System for transmitting digital signals with FM signals

• US 6,934,514 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2001
• Issued: 08/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Inventors: Stenberg, James T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Quynh H.
• Application Number:
  US09/878,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20020187759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• Field of Search: 455/45, 455/103, 455/104, 455/105, 375/295, 375/299
• US Class Current: 455/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/406 with more than one transmission mode, e.g. analog and digital modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/30 by a single channel

Abstract

A system for transmitting digital signals in the same band and on the same channel with FM signals is disclosed. The design of the system according to the present invention includes a coupler, which may be a +3 dB hybrid quadrature coupler, and circularly polarized antenna. The +3 dB hybrid quadrature coupler maintains isolation between the FM signals and the digital signals. The circularly polarized antenna receives the FM signals and the digital signals, and transmits the signals after they have each been separately received at the circularly polarized antenna.

Claims

1. A system for transmitting digital signals with FM signals, comprising:

a coupler means for splitting a digital signal into a first digital signal part and a second digital signal part, and for splitting an FM signal into a first FM signal part and a second FM signal part;

a first transmission line means and a second transmission line means coupled to the coupler means for transmitting the first digital signal part, the second digital signal part, the first FM signal part, and the second FM signal part; and

antenna means for receiving the first digital signal part, the second digital signal part, the first FM signal part, and the second FM signal part from the first transmission line means and the second transmission line means.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a transmission means for transmitting the FM signal to the coupler means.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a transmission means for transmitting the digital signal to the coupler means.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first transmission line transmits a pair of signals including at least one of the digital signal first part and digital signal second part, and at least one of the FM signal first part and FM signal second part such that there is a phase difference of 90 degrees between the pair of signals for simultaneously transmitting a pair of signals, while maintaining isolation between the pair of signals.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first digital signal part and the second digital signal part are equal in amplitude.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first FM signal part and the second FM signal part are equal in amplitude.

7. A method for transmitting digital signals and FM signals, comprising:

splitting a digital signal into a first digital part and a second digital part, such that there is a 90 degrees phase difference between each part using a hybrid quadrature coupler;

splitting an FM signal into a first FM part and a second FM part, such that there is a 90 degrees phase difference between each part using a +3 dB hybrid quadrature coupler; and

transmitting a first pair of signals and a second pair of signals using a first transmission line and a second transmission line, wherein each pair of signals includes at least one of the digital signal first part and the digital signal second part, and including at least one of the FM signal first part and the FM signal second part, wherein there is a 90 degrees phase difference between the pair of signals.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting the first pair of signals using the first transmission line to a first dipole arm of a circularly polarized antenna.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting the second pair of signals using the second transmission line to a second dipole arm of the circularly polarized antenna.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the first digital signal part and the second digital signal part are equal in amplitude.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the first FM signal part and the second FM signal part are equal in amplitude.

12. An apparatus for transmitting digital and analog FM signals, comprising:

a +3 db hybrid quadature coupler having at least a first and second input, and at least a first and second output;

a first input signal having at least one of a digital and analog FM signal;

a second input signal having at least one of a digital and analog FM signal; and

an antenna having at least a first and second radiator of orthogonal polarization,

wherein the hybrid coupler splits each of the at least one of the digital and FM signals, of both the first and second inputs, into substantially equal parts, each part being shifted approximately 90 degrees from its split part, and wherein the antenna radiates the split parts having the shifted phases to form a radiated digital and radiated analog FM signal.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

at least two transmission lines coupling the antenna to the hybrid coupler.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

at least one or more transmitters providing at least the first and second input signals.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the antenna'"'"'s at least first and second radiators are of opposite radiation polarization polarity.

16. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the radiators of the antenna are crossed dipole arms.

17. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the polarization of the radiated signals are circular.