Granted Patent B2

US 9,413,052 · App. 14/845,385 · Granted Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

Claims (26)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a) a first power combiner/divider network having an input and a plurality of output legs electrically connected thereto and configured to split a first electromagnetic signal at the input into a plurality of split electromagnetic signals in the plurality of legs, at least two of the legs connectable to a respective input of a signal processor;

b) a second power combiner/divider network having an output and a plurality of input legs electrically connected thereto and configured to combine at least two of a plurality of processed electromagnetic signals present at the input legs into a second electromagnetic signal at the output, at least two of the input legs connectable to a respective output of the signal processor;

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

d) at least one variable phase adjuster having a phase that can be adjusted, the variable phase adjuster electrically connected between the first power combiner/divider network and the second power combiner/divider network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the variable phase adjuster includes a variable sliding structure configured to change a path length.

3. An apparatus comprising:

a) a first power combiner/divider network having an input and a plurality of output legs electrically connected thereto and configured to split a first electromagnetic signal at the input into a plurality of split electromagnetic signals in the plurality of legs, at least two of the legs connectable to a respective input of a signal processor;

b) a second power combiner/divider network having an output and a plurality of input legs electrically connected thereto and configured to combine at least two of a plurality of processed electromagnetic signals present at the input legs into a second electromagnetic signal at the output, at least two of the input legs connectable to a respective output of the signal processor;

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

d) a common waveguide disposed between the first and second power combiner/divider networks, and wherein at least one of the output legs of the first power combiner/divider network includes an antenna disposed within the common waveguide.

4. An apparatus comprising:

a) a first power combiner/divider network having an input and a plurality of output legs electrically connected thereto and configured to split a first electromagnetic signal at the input into a plurality of split electromagnetic signals in the plurality of legs, at least two of the legs connectable to a respective input of a signal processor;

b) a second power combiner/divider network having an output and a plurality of input legs electrically connected thereto and configured to combine at least two of a plurality of processed electromagnetic signals present at the input legs into a second electromagnetic signal at the output, at least two of the input legs connectable to a respective output of the signal processor; and

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

wherein the first power combiner/divider network includes an electric field probe disposed at the end of at least one of the output legs.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the second power combiner/divider network includes an electric field probe disposed at the end of at least one of the input legs.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first power combiner/divider network and the second power combiner/divider network includes at least one n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructure.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein at least two of the at least one n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructures are disposed in a cascading configuration.

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

9. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein at least two of the at least one n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructures are on different vertical tiers.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein at least one of the at least one n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructures is on a different vertical tier than the signal processor.

11. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein at least a portion of the first power combiner/divider network and at least a portion of the second power combiner/divider network are inter-disposed.

12. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein at least a portion of the first power combiner/divider network and at least a portion of the second power combiner/divider network are inter-disposed horizontally and vertically.

13. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein at least one portion of the at least one of the first power combiner/divider network and the second power combiner/divider network is constructed as a mechanically releasable module.

14. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the input legs of the second power combiner/divider network includes an antenna disposed within the common waveguide.

Assignments (8)