Frequency agile transmitter antenna combiner
First Claim
1. A method for combining a first input signal comprising a plurality of signal components at predetermined frequencies (f1, f2, . . . , fn) and a second input signal comprising a plurality of signal components at said predetermined frequencies (f1, f2, . . . , fn) to form an output signal, comprising the steps of:
- (a) separating said first input signal comprising a plurality of signal components at predetermined frequencies (f1, f2, . . . , fn) into individual first input signal component signals at respective predetermined frequencies (f1, f2, . . . , fn);
(b) separating said second input signal comprising a plurality of signal components at predetermined frequencies (f1, f2, . . . , fn) into individual second input signal component signals at respective predetermined frequencies (f1, f2, . . . , fn);
(c) combining said individual first input signal component signal at f1 with said individual second input signal component signal at f1 to form a composite component signal at f1 ;
(d) repeating step (c) for every other individual signal component at predetermined frequencies (f1, f2, . . . , fn), thereby forming composite component signal at f2, . . . , composite component signal at fn ;
(e) combining said composite component signal at f1, said composite component signal at f2, . . . , and said composite component signal at fn ; and
(f) forming said output signal based on the results of step (e) above.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A frequency agile transmitter antenna combiner is disclosed that allows combining multiple transmitter outputs onto a single antenna feed where the transmitters are operated at multiple frequencies. According to the invention, a method is disclosed and an apparatus is described for receiving a plurality of RF signal inputs where each input may contain any of a predetermined set of frequencies. The input frequency is then coupled to a frequency splitter that couples the input frequency to a dedicated combiner that tends to isolate the RF inputs from each other. The signal is then coupled to a combiner output, and ultimately to a single antenna feed line.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for combining a first input signal comprising a plurality of signal components at predetermined frequencies (f1, f2, . . . , fn) and a second input signal comprising a plurality of signal components at said predetermined frequencies (f1, f2, . . . , fn) to form an output signal, comprising the steps of:
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(a) separating said first input signal comprising a plurality of signal components at predetermined frequencies (f1, f2, . . . , fn) into individual first input signal component signals at respective predetermined frequencies (f1, f2, . . . , fn); (b) separating said second input signal comprising a plurality of signal components at predetermined frequencies (f1, f2, . . . , fn) into individual second input signal component signals at respective predetermined frequencies (f1, f2, . . . , fn); (c) combining said individual first input signal component signal at f1 with said individual second input signal component signal at f1 to form a composite component signal at f1 ; (d) repeating step (c) for every other individual signal component at predetermined frequencies (f1, f2, . . . , fn), thereby forming composite component signal at f2, . . . , composite component signal at fn ; (e) combining said composite component signal at f1, said composite component signal at f2, . . . , and said composite component signal at fn ; and (f) forming said output signal based on the results of step (e) above. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A frequency agile transmitter antenna combiner including means for combining a first input signal comprising a plurality of signal components at predetermined frequencies (f1, f2, . . . , fn) and a second input signal comprising a plurality of signal components at said predetermined frequencies (f1, f2, . . . , fn) to form a frequency agile transmitter antenna combiner output signal, said means comprising:
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means for separating said first input signal comprising a plurality of signal components at predetermined frequencies (f1, f2, . . . , fn) into individual first input signal component signals at respective predetermined frequencies (f1, f2, . . . , fn) and for separating said second input signal comprising a plurality of signal components at predetermined frequencies (f1, f2, . . . , fn) into individual second input signal component signals at respective predetermined frequencies (f1, f2, . . . , fn); means for combining said individual first input signal component signal at f1 with said individual second input signal component signal at f1 to form a composite component signal at f1, and for combining every other individual first input signal component signal of said group of signals at predetermined frequencies (f1, f2, . . . , fn) with corresponding ones of the individual second input signal component signal at like frequency, thereby forming composite component signal at f2, . . . , composite component signal at fn ; means for combining said composite component signal at f1, said composite component signal at f2, . . . , and said composite component signal at fn and for forming said frequency agile transmitter antenna combiner output signal responsive thereto. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A signal combiner, comprising:
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means for receiving a predetermined number of input signals, each input signal at any of a predetermined group of frequencies, means for separating each input signal into its frequency components; means for combining all components of like frequencies, thereby forming a composite component at each frequency; means for combining all composite components for all frequencies to form a common output signal responsive thereto.
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13. A signal combiner, comprising:
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k frequency selective splitters, each splitter designated as splitterx, each splitterx having means for receiving input signals at any of n predetermined frequencies, each frequency designated fw, where w varies from 1 to n, and n splitter outputs designated splitterx outputY, where Y varies from 1 to n, and having means for selectively coupling said fw to said splitterx outputy, where w=Y, and means for isolating said frequency fw from any other splitter output, n combiners, each combiner designated combinerz, where z varies from 1 to n, each combinerz having k combiner inputs, each designated combinerz inputp, a combiner output, and means for coupling said k inputs to said combiner output, a frequency selective combiner having n inputs, each input designated frequency selective combiner inputq where q varies from 1 to n, a frequency selective combiner output, and means for coupling said n frequency selective combiner inputs to respective said frequency selective combiner output, said combinerz inputp where z varies from 1 to n, coupled to splitterx outputY where Y=z, said frequency selective combiner inputq where q varies from 1 to n coupled to said combinerz output where z=q, where x varies from 1 to k, and where p varies from 1 to k. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification