Patent ID: 7197086

Claim:
A transmitter that produces a power-amplified phase- and amplitude-modulated output in response to an input signal, the transmitter comprising: a switching amplifier that linearly amplifies an applied amplitude portion of the input signal; and a power amplifier that amplitude modulates an amplified phase portion of the input signal in accordance with a least one applied modulating signal derived at least in part from the linearly amplified applied amplitude portion of the input signal produced by the switching amplifier; wherein the transmitter further comprises: means for reducing the resolution of the amplitude portion of the input signal applied to the switching amplifier, the output of the switching amplifier having the reduced resolution of the applied amplitude portion; and means responsive to the reduced-resolution output of the switching amplifier and to the full-resolution amplitude portion of the input signal for restoring the full resolution of the amplitude portion of the input signal back into the modulating signal applied to the power amplifier.