Thermoelectrically cooled low noise amplifier and method
First Claim
1. A method of reducing the overall power consumption in a spaced-based microwave communication system, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing in a first satellite a transmission terminal including a transmission antenna powered by a power amplifier, the power amplifier to generate a power output sufficient to generate an RF signal through the transmission antenna and sufficient to be directly received at a second satellite;
providing in said second satellite a receive terminal including a receive antenna to receive the RF signal and a low noise amplifier to amplify the RF signal channeled through the receive antenna, said low noise amplifier being fabricated on an Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC);
cooling the MMIC to a predetermined temperature thereby increasing sensitivity of the low noise amplifier; and
responsive to said cooling step, reducing the power output generated by the power amplifier in the first satellite, thereby reducing the overall power requirements of the spaced-based microwave communication system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A space-based communication system (30), includes a transmission terminal having a transmission antenna (42) and a power amplifier (40) to power the transmission antenna, the power amplifier to generate a power output sufficient to generate an RF signal through the transmission antenna (42), a receive terminal including a receive antenna (45) to receive the RF signal from the transmission terminal and a low noise amplifier (43) to amplify the RF signal channeled through the receive antenna, and a thermoelectric cooler (62) for cooling the low noise amplifier (43) to a predetermined temperature for increasing the sensitivity of the low noise amplifier to minimize the power output generated by the power amplifier required to generate the RF signal thereby minimizing the overall power requirements of the spaced-based communication system (30).
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method of reducing the overall power consumption in a spaced-based microwave communication system, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing in a first satellite a transmission terminal including a transmission antenna powered by a power amplifier, the power amplifier to generate a power output sufficient to generate an RF signal through the transmission antenna and sufficient to be directly received at a second satellite; providing in said second satellite a receive terminal including a receive antenna to receive the RF signal and a low noise amplifier to amplify the RF signal channeled through the receive antenna, said low noise amplifier being fabricated on an Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC); cooling the MMIC to a predetermined temperature thereby increasing sensitivity of the low noise amplifier; and responsive to said cooling step, reducing the power output generated by the power amplifier in the first satellite, thereby reducing the overall power requirements of the spaced-based microwave communication system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of reducing the overall power consumption in a spaced-based microwave communication system, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a transmission terminal in a first satellite including, providing a transmission antenna, and providing a power amplifier to power the transmission antenna, the power amplifier to generate a power output sufficient to generate an RF signal through the transmission antenna and sufficient to be directly received at a second satellite; providing a receive terminal in said second satellite including, providing a receive antenna to directly receive the RF signal from the first satellite, and providing a low noise amplifier to amplify the RF signal channeled through the receive antenna, said low noise amplifier being fabricated on an Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC); cooling the MMIC to a predetermined temperature thereby increasing sensitivity of the low noise amplifier; and responsive to said cooling step, reducing the power output generated by said power amplifier in the first satellite, thereby reducing the overall power requirements of the spaced-based microwave communication system. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A spaced-based microwave communication system comprising:
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a first satellite transmission terminal including a transmission antenna powered by a power amplifier; a second satellite receive terminal wherein the power amplifier generates a power output sufficient to generate an RF signal through the transmission antenna and sufficient to be directly received at the second satellite, the second satellite receive terminal including a receive antenna to receive the RF signal and a low noise amplifier to amplify the RF signal channeled through the receive antenna, said low noise amplifier being fabricated on an Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC); and a thermoelectric cooling device for cooling the MMIC to a predetermined temperature thereby increasing sensitivity of the low noise amplifier, wherein the power output generated by the power amplifier in the first satellite is reduce in response to the cooling thereby reducing the overall power requirements of the spaced-based microwave communication system. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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Specification