DUAL N-PORT MPA

• US 20130130619A1
• Filed: 04/21/2011
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Astrium Limited (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Astrium Limited (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Harverson, Michael, Jones, Daryl
• Granted Patent: US 9,118,379 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/192 A hybrid coupler being used at the input of an amplifier circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/198 A hybrid coupler being used as coupling circuit between stages of an amplifier circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/204 A hybrid coupler being used at the output of an amplifier circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/602 Combinations of several amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/68 Combinations of amplifiers, e.g. multi-channel amplifiers for stereophonics power amplifiers using a combination of several semiconductor amplifiers H03F3/211; combinations of amplifiers using coupling networks with distributed constants H03F3/602
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/14 Relay systems

Abstract

A hybrid network is disclosed having at least one hybrid coupler, and a plurality of circulators, each circulator having a first port connected to the hybrid network, and further having a second port and a third port. Each circulator is arranged to direct a signal received via the second port to the hybrid network via the first port, and to direct a signal received from the hybrid network towards the third port.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a hybrid network having at least one hybrid coupler, a plurality of first input-output IO ports and a plurality of second IO ports;

a plurality of first circulators each arranged to direct a signal to one of the first IO ports to be directed through the hybrid network to at least one of the second IO ports; and

a plurality of second circulators each arranged to direct a signal to one of the second IO ports to be directed through the hybrid network to at least one of the first IO ports,

wherein each circulator of the first and second circulators has a first port connected to the hybrid network, and further has a second port and a third port, and wherein each circulator is arranged such that a signal received via the second port will be outputted to the hybrid network via the first port, and a signal received from the hybrid network via the first port will be outputted via the third port.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hybrid network is arranged such that each first IO port is isolated from other ones of the first IO ports, and each second IO port is isolated from other ones of the second IO ports.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first circulators are arranged to receive a plurality of first input signals and the plurality of second circulators are arranged to receive a plurality of second input signals, such that the first and second input signals are directed through the hybrid network in opposite directions.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the hybrid network is arranged to receive at least one first input signal via one of the plurality of first IO ports, split the at least one first input signal into a first plurality of reduced-power signals, and output the first plurality of reduced-power signals via the plurality of second IO ports.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the hybrid network is arranged to receive a first plurality of amplified signals via the plurality of first IO ports, combine said amplified signals into at least one first amplified output signal, and output the first amplified output signal via the plurality of second IO ports.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the hybrid network is arranged to receive at least one second input signal via one of the plurality of second IO ports, split the at least one second input signal into a second plurality of reduced-power signals, and output the second plurality of reduced-power signals via the plurality of first IO ports.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the hybrid network is arranged to receive a second plurality of amplified signals via the plurality of second IO ports, combine said amplified signals into at least one second amplified output signal, and output the at least one second amplified output signal via the plurality of first IO ports.

8. A multiport amplifier comprising:

an input network INET having an apparatus according to claim 1;

an output network ONET having an apparatus according to claim 1; and

a plurality of amplifiers arranged to amplify signals received from the INET and send the amplified signals to the ONET.

9. A multiport amplifier comprising:

a first input-output network having an apparatus according to claim 1;

a second input-output network having an apparatus according to claim 1;

a first plurality of amplifiers arranged to amplify signals received from the first input-output network and send the amplified signals to the second input-output network; and

a second plurality of amplifiers arranged to amplify signals received from the second input-output network and send the amplified signals to the first input-output network.

10. A multiport amplifier comprising:

an input-output network having an apparatus according to claim 1; and

a plurality of amplifiers arranged to amplify signals received from the input-output network and return the amplified signals to the input-output network.

11. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plurality of first circulators are arranged to receive a plurality of first input signals and the plurality of second circulators are arranged to receive a plurality of second input signals, such that the first and second input signals are directed through the hybrid network in opposite directions.

12. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the hybrid network is arranged to receive at least one second input signal via one of the plurality of second IO ports, split the at least one second input signal into a second plurality of reduced-power signals, and output the second plurality of reduced-power signals via the plurality of first IO ports.

13. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the hybrid network is arranged to receive a second plurality of amplified signals via the plurality of second IO ports, combine said amplified signals into at least one second amplified output signal, and output the at least one second amplified output signal via the plurality of first IO ports.

14. A multiport amplifier comprising:

an input network INET having an apparatus according to claim 11;

an output network ONET having an apparatus according to claim 11; and

a plurality of amplifiers arranged to amplify signals received from the INET and send the amplified signals to the ONET.

15. A multiport amplifier comprising:

a first input-output network having an apparatus according to claim 11;

a second input-output network having an apparatus according to claim 11;

a first plurality of amplifiers arranged to amplify signals received from the first input-output network and send the amplified signals to the second input-output network; and

a second plurality of amplifiers arranged to amplify signals received from the second input-output network and send the amplified signals to the first input-output network.

16. A multiport amplifier comprising:

an input-output network having an apparatus according to claim 11; and

a plurality of amplifiers arranged to amplify signals received from the input-output network and return the amplified signals to the input-output network.