Granted Patent B2

US 8,698,577 · App. 13/176,740 · Granted Apr 15, 2014

Abstract

Claims (97)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a) a first power combiner/divider network configured to split a first electromagnetic signal into a plurality of split electromagnetic signals, at least two of said split electromagnetic signals each connectable to at least one input of a plurality of signal processors;

b) a second power combiner/divider network configured to combine at least two of a plurality of processed electromagnetic signals into a second electromagnetic signal, at least two of said plurality of processed electromagnetic signals each connectable to at least one output of said plurality of signal processors;

c) wherein at least a portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network includes a three-dimensional coaxial microstructure;

d) at least one phase adjuster disposed between said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network; and

e) wherein said apparatus includes at least one of the following:

i) at least one tiered portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network;

ii) at least one portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network constructed as a mechanically releasable module; and

iii) at least said second power combiner/divider network includes said three-dimensional coaxial microstructure and at least one of the following:

(1) a waveguide power combiner/divider;

(2) a spatial power combiner/divider; and

(3) an electric field probe.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said apparatus includes each of:

i) said at least one tiered portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network;

ii) said at least one phase adjuster disposed between said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network;

iii) said at least one portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network constructed as a mechanically releasable module;

iv) said at least said second power combiner/divider network including said three-dimensional coaxial microstructure and at least one of the following:

(1) a waveguide power combiner/divider;

(2) a spatial power combiner/divider; and

(3) an electric field probe.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network includes at least one n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructure.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said at least one n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructures includes at least one of the following:

a) m ports; and

b) n legs connected to said port.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising an electrical path containing at least one resistive element between at least two of said n legs.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said at least one n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructures includes at least one of the following:

a) a 1:4 way three-dimensional coaxial microstructure; and

b) a 1:6 way three-dimensional coaxial microstructure.

7. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein at least two of said at least one n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructures are on different vertical tiers.

8. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of said at least one n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructures is on a different vertical tier than at least one of said plurality of signal processors.

9. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein at least one electrical path is a fraction of an operation wavelength.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network includes at least one the following:

a) a Wilkinson power combiner/divider;

b) a Gysel combiner/divider;

c) a combination thereof.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network includes at least one of the following:

a) a H tree architecture;

b) a X tree architecture;

c) a multi-layer architecture;

d) a planar architecture; and

e) combinations thereof.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said first power combiner/divider network and at least a portion of said second power combiner/divider network are inter-disposed.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said first power combiner/divider network and at least a portion of said second power combiner/divider network are inter-disposed horizontally and vertically.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a substrate of at least one of said plurality of signal processors is different than a substrate of at least one of the following:

a) said first power combiner/divider network; and

b) said second power combiner/divider network.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said phase adjuster is part of a jumper.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said phase adjuster includes a wire bond jumper configured to change a path length.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said phase adjuster includes a variable sliding structure configured to change a path length.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including at least one transition structure configured to connect to at least one of said plurality of signal processors through a coaxial to planar transmission line structure.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein at least one of said at least one transition structure is an independent structure.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said mechanically releasable module includes at least one of the following:

a) a heat sink;

b) a MMIC; and

c) a three-dimensional microstructure backplane.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network includes at least two antennas disposed inside a common waveguide.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein at least one of said at least two antennas is an electric field probe.

23. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said apparatus includes an impedance matching portion.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23 , wherein said impedance matching portion includes at least one of the following:

a) a tapered portion of said three-dimensional coaxial microstructure;

b) an impedance transformer;

c) an open-circuited stub; and

d) a short-circuited stub.

25. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a down taper is disposed to pass at least one of said plurality of split electromagnetic signals.

26. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an up taper is disposed to pass at least one of said plurality of processed electromagnetic signals.

27. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said signal processor is a semiconductor device.

28. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said signal processor is an amplifier.

29. An apparatus comprising:

a) a first power combiner/divider network configured to split a first electromagnetic signal into a plurality of split electromagnetic signals, at least two of said split electromagnetic signals each connectable to at least one input of a plurality of signal processors;

b) a second power combiner/divider network configured to combine at least two of a plurality of processed electromagnetic signals into a second electromagnetic signal, at least two of said plurality of processed electromagnetic signals each connectable to at least one output of said plurality of signal processors;

c) wherein at least a portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network includes a three-dimensional coaxial microstructure; and

d) wherein said apparatus includes at least one of the following:

i) at least one tiered portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network;

ii) at least one phase adjuster disposed between said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network;

iii) at least one portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network constructed as a mechanically releasable module; and

iv) at least said second power combiner/divider network includes said three-dimensional coaxial microstructure and at least one of the following:

(1) a waveguide power combiner/divider;

(2) a spatial power combiner/divider; and

(3) an electric field probe;

wherein at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network includes at least one n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructure that includes at least one of: a) m ports and b) n legs connected to said port; and

wherein at least two of said at least one n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructures are cascading.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29 , wherein at least two of said at least one cascading n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructures are on different vertical tiers.

31. A method comprising:

a) splitting a first electromagnetic signal into a plurality of split electromagnetic signals;

b) transitioning at least one of said plurality of split electromagnetic signals to at least one signal processor;

c) combining at least two of a plurality of processed electromagnetic signals from said signal processor into a second electromagnetic signal; and

d) wherein said method employs a three-dimensional coaxial microstructure comprising at least one phase adjuster disposed between said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network and at least one of the following:

i) at least one tiered portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network;

ii) at least one portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network constructed as a mechanically releasable module; and

iii) at least said second power combiner/divider network includes said three-dimensional coaxial microstructure and at least one of the following:

(1) a waveguide power combiner/divider;

(2) a spatial power combiner/divider; and

(3) an electric field probe.

32. An n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructure comprising:

a) m ports; and

b) n legs connected to said port; and

c) wherein an electrical path includes at least one resistive element between at least two of said n legs, said at least one resistive element formed in a same vertical tier of an apparatus as at least one of said legs.

Assignments (13)