William Louis Southcombe from 4594 Da Vinci St, San Diego, CA 92130, age 78, Phone: 858 509-9538

Us Patents

Automatic Gain Control With Gain Stepping And Regulation
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US Patent:

7366490, Apr 29, 2008
Filed:

Nov 2, 2004
Appl. No.:

10/979703
Inventors:

Antoine J. Rouphael - Escondido CA, US
William D. Southcombe - San Diego CA, US
Assignee:

Northrop Grumman Corporation - Los Angeles CA
International Classification:

H04B 1/06
US Classification:

4552341, 455 6711, 4552261, 375345
Abstract:

An automatic gain control device and a related method for its operation, using a first-order control loop for adjusting a received communication signal to compensate for variations in received signal power. The device bases its adjustments on a measure of the average received root-mean-square (rms) signal power and, in its preferred form, adjusts a loop gain adaptively to react rapidly to large input signal variations. The loop gain is adjusted based on measurement of the average power of an error signal and on the sign of the error signal power. Optional features include an automatically adjustable power set point.

Selecting Pa Bias Levels Of Rf Pa Circuitry During A Multislot Burst
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US Patent:

8489048, Jul 16, 2013
Filed:

Nov 28, 2011
Appl. No.:

13/304762
Inventors:

Roman Zbigniew Arkiszewski - Oak Ridge NC, US
Brian Baxter - Greensboro NC, US
Stuart Williams - Horsham, GB
Hirofumi Honjo - Palo Alto CA, US
William David Southcombe - San Diego CA, US
David E. Jones - Cedar Rapids IA, US
Chris Levesque - Fountain Valley CA, US
Scott Yoder - Fuquay Varina NC, US
Terry J. Stockert - Cedar Rapids IA, US
Assignee:

RF Micro Devices, Inc. - Greensboro NC
International Classification:

H01Q 11/12
H04B 1/04
US Classification:

4551271, 455572
Abstract:

Power amplifier (PA) control circuitry and PA bias circuitry are disclosed. During one slot of a multislot transmit burst from radio frequency (RF) PA circuitry, the PA control circuitry selects one PA bias level of the RF PA circuitry and the RF PA circuitry has one output power level. The RF PA circuitry has a next output power level during an adjacent next slot of the multislot transmit burst. If the one output power level exceeds the next output power level by more than a power drop limit, then the PA control circuitry maintains the one PA bias level during the adjacent next slot. If the one output power level significantly exceeds the next output power level, but by less than the power drop limit, then the PA control circuitry selects a next PA bias level, which is less than the one PA bias level, during the adjacent next slot.

Charge Pump Based Power Amplifier Envelope Power Supply And Bias Power Supply
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US Patent:

8542061, Sep 24, 2013
Filed:

Sep 7, 2011
Appl. No.:

13/226797
Inventors:

Chris Levesque - Fountain Valley CA, US
William David Southcombe - San Diego CA, US
David E. Jones - Cedar Rapids IA, US
Scott Yoder - Holly Springs NC, US
Terry J. Stockert - Cedar Rapids IA, US
Assignee:

RF Micro Devices, Inc. - Greensboro NC
International Classification:

H03G 3/20
US Classification:

330127, 330297, 330296, 327536
Abstract:

The present disclosure relates to a direct current (DC)-DC converter, which includes a charge pump based radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (PA) envelope power supply and a charge pump based PA bias power supply. The DC-DC converter is coupled between RF PA circuitry and a DC power supply, such as a battery. As such, the PA envelope power supply provides an envelope power supply signal to the RF PA circuitry and the PA bias power supply provides a bias power supply signal to the RF PA circuitry. Both the PA envelope power supply and the PA bias power supply receive power via a DC power supply signal from the DC power supply. The PA envelope power supply includes a charge pump buck converter and the PA bias power supply includes a charge pump.

Embedded Rf Pa Temperature Compensating Bias Transistor
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US Patent:

8559898, Oct 15, 2013
Filed:

Nov 2, 2011
Appl. No.:

13/287735
Inventors:

David E. Jones - Cedar Rapids IA, US
Chris Levesque - Fountain Valley CA, US
William David Southcombe - San Diego CA, US
Scott Yoder - Fuquay Varina NC, US
Terry J. Stockert - Cedar Rapids IA, US
Assignee:

RF Micro Devices, Inc. - Greensboro NC
International Classification:

H01Q 11/12
H04B 1/04
US Classification:

4551271, 4551273, 330272, 330289, 330200
Abstract:

A radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (PA) amplifying transistor of an RF PA stage and an RF PA temperature compensating bias transistor of the RF PA stage are disclosed. The RF PA amplifying transistor includes a first array of amplifying transistor elements and a second array of amplifying transistor elements. The RF PA temperature compensating bias transistor provides temperature compensation of bias of the RF PA amplifying transistor. Further, the RF PA temperature compensating bias transistor is located between the first array and the second array. As such, the RF PA temperature compensating bias transistor is thermally coupled to the first array and the second array. The RF PA stage receives and amplifies an RF stage input signal to provide an RF stage output signal using the RF PA amplifying transistor.

Split Current Current Digital-To-Analog Converter (Idac) For Dynamic Device Switching (Dds) Of An Rf Pa Stage
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US Patent:

8565694, Oct 22, 2013
Filed:

Nov 4, 2011
Appl. No.:

13/289379
Inventors:

David E. Jones - Cedar Rapids IA, US
Chris Levesque - Fountain Valley CA, US
William David Southcombe - San Diego CA, US
Scott Yoder - Fuquay Varina NC, US
Terry J. Stockert - Cedar Rapids IA, US
Assignee:

RF Micro Devices, Inc. - Greensboro NC
International Classification:

H01Q 11/12
H04B 1/04
US Classification:

455 91, 4551271, 4551274
Abstract:

A split current current digital-to-analog converter (IDAC) and a radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (PA) stage are disclosed. The split current IDAC operates in a selected one of a group of DDS operating modes and provides a group of array bias signals based on the selected one of the group of DDS operating modes. Each of the group of array bias signals is a current signal. The RF PA stage includes a group of arrays of amplifying transistor elements. The RF PA stage biases at least one of the group of arrays of amplifying transistor elements based on the group of array bias signals. Further, the RF PA stage receives and amplifies an RF stage input signal to provide an RF stage output signal using at least one of the group of arrays of amplifying transistor elements that is biased.

Dc-Dc Converter Current Sensing
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US Patent:

8571492, Oct 29, 2013
Filed:

Nov 4, 2011
Appl. No.:

13/289134
Inventors:

Jean-Christophe Berchtold - Carlsbad CA, US
Joseph Hubert Colles - Bonsall CA, US
David E. Jones - Cedar Rapids IA, US
Chris Levesque - Fountain Valley CA, US
William David Southcombe - San Diego CA, US
Scott Yoder - Fuquay Varina NC, US
Terry J. Stockert - Cedar Rapids IA, US
Assignee:

RF Micro Devices, Inc. - Greensboro NC
International Classification:

H01Q 11/12
H04B 1/04
H04B 1/38
H04M 1/00
US Classification:

455 91, 4551271, 455572, 323262, 323345
Abstract:

A sample-and-hold (SAH) current estimating circuit and a first switching power supply are disclosed. The first switching power supply provides a first switching power supply output signal based on a series switching element and a setpoint. The SAH current estimating circuit samples a voltage across the series switching element of the first switching power supply during an ON state of the series switching element and during a ramping signal peak to provide an SAH output signal based on an estimate of an output current of the first switching power supply output signal. The first switching power supply selects the ON state of the series switching element, such that during the ramping signal peak, the series switching element has a series current having a magnitude, which is about equal to a magnitude of the output current of the first switching power supply output signal.

Look-Up Table Based Configuration Of A Dc-Dc Converter
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US Patent:

20120043956, Feb 23, 2012
Filed:

Nov 2, 2011
Appl. No.:

13/287672
Inventors:

William David Southcombe - San Diego CA, US
Chris Levesque - Fountain Valley CA, US
Jean-Christophe Berchtold - Carlsbad CA, US
David E. Jones - Cedar Rapids IA, US
Scott Yoder - Fuquay Varina NC, US
Terry J. Stockert - Cedar Rapids IA, US
Assignee:

RF Micro Devices, Inc. - Greensboro NC
International Classification:

G05F 5/00
US Classification:

323318
Abstract:

RF PA circuitry and a DC-DC converter, which includes an RF PA envelope power supply and DC-DC control circuitry, are disclosed. The PA envelope power supply provides an envelope power supply signal to the RF PA circuitry. The DC-DC control circuitry has a DC-DC look-up table (LUT) structure, which has at least a first DC-DC LUT. The DC-DC control circuitry uses DC-DC LUT index information as an index to the DC-DC LUT structure to obtain DC-DC converter operational control parameters. The DC-DC control circuitry then configures the PA envelope power supply using the DC-DC converter operational control parameters. Using the DC-DC LUT structure provides flexibility in configuring the DC-DC converter for different applications, for multiple static operating conditions, for multiple dynamic operating conditions, or any combination thereof.

Dynamic Device Switching (Dds) Of An In-Phase Rf Pa Stage And A Quadrature-Phase Rf Pa Stage
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US Patent:

20120044022, Feb 23, 2012
Filed:

Nov 3, 2011
Appl. No.:

13/288273
Inventors:

Gregg A. Walker - Robins IA, US
David E. Jones - Cedar Rapids IA, US
Chris Levesque - Fountain Valley CA, US
William David Southcombe - San Diego CA, US
Scott Yoder - Fuquay Varina NC, US
Terry J. Stockert - Cedar Rapids IA, US
Assignee:

RF MICRO DEVICES, INC. - Greensboro NC
International Classification:

H03F 3/68
H03F 3/04
US Classification:

330296
Abstract:

An in-phase radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (PA) stage and a quadrature-phase RF PA stage are disclosed. The in-phase RF PA stage includes a first group of arrays of amplifying transistor elements and the quadrature-phase RF PA stage includes a second group of arrays of amplifying transistor elements. A group of array bias signals is based on a selected one of a group of DDS operating modes. Each of the group of array bias signals is a current signal. The in-phase RF PA stage biases at least one of the first group of arrays of amplifying transistor elements based on the group of array bias signals. Similarly, the quadrature-phase RF PA stage biases at least one of the second group of arrays of amplifying transistor elements based on the group of array bias signals.