Patent ID: 7313416

Claim:
A power amplifier for a dual antenna disposed on an aircraft, the power amplifier comprising: at least four controlled amplifier loops receiving a signal to be transmitted, each of the at least four controlled amplifier loops providing a controlled loop signal; a first combining structure combining the controlled loop signals provided by at least a first two of the amplifier loops; a second combining structure combining the controlled loop signals provided by at least a second two of the amplifier loops; a ninety degree hybrid receiving output from the first and second combining structures and providing output to a first antenna output for a first aircraft antenna associated with the dual antenna and a second antenna output for a second aircraft antenna associated with the dual antenna; and phase shifters associated with the controlled amplifier loops to control the phase of the controlled loop signals provided to the first combining structure and the second combining structure, the phase shifters thereby affecting the output from the first and second combining structures and received by the ninety degree hybrid, each phase shifter receiving a phase control signal from a control for adjusting the power provided to the first aircraft antenna relative to the second aircraft antenna; whereby the architecture of the power amplifier provides a dynamic range above 30 dB and a resolution of power control of less than 1 dB in an aircraft environment.