Switchless combining system and method
First Claim
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1. A radio frequency (RF) passive power combiner, comprising:
- a first orthogonal mode transducer (OMT) configured to accept RF from two driver circuits;
a first polarization rotator, capable of adjusting the phase of each of the two RF signals from said first OMT; and
a second OMT configured to couple energy impinging on its input ports into two output conductors.
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Abstract
A switchless combiner for high-power broadcast signals incorporates a circular waveguide configured as an orthogonal mode transducer to provide a coherent signal and a phase rotator to steer the combined signal to an output coupler. Out-of-phase RF is absorbed by a station load. The phase rotator is capable of redirecting the output from either of the sources or all of the combined output to the station load. Switching between destinations for the RF components may be made with power applied. The input and output characteristics and mechanical configuration permit the switchless combiner to be integrated with other high-power RF broadcast signal manipulation devices.
61 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A radio frequency (RF) passive power combiner, comprising:
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a first orthogonal mode transducer (OMT) configured to accept RF from two driver circuits;
a first polarization rotator, capable of adjusting the phase of each of the two RF signals from said first OMT; and
a second OMT configured to couple energy impinging on its input ports into two output conductors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for combining high-power RF transmission signals, comprising:
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means for coupling two high-power RF transmission signals into a confining chamber configured to sustain propagation of two signals with orthogonal polarization;
means for rotating the phase of both of said coherent signals by an amount equal for each signal to twice the angle between the signal and the rotating means while permitting propagation of said signals to proceed; and
means for coupling said high-power UHF transmissions out of said confining chamber. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of combining RF signals, comprising the following steps:
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coupling coherent, orthogonally spaced RF signals to propagate within a circular waveguide;
combining these RF signals by differentially rotating the two signals until they add;
placing additional coupling devices at a second position in a dimension-controlled chamber; and
coupling the combined signal or any components thereof out of the system using the coupling devices at the second position within the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification