Reflective waveguide variable power divider/combiner

• US 6,181,221 B1
• Filed: 10/06/1998
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Com DEV International Limited (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Barker, James M., Kich, Rolf
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, BENNY T
• Application Number:
  US09/167,053
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 333/125, 333/126, 333/135, 333/137, 333/21.A, 333/157
• US Class Current: 333/125
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/04 with variable factor of coupling

Abstract

A reflective waveguide variable power divider/combiner comprises an orthomode tee section, which includes a section of cylindrical waveguide and a rotatable reflective phase shifter section. The rotatable reflective phase shifter section is rotatably connected to the orthomode tee section by a cylindrical choke joint. The orthomode tee section includes a single orthomode tee unit. The reflective waveguide variable power divider/combiner terminates at a short circuit that separates a motor from the rotatable reflective phase shifter section. The motor is configured to rotate the rotatable reflective phase shifter section relative to the orthomode tee section.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic power divider/combiner comprising:

a waveguide having a major axis and a circular cross section orthogonal to said major axis;

a first input port and a first output port, said first input port and said first output port both disposed near a first end of said waveguide, said first input port being operative to couple a vertically polarized electromagnetic wave to said waveguide and said first output port being operative to couple said vertically polarized electromagnetic wave from said waveguide;

a second input port and a second output port said second input port and said second input port both disposed near said first end of said waveguide, said second input port being operative to couple a horizontally polarized electromagnetic wave to said waveguide and said second output port being operative to couple said horizontally polarized electromagnetic wave from said waveguide;

a slow-wave structure comprising a series of fins oriented transversely of said major axis of said waveguide and being spaced apart along said major axis of said waveguide; and

a short circuit disposed at a second end of said waveguide opposite said first end of said waveguide for reflecting said vertically polarized electromagnetic wave and said horizontally polarized electromagnetic wave.

2. A method for splitting an electromagnetic signal, said electromagnetic signal including two components having orthogonal orientations, between said two components, the method comprising the steps of:

propagating said electromagnetic signal in a first direction through a plurality of fins to shift the phase of at least one of said two components;

reflecting said electromagnetic signal; and

propagating said electromagnetic signal in a second direction opposite to the first direction through said plurality of fins to further shift the phase of said at least one of said two components.

3. An electromagnetic power divider/combiner comprising:

a waveguide;

a first input port and a first output port, said first input port and said first output port both disposed near a first end of said waveguide, said first input port being operative to couple an electromagnetic wave at a first orientation to said waveguide and said first output port being operative to couple said electromagnetic wave at said first orientation from said waveguide;

a second input port and a second output port, said second input port and said second output port both disposed near said first end of said waveguide, said second input port being operative to couple an electromagnetic wave at a second orientation to said waveguide and said second output port being operative to couple said electromagnetic wave at said second orientation from said waveguide;

a slow-wave structure located in said waveguide; and

a short circuit disposed at a second end of said waveguide opposite said first end of said waveguide for reflecting said electromagnetic wave of said first and second orientations.

4. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 3, wherein said first orientation is orthogonal to said second orientation.

5. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 3, wherein said slow-wave structure includes a plurality of pairs of fins.

6. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 5, wherein each said pair of fins comprises a respective upper fin and a respective lower fin substantially coplanar with said corresponding upper fin.

7. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 3, further including a septum mounted to said short circuit.

8. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 3, wherein said slow-wave structure is rotatably movable with respect to said first input port.

9. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 3, wherein said slow-wave structure is rotatably movable with respect to said first output port.

10. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 3, wherein said slow-wave structure is rotatably movable with respect to said second input port.

11. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 3, wherein said slow-wave structure is rotatably movable with respect to said second output port.

12. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 3, wherein said slow-wave structure is rotatably movable with respect to said first input port by a motor.

13. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 12, wherein said motor is mounted to said slow-wave structure.

14. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 13 wherein said waveguide has a longitudinal axis and said motor is coaxial with said longitudinal axis of said waveguide.

15. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 3, wherein said waveguide is cylindrically shaped.

16. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 3, wherein said slow-wave structure comprise sa series of fins oriented transversely of a longitudinal axis of said waveguide and spaced apart from one another along said longitudinal axis of said waveguide.

17. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 3, wherein said slow-wave structure is rotatably movable with respect to said first output port by a motor.

18. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 17, wherein said motor is mounted to said slow-wave structure.

19. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 18 wherein said waveguide has a longitudinal axis and said motor is coaxial with said longitudinal axis of said waveguide.

20. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 3, wherein said slow-wave structure is rotatably movable with respect to said second input port by a motor.

21. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 20, wherein said motor is mounted to said slow-wave structure.

22. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 21 wherein said waveguide has a longitudinal axis and said motor is coaxial with said longitudinal axis of said waveguide.

23. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 3, wherein said slow-wave structure is rotatably movable with respect to said second output port by a motor.

24. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 23, wherein said motor is mounted to said slow-wave structure.

25. The electromagnetic power divider/combiner of claim 24 wherein said waveguide has a longitudinal axis and said motor is coaxial with said longitudinal axis of said waveguide.