1. A configurable, variable gain low noise amplifier (LNA) connected to a power supply, the LNA comprising:
radio frequency (RF) input and output ports;
a plurality of amplifier stages connected in parallel between the RF input and output ports, each amplifier stage including an RF transistor having a different width and a control circuit operative to selectively enable or disable the amplifier stage;
a bias voltage connected to all amplifier stages;
a source degeneration inductor connected to all amplifier stages and operative to present a real resistance without thermal noise at a gate input of each RF transistor; and
a control input connected to each amplifier stage control circuit;
2. The LNA of claim 1 whereby the gain of the LNA is controlled by selectively enabling the amplifier stages and altering the bias voltage.
3. The LNA of claim 1 wherein the width of the RF transistor in each successive, adjacent amplifier stage is twice that of the RF transistor in the preceding amplifier stage.
4. The LNA of claim 1 wherein the width of the RF transistor in each successive, adjacent amplifier stage is sized so as to produce a constant increase in gain as each adjacent amplifier stage is enabled.
5. The LNA of claim 1 wherein each amplifier stage further comprises a common gate transistor connected in series between the RF transistor and the RF output port, the common gate transistor having a width matched to the width of the RF transistor.
6. The LNA of claim 5 wherein each amplifier stage further includes an overvoltage protection circuit operative to expose the transistors to a voltage below a breakdown voltage of the transistor when the amplifier stage is disabled.
7. The LNA of claim 6 wherein the overvoltage protection circuit comprises a circuit operative to pull the gate and source of the common gate transistor to a voltage intermediate to the power supply voltage and ground.
8. The LNA of claim 1 wherein each amplifier stage further comprises a capacitor in series between the RF input port and the gate of the RF transistor.
9. The LNA of claim 1 wherein outputs of each amplifier stage are connected together, and further comprising a transistor connected in series between the common amplifier stage output and the RF output port.
10. The LNA of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is operative to selectively enable or disable the amplifier stage by selectively coupling the gate of the RF transistor to a bias voltage or to ground.
11. The LNA of claim 1 further comprising an inductive load connected between the RF output port and the power supply.
12. The LNA of claim 11 wherein the load inductor comprises the primary winding of a balun.
13. The LNA of claim 11 further comprising a tuning circuit connected between the RF output port and AC ground, the tuning circuit comprising a plurality of capacitors connected in parallel, each capacitor selectively coupled to AC ground by a switch connected in series to the capacitor.
14. The LNA of claim 13 wherein the resonant frequency of the LNA is adjusted by selectively actuating the tuning circuit switches.
15. The LNA of claim 1 further comprising an input impedance matching network, comprising a series connected inductor and capacitor, connected between an input signal and the RF input port.
16. The LNA of claim 15 wherein the input impedance matching network further comprises an inductor and a capacitor connected in parallel between the input signal and ground.
17. The LNA of claim 1 further comprising a bias voltage generating circuit receiving a digital control input, comprising:
a driver receiving each control bit; and
a resistor ladder comprising resistors of value 2R connected to the output of each driver, and resistors of value R connected between the 2R resistors; and
a resistor of value R connected between the last ladder stage and a bias voltage output.
18. The LNA of claim 17 further comprising a temperature tracking circuit operative to optionally compensate the output of the bias voltage generating circuit for temperature induced current changes, comprising a plurality of temperature tracking transistors connected in parallel, each having a different length and width, each temperature tracking transistor connected in series with an enable transistor operative to selectively enable or disable the temperature tracking transistor in response to a control input.
19. The LNA of claim 18 wherein the temperature tracking circuit further comprises a resistor divider network generating a bias voltage, the resistors each serially connected to a switching element operative to selectively enable or disable the resistor divider network.
20. A multi-band low noise amplifier (LNA) bank, comprising:
a plurality of selectively enabled, configurable, variable gain LNAs, each operative over a different frequency range, each LNA comprising radio frequency (RF) input and output ports and a plurality of amplifier stages connected in parallel between the RF input and output ports, each amplifier stage including an RF transistor having a different width and a control circuit operative to selectively enable or disable the amplifier stage;
a control input connected to each amplifier stage control circuit;
a bias voltage generating circuit connected to all amplifier stages; and
a source degeneration inductor connected to each LNA and operative to present a real resistance without thermal noise at the RF input port of each LNA.
21. The LNA bank of claim 20 wherein the widths of RF transistors in adjacent amplifier stages are sized with a binary weighting.
22. The LNA bank of claim 20 wherein the widths of RF transistors in adjacent amplifier stages are sized to produce a constant gain step.
23. The LNA bank of claim 20 wherein the gain of the LNA is controlled by selectively enabling the amplifier stages and altering the bias voltage.
24. The LNA bank of claim 20 wherein all LNAs in the bank share a source degeneration inductor.
25. The LNA bank of claim 20 wherein a group of one or more LNAs share a separate source degeneration inductor.
26. The LNA bank of claim 20 wherein all LNAs in the bank share a bias voltage generating circuit.
27. The LNA bank of claim 26 further comprising a temperature compensation circuit operative to adjust a bias voltage for temperature effects.
28. The LNA bank of claim 20 further comprising an inductive load and a configurable tuning circuit comprising a plurality of capacitors connected in parallel, each capacitor having a switch connected in series and operative to enable or disable the capacitor in response to a digital control input.
29. The bank of claim 28 wherein the capacitors are sized with a binary weighting.
30. A method of amplifying a RF signal from a signal source, comprising:
inputting the RF signal to a configurable, variable gain low noise amplifier (LNA) comprising a plurality of amplifier stages connected in parallel, each amplifier stage including an RF transistor having a different width and a control circuit operative to selectively enable or disable the amplifier stage;
impedance matching the LNA to the signal source with a real resistance lacking thermal noise, generated by a source degeneration inductor connected to the LNA;
selectively enabling one or more amplifier stages to generate a desired effective RF transistor width; and
outputting an amplified RF signal.
31. The method of claim 30 further comprising adjusting a bias voltage applied to each enabled amplifier stage to adjust the LNA gain.
32. The method of claim 31 further comprising adjusting the bias voltage to compensate for temperature.
33. The method of claim 30 further comprising tuning a tuning circuit to resonate with an inductive load at a desired frequency.
34. The method of claim 30 further comprising adjusting a bias voltage applied to the LNA to maintain linearity.
35. The method of claim 30 further comprising inputting the RF signal to a plurality of configurable, variable gain LNAs, and selectively enabling one of the LNAs.
36. The method of claim 35 wherein each LNA is optimized to a predetermined frequency range.
37. The method of claim 35 wherein impedance matching each LNA comprises connecting the source degeneration inductor to an input of each LNA.
38. The method of claim 35 further comprising a plurality of source degeneration inductors, and wherein impedance matching each LNA comprises connecting a separate source degeneration inductor to an input of each LNA.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A system, related to assisting at least one fluid from at least one fluid source to at least one plantus embedded in at least one soil, comprising:
a) at least one surrounder structured and arranged to radially surround the at least one plantus;
b) wherein said at least one surrounder comprises at least one container structured and arranged to contain the at least one fluid when said at least one surrounder is embedded in the at least one soil;
c) wherein said at least one surrounder comprises at least one inner surface extending from a near edge, near the at least one soil and the at least one plantus, to a far edge, away from the at least one soil and the at least one plantus;
d) wherein said at least one inner surface comprises a slope downward and inward from the far edge to the near edge;
e) wherein said at least one surrounder comprises at least one penetrator structured and arranged to penetrate the at least one soil and embed said at least one surrounder in the at least one soil; and
f) wherein said at least one surrounder comprises a first plurality of apertures structured and arranged to receive at least one frame ladder structured and arranged to assist upward plant growth;
g) wherein said at least one surrounder comprises
i) at least one inner face situate on the innermost diameter of said at least one surrounder, and
ii) at least one anchor structured and arranged to anchor said at least one surrounder to the at least one soil,
iii) wherein said at least one anchor is situate along said at least one inner face; and
h) wherein said at least one anchor comprises at least one flange situate along said at least one inner face; and
i) wherein said at least one flange comprises at least one sloped portion sloping from said at least one inner face to an about v-shaped edge and sloping upwardly and outwardly therefrom to create at least one trough-shaped flange.
2. The system according to claim 1 further comprising at least one frame ladder attachable to said at least one surrounder and extending upward from said at least one surrounder.
3. The system according to claim 2 wherein said at least one frame ladder comprises at least one leg portion structured and arranged to be useable to couple said at least one frame ladder to said at least one surrounder.
4. The system according to claim 3 wherein said first plurality of apertures comprises seven apertures structured and arranged to support at least a three-legged frame or a four-legged frame ladder.
5. The system according to claim 2 wherein said at least one frame ladder comprises at least one cage structured and arranged to assist upward plant growth.
6. The system according to claim 1 wherein said first plurality of apertures are positioned on a top portion of said at least one surrounder.
7. The system according to claim 1 wherein said first plurality of apertures are positioned on a sidewall portion of said at least one surrounder.
8. The system according to claim 1 wherein said surrounder further comprises at least one second plurality of apertures structured and arranged to provide passage to laterally expanding plantus roots.
9. The system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one surrounder comprises:
a) at least one first portion;
b) at least one second portion; and
c) at least one connector structured and arranged to connect said at least one first portion and said at least one second portion.
10. The system according to claim 9 wherein said at least one connector comprises:
a) at least one channeled connecting member to receive said at least one first portion and said at least one second portion; and
b) at least one fastener to secure said at least one channeled connecting member to said at least one surrounder.
11. The system according to claim 10 wherein said at least one connector further comprises two pins insertable into said at least one channeled connecting member and at least one clip connected opposite said two pins.
12. The system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one penetrator comprises at least one holder structured and arranged to hold said at least one surrounder during penetration.
13. The system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one surrounder comprises at least one expander element structured and arranged to expand the fluid capacity of said at least one surrounder.
14. The system according to claim 13 wherein:
a) said at least one expander element comprises at least one first surrounder layer and at least one second surrounder layer; and
b) said at least one second surrounder layer extends away from said at least one first surrounder layer, expanding the fluid capacity of said at least one surrounder immediately surrounding the at least one plantus.
15. The system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one surrounder comprises at least one fluid transmitter structured and arranged to transmit at least one fluid from the at least one fluid source.
16. The system according to claim 15 wherein said at least one fluid transmitter comprises at least one sprinkler.
17. The system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one penetrator comprises at least one tooth.
18. The system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one surrounder comprises at least one nested-stacking element structured and arranged to assist nested stacking of a plurality of said at least one surrounders.
19. A system, related to assisting at least one fluid from at least one fluid source to at least one plantus embedded in at least one soil, comprising:
a) at least one surrounder structured and arranged to radially surround the at least one plantus;
b) wherein said at least one surrounder comprises at least one container structured and arranged to contain the at least one fluid when said at least one surrounder is embedded in the at least one soil;
c) wherein said at least one surrounder comprises at least one inner surface extending from a near edge, near the at least one soil and the at least one plantus, to a far edge, away from the at least one soil and the at least one plantus;
d) wherein said at least one inner surface comprises a slope downward and inward from the far edge to the near edge;
e) wherein said at least one surrounder comprises at least one penetrator structured and arranged to penetrate the at least one soil and embed said at least one surrounder in the at least one soil;
f) wherein said at least one surrounder comprises at least one protector structured and arranged to protect the at least one plantus;
g) wherein said at least one surrounder comprises at least one inner face situate on the innermost diameter of said at least one surrounder;
h) wherein said at least one surrounder comprises at least one anchor structured and arranged to anchor said at least one surrounder to the at least one soil;
i) wherein said at least one anchor is situate along said at least one inner face;
j) wherein said at least one anchor comprises at least one flange situate along said at least one inner face;
k) wherein said at least one flange comprises at least one sloped portion sloping from said at least one inner face to an about v-shaped edge and sloping upwardly and outwardly therefrom to create at least one trough-shaped flange; and
l) wherein said at least one penetrator comprises at least one holder structured and arranged to hold said at least one surrounder during penetration.
20. A system, related to assisting at least one fluid from at least one fluid source to at least one plantus embedded in at least one soil, comprising:
a) surrounder means for radially surrounding the at least one plantus;
b) wherein said surrounder means comprises container means for containing the at least one fluid;
c) wherein said surrounder means comprises at least one inner surface extending from a near edge, near the at least one soil and the at least one plantus, to a far edge, away from the at least one soil and the at least one plantus;
d) wherein said at least one inner surface comprises a slope downward and inward from the far edge to the near edge;
e) wherein said surrounder means comprises
i) at least one inner face situate on the innermost diameter of said at least one surrounder, and
ii) anchor means for anchoring said at least one surrounder to the at least one soil,
iii) wherein said anchor means is situate along said at least one inner face; and
f) wherein said anchor means comprises at least one flange situate along said at least one inner face; and
g) wherein said at least one flange comprises at least one sloped portion sloping from said at least one inner face to an about v-shaped edge and sloping upwardly and outwardly therefrom to create at least one trough-shaped flange; and
h) wherein said surrounder means comprises penetrator means for penetrating the at least one soil and embed said at least one surrounder in the at least one soil.