Load-Modulated Balanced Power Amplifier With Harmonic Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power amplifiers, particularly those used in applications like base stations, suffer from low power efficiency, leading to high power consumption and inefficiency in applications.
Innovation Solution
A balanced configuration of a balanced type amplifier and a control amplifier, which includes a first amplifier and a second amplifier, and a distributor configured to amplify an input power and a signal from a distributor configured to amplify a harmonic component of the input power to the balanced type amplifier.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a conventional power amplifier configuration is used, then the amplifier can provide sufficient output power, but the power efficiency is low leading to high power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The power amplifier is divided into two independent amplifiers: a balanced type amplifier for power amplification and a control amplifier for generating control signals. This segmentation allows each amplifier to be optimized for its specific function, with the balanced type amplifier using Class-C operation for efficiency and the control amplifier using Class-AB or Class-B to generate harmonic components that improve overall power efficiency when combined through load modulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs load modulation where the control amplifier dynamically adjusts the load impedance seen by the balanced type amplifier. By varying the control signal that includes harmonic components, the load impedance is modulated to improve the power efficiency of the balanced type amplifier across different operating conditions, transforming a static system into a dynamically adaptive one.
2Loss of energy
If Class-C amplifiers are used in the balanced type amplifier, then power efficiency can be improved, but the amplifier requires precise load control to maintain performance
Solution Approach 1:
The control amplifier generates its own control signal with the necessary harmonic components by amplifying the input signal itself. This self-generated control signal is then used to modulate the load of the balanced type amplifier, eliminating the need for external complex control circuits or additional signal generation stages. The system essentially controls itself, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining the benefits of Class-C operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A power amplifier of the present disclosure includes a balanced type amplifier and a control amplifier. The balanced type amplifier includes a first amplifier and a second amplifier to amplify input power. The control amplifier forms a load modulated balanced amplifier together with the balanced type amplifier, and supplies a control signal including a harmonic component of the input power to the balanced type amplifier. The control amplifier is a Class-AB amplifier or a Class-B amplifier. Each of the first amplifier and the second amplifier is a Class-C amplifier.