Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04B—TRANSMISSION
  • H04B1/00—Details of transmission systems, not covered by a single one of groups H04B3/00 - H04B13/00; Details of transmission systems not characterised by the medium used for transmission
  • H04B1/02—Transmitters
  • H04B1/04—Circuits
  • H04B1/0483—Transmitters with multiple parallel paths
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q23/00—Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
  • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
  • H03F1/00—Details of amplifiers with only discharge tubes, only semiconductor devices or only unspecified devices as amplifying elements
  • H03F1/02—Modifications of amplifiers to raise the efficiency, e.g. gliding Class A stages, use of an auxiliary oscillation
  • H03F1/0205—Modifications of amplifiers to raise the efficiency, e.g. gliding Class A stages, use of an auxiliary oscillation in transistor amplifiers
  • H03F1/0277—Selecting one or more amplifiers from a plurality of amplifiers
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
  • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
  • H03F3/00—Amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements
  • H03F3/20—Power amplifiers, e.g. Class B amplifiers, Class C amplifiers
  • H03F3/21—Power amplifiers, e.g. Class B amplifiers, Class C amplifiers with semiconductor devices only
  • H03F3/211—Power amplifiers, e.g. Class B amplifiers, Class C amplifiers with semiconductor devices only using a combination of several amplifiers
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
  • H03G—CONTROL OF AMPLIFICATION
  • H03G1/00—Details of arrangements for controlling amplification
  • H03G1/0005—Circuits characterised by the type of controlling devices operated by a controlling current or voltage signal
  • H03G1/0088—Circuits characterised by the type of controlling devices operated by a controlling current or voltage signal using discontinuously variable devices, e.g. switch-operated
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
  • H03G—CONTROL OF AMPLIFICATION
  • H03G3/00—Gain control in amplifiers or frequency changers
  • H03G3/20—Automatic control
  • H03G3/30—Automatic control in amplifiers having semiconductor devices
  • H03G3/3036—Automatic control in amplifiers having semiconductor devices in high-frequency amplifiers or in frequency-changers
  • H03G3/3042—Automatic control in amplifiers having semiconductor devices in high-frequency amplifiers or in frequency-changers in modulators, frequency-changers, transmitters or power amplifiers
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
  • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
  • H03F2203/00—Indexing scheme relating to amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements covered by H03F3/00
  • H03F2203/72—Indexing scheme relating to gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal
  • H03F2203/7239—Indexing scheme relating to gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal the gated amplifier being switched on or off by putting into parallel or not, by choosing between amplifiers and shunting lines by one or more switch(es)

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a transmitter combiner arrangement, and more specifically a transmitter combiner arrangement usable in a base station of a multilobe telecom- munication system having phased array antennas.
• the invention is not limited to such a system, but is very use ⁇ ful with systems having a large dynamic range, e.g. up to 110 dB or more.
• the transmitter arrangement according to the invention enables amplification of low and high levels with high efficiency by means of a hybride arrangement combining efficient single carrier power amplifiers (SCPA) and high power multicarrier power amplifiers (MCPA) .
• SCPA single carrier power amplifier
• MCPA high power multicarrier power amplifiers
• the multicarrier power amplifier is a known amplifying circuit having high power but low efficiency.
• the advantage of this circuit is that it may accomodate many channels.
• the present invention provides a transmitter combiner arrangement comprising a hybride of progressively coupled single carrier power amplifiers and a multicarrier power amplifier connected with a combiner network.
• Figure 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of the invention including progressively coupled single carrier power amplifiers and a multicarrier power amplifier con ⁇ nected by a combiner network;
• Figure 2 is a block diagram of another embodiment of the invention in which single carrier power amplifiers are connected by a filter bank;
• Figure 3 is a block diagram of a further embodiment- of the invention in which single carrier power amplifiers are connected by the filter bank and a 3 dB combiner;
• Figure 4A is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of a single carrier power amplifier according to the inven- tion.
• Figure 4B is a block diagram of a possible implementa ⁇ tion of a single carrier power amplifier.
• the transmitter combiner arrangement according to the present invention is suitable for use in communication systems that transmit signals with a wide dynamic range.
• the power is distributed to many radiating elements, and in order to obtain low sidelobe levels, the power sent to the different radiating elements may vary 30 dB .
• the base station includes a lobe-shaping unit for con ⁇ trolling the signals to the phased array antenna.
• a base station controller in turn controls the base stations of the telecommunication system.
• the lobe-shaping unit and the base station controller do not form any parts of the present in- vention.
• the transmitter arrangement includes a number of SCPAs connected by transmitter combiner circuits WILKD3DB, which may be of the conventional Wilkin- son 3dB type, in a step arrangement having equal attenuation steps.
• WILKD3DB transmitter combiner circuits
• the top SCPA will be able to furnish the lowest output power.
• the SCPAs In front of the SCPAs are variable attenuators WA.
• the inputs to the various SCPAs are arranged according to the input level or power requirement, such that the correct output power is obtained at the. output.
• At the top transmitter combiner is a further expansion input for additional low power channels.
• the transmitter arrangement also comprises a multi- carrier power amplifier.
• a combiner network In front of the MCPAs is a combiner network, which may consist of transmitter combiners or a resistive combiner network.
• the combiner network is pre ⁇ ferably symmetrical, such that the gain through the ampli ⁇ bombs is the same independent of input port.
• the MCPA is suitable for amplifying many low levels since these will not generate important intermodulation products.
• the SCPAs and the MCPA are combined in a final trans ⁇ mitter combiner.
• the control unit controls the various amplifier units of the SCPAs and the MCPA by pro- viding the correct input voltage and input currents, i.e. the bias of the amplifier units. Thus the efficiency of the amplifiers can be optimised.
• the control unit also receives input information from a base site controller and a lobe- shaping unit, if the transmitter combiner arrangement according to the invention forms part of such a telecommu ⁇ nication system.
• FIG 2 is shown another embodiment of the present invention.
• the SCPAs are connected by a filter bank to the final transmitter combinex.
• the filters of the filter bank are connected by ⁇ /4 and ⁇ /2 transmission lines to the combiner for correct addition at the combiner.
• FIG 3 is shown an embodiment of the invention featuring only SCPAs combined with filters. This embodiment is useful when it is desired to amplify many similar high level signals. It is especially advantageous with a pre ⁇ ferred embodiment of a single carrier power amplifier according to the present invention as described below with reference to Figures 4A and B.
• Figure 4A is shown an especially advantageous form of a single carrier power amplifier having variable power and amplification levels.
• the amplifier comprises a number of amplifier units AMP which may be en ⁇ abled by setting a corresponding number of switches.
• the amplifier unit at the far left can only output low signal levels.
• the middle amplifier is also enabled as it can supply medium output " levels.
• the amplifier unit at the far right is enabled being able to supply high output levels.
• the middle or right-hand amplifiers are disabled, their biases are turned off so that the power consumption is considerably reduced and the signal is by ⁇ passed.
• the efficiency of the amplifier is maintained fairly independent of the output signal level.
• the amplifier arrangement achieves 60 dB gain control. This is achieved by varying the bias of the amplifiers.
• a voltage variable attenuator WA is used to fine tune the gain.
• Figure 4B shows a possible implementation of the amplifier circuit including switchable PIN diodes and ⁇ /4 transmission lines MTRL.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Amplifiers (AREA)
• Transmitters (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20402375

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Families Citing this family (27)

Family Cites Families (8)

• 1996
  • 1996-04-29 SE SE9601619A patent/SE9601619L/xx not_active Application Discontinuation
• 1997
  • 1997-03-24 EP EP97914741A patent/EP0956648A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1997-03-24 AU AU21875/97A patent/AU2187597A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1997-03-24 JP JP9538777A patent/JP2000509229A/ja active Pending
  • 1997-03-24 WO PCT/SE1997/000497 patent/WO1997041642A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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