Wide-band microwave modulator arrangements

• US 5,463,357 A
• Filed: 06/17/1994
• Issued: 10/31/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: EEV Ltd. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Plessey Semiconductors Limited (Plessey Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hobden, Mervyn K.
• Primary Examiner(s): MIS, DAVID C
• Application Number:
  US08/261,396
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 332/149, 332/151-154, 332/159, 332/161, 332/163-166, 332/167-169, 332/144-148, 455/102, 455/108, 455/109, 455/110, 455/111, 455/112
• US Class Current: 332/151
• CPC Class Codes: H03C 1/06 Modifications of modulator to reduce distortion, e.g. by feedback, and clearly applicable to more than one type of modulator
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

A wide-band microwave modulator arrangement for an information transmission system, such as a video signal distribution system, in which signals from a microwave carrier signal source are split and directed over a first path comprising an attenuator and a second path comprising phase shift means and a balanced modulator, the output signals from the two paths being combined for transmission. Signals from the carrier signal source may also be directed over a third path including phase shift means and a second balanced modulator, amplified output signals from the first two paths being combined with output signals from this third path before transmission.

Claims

1. A wide-band microwave modulator arrangement for an information signal transmission system, comprising:

a microwave carrier signal source;

means for directing microwave carrier frequency signals from said source over first and second paths;

means for adjusting the relative phase and amplitude of the microwave carrier frequency signals in said first and second paths;

balanced modulator means in one of said first and second paths;

wide-band modulation input means for applying wide-band information signals to said balanced modulator means in predetermined amplitude and phase; and

means for combining output signals from said first and second paths such as to reinsert a signal at said microwave carrier frequency into the output of said balanced modulator means.

2. The wide-band microwave modulator arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein the relative phase of the microwave carrier frequency signals in said first and second paths is adjusted such that said combined output signals represent pure double side-band amplitude modulated signals.

3. The wide-band microwave modulator arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein the relative phase of the microwave carrier frequency signals in said first and second paths is adjusted such that said combined output signals represent pure double side-band phase modulated signals.

4. The wide-band microwave modulator arrangement in accordance with claim 1;

and further comprising means for directing microwave carrier frequency signals from said source over a third path;

means in said third path for adjusting the phase and amplitude of the microwave carrier frequency signals in said third path;

further balanced modulator means in said third path;

further wide-band modulation input means for applying said wide-band information signals to said further balanced modulator means in respective predetermined amplitude and phase; and

further means for combining output signals from said third path with the output signals from the first and second paths to compensate for nonlinearities in the modulator arrangement and its output path.

5. The wide-band modulator arrangement in accordance with claim 4, wherein the combined signals from said first and second paths are arranged to be amplified before the signals from the third path are combined therewith.