Extremely high frequency converter

• US 9,832,288 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2016
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Keyssa, Inc.
• Inventors: McCormack, Gary D., Isaac, Roger, Almgren, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Brian D
• Application Number:
  US15/225,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20160344851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0096 where a full band is frequency converted into another full band
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

An extremely high frequency (EHF) protocol converter may include a transducer, an EHF communication circuit, a protocol conversion circuit, and a circuit port. The transducer may be configured to convert between an electromagnetic EHF data signal and an electrical EHF signal. The EHF communication circuit may be configured to convert between a baseband data signal and the electrical EHF signal. The protocol conversion circuit may be adapted to convert between the baseband data signal having data formatted according to a first data protocol associated with a first external device and a second baseband data signal having data formatted according to a second data protocol associated with a second external device. The second data protocol may be different from the first data protocol. The circuit port may conduct the second baseband data signal to the second external device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a dielectric channel configured to receive an extremely high frequency (EHF) electromagnetic signal;

a first EHF protocol converter comprising a first portion of the dielectric channel, the first portion of the dielectric channel comprising a first electromagnetic signal port located on a first external surface of the first EHF protocol converter and a second electromagnetic signal port located on a second external surface of the first EHF protocol converter, the first EHF protocol converter coupled to receive a first portion of the received EHF electromagnetic signal from the first portion of the dielectric channel; and

a second EHF protocol converter comprising a second portion of the dielectric channel, the second portion of the dielectric channel comprising a third electromagnetic signal port located on a first external surface of the second EHF protocol converter, the first external surface of the second EHF protocol converter mechanically and matingly received by the second external surface of the first EHF protocol converter, the second EHF protocol converter coupled to receive a second portion of the received EHF electromagnetic signal from the second portion of the dielectric channel.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first EHF protocol converter comprises:

at least a first transducer coupled to receive the first portion the EHF electromagnetic signal from the first signal port and generate a first electrical EHF signal;

at least a first EHF communication circuit configured to convert the first electrical EHF signal into a first baseband data signal; and

a first protocol conversion circuit configured to convert the first baseband data signal into a second baseband data signal, the first baseband signal have a first protocol and the second baseband signal having a second protocol.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first protocol is the same as the second protocol.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the dielectric channels extends continually between the first signal port and the second signal port.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first EHF protocol converter includes a first pair of spaced apart magnets disposed on the second external surface of the first EHF protocol converter, and the second EHF protocol converter includes a second pair of spaced apart magnets disposed on the first external surface of the second EHF protocol converter, the first and second pairs of magnets having polarities that cause the first and second pairs of magnets to be attracted together when the second external surface of the first EHF protocol converter and the first external surface of the second EHF protocol converter are aligned.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second EHF protocol converter comprises:

at least a second transducer coupled to receive the second portion of the EHF electromagnetic signal from the third signal port and generate a second electrical EHF signal;

at least a second EHF communication circuit configured to convert the second electrical EHF signal into a third baseband data signal; and

a second protocol conversion circuit configured to convert the third baseband data signal into a fourth baseband data signal, the third baseband data signal having a third protocol and the fourth baseband data signal having a fourth protocol.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the third protocol is the same as the fourth protocol.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the dielectric channels extends continually between the third signal port and a second external surface of the second EHF protocol converter.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising an EHF conduit including a conduit channel, the conduit channel comprising a first end disposed on a first external surface of the EHF conduit and second end disposed on a second external surface of the EHF conduit, the first end coupled to receive the EHF electromagnetic signal from an external source and the second end positioned to be aligned with the first signal port of the first protocol converter.

10. A system comprising:

a first dielectric channel configured to receive a first extremely high frequency (EHF) electromagnetic signal;

a second dielectric channel configured to receive a second EHF electromagnetic signal; and

an EHF protocol converter comprising a portion of the first dielectric channel and a portion of the second dielectric channel, the portion of the first dielectric channel comprising a first electromagnetic signal port located on a first external surface of the EHF protocol converter, the portion of the second dielectric channel extending from the first external surface of the EHF protocol converter to a second external surface of the EHF protocol converter.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a first transducer electromagnetically coupled to the portion of the first dielectric channel to receive the first EHF electromagnetic signal, and configured to generate a first electrical EHF signal; and

a first EHF communication circuit configured to convert the first electrical EHF signal into a first baseband data signal.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a second transducer electromagnetically coupled to the portion of the second dielectric channel and configured to generate a second electrical EHF signal;

a second EHF communication circuit configured to convert second electrical EHF signal into a second baseband signal; and

a signal router circuit operatively coupled to receive the first and second baseband signals, and configured to selectively route the first baseband data signal or the second baseband signal to a protocol converter circuit.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first EHF electromagnetic signal has a first protocol and the second EHF electromagnetic signal has a second protocol.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first protocol is the same as the second protocol.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the protocol converter circuit is configured to convert the first baseband data signal into a third baseband data signal having a third protocol.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the protocol converter circuit is configured to convert the second baseband data signal into a fourth baseband data signal having a fourth protocol.