Radio frequency power combiner
First Claim
1. A radio frequency power combiner comprising:
- a plurality of input terminals and an output terminal commonly connected to said plurality of input terminals via a common connection node, a first transmission line having a first characteristic impedance being connected between said output terminal and said common connection node, second and third transmission lines having respective second and third characteristic impedances, connected between said common connection node and each of said input terminals, each of said transmission lines being about λ
0 /4, wherein λ
0 is a wavelength of a central frequency signal; and
an RF switch positioned between each of said input terminals and corresponding said third transmission line, for opening/closing a connection providing an RF signal applied to said input terminals.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A radio frequency power combiner includes a plurality of transmission lines connecting a plurality of input terminals to an output terminal. An RF switch is positioned between each of the input terminals and a transmission line connecting the output terminal to the input terminal. The electrical length between each RF switch and the output terminal is preferably one half of a wavelength at a central frequency, which may be realized by two transmission lines of different impedances in each path, each a quarter wavelength long. When the switches are on, the signal power applied to all of the input terminals is combined at the output terminal. When any given switch is turned off, the RF power incident to the switch is reflected, and the transmission lines connected between that switch and the output terminal appear as an open circuit. The power combiner can also operate as a power divider. The combiner and/or divider have particular utility in RF amplifier applications, to prevent excessive loss of RF power when one or more of the amplifiers fail, by switching off the RF switch(es) connected to the failed amplifier(s).
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A radio frequency power combiner comprising:
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a plurality of input terminals and an output terminal commonly connected to said plurality of input terminals via a common connection node, a first transmission line having a first characteristic impedance being connected between said output terminal and said common connection node, second and third transmission lines having respective second and third characteristic impedances, connected between said common connection node and each of said input terminals, each of said transmission lines being about λ
0 /4, wherein λ
0 is a wavelength of a central frequency signal; andan RF switch positioned between each of said input terminals and corresponding said third transmission line, for opening/closing a connection providing an RF signal applied to said input terminals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A radio frequency power combiner comprising:
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four input terminals and an output terminal commonly connected to said four input terminals via a common connection node, a first transmission line having a first characteristic impedance being connected between said output terminal and said common connection node, second and third transmission lines having respective second and third characteristic impedances connected between said common connection node and each of said input terminals, each of said transmission lines being about λ
0 /4, wherein λ
0 is a wavelength of a central frequency signal; andan RF switch positioned between each of the four input terminals and corresponding said third transmission line, for opening/closing a connection providing an RF signal applied to said input terminals. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A radio frequency power combiner comprising:
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a plurality of input terminals and an output terminal commonly connected to said plurality of input terminals via a common connection node, a first transmission line having a first characteristic impedance being connected between said output terminal and said common connection node, second and third transmission lines having respective second and third characteristic impedances, connected between said common connection node and each of said inputs terminals; and an RF switch positioned between each of said input terminals and corresponding said third transmission line, for opening/closing a connection providing an RF signal applied to said input terminals; wherein the RF switches are provided in a predetermined open and closed configuration for causing an input signal applied to the transmission lines connected to the open switches to be substantially reflected at the common connection node. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A power divider comprising:
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a plurality of output terminals and an input terminal commonly connected to said plurality of output terminals via a common connection node, a first transmission line having a first characteristic impedance being connected between said input terminal and said common connection node, second and third transmission lines having respective second and third characteristic impedances, connected between said common connection node and each of said output terminals, each of said transmission lines being about λ
0 /4, wherein λ
0 is a wavelength of a central frequency signal; andan RF switch positioned between each of said output terminals and corresponding said third transmission line, for opening/closing a connection providing an RF signal applied to said output terminals. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification