Metamaterial diplexers, combiners and dividers

• US 8,786,383 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2011
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Hollinworth Fund L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Dupuy, Alexandre
• Primary Examiner(s): Takaoka, Dean O
• Application Number:
  US13/084,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20110248791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 333/101, 333/103, 333/104, 333/105, 333/107, 333/120, 333/126, 333/127, 333/128
• US Class Current: 333/101
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/15 by semiconductor devices

Abstract

A wireless device having a CRLH structure incorporates a power combiner/divider and diplexer. In one embodiment, circuit parameters are selected to achieve impedance matching using a transmission line structure.

Claims

1. A wireless device, comprising:

a plurality of antenna elements having Composite Right/Left Hand (CRLH) structures;

a power combiner/divider circuit coupled to each of the plurality of antenna elements, the power combiner/divider circuit having a plurality of feed paths, each having a diode; and

a diplexer having a downstream end coupled to the power combiner/divider circuit, the diplexer having an upstream end operable to select between a plurality of paths for processing multiple frequency bands, a frequency band on one of the paths being different from a frequency band of a different path.

2. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the power combiner/divider circuit comprising a CRLH structured transmission line.

3. The wireless device of claim 2, wherein the diplexer comprises a plurality of switches.

4. The wireless device of claim 3, wherein at least one of the plurality of switches supports transmit and receive signals.

5. The wireless device of claim 3, wherein a first switch of the plurality of switches is adapted to process signals in a first frequency band, and a second switch of the plurality of switches is adapted to process signals in a second frequency band.

6. The wireless device of claim 3, wherein the plurality of switches are single pole double throw switches.

7. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the power combiner/divider comprises:

a branch point coupled to the diplexer; and

a plurality of feed paths coupled to the branch point, the plurality of feed paths coupled to the plurality of antenna elements.

8. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the diplexer comprises multiple diplexer paths, wherein a first diplexer path supports multiple transmit frequency bands and the second diplexer path supports multiple receive frequency bands.

9. The wireless device of claim 8, further comprising a switching element coupled between the diplexer and the power combiner/divider, wherein the switch is used to select the first diplexer path for transmission of signals or to select the second diplexer path to receive signals.

10. A wireless device comprising:

an antenna element,

a power combiner/divider transmission line coupled to the antenna element; and

a plurality of diplexers coupled to the power combiner/divider transmission line;

wherein each of the plurality of diplexers includes;

a downstream end coupled to the power combiner/divider transmission line; and

an upstream end operable to select between a plurality of paths for processing multiple frequency bands, a frequency band on one of the paths being different from a frequency band of a different path.

11. The wireless device as in claim 10, wherein the power combiner/divider transmission line is a zero degree component.

12. The wireless device as in claim 11, wherein the power combiner/divider transmission line is a Composite Right Left Hand (CRLH) structure.

13. The wireless device as in claim 12, wherein the device supports dual band operation.

14. The wireless device as in claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of diplexers is coupled to the power combiner/divider transmission line at a port point having a first impedance value.

15. The wireless device as in claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of diplexers has a diplexing point having a second impedance value.

16. The wireless device as in claim 12, wherein the power combiner/divider comprises a plurality of unit cells, and wherein each unit cell has equivalent circuit parameters corresponding to an associated phase.

17. The wireless device as in claim 16, wherein a capacitance element is coupled between each of the diplexers and the power combiner/divider transmission line.

18. The wireless device as in claim 17, wherein a feed capacitance is coupled between the power combiner/divider transmission line and the antenna element.

19. The wireless device as in claim 16, wherein the associated phase is selected from the values of ±

2k×

180°

(k=0, 1, 2 . . . ).

20. The wireless device as in claim 19, wherein the equivalent circuit parameters and corresponding associated phases provide impedance matching between the plurality of diplexers and the antenna element.