Patent ID: 6452446
Filing Date: 2002-09-17
Classification: H03F

Abstract:
An RF power amplifier apparatus comprising:an RF input port to which an RF input signal is applied; an RF output port from which an amplified RF output signal is derived; first and second RF signal processing paths coupled between said input and output ports and containing first and second RF power amplifiers; said first RF signal processing path including a first RF signal vector modulator, that is adapted to controllably adjust a first RF signal component of said RF input signal applied to said first RF power amplifier; said second RF signal processing path including an intermodulation distortion (IMD) extraction circuit coupled to an output of said first RF power amplifier and to said RF input port, and including a second RF signal vector modulator adapted to controllably adjust said RF input signal, and a third RF signal vector modulator adapted to controllably adjust an IMD component present in an amplified RF output signal from said first RF power amplifier, and to generate a second RF signal component as a combination of a controllably adjusted RF input signal and said controllably adjusted IMD component; an output signal combiner coupled to outputs of said first and second RF power amplifiers and to said output port, and being operative to produce said RF output signal as a composite of said first and second RF signal components, in which RF carrier components produced by said first and second RF power amplifiers constructively sum and IMD components produced thereby destructively combine; and a vector modulator controller, which is adapted to control said first, second and third vector modulators independently of one another.