Patent ID: 7268990

Claim:
A protection circuit for a radio frequency (RF) power amplifier, the RF power amplifier operable to receive an RF input signal and amplify the RF input signal, the protection circuit comprising: shunt circuitry operable to shunt an RF input signal to AC ground, the shunt circuitry including, a shunt switch operable to shunt the RF input signal to AC ground and release the RF input signal from AC ground, the shunt switch being controlled by control circuitry; and the control circuitry including ramp circuitry, the ramp circuitry operable to control the shunt switch so that the shunt switch releases the RF input signal from AC ground for input to an RF amplifier, the control circuitry including a delay stage so that the shunt circuitry continues to shunt the RF input signal to AC ground until after the RF power amplifier has turned back on after a shutdown event.