0011] Figure 4 This shows the waveforms of the AC cross voltage of the lower half-amplifier transistor and the AC cross voltage of the upper half-amplifier transistor after linearity compensation by the first voltage adjustment circuit in one embodiment of the present invention.
[0012] Figure 5 A circuit diagram showing a variable gain amplifier circuit with a linearity compensation mechanism is displayed in another embodiment of the present invention; and
[0013] Figure 6 This diagram shows a flowchart of a variable gain amplification method with a linearity compensation mechanism in one embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0014] One object of the present invention is to provide a variable gain amplifier circuit and method with a linearity compensation mechanism. By setting up a first voltage adjustment circuit, the impedance relationship between the lower and upper branches is changed when the gain adjustment circuit adjusts the gain, thereby adjusting the voltage difference between the lower and upper branches. Therefore, the variable gain amplifier circuit can compensate for linearity while changing the gain, maintaining better linearity.
[0015] Please refer to Figure 1 . Figure 1 This diagram shows a circuit diagram of a variable gain amplifier circuit 100 with a linearity compensation mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention. The variable gain amplifier circuit 100 includes an amplifier circuit 110 and a gain adjustment circuit 120.
[0016] The variable gain amplifier circuit 100 is configured to operate according to the power supply VDD, so that the amplifier circuit 110 amplifies the received AC input signal RFI to generate an AC output signal RFO, and the gain between the AC output signal RFO and the AC input signal RFI can be adjusted by the settings of the gain adjustment circuit 120.
[0017] In one embodiment, the variable gain amplifier circuit 100 may receive a power supply VDD from the power supply terminal PO via, for example, but not limited to, a low dropout regulator (not shown). Furthermore, the variable gain amplifier circuit 100 may output an AC output signal RFO from the amplified output terminal AO to, for example, but not limited to, a mixer (not shown), and then output it from the antenna.
[0018] The structure and operation of the variable gain amplifier circuit 100 will be described in more detail below.
[0019] The amplifier circuit 110 includes: a lower half-branch, an upper half-branch, multiple amplifier control circuits 130A and 130B, and an inductor L.
[0020] The lower branch includes a lower half-amplifier transistor M0 electrically coupled between the connection terminal CO and the ground terminal GND. In this embodiment, the lower half-amplifier transistor M0 is an N-type metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor and receives an AC input signal RFI through its gate. Therefore, the lower half-amplifier transistor M0 is configured to be controlled by the AC input signal RFI.
[0021] The upper branch contains multiple upper-amplifier transistors electrically connected in parallel between the amplification output terminal AO and the connection terminal CO. Figure 1Two upper-half-amplifier transistors M1 and M2 are shown as an example; however, the number of upper-half-amplifier transistors is not limited to this. In this embodiment, the upper-half-amplifier transistors M1 and M2 are N-type metal-oxide-semiconductor transistors. The amplified output terminal AO is configured to generate an AC output signal RFO based on the operation of the upper-half-amplifier transistors M1 and M2.
[0022] Amplification control circuits 130A and 130B each control the conduction and shutdown of one of the upper half-amplifier transistors M1 and M2 according to the amplification control voltages VC1 and VC2. Amplification control circuits 130A and 130B are electrically coupled to the power supply terminal PO to operate according to the power supply VDD supplied by the power supply terminal PO.
[0023] In one embodiment, amplification control circuits 130A and 130B each include a plurality of inverters connected in series. Taking amplification control circuit 130A as an example, it includes, but is not limited to, the following: Figure 1 The two inverters IV1 and IV2 shown are coupled to the power supply terminal PO to operate according to the power supply VDD supplied by the power supply terminal PO.
[0024] Therefore, the amplification control circuit 130A can receive the amplification control voltage VC1 and output it to the gate of the upper half-amplification transistor M1 via two inverters IV1 and IV2, and control the conduction and shutdown of the upper half-amplification transistor M1 according to the high and low states of the amplification control voltage VC1, respectively. Similarly, the amplification control circuit 130B can receive the amplification control voltage VC2 and output it to the gate of the upper half-amplification transistor M2 through the same structure (not shown separately), and control the conduction and shutdown of the upper half-amplification transistor M2 according to the high and low states of the amplification control voltage VC2, respectively.
[0025] In other embodiments, the amplification control circuits 130A and 130B may selectively include other numbers of inverters, and when the number is even, control the conduction and shutdown of the upper half-amplification transistors M1 and M2 according to the high and low states of the amplification control voltages VC1 and VC2, and when the number is odd, control the conduction and shutdown of the upper half-amplification transistors M1 and M2 according to the low and high states of the amplification control voltages VC1 and VC2.
[0026] In one embodiment, when at least one of the upper half-amplifier transistors M1 and M2 is turned on, the small-signal AC input signal RFI is transmitted to the at least one of the turned upper half-amplifier transistors M1 and M2 through the lower half-amplifier transistor M0 for amplification. As the number of turned-on upper half-amplifier transistors M1 and M2 increases, the gain of the AC output signal RFO relative to the AC input signal RFI increases.
[0027] Inductor L is electrically coupled between the power supply terminal PO and the amplification output terminal AO. When inductor L has sufficiently high impedance, a small signal will be output from the amplification output terminal AO without being grounded, thus generating an AC output signal RFO.
[0028] The gain adjustment circuit 120 includes: multiple adjustment transistors, multiple adjustment control circuits 140A and 140B, and a first voltage adjustment circuit 150.
[0029] The transistor is electrically connected in parallel between the power supply terminal PO and the connection terminal CO. Figure 1 Two regulating transistors M3 and M4, which are N-type metal-oxide-semiconductor transistors, are shown as examples; however, the number and pattern of regulating transistors are not limited thereto.
[0030] Adjustment control circuits 140A and 140B each control the conduction and shutdown of one of the adjustment transistors M3 and M4 according to adjustment control voltages VA1 and VA2. A first voltage adjustment circuit 150 is electrically coupled between the power supply terminal PO and the adjustment control circuits 140A and 140B to adjust the power supply VDD to generate a first adjustment power supply VAD1, causing the adjustment control circuits 140A and 140B to operate according to the first adjustment power supply VAD1.
[0031] In one embodiment, similar to amplification control circuits 130A and 130B, adjustment control circuits 140A and 140B each include multiple inverters connected in series and receive a first adjustment power supply VAD1 operation generated by the first voltage adjustment circuit 150.
[0032] Therefore, the adjustment control circuit 140A can receive the adjustment control voltage VA1 and output it to the gate of the adjustment transistor M3 via an inverter (not shown), thereby controlling the on and off states of the adjustment transistor M3. Similarly, the adjustment control circuit 140B can receive the adjustment control voltage VA2 and output it to the gate of the adjustment transistor M4 through the same structure (not shown), thereby controlling the on and off states of the adjustment transistor M4.
[0033] When at least one of the adjusting transistors M3 and M4 is turned on, a portion of the small-signal AC input signal RFI will be transmitted to at least one of the adjusting transistors M3 and M4 through the lower half-amplifier transistor M0.
[0034] The variable gain amplifier circuit 100 may also include a bypass capacitor CB electrically coupled between the power supply terminal PO and the ground terminal GND, so that part of the AC input signal RFI is transmitted to AC ground by the adjusting transistors M3 and M4, thereby reducing the gain of the AC output signal RFO generated at the amplified output terminal AO relative to the AC input signal RFI. When the number of conducting adjusting transistors M3 and M4 increases, the gain of the AC output signal RFO relative to the AC input signal RFI will decrease.
[0035] The first voltage adjustment circuit 150 can adjust the impedance ZU seen by transistors M3 and M4, thereby adjusting the relative AC voltage difference between the lower half-amplifier transistor M0 and the conducting upper half-amplifier transistors M1 and M2. The term "AC voltage difference" mentioned above refers to the AC voltage difference between the drain and source of each transistor.
[0036] Please refer to Figures 2A to 2C . Figures 2A to 2C More detailed circuit diagrams of the first voltage adjustment circuit 150 in one embodiment of the present invention are shown below.
[0037] In different embodiments, the first voltage adjustment circuit 150 may include a variable resistor, a variable capacitor, a variable inductor, or a combination thereof. Figure 2A The first voltage regulation circuit 150 shown contains only a variable resistor RV. Figure 2B The first voltage regulation circuit 150 shown includes a variable resistor RV and a variable capacitor CV. Figure 2C The first voltage regulation circuit 150 shown includes a variable inductor LV and a variable capacitor CV.
[0038] It should be noted that, Figures 2A to 2C The circuit structure of the first voltage adjustment circuit 150 shown is only an example. In other embodiments, the first voltage adjustment circuit 150 may include different numbers of variable resistors, variable capacitors, and variable inductors, or different structures of the aforementioned impedance elements.
[0039] In one embodiment, the variable resistor RV (such as...) Figure 2B The transistor (as shown) is configured to adjust the relative magnitude of the AC cross voltage between the lower half-amplifier transistor M0 and the conducting upper half-amplifier transistors M1 and M2. This relative magnitude of the AC cross voltage allows the AC cross voltage of at least one conducting upper half-amplifier transistor M1 or M2 to have a voltage headroom greater than a preset value.
[0040] In one embodiment, the variable capacitance CV (such as...) Figure 2B (as shown) and variable inductor LV (such as Figure 2C(As shown) is configured to adjust the relative phase relationship of the AC cross voltage between the lower half-amplifier transistor M0 and the conducting upper half-amplifier transistors M1 and M2. The relative phase relationship of the AC cross voltage allows the AC cross voltages of each lower half-amplifier transistor M0 and at least one conducting upper half-amplifier transistor M1 or M2 to have aligned phases.
[0041] The following will use the lower half-amplifier transistor M0 and the upper half-amplifier transistor M1 as examples to explain the relative relationship of AC cross voltage adjusted by the first voltage adjustment circuit 150.
[0042] Please refer to the following at the same time Figure 3 as well as Figure 4 . Figure 3 This diagram shows the waveforms of the AC voltage V0 of the lower half-amplifier transistor M0 and the AC voltage V1 of the upper half-amplifier transistor M1 before linearity compensation by the first voltage adjustment circuit 150, according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 This diagram shows the waveforms of the AC voltage V0 of the lower half-amplifier transistor M0 and the AC voltage V1 of the upper half-amplifier transistor M1 after linearity compensation by the first voltage adjustment circuit 150, according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0043] exist Figure 3 as well as Figure 4 In the AC trans-voltage diagram, V0 has a magnitude AM0, a peak position P0, and a trough position A0. AC trans-voltage V1 has a magnitude AM1, a peak position P1, and a trough position A1.
[0044] When the variable gain amplifier circuit 100 adjusts the gain through the aforementioned mechanism, Figure 1 The impedance ZU seen by the lower half-amplifier transistor M0 towards the upper half of the connection terminal CO will change depending on the number of conducting upper half-amplifier transistors M1 and M2, as well as the number of adjusting transistors M3 and M4. Therefore, the relative magnitudes and phases of the AC voltage V0 and AC voltage V1 will change accordingly.
[0045] When the impedance ZU decreases due to the increase in the number of parallel transistors, the magnitude of the AC trans-voltage V1 AM1 will decrease, while the magnitude of the AC trans-voltage V0 AM0 will increase. Without the linearity compensation mechanism of the first voltage adjustment circuit 150, the allowed increase in AC trans-voltage V0 will be limited by the DC bias of the upper half-amplifier transistor M1, exceeding... Figure 3 The dashed lines indicate that the waveform is compressed and distorted at thresholds T1 and T2.
[0046] Under such conditions, the first voltage adjustment circuit 150 can be configured to include a variable resistor RV, and the higher the resistance value of the variable resistor RV, the higher the impedance ZU seen by the lower half-amplifier transistor M0 to the upper half of the connection terminal CO, thereby reducing the magnitude AM0 of the AC trans-voltage V0 of the upper half-amplifier transistor M1.
[0047] Therefore, the adjusted relative relationship between the AC trans-voltage magnitude AM0 will be as follows: Figure 4 As shown, the AC cross voltage V0 is made less than the thresholds T1 and T2, while having a voltage headroom greater than the preset value relative to the thresholds T1 and T2.
[0048] On the other hand, when the variable gain amplifier circuit 100 adjusts the gain through the aforementioned mechanism, it may also... Figure 3 As shown, the phase difference between AC trans-voltage V0 and AC trans-voltage V1 is altered and becomes inconsistent, resulting in the peak position P0 and trough position A0 of AC trans-voltage V0 being different from the peak position P1 and trough position A1 of AC trans-voltage V1, thus causing a phase difference. The existence of.
[0049] Under such conditions, the first voltage adjustment circuit 150 can be configured to include a variable capacitor CV and / or a variable inductor LV, and when the capacitance value of the variable capacitor CV and / or the inductance value of the variable inductor LV change, the real and imaginary parts of the impedance ZU seen by the lower half-amplifier transistor M0 towards the upper half of the connection terminal CO change, thereby changing the phase relationship between the AC cross voltage V1 and the AC cross voltage V0.
[0050] Therefore, the adjusted AC trans-voltage phase relative relationship will be as follows: Figure 4 As shown, AC trans-voltage V1 and AC trans-voltage V0 are aligned in phase, thereby aligning the peak position P0 of AC trans-voltage V0 with the peak position P1 of AC trans-voltage V1, and aligning the trough position A0 of AC trans-voltage V0 with the trough position A1 of AC trans-voltage V1, to eliminate... Figure 3 Phase difference
[0051] In one embodiment, the adjustment of the AC trans-voltage relationship by the first voltage adjustment circuit 150 is performed without affecting the gain.
[0052] The variable gain amplifier circuit of this invention, with its linearity compensation mechanism, can adjust the impedance relationship between the lower and upper branches by setting a first voltage adjustment circuit. This alters the voltage relationship between the lower and upper branches when the gain adjustment circuit adjusts the gain, thereby adjusting the relative voltage across the lower and upper branches. Therefore, the variable gain amplifier circuit can compensate for linearity while changing the gain, maintaining optimal linearity.
[0053] Please refer to Figure 5 . Figure 5 This invention shows a circuit diagram of a variable gain amplifier circuit 500 with a linearity compensation mechanism, according to another embodiment of the invention.
[0054] Similar to Figure 1 The variable gain amplifier circuit 100 and variable gain amplifier circuit 500 also include amplifier circuit 110 and gain adjustment circuit 120, so the same components will not be described again. However, in this embodiment, in addition to the lower half branch, upper half branch, multiple amplification control circuits 130A and 130B and inductor L, amplifier circuit 110 also includes a second voltage adjustment circuit 510.
[0055] Similar to the structure and operation mechanism of the first voltage adjustment circuit 150, the second voltage adjustment circuit 510 is electrically coupled between the power supply terminal PO and the amplification control circuits 130A and 130B to adjust the impedance of each amplification transistor M1 and M2, thereby adjusting the AC voltage cross-voltage relationship between the lower half-amplification transistor M0 and at least one conducting upper half-amplification transistor M1 and M2.
[0056] Therefore, the variable gain amplifier circuit 500 can selectively use either the first voltage adjustment circuit 150 or the second voltage adjustment circuit 510 to provide an impedance adjustment mechanism, thereby achieving linearity compensation.
[0057] In one embodiment, the variable gain amplifier (variable gain amplifier circuits 100 and 500) can be tested offline to determine the required impedance adjustment levels for the first and second voltage adjustment circuits under different gain conditions. In actual operation, when the variable gain amplifier switches the upper half-amplifier transistor and adjusts the number of conducting transistors to obtain the required gain, the impedances of the first and second voltage adjustment circuits can be adjusted accordingly to achieve the aforementioned linearity compensation.
[0058] In another embodiment, the variable gain amplifier can also detect the impedance change caused by the change in the number of conducting upper half-amplifier transistors and adjustment transistors in real time during actual operation, and adjust the impedance of the first voltage adjustment circuit and the second voltage adjustment circuit accordingly to achieve the above-mentioned linearity compensation.
[0059] Please refer to Figure 6 . Figure 6 This diagram shows a flowchart of a variable gain amplification method 600 with a linearity compensation mechanism in one embodiment of the present invention.
[0060] In addition to the aforementioned apparatus, the present invention also discloses a variable gain amplification method 600, applicable to, for example, but not limited to, [other applications]. Figure 1In the variable gain amplifier circuit 100. An embodiment of the variable gain amplification method 600 is, for example... Figure 6 As shown, it includes the following steps.
[0061] In step S610, the lower half-amplifier transistor M0, which is electrically coupled between the connection terminal CO and the ground terminal GND, in the lower half-branch of the amplifier circuit 110 is controlled by the AC input signal RFI.
[0062] In step S620, the multiple upper half-amplifier transistors M1 and M2, which are electrically connected in parallel between the amplification output terminal and the connection terminal CO, in the upper half-branch of the amplifier circuit 110 generate an AC output signal RFO at the amplification output terminal AO.
[0063] In step S630, the multiple amplification control circuits 130A and 130B included in the amplifier circuit 110 control the conduction and shutdown of one of the upper half-amplifier transistors M1 and M2 according to the amplification control voltages VC1 and VC2, and are electrically coupled to the power supply terminal PO to operate according to the power supply VDD supplied by the power supply terminal.
[0064] In step S640, the inductor L included in the amplifier circuit 110 is electrically coupled between the power supply terminal PO and the amplifier output terminal AO.
[0065] In step S650, the plurality of adjustment transistors M3 and M4 included in the gain adjustment circuit 120 are electrically connected in parallel between the power supply terminal PO and the connection terminal CO.
[0066] In step S660, the multiple adjustment control circuits 140A and 140B included in the gain adjustment circuit 120 control one of the adjustment transistors M3 and M4 to turn on or off according to the adjustment control voltages VA1 and VA2.
[0067] In step S670, the first voltage adjustment circuit 150 included in the gain adjustment circuit 120 is electrically coupled between the power supply terminal PO and the adjustment control circuits 140A and 140B to adjust the impedance of each adjustment transistor M3 and M4, thereby adjusting the AC voltage relative relationship between the lower half-amplifier transistor M0 and at least one conducting upper half-amplifier transistor M1 and M2.
[0068] It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are merely examples. In other embodiments, those skilled in the art can make modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention.
[0069] In summary, the variable gain amplifier circuit and method with a linearity compensation mechanism in this invention can, through the setting of the first voltage adjustment circuit, change the impedance relationship between the lower and upper branches when the gain adjustment circuit adjusts the gain, thereby adjusting the voltage difference between the lower and upper branches. Therefore, the variable gain amplifier circuit can compensate for linearity while changing the gain, maintaining better linearity.
[0070] While the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes to the technical features of the present invention based on the explicit or implicit content of the present invention, and all such changes may fall within the scope of patent protection sought by the present invention. In other words, the scope of patent protection of the present invention shall be determined by the claims of this specification.
[0071] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:
[0072] 100, 500: Variable gain amplifier circuit
[0073] 110: Amplifier Circuit
[0074] 120: Gain Adjustment Circuit
[0075] 130A, 130B: Amplifier control circuit
[0076] 140A, 140B: Adjust the control circuit
[0077] 150: First voltage regulation circuit
[0078] 510: Second voltage adjustment circuit
[0079] 600: Variable Gain Amplification Method
[0080] S610~S670: Steps
[0081] A0, A1: Trough positions
[0082] AM0, AM1: Size
[0083] AO: Amplified output terminal
[0084] CB: Bypass capacitor
[0085] CO: Connector
[0086] CV: Variable Capacitor
[0087] GND: Ground terminal
[0088] L: Inductance
[0089] LV: Variable Inductor
[0090] IV1, IV2: Inverters
[0091] M0: Lower half-amplifier transistor
[0092] M1, M2: Upper half-amplifier transistors
[0093] M3, M4: Adjusting transistors
[0094] P0, P1: Peak positions
[0095] PO: Power Supply
[0096] V0, V1: AC transvoltage
[0097] VA1, VA2: Adjust control voltage
[0098] VAD1: First Adjustment Power Supply
[0099] VAD2: Second Adjustable Power Supply
[0100] VC1, VC2: Amplified control voltage
[0101] VDD: Power supply
[0102] RFI: AC Input Signal
[0103] RFO: AC output signal
[0104] RV: Variable resistor
[0105] T1, T2: Thresholds
[0106] ZU: Impedance
[0107] Phase difference
Claims
1. A variable gain amplifier circuit with a linearity compensation mechanism, comprising: Amplifier circuit, including: The lower half-branch, which includes a lower half-amplifier transistor electrically coupled between the connection terminal and the ground terminal, is configured to be controlled by an AC input signal; The upper branch includes a plurality of upper half-amplifier transistors electrically connected in parallel between the amplification output terminal and the connection terminal, wherein the amplification output terminal is configured to generate an AC output signal; Multiple amplification control circuits, each controlling the conduction and shutdown of one of the multiple upper half-amplifier transistors according to the amplification control voltage, and electrically coupled to the power supply terminal to operate according to the power supply terminal; as well as An inductor is electrically coupled between the power supply terminal and the amplification output terminal; Gain adjustment circuit, including: Multiple regulating transistors are electrically connected in parallel between the power supply terminal and the connection terminal; Multiple adjustment control circuits, each controlling the on / off state of one of the multiple adjustment transistors according to an adjustment control voltage; and A first voltage adjustment circuit is electrically coupled between the power supply terminal and the plurality of adjustment control circuits to adjust the impedance of each of the plurality of adjustment transistors, thereby adjusting the AC voltage cross-voltage relationship between the lower half-amplifier transistor and at least one of the conducting upper half-amplifier transistors.
2. The variable gain amplifier circuit with linearity compensation mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of amplification control circuits and each of the plurality of adjustment control circuits comprises a plurality of inverters connected in series.
3. The variable gain amplifier circuit with linearity compensation mechanism as described in claim 1, wherein the first voltage adjustment circuit includes a variable resistor configured to adjust the relative magnitudes of AC voltages.
4. The variable gain amplifier circuit with linearity compensation mechanism as described in claim 3, wherein the relative relationship of the AC cross voltage magnitudes causes the AC cross voltage of at least one conducting upper half-amplifier transistor to have a voltage margin greater than a preset value.
5. The variable gain amplifier circuit with linearity compensation mechanism as described in claim 1, wherein the first voltage adjustment circuit includes a variable capacitor, a variable inductor, or a combination thereof, configured to adjust the phase relationship across AC voltages.
6. The variable gain amplifier circuit with linearity compensation mechanism as described in claim 5, wherein the AC trans-voltage phase relationship causes the AC trans-voltages of each of the lower half-amplifier transistors and at least one of the conducting upper half-amplifier transistors to have aligned phases.
7. The variable gain amplifier circuit with linearity compensation mechanism as described in claim 1 further includes a second voltage adjustment circuit electrically coupled between the power supply terminal and the plurality of amplification control circuits to adjust the impedance of each of the plurality of upper half-amplifier transistors, thereby adjusting the AC voltage cross-voltage relationship between the lower half-amplifier transistor and at least one of the conducting upper half-amplifier transistors.
8. The variable gain amplifier circuit with linearity compensation mechanism as described in claim 1 further includes a bypass capacitor electrically coupled between the power supply terminal and the ground terminal.
9. The variable gain amplifier circuit with linearity compensation mechanism as described in claim 1, wherein when the number of the plurality of active upper half-amplifier transistors increases, the gain of the AC output signal relative to the AC input signal increases, and when the number of the plurality of active adjustment transistors increases, the gain of the AC output signal relative to the AC input signal decreases.
10. A variable gain amplification method with a linearity compensation mechanism, applied in a variable gain amplification circuit, the variable gain amplification circuit comprising an amplification circuit and a gain adjustment circuit, the variable gain amplification method comprising: The lower half-amplifier transistor, which is electrically coupled between the connection terminal and the ground terminal, in the lower half-branch of the amplifier circuit is controlled by an AC input signal. The upper half-branch of the amplifier circuit contains multiple upper half-amplifier transistors connected in parallel between the amplifier output terminal and the connection terminal to generate an AC output signal at the amplifier output terminal. The amplification circuit includes multiple amplification control circuits, each of which controls the conduction and shutdown of one of the multiple upper half-amplification transistors according to the amplification control voltage, and is electrically coupled to the power supply terminal to operate according to the power supply terminal. The inductor included in the amplifier circuit is electrically coupled between the power supply terminal and the amplifier output terminal; The multiple adjustment transistors included in the gain adjustment circuit are electrically connected in parallel between the power supply terminal and the connection terminal; The gain adjustment circuit includes multiple adjustment control circuits, each controlling the switching on and off of one of the multiple adjustment transistors according to an adjustment control voltage; and The first voltage adjustment circuit included in the gain adjustment circuit is electrically coupled between the power supply terminal and the plurality of adjustment control circuits to adjust the impedance of each of the plurality of adjustment transistors, thereby adjusting the AC voltage cross-voltage relationship between the lower half-amplifier transistor and at least one of the conducting upper half-amplifier transistors.
Citation Information
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