Patent ID: 7656227
Filing Date: 2010-02-02
Classification: H03F

Abstract:
1. A method of controlling gain for a variable gain radio frequency (RF) amplifier, the method comprising: combining outputs of a plurality of RF amplifier cells to generate an output for the variable gain RF amplifier, wherein the plurality of RF amplifier cells comprises a main RF amplifier cell and one or more secondary RF amplifier cells, wherein each of the one or more secondary RF amplifier cells is scaled to be smaller than the main RF amplifier cell; biasing the plurality of RF amplifier cells for at least one of process, voltage, or temperature variation for low distortion, wherein biasing is not adaptively adjusted to vary the gain of the variable gain RF amplifier; and adaptively adjusting the gain of the variable gain RF amplifier by activating or deactivating one or more of the secondary RF amplifier cells and not the main RF amplifier cell to attain a desired gain, wherein adaptively adjusting is performed by electronic hardware.