Input power limiter for a microwave receiver
First Claim
1. A limiter for limiting a high frequency signal, comprising a plurality of transmission line sections connected in succession, each transmission line section comprising at least one series inductance coupling an input to an output of the transmission line section, and two oppositely-poled parallel-connected shunt diode arrays coupled at the output of the transmission line section to limit voltage of said signal at said output;
- wherein the diode arrays comprise different numbers of diodes, connected in series, with the number of series diodes of the arrays decreasing progressively for the plurality of transmission line sections from an input of the limiter to an output of the limiter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A power limiter for limiting power of high frequency signals at an input to a receiver comprises a plurality of transmission line sections connected in succession. Each section has a series inductance coupling an input to an output of the section, and a shunt capacitance constituted by capacitance of at least one pair of oppositely-poled Schottky diodes coupled at the output of the section to limit voltage of the signal at the output. Individual diodes can be replaced by series-connected diodes, or by an array of parallel and series-connected diodes, in different sections for improved performance of the limiter. The limiter can be integrated with a GaAs low noise amplifier of the receiver.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A limiter for limiting a high frequency signal, comprising a plurality of transmission line sections connected in succession, each transmission line section comprising at least one series inductance coupling an input to an output of the transmission line section, and two oppositely-poled parallel-connected shunt diode arrays coupled at the output of the transmission line section to limit voltage of said signal at said output;
wherein the diode arrays comprise different numbers of diodes, connected in series, with the number of series diodes of the arrays decreasing progressively for the plurality of transmission line sections from an input of the limiter to an output of the limiter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
- 6. A power limiter comprising input terminals and a transmission line arranged to couple a high frequency signal supplied to the input terminals to an output of the power limiter, the transmission line comprising a plurality of successive transmission line sections, each transmission line section comprising at least a series inductance and a shunt capacitance, the shunt capacitance comprising a capacitance of at least two oppositely poled diodes connected in parallel to an output of the respective transmission line section to limit voltage of said signal at said output of the respective transmission line section, wherein at least two of the transmission line sections have different numbers, decreasing from said input terminals towards said output of the power limiter, of diodes connected in series with one another and constituting each of said at least two oppositely poled diodes of the respective transmission line sections.
Specification