PHASE SHIFTERS FOR GALLIUM NITRIDE AMPLIFIERS AND RELATED METHODS

Thomas Kelly

Patent

Atlas literature

Patent

US 11,038,473

PHASE SHIFTERS FOR GALLIUM NITRIDE AMPLIFIERS AND RELATED METHODS

Thomas Kelly

Drawings

Patent drawings and their descriptions. Click a drawing to enlarge it.

FIG. 1

FIG. 1 is a bl o ck diagram illustrating a system f o r providing a radio-frequency (RF) signal to a load, according to some non-limiting embodiments. System …

FIG. 2

FIG. 2 is a ﬂowchart illustrating a method of proving an RF signal to a load, according to some non-limiting embodiments. Method 200 m ay be implemented using …

FIG. 3

FIG. 3B. In this example, the power 306 exhibits a minimum at approximately 12 5 0. Having a minimum in the dissipated power, the region of pl o t 301 …

FIG. 4

FIG. 4 is a plot illustrating the temperature of GaN RF ampliﬁer 102 as a function of the phase. In the example illustrated, the threshold temperature is set …

FIG. 5

FIG. 5. P hase shifter 500 may comprise a plurality of impedance elements disposed in a hy b rid coupler conﬁguration. The impedance elements may be …

FIG. 6

FIG. 6 is a Smith chart illustrating how the phase of the ampliﬁed signal may be varied. Before any phase shift is introduced, it will be assumed, in the …

FIG. 7

FIG. 7 illustrates schematically a microwave oven cavity 704, connected to a microwave oven driver 702. Microwave oven driver 702 may comprise a system 100 in …

Claims

Claims define the patent's legal scope. Independent claims stand alone; dependent claims (nested) narrow them. Click a claim to expand its dependents.

3 independent · 17 dependent

1
IndependentGaNGaN radio-frequency (RF) amplifier with temperature-controlled phase shifter
An apparatus comprising: a gallium nitride (GaN) radio-frequency (RF) ampliﬁer comprising an output terminal and conﬁgured to output an RF signal through the output terminal; a temperature sensor thermally coupled to the GaN RF ampliﬁer and conﬁgured to sense a temperature of the GaN RF ampliﬁer; a phase shifter electrically coupled to the output terminal of the GaN RF ampliﬁer; and control circuitry coupled to the temperature sensor and the phase shifter and conﬁgured to: receive, from the temperature sensor, data representing the temperature of the GaN RF ampliﬁer; and cause, based at least in part on the data representing the temperature of 1 The listing of claims this Response includes strikethrough and underline as compared to the original listing of claims ﬁled on. The Preliminary Amendment ﬁled on, included inadvertent errors in the numbering of the claims, the sequence of pages, and other informalities. To clarify the record and conﬁrm the listing of claims pending as of the date of this Response, the strikethrough and underline in this Response tracks the changes in the Preliminary Amendment, as well as any additional amendments submitted with this Response, in compliance with 37 C.F.R. § 1.121. Original
1. 2
  Dependent← claim 1
  The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is conﬁgured to cause the phase shifter to shift the phase of the RF signal when it determines that the data representing the temperature of the GaN RF ampliﬁer is greater than a threshold value. Original
2. 3
  Dependent← claim 1
  The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the phase amount is selected from a discrete set of selectable phase amounts. Original
3. 5
  Dependent← claim 1
  The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the phase amount is selected from a continuous set of selectable phase amounts. Original
4. 6
  Dependent← claim 1
  The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the phase shifter comprises a microstrip phase shifter. Original
5. 7
  Dependent← claim 1
  The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the phase shifter comprises a pin diode hybrid phase shifter. Original
6. 8
  Dependent← claim 1
  The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the GaN RF ampliﬁer, the temperature sensor, the phase shifter and the control circuitry are disposed on a common substrate. Original
7. 9
  Dependent← claim 1
  The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor comprises one selected from the group consisting of a thermistor, a thermocouple, and a silicon bandgap temperature sensor. Original
8. 10
  Dependent← claim 1
  The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the phase amount is adjustable. Original
11
IndependentGaN
A method comprising: outputting a radio-frequency (RF) signal using a gallium nitride (GaN) RF ampliﬁer; sensing a temperature of the GaN RF ampliﬁer using a temperature sensor; determinin g whether the temperature of the GaN RF ampliﬁer is within a safe temperature range; and shifting a phase of the RF signal until the sensed temperature of the GaN RF ampliﬁer is within [[a]] the safe temperature range responsive to determinin g that the temperature of the GaN RF ampliﬁer is outside the safe temperature ran ge. Currently amended
1. 12
  Dependent← claim 11
  The method of claim 11, wherein shifting the phase of the RF Application Number: 16/439,422 Docket Number: 171305-1772 signal until the sensed temperature of the GaN RF ampliﬁer is within the safe temperature range comprises shifting the phase of the RF signal until the sensed temperature of the GaN RF ampliﬁer is less than a threshold value. Original
2. 13
  Dependent← claim 11
  The method of claim 11, wherein shifting the phase of the RF signal comprises shifting the phase of the RF signal by a predeﬁned phase amount. Original
17
IndependentGaNGaN radio-frequency (RF) amplifier with temperature-controlled phase shifter
A system for providing an RF signal to a load, the system comprising: a gallium nitride (GaN) radio-frequency (RF) ampliﬁer comprising an output terminal and conﬁgured to output the RF signal through the output terminal; a temperature sensor disposed in proximity to the GaN RF ampliﬁer and conﬁgured to sense a temperature of the GaN RF ampliﬁer; a phase shifter electrically coupled to the output terminal of the GaN RF Application Number: 16/439,422 Docket Number: 171305-1772 ampliﬁer; and control circuitry coupled to the temperature sensor and the phase shifter and conﬁgured to: receive, from the temperature sensor, data representing the temperature of the GaN RF ampliﬁer; determine whether the temperature of the GaN RF ampliﬁer is above a threshold; and caus the phase shifter to shift the phase of the RF signal such that the temperature of the GaN RF ampliﬁer is reduced responsive to the temperature of the GaN RF ampliﬁer bein g above the threshold. Currently amended
1. 18
  Dependent← claim 17
  The system of claim 17, wherein the control circuitry is conﬁgured to cause the phase shifter to shift the phase of the RF signal by a predeﬁned phase amount. Original

Device structures

Layer stacks claimed or described, ordered top of device to substrate.

GaN radio-frequency (RF) amplifier with temperature-controlled phase shifter

GaNamplifier

Materials

Materials described outside the worked examples.

gallium nitride

GaN

Amplifier Material

Characterization

Measurements and analyses referenced in the patent, with their drawing references.

photoluminescence

Photoluminescence

FIG. 3B. In this example, the power 306 exhibits a minimum at approximately 12 5 0. Having a minimum in the dissipated power, the region of pl o t 301 …

Figure references

FIG. 3

GaN

Why these are connected

Related documents with shared materials, methods, properties, or citations.

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