The present invention is a high efficiency AM switching voltage regulator
used to provide an AM output signal to an AM RF power amplifier, wherein
the AM output signal is proportional to an AM input signal. The AM output
signal includes an AM output voltage and an AM supply current, which
represents a sum of an AM output current and a shunt current The AM
output voltage provides an envelope supply voltage to the AM RF power
amplifier. The switching voltage regulator includes a switching current
regulator coupled to a linear shunt voltage regulator. The switching
current regulator provides AM output current for the AM RF power
amplifier and a small amount of shunt current for the linear shunt
voltage regulator, which regulates the AM output voltage by controlling
the shunt current. The switching current regulator regulates the AM
supply current in proportion to a time-averaged value of shunt current.