Reflection coefficient reader
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A radio frequency (RF) circuitry, comprising:
- a device configured to tap a transmission line and to pick up some of electromagnetic signals traveling in both directions on the transmission line;
controllable signal conditioning circuitry configured to condition a portion of a tapped signal that corresponds to the electromagnetic signals traveling in a first direction on the transmission line;
a combiner configured to combine the conditioned portion of the tapped signal with a portion of the tapped signal that corresponds to the electromagnetic signal travelling in a second direction on the transmission line;
a filter configured to operate on the combined signal;
a detector configured to receive the filtered signal; and
a controller configured to adjust the controllable signal conditioning circuitry based on information from an output of the detector such that the output of the detector reaches a desired minimum signal level.
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Abstract
The disclosure provides circuitry and methods to determine the reflection coefficient of a transmission line connected another physical element or device such as an antenna. The outgoing and the reflected signals on the transmission line are compared using two separate paths, with one path going through a signal conditioning circuitry such as an equalizer. The two paths are then combined and detected. A lookup table may be used for non-linear responses.
158 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A radio frequency (RF) circuitry, comprising:
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a device configured to tap a transmission line and to pick up some of electromagnetic signals traveling in both directions on the transmission line; controllable signal conditioning circuitry configured to condition a portion of a tapped signal that corresponds to the electromagnetic signals traveling in a first direction on the transmission line; a combiner configured to combine the conditioned portion of the tapped signal with a portion of the tapped signal that corresponds to the electromagnetic signal travelling in a second direction on the transmission line; a filter configured to operate on the combined signal; a detector configured to receive the filtered signal; and a controller configured to adjust the controllable signal conditioning circuitry based on information from an output of the detector such that the output of the detector reaches a desired minimum signal level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for determining a reflection coefficient, the method comprising:
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determining, by radio frequency (RF) circuitry, a phase of a phase-shifter in the RF circuitry so that a signal level at an output of a detector in the RF circuitry is minimized, wherein the RF circuitry comprises; a device configured to tap a transmission line and to pick up some of electromagnetic signals traveling in both directions on the transmission line; controllable signal conditioning circuitry configured to condition a portion of a tapped signal that corresponds to the electromagnetic signals traveling in a first direction on the transmission line, wherein the controllable signal conditioning circuitry comprises the phase-shifter and an attenuator; a combiner configured to combine the conditioned portion of the tapped signal with a portion of the tapped signal that corresponds to the electromagnetic signal travelling in a second direction on the transmission line; a filter configured to operate on the combined signal; the detector configured to receive the filtered signal; and a controller configured to adjust the controllable signal conditioning circuitry based on information from the output of the detector such that the output of the detector reaches a desired minimum signal level; determining an attenuation of the attenuator so that the signal level at the output of the detector is minimized; determining a phase and an amplitude of a reflection coefficient using the determined phase of the phase-shifter and the determined attenuation of the attenuator; outputting values of the reflection coefficient comprising the determined phase and the determined amplitude; and monitoring the signal level at the output of the detector, wherein if the monitored signal level increases, repeating the method beginning with the step of determining the phase of the phase-shifter so that the signal level at the output of the detector is minimized. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification