Patent Grant
9350064
This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/313,400, titled “Enhanced Hybrid-Tee Coupler,” filed on the same day, Jun. 24, 2014, to inventors Paul J. Tatomir and James M. Barker, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to satellite communication systems, and more generally to hybrid matrix networks utilized in satellite communication systems.
2. Related Art
In today's modern society satellite communication systems have become common place. There are now numerous types of communication satellites in various orbits around the Earth transmitting and receiving huge amounts of information. Telecommunication satellites are utilized for microwave radio relay and mobile applications, such as, for example, communications to ships, vehicles, airplanes, personal mobile terminals, Internet data communication, television, and radio broadcasting. As a further example, with regard to Internet data communications, there is also a growing demand for in-flight Wi-Fi® Internet connectivity on transcontinental and domestic flights. Unfortunately, because of these applications, there is an ever increasing need for the utilization of more communication satellites and the increase of bandwidth capacity of each of these communication satellites. Additionally, typical satellite beam service regions and applied levels are fixed on satellites and providers cannot generally make changes to them once a satellite is procured and placed in orbit.
Known approaches to increase bandwidth capacity utilize high level frequency re-use and/or spot beam technology which enables the frequency re-use across multiple narrowly focused spot beams. However, these approaches typically utilize input and output hybrid matrix networks which generally require very wide bandwidth hybrid elements within the hybrid matrix networks. This also usually includes a need for greater power amplification and handling within these hybrid matrix networks. Unfortunately, known hybrid elements generally result in variable and unconstrained phase splits across the ports of the hybrid matrix network that require special treatment in order to phase correctly within a matrix amplifier associated with the hybrid matrix network. Specifically, known hybrid elements such as hybrid couplers are typically limited bandwidth devices that do not operate well at very wide bandwidths.
Specifically in
The hybrid coupler 100 is known as a “magic tee” because of the way in which power is divided among the various ports 104, 108, 112, and 116. If E-plane and H-plane ports 112 and 116, respectively, are simultaneously matched, then by symmetry, reciprocity, and conservation of energy the two collinear ports (104 and 108) are matched, and are “magically” isolated from each other.
In an example of operation, an input signal 120 into the first port 104 produces output signals 122 and 124 at the third 112 (i.e., E-plane port) and fourth 116 ports (i.e., H-plane port), respectively. Similarly, an input signal 126 into the second port 108 also produces output signals 122 and 124 at the third 112 and fourth 116 ports, respectively, (but unlike the output signal 124) where the polarity of the resulting output signal 122 corresponding to the input signal 126 at the second port 108 is of an opposite phase (i.e., 180 degrees out of phase) with respect to the polarity of the resulting output signal 124 corresponding to the input signal 120 at the first port 108. As such, if both the input signals 120 and 126 are feed into the first 104 and second 108 ports, respectively, the output signal 124 at the fourth port 116 is a combination (i.e., a summation) of the two individual output signals corresponding to each input signal 120 and 126 at the first 104 and second 108 ports and the output signal 122 at the third port 112 is a combined signal that is equal to the difference of the two individual output signals corresponding to each input signal 120 and 126 at the first 104 and second 108 ports.
An input signal 128 into the third port 112 produces output signals 130 and 132 at the first 104 and second 108 ports, respectively, where both output signals 130 and 132 are of opposite phase (i.e., 180 degrees out of phase from each other). Similarly, an input signal 134 into the fourth port 116 also produces output signals 130 and 132 at the first 104 and second 108 ports, respectively; however, the output signals 130 and 132 are in phase. The resulting full scattering matrix for an ideal magic tee (where all the individual reflection coefficients have be adjusted to zero) is then
Unfortunately, this hybrid coupler 100 is assumed to be an ideal magic tee that does not exist in the reality. To function correctly, the hybrid coupler 100 must incorporate some type of internal matching structure (not shown) such as a post (not shown) inside the H-plane tee (i.e., fourth port 116) and possibly an inductive iris (not shown) inside the E-plane (i.e., third port 112). Because of the need to some type of internal matching structure inside the hybrid coupler 100, which is inherently frequency dependent, the resulting hybrid coupler 100 with an internal matching structure will only operate properly over a limited frequency bandwidth (i.e., over a narrow bandwidth).
Therefore, there is a need for an improved hybrid matrix network and corresponding hybrid element that addresses these problems.
A power division and recombination network with internal signal adjustment (“PDRN”) is described. As an example of an implementation of the PDRN, the PDRN may include a means for dividing an input power signal having a first amplitude value into eight intermediate power signals, where each intermediate power signal has an intermediate amplitude value equal to approximately one-eighth the first amplitude value.
In another example of an implementation of the PDRN, the PDRN may include an 8-by-8 hybrid matrix waveguide network (“8×8MWN”). The 8×8MWN may include a first 4-by-4 matrix waveguide network (“4×4MWN”), a second 4×4MWN, and a plurality of waveguide runs from the first and second 4×4MWNs. Each of the 4×4MWNs may include a first, second, third, and fourth enhanced hybrid-tee couplers (“EHT-couplers”), where the first EHT-coupler is in signal communication with the third and fourth EHT-couplers via a first and second signal path of the 4×4MWN, respectively, and where the second EHT-coupler is in signal communication with third and fourth EHT-couplers via a third and fourth signal path of the 4×4WMN, respectively.
The plurality of waveguide runs defining a plurality of signal paths from the first and second 4×4MWNs to a ninth EHT-coupler, tenth EHT-coupler, eleventh EHT-coupler, and twelfth EHT-coupler. The ninth EHT-coupler is in signal communication with the fourth EHT-coupler of the first 4×4MWN and the third EHT-coupler of the second 4×4MWN via a first and second signal path of the plurality of signal paths and the tenth EHT-coupler is in signal communication with the third EHT-coupler of the first 4×4MWN and the fourth EHT-coupler of the second 4×4MWN via a third and fourth signal path of the plurality of signal paths. Additionally, the eleventh EHT-coupler is in signal communication with the fourth EHT-coupler of the first 4×4MWN and the third EHT-coupler of the second 4×4MWN via a fifth and sixth signal path of the plurality of signal paths and the twelfth EHT-coupler is in signal communication with the third EHT-coupler of the first 4×4MWN and the fourth EHT-coupler of the second 4×4MWN via a seventh and eighth signal path of the plurality of signal paths.
In yet another example of an implementation of the PDRN, the PDRN may include a means for dividing an input power signal having a first amplitude value into eight intermediate power signals, where each intermediate power signal has an intermediate amplitude value equal to approximately one-eighth the first amplitude value. The PDRN may also include a means for processing the intermediate power signals and a means for combining the intermediate power signal into a single output power signal.
Furthermore, in another example of an implementation of the PDRN, the PDRN may also include two 8×8MWNs and a plurality of devices in signal communication with both 8×8MWNs. The first 8×8MWN may include a first and second 4×4MWNs, and a plurality of waveguide runs from the first and second 4×4MWNs to a ninth EHT-coupler, tenth EHT-coupler, eleventh EHT-coupler, and twelfth EHT-coupler. The ninth EHT-coupler is in signal communication with the third EHT-coupler of the first 4×4MWN and the third EHT-coupler of the second 4×4MWN via a first and second signal path and the tenth EHT-coupler is in signal communication with the fourth EHT-coupler of the first 4×4MWN and the fourth EHT-coupler of the second 4×4MWN via a third and fourth signal path. Additionally, the eleventh EHT-coupler is in signal communication with the third EHT-coupler of the first 4×4MWN and the third EHT-coupler of the second 4×4MWN via a fifth and sixth signal path and the twelfth EHT-coupler is in signal communication with the fourth EHT-coupler of the first 4×4MWN and the fourth EHT-coupler of the second 4×4MWN via a seventh and eighth signal path. The plurality of devices in signal communication with both 8×8MWNs may include straight through waveguides, phase-shifters, solid-state amplifiers, and traveling wave tube (“TWTA”) amplifiers.
Other devices, apparatus, systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention will be or will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.
The invention may be better understood by referring to the following figures. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.
A power division and recombination network with internal signal adjustment (“PDRN”) is described. As an example of an implementation of the PDRN, the PDRN may include a means for dividing an input power signal having a first amplitude value into eight intermediate power signals, where each intermediate power signal has an intermediate amplitude value equal to approximately one-eighth the first amplitude value.
In another example of an implementation of the PDRN, the PDRN may include an 8-by-8 hybrid matrix waveguide network (“8×8MWN”). The 8×8MWN may include a first 4-by-4 matrix waveguide network (“4×4MWN”), a second 4×4MWN, and a plurality of waveguide runs from the first and second 4×4MWNs. Each of the 4×4MWNs may include a first, second, third, and fourth enhanced hybrid-tee couplers (“EHT-couplers”), where the first EHT-coupler is in signal communication with the third and fourth EHT-couplers via a first and second signal path of the 4×4MWN, respectively, and where the second EHT-coupler is in signal communication with third and fourth EHT-couplers via a third and fourth signal path of the 4×4WMN, respectively.
The plurality of waveguide runs defining a plurality of signal paths from the first and second 4×4MWNs to a ninth EHT-coupler, tenth EHT-coupler, eleventh EHT-coupler, and twelfth EHT-coupler. The ninth EHT-coupler is in signal communication with the fourth EHT-coupler of the first 4×4MWN and the third EHT-coupler of the second 4×4MWN via a first and second signal path of the plurality of signal paths and the tenth EHT-coupler is in signal communication with the third EHT-coupler of the first 4×4MWN and the fourth EHT-coupler of the second 4×4MWN via a third and fourth signal path of the plurality of signal paths. Additionally, the eleventh EHT-coupler is in signal communication with the fourth EHT-coupler of the first 4×4MWN and the third EHT-coupler of the second 4×4MWN via a fifth and sixth signal path of the plurality of signal paths and the twelfth EHT-coupler is in signal communication with the third EHT-coupler of the first 4×4MWN and the fourth EHT-coupler of the second 4×4MWN via a seventh and eighth signal path of the plurality of signal paths.
In yet another example of an implementation of the PDRN, the PDRN may include a means for dividing an input power signal having a first amplitude value into eight intermediate power signals, where each intermediate power signal has an intermediate amplitude value equal to approximately one-eighth the first amplitude value. The PDRN may also include a means for processing the intermediate power signals and a means for combining the intermediate power signal into a single output power signal.
Furthermore, in another example of an implementation of the PDRN, the PDRN may also include two 8×8MWNs and a plurality of devices in signal communication with both 8×8MWNs. The first 8×8MWN may include a first and second 4×4MWNs, and a plurality of waveguide runs from the first and second 4×4MWNs to a ninth EHT-coupler, tenth EHT-coupler, eleventh EHT-coupler, and twelfth EHT-coupler. The ninth EHT-coupler is in signal communication with the third EHT-coupler of the first 4×4MWN and the third EHT-coupler of the second 4×4MWN via a first and second signal path and the tenth EHT-coupler is in signal communication with the fourth EHT-coupler of the first 4×4MWN and the fourth EHT-coupler of the second 4×4MWN via a third and fourth signal path. Additionally, the eleventh EHT-coupler is in signal communication with the third EHT-coupler of the first 4×4MWN and the third EHT-coupler of the second 4×4MWN via a fifth and sixth signal path and the twelfth EHT-coupler is in signal communication with the fourth EHT-coupler of the first 4×4MWN and the fourth EHT-coupler of the second 4×4MWN via a seventh and eighth signal path. The plurality of devices in signal communication with both 8×8MWNs may include straight through waveguides, phase-shifters, solid-state amplifiers, and traveling wave tube (“TWTA”) amplifiers.
Also described is an EHT-coupler, where the EHT-coupler includes a first waveguide, second waveguide, third waveguide, and fourth waveguide. The first waveguide defines a first port and the second waveguide defines a second port. Similarly, the third waveguide defines a fourth port and the fourth waveguide defines a fourth port. The first, second, third, and fourth waveguides meet in a single common junction and the first waveguide and second waveguide are collinear. The third waveguide forms an E-plane junction with both the first waveguide and the second waveguide and the fourth waveguide forms an H-plane junction with both the first waveguide and the second waveguide.
The EHT-coupler also includes a first impedance matching element positioned in the common junction. The first impedance matching element includes a base and a tip. The base of the first impedance matching element is located at a coplanar common waveguide wall of the first waveguide, second waveguide, and third waveguide and the tip of the first impedance matching element extends outward from the base of the first impedance matching element directed towards the fourth waveguide.
Turning to
Unlike the hybrid coupler 100 of
In general, the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth impedance matching elements 224, 226, 228, 230, and 232, respectively, may be each a metal capacitive tuning “post,” “button,” or “stub.” The second, third, and sixth impedance matching elements 224, 226, and 232 may extend outward from a common top wall 242 into the cavities of the first waveguide 202, second waveguide 206, and fourth waveguide 214, respectively. The top wall 242 may be a common waveguide broad wall of the first, second, and fourth waveguides 202, 206, and 214, respectively, which is located opposite the coplanar common waveguide wall 220. The fourth and fifth impedance matching elements 228 and 230 may extend outward (i.e., into the inner cavity of the third waveguide 210) from the corresponding opposite waveguide broad walls of the third waveguide 210, where the fourth impedance matching element 228 extends outward from the front broad wall 209 into the cavity of the third waveguide 210 and the fifth impedance matching element 230 extends outward from the back broad wall 211 into the cavity of the third waveguide 210. In this example, the waveguides 202, 206, 210, and 214 may be, for example, X-Ku band waveguides such as WR-75 rectangular waveguides that have inside dimensions of 0.750 inches by 0.375 inches and frequency limits of 10.0 to 15.0 GHz.
As mentioned earlier, the EHT-coupler 200 may be formed of a plurality of waveguides 202, 206, 210, and 214 coming together at the common junction 230. These waveguides 202, 206, 210, and 214 are generally either metallic or metallically plated structures where the types of metals that may be used include any low loss type metals including copper, silver, aluminum, gold, or any metal that has a low bulk resistivity.
The seventh and eighth impedance matching elements 234 and 236 may be discontinuities in the narrow walls of the fourth waveguide 214. As an example, of one or both of these discontinuities would be to reduce the width of the fourth waveguide 214 so act as a waveguide transformer that enables equal phase and delay reference points to exist within the EHT-coupler 200. In this example, both the seventh and eight impedance matching elements 234 and 236 are shown as forming a transformer that narrows the width of the fourth waveguide 214 from a first waveguide width dimension at the fourth port 215 to a second narrower waveguide width dimension at the common junction 218. The transition from the first waveguide width dimension to the second narrower waveguide width dimension is shown happening at the location of the seventh and eighth impedance matching elements 234 and 236. However, it is appreciated that an alternative configuration may the locations of the seventh and eighth impedance matching elements 234 and 236 along the length of the fourth waveguide 214 may be different so as to produce two waveguide transformers. Additionally, it is also appreciated that the waveguide transformer may only include one of the seventh and eighth impedance matching elements 234 and 236 instead of the two shown in
In this example, the tip 238 may be cone shaped to ease the electromagnetic fields (not shown) induced in the EHT-coupler 200 to split evenly at the common junction 218. The tip 238 may also be a cone, pyramid or other similar structural shape that is wider at the base 240 and sharper at the end of the tip 238. Again, the base 240 may be a similar structure as described earlier. The second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth impedance matching elements 224, 226, 228, 230, and 232, respectively, may be capacitive tuning elements that are configured to cancel any reactive parasitic effects at the common junction 218. It is appreciated that the size and placement of the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth impedance matching elements 224, 226, 228, 230, and 232 within the EHT-coupler 200 are predetermined based on the design parameters of the EHT-coupler 200, which include, for example, desired frequency of operation, desired isolation between isolated ports, desired internal matching within the EHT-coupler 200, desired loss, etc.
In this example, the first impedance matching element 222 is an example of a means for internally impedance matching the common junction 218 of the EHT-coupler 200. The second impedance matching element 224 is an example of a means for internally impedance matching the first port 204 of the first waveguide 200 and the common junction 218 of the EHT-coupler 200 to the first waveguide 202. The third impedance matching element 226 is an example of a means for internally impedance matching the second port 208 of the second waveguide 206 and the common junction 218 of the EHT-coupler 200 to the second waveguide 206.
The fourth impedance matching element 228 and fifth impedance matching element 230 are an example of a means for internally impedance matching the third port 212 of the third waveguide 210 and the common junction 218 of the EHT-coupler 200 to the third waveguide 210. The sixth impedance matching element 232 is an example of a means for internally impedance matching the fourth port 215 of the fourth waveguide 214 and the common junction 218 of the EHT-coupler 200 to the fourth waveguide 215. The seventh and eighth impedance matching elements 234 and 236 form an impedance transformer that is an example of a means for narrowing a first waveguide width of the fourth waveguide 214, at the fourth port 215, to a second narrower waveguide dimension prior to the common junction 218 of the EHT-coupler 200.
In an example of operation, an input signal into the first port 204 only produces a first and second output signals at the third 212 (i.e., E-plane port) and fourth 215 ports (i.e., H-plane port), respectively. Similarly, an input signal into the second port 208 only produces a third and fourth output signals at the third 212 and fourth 215 ports, respectively. In both of the cases, the first port 202 and second port 208 are isolated from each other and, therefore, produce no output signal at each other's port.
Additionally, in both of these cases, the second and fourth output signals produced at the fourth port 215 have the same phase value. If this phase value is set to a reference phase value of zero degrees, the phase values of the first and third output signals produced at the third port 212 will have a phase value of zero for the one of the output signals and a phase value of 180 degrees for the other output signal. If, as an example, the first output signal at the third port 212 (produced by the input signal at the first port 204) has a phase value of zero degrees (when normalized with the phase values of the second and fourth output signals at the fourth port 215), the third output signal at the third port 212 (produced by the input signal at the second port 208) will have a phase value of 180 degrees.
In
In this example, first impedance matching element 222 may be approximately 0.655 inches high 243 and approximately 1.14 inches in diameter 245 at the base 240. In this example, the diameter 245 extends out radially from a centerline 241 (of the front and back narrow walls 205 and 207) into the first and second waveguides 202 and 206. In this example, the base 240 may be circular but truncated near the common narrow wall 252 (shown if
In
Similarly, in
In
In this example, the seventh and eighth impedance matching elements 234 and 236 are shown to be located a transformer distance 260 away from the opening into the common junction 218. As mentioned earlier, in this example both the seventh and eighth impedance matching elements 234 and 236 are shown as being part of a step transformer in the fourth waveguide 214; however, the step transformer may also optionally use only one impedance matching element in either narrow wall (i.e., either the seventh or eighth impedance matching elements 234 and 236) based on the predetermined design that reduces reflections looking into the fourth port 215.
Similar to
In this example, each impedance matching elements 222, 224, 226, 228, 230, 232, 234, and 236 may be fabricated as an all-metal or partial-metal element. The types of metals that may be used include any low loss type metals including copper, silver, aluminum, gold, or any metal that has a low bulk resistivity.
Turning to
The 4×4MWN 400 is configured such that the electrical length of the signal paths from each of the four EHT-couplers 402, 404, 406, and 408 to other EHT-couplers 402, 404, 406, and 408 is approximately equal. As such, the group delay and phase slope for all the signal paths between the EHT-couplers 402, 404, 406, and 408 is approximately equal.
As an example, from H-plane port to H-plane port, a first signal path is defined by the signal path from the H-plane port 422 of the first EHT-coupler 402 to the H-plane port 426 of the third EHT-coupler 402, a second signal path is defined by the signal path from the H-plane port 422 of the first EHT-coupler 402 to the H-plane port 428 of the fourth EHT-coupler 408, a third signal path is defined by the signal path from H-plane port 424 of the second EHT-coupler 404 to the H-plane port 426 of the third EHT-coupler 402, and a fourth signal path is defined by the signal path from H-plane port 424 of the second EHT-coupler 404 to the H-plane port 428 of the fourth EHT-coupler 408. Additional, from E-plane port to H-plane port, a fifth signal path is defined by the signal path from the E-plane port 414 of the first EHT-coupler 402 to the H-plane port 426 of the third EHT-coupler 402, a sixth signal path is defined by the signal path from the E-plane port 414 of the first EHT-coupler 402 to the H-plane port 428 of the fourth EHT-coupler 408, a seventh signal path is defined by the signal path from E-plane port 416 of the second EHT-coupler 404 to the H-plane port 426 of the third EHT-coupler 402, and an eighth signal path is defined by the signal path from E-plane port 416 of the second EHT-coupler 404 to the H-plane port 428 of the fourth EHT-coupler 408. Furthermore, from H-plane port to E-plane port, a ninth signal path is defined by the signal path from the H-plane port 422 of the first EHT-coupler 402 to the E-plane port 418 of the third EHT-coupler 402, a tenth signal path is defined by the signal path from the H-plane port 422 of the first EHT-coupler 402 to the E-plane port 420 of the fourth EHT-coupler 408, an eleventh signal path is defined by the signal path from H-plane port 424 of the second EHT-coupler 404 to the E-plane port 418 of the third EHT-coupler 402, and a twelfth signal path is defined by the signal path from H-plane port 424 of the second EHT-coupler 404 to the E-plane port 420 of the fourth EHT-coupler 408. Moreover, from E-pane port to E-plane port, a thirteenth signal path is defined by the signal path from the E-plane port 414 of the first EHT-coupler 402 to the E-plane port 418 of the third EHT-coupler 402, a fourteenth signal path is defined by the signal path from the E-plane port 414 of the first EHT-coupler 402 to the E-plane port 420 of the fourth EHT-coupler 408, a fifteenth signal path is defined by the signal path from E-plane port 416 of the second EHT-coupler 404 to the E-plane port 418 of the third EHT-coupler 402, and a sixteenth signal path is defined by the signal path from E-plane port 416 of the second EHT-coupler 404 to the E-plane port 420 of the fourth EHT-coupler 408. As an example, the 4×4MWN 400 may have a two-dimensional size that is approximately about eight inches long 425 by five inches wide 427. In this example, the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth signal paths each have a group delay that is approximately equal and a phase slope that is approximately equal.
Moreover,
In
As an example of operation, if a first input signal 546 is injected into the H-plane port 514 of the first EHT-coupler 502, the first EHT-coupler 502 equally divides the first input signal 546 into two signals that are in-phase but have equal power values that are half the power of the original first input signal 546. This is sometimes referred to as splitting the first input signal 546 into two amplitude balanced in phase signals.
The first signal from the first EHT-coupler 502 is then passed along a first signal path from the first collinear port 530 of the first EHT-coupler 502 to the second collinear port 540 of the third EHT-coupler 506. Once the first signal is injected into the second collinear port 540 of the third EHT-coupler 506, the first signal is then equally divided into two additional signals (i.e., a third signal 548 and a fourth signal 550). The third signal 548 will be emitted from the H-plane port 522 of the third EHT-coupler 506 and the fourth signal 550 will be emitted from the E-plane port 524 of the third EHT-coupler 506. It is noted that while the third signal 548 and fourth signal 550 have equal amplitudes (that are half the power of the first signal resulting in a fourth of the power of the original first input signal 546), their phases may be in-phase or out-of-phase based on how the third EHT-coupler 506 is configured. The key is that the third EHT-coupler 506 is configured to produce a combined signal in the H-plane port 522 of two in-phase signals received at both the first collinear port 538 and second collinear port 540, while at the same time producing a difference signal in the E-plane port 524 of the two in-phase signals. If the two received signals received at both the first collinear port 538 and second collinear port 540 are 180 degrees out-of-phase, the H-plane port 522 will not produce an output signal but the E-plane port 524 will produce an output signal that is the a combined signal of the two received signals. As such, for this example, it will be assumed that the phase of the fourth signal 550 will be approximately equal to the phase of the third signal 548.
The second signal from the first EHT-coupler 502 is also passed along a second signal path from the second collinear port 532 of the first EHT-coupler 502, across the second bridge element 512, to the second collinear port 544 of the fourth EHT-coupler 508. Once the second signal is injected into the second collinear port 544 of the fourth EHT-coupler 508, the second signal is then equally divided into two additional signals (i.e., a fifth signal 552 and a sixth signal 554). The fifth signal 552 will be emitted from the H-plane port 526 of the fourth EHT-coupler 508 and the sixth signal 554 will be emitted from the E-plane port 528 of the fourth EHT-coupler 508. It is again noted that while the fifth signal 552 and sixth signal 554 have equal amplitudes (that are half the power of the second signal resulting in a fourth of the power of the original first input signal 546), their phases may be in-phase or out-of-phase based on how the fourth EHT-coupler 508 is configured. Similar to the third EHT-coupler 506, it is assumed that the phase of the sixth signal 554 will be approximately equal to the phase of the fifth signal 552.
Similarly, if a second input signal 556 is injected into the H-plane port 518 of the second EHT-coupler 504, the second EHT-coupler 504 also divides the second input signal 556 into two in-phase signals of equal amplitude (that is one half the power of the second input signal 556). The first signal from the second EHT-coupler 504 is then passed along a third signal path from the first collinear port 534 of the second EHT-coupler 504, across the first bridge element 510, to the first collinear port 538 of the third EHT-coupler 506.
Once the first signal is injected into the first collinear port 538 of the third EHT-coupler 506, the first signal is then equally divided into two additional signals (i.e., a seventh signal 558 and an eighth signal 560). The seventh signal 558 will be emitted from the H-plane port 522 of the third EHT-coupler 506 and the eighth signal 560 will be emitted from the E-plane port 524 of the third EHT-coupler 506. It is noted that while the seventh signal 558 and eighth signal 560 have equal amplitudes (that are half the power of the first signal resulting in a fourth of the power of the original second input signal 556), their phases may be in-phase or out-of-phase based on how the third EHT-coupler 506 is configured. Since the third signal 548 and fourth signal 550 have already been assumed to have the same phase, the seventh signal 558 and an eighth signal 560 are assumed to have phases a 180 degrees apart because, as noted earlier, the third signal 548 and seventh signal 558 have the same phase and would combine in the H-plane port 522, while the fourth signal 550 and eighth signal 560 are 180 degrees out-of-phase and would cancel in the E-plane port 524.
The second signal from the second EHT-coupler 504 is also passed along a second signal path from the second collinear port 536 of the second EHT-coupler 504 to the first collinear port 542 of the fourth EHT-coupler 508. Once the second signal is injected into the first collinear port 542 of the fourth EHT-coupler 508, the second signal is then equally divided into two additional signals (i.e., a ninth signal 562 and a tenth signal 564). The ninth signal 562 will be emitted from the H-plane port 526 of the fourth EHT-coupler 508 and the tenth signal 564 will be emitted from the E-plane port 528 of the fourth EHT-coupler 508. It is again noted that while the ninth signal 562 and tenth signal 564 have equal amplitudes (that are half the power of the second signal resulting in a fourth of the power of the original second input signal 556), their phases may be in-phase or out-of-phase based on how the fourth EHT-coupler 508 is configured. Similar to the third EHT-coupler 506, since the sixth signal 554 and fifth signal 552 have already been assumed to have the same phase, the ninth signal 562 and the tenth signal 564 are assumed to have phases 180 degrees apart because, as noted earlier, the fifth signal 552 and ninth signal 562 have the same phase and would combine in the H-plane port 526, while the sixth signal 554 and tenth signal 564 are 180 degrees out-of-phase and would cancel in the E-plane port 528. In this example, the third signal 548, fourth signal 550, fifth signal 552, a sixth signal 554, seventh signal 558, eighth signal 560, ninth signal 562, and tenth signal 564 all have approximately the same power amplitude level. Additionally, the third signal 548, fourth signal 550, fifth signal 552, a sixth signal 554, seventh signal 558, and ninth signal 562 have the same phase that is 180 degrees different from the phase of either the eighth signal 560 or tenth signal 564, where the tenth signal 564 has the same phase as the eighth signal 560.
In
The first EHT-coupler 602 is a four port device that includes a first port 618, second port 620, third port 622, and fourth port 624. Additionally, the second EHT-coupler 604 is a four port device that includes a first port 626, second port 628, third port 630, and fourth port 632. Moreover, the third EHT-coupler 606 is a four port device that includes a first port 634, second port 636, third port 638, and fourth port 640. Furthermore, the fourth EHT-coupler 608 is a four port device that includes a first port 642, second port 644, third port 646, and fourth port 648.
In this example, all the first ports 618, 626, 634, and 642 and second ports 620, 628, 636, and 644 are collinear ports, all the third ports 622, 630, 638, and 646 are E-plane ports (i.e., difference ports), and all the fourth ports 624, 632, 640, and 648 are H-plane ports (i.e., summation ports). The first EHT-coupler 602 is in signal communication with the both the third EHT-coupler 606 and fourth EHT-coupler 608 as follows.
The first port 618 of the first EHT-coupler 602 is in signal communication with a second port 636 of the third EHT-coupler 606 via the first signal path 610 and the second port 620 of the first EHT-coupler 602 is in signal communication with the second port 644 of the fourth EHT-coupler 608 via the second signal path 612. Similarly, the second EHT-coupler 604 is in signal communication with the both the third EHT-coupler 606 and fourth EHT-coupler 608 as follows. The first port 626 of the second EHT-coupler 604 is in signal communication with the first port 636 of the third EHT-coupler 606 via the third signal path 614 and the second port 628 of the second EHT-coupler 604 is in signal communication with the first port 642 of the fourth EHT-coupler 608 via the fourth signal path 616.
The first signal path 610, second signal path 612, third signal path 614, and fourth signal path 616 all have approximately the same electrical length. Specifically, the first signal path 610 has a first group delay and a first phase slope; the second signal path 612 has a second group delay and a second phase slope; the third signal path 614 has a third group delay and a third phase slope; the third signal path 616 has a fourth group delay and a fourth phase slope; and where the first, second, third, and fourth group delays are approximately equal and the first, second, third, and fourth phase slopes are approximately equal.
As an example, the first EHT-coupler 602 is configured to receive a first input signal (“SIn
Since each EHT-coupler of the plurality of couplers 602, 604, 606, and 608 is an improved hybrid coupler, each EHT-coupler is configured to provide the following output signals from the corresponding input signals (as described in table 1 below).
The resulting scattering matrix for the EHT-coupler is then
In this example, it is appreciated that the first and second ports of each EHT-coupler are collinear ports such that an input signal injected into the second port produces two output signals at the third and fourth ports. These two output signals have phases that are 180 degrees apart. For purposes of illustration, the phase of the output signal at the fourth port is assumed to be in phase (i.e., the same phase) with the phase of the input signal at the second port and the phase of the output signal at the third port is assumed to be out-of-phase (i.e., 180 degrees of phase difference) with the phase of the input signal at the second port. Additionally, an input signal injected into the third port produces two output signals at the first and second ports where the two output signals have phases that are 180 degrees apart. In this example, it is assumed that the phase of the output signal at the first port is in phase with the third port and 180 degrees apart from the phase of the output signal at the second port.
As an example of operation, the EHT-coupler 600 is configured to receive the SIn
Similarly, the SETH
In
Once the SETH
Turning to
Similarly, once injected into the first port 642 of the fourth EHT-coupler 608, the fourth EHT-coupler 608 evenly divides it into a eleventh output signal (“SOut
Turning to
Assuming that the input phases (i.e., φ1, φ2, φ3, and φ4) are all normalized to zero and the input amplitudes (i.e., A1, A2, A3, and A4) are normalized to 1, the resulting example scattering matrix for the 4×4MWN 600 is then and 8 by 8 matrix shown as
Turning to
In
Turning to
In this example, the signal paths 706, 708, 804, 806, 904, 906, 908, and 910 are shown to be waveguide runs that are symmetric in pairs. Specifically, the first signal path 706 is symmetric with the eighth signal 910 path. The second signal path 708 is symmetric with the seventh signal path 908. The third signal path 804 is symmetric with the sixth signal path 906 and the fourth signal path 806 is symmetric with the fifth signal path 904. In addition to having symmetric pairs, all the signal paths 706, 708, 804, 806, 904, 906, 908, and 910 have approximately the same electrical length such that they have the approximately equal group delay and phase slope. As an example, the physical line length of waveguide ports of the signal paths may be approximately between six to seven inches of line length based on the frequency of operation and the dimensions of the 8×8MWN 900 and 4×4MWNs.
The first 4×4MWN 700 includes the first, second, third, and fourth EHT-couplers 710, 712, 714, and 716 and the second 4×4MWN 900 includes the first, second, third, and fourth EHT-couplers 912, 914, 916, and 918. As described earlier, in the first 4×4MWN 700, the first EHT-coupler 710 includes a first 716, second 718, third 722, and fourth 720 port and the second EHT-coupler 712 includes a first 724, second 726, third 1002, and fourth 728 port. Additionally, the third EHT-coupler 714 includes a first 732, second 730, third 734, and fourth 736 port and the fourth EHT-coupler 716 includes a first 738, second 740, third 1002, and fourth 742 port. Similarly, in the second 4×4MWN 900, the first EHT-coupler 912 includes a first 1004, second 1006, third 1008, and fourth 1010 port and the second EHT-coupler 914 includes a first 1012, second 1014, third 922, and fourth 920 port. Additionally, the third EHT-coupler 916 includes a first 1016, second 1018, third 1020, and fourth 1022 port and the fourth EHT-coupler 918 includes a first 1024, second 1026, third 1028, and fourth 924 port. Moreover, the fifth EHT-coupler 702 includes a first 744, second 746, third 748, and fourth 750 port; the sixth EHT-coupler 704 includes a first 752, second 754, third 756, and fourth 758 port; the seventh EHT-coupler 800 includes a first 804, second 806, third 1030, and fourth 808 port; and the eighth EHT-coupler 802 includes a first 812, second 814, third 816, and fourth 818 port.
Turning back to the first 4×4MWN 700, the first port 716 of the first EHT-coupler 710 is in signal communication with the second port 730 of the third EHT-coupler 714 via signal path 1032 and the second port 718 of the first EHT-coupler 710 is in signal communication with the second port 740 of the fourth EHT-coupler 716 via signal path 1034. The first port 724 of the second EHT-coupler 712 is in signal communication with the first port 732 of the third EHT-coupler 714 via signal path 1036 and the second port 726 of the second EHT-coupler 712 is in signal communication with the first port 738 of the fourth EHT-coupler 716 via signal path 1038. Similarly, within the second 4×4MWN 900, the first port 1004 of the first EHT-coupler 912 is in signal communication with the second port 1018 of the third EHT-coupler 916 via signal path 1040 and the second port 1006 of the first EHT-coupler 912 is in signal communication with the second port 1026 of the fourth EHT-coupler 918 via signal path 1042. The first port 1012 of the second EHT-coupler 914 is in signal communication with the first port 1016 of the third EHT-coupler 916 via signal path 1044 and the second port 1014 of the second EHT-coupler 914 is in signal communication with the first port 1024 of the fourth EHT-coupler 918 via signal path 1046.
Moreover, the fourth port 742 of the fourth EHT-coupler 716 of the first 4×4MWN 700 is in signal communication with the fourth port 750 of the fifth EHT-coupler 702, via signal path 706, and the third port 1004 of the fourth EHT-coupler 716 is in signal communication with the third port 1030 of the seventh EHT-coupler 800 via signal path 804. The fourth port 736 of the third EHT-coupler 714 of the first 4×4MWN 700 is in signal communication with the fourth port 758 of the sixth EHT-coupler 704, via signal path 708, and the third port 734 of the third EHT-coupler 714 is in signal communication with the third port 816 of the eighth EHT-coupler 802 via signal path 806. The fourth port 942 of the fourth EHT-coupler 918 of the second 4×4MWN 900 is in signal communication with the fourth port 818 of the eighth EHT-coupler 802, via signal path 910, and the third port 1028 of the fourth EHT-coupler 918 is in signal communication with the third port 756 of the sixth EHT-coupler 704 via signal path 906. The fourth port 1022 of the third EHT-coupler 916 is in signal communication with the fourth port 808 of the seventh EHT-coupler 800, via signal path 908, and the third port 1020 of the third EHT-coupler 916 is in signal communication with the third port 748 of the fifth EHT-coupler 702 via signal path 904.
Again, it is appreciated that in this example, within the first 4×4MWN 700, the first EHT-coupler 712 is isolated from the second EHT-coupler 710 and the third EHT-coupler 714 is isolated from the fourth EHT-coupler 716. Likewise, within the second 4×4MWN 900, the first EHT-coupler 910 is isolated from the second EHT-coupler 912 and the third EHT-coupler 916 is isolated from the fourth EHT-coupler 918. Additionally, the eight signal paths 706, 708, 804, 806, 904, 906, 908, and 910 all have approximately the same electrical length. Generally, the term “electrical length” is the length of a transmission medium (i.e., a signal path) that is expressed as a number of wavelength of a signal propagating through the medium. It is appreciated by those of ordinary skill that the term electrical length references to effective length of a signal path as “seen” by the propagated signal traveling through the signal path and is frequency dependent based on the frequency of the propagated signal. As an example, if a signal path is a WR-75 rectangular waveguide (having frequency limits of approximately 10.0 GHz to 15.0 GHz) and the signal path is, for example, physically 6 inches long, the electrical length would be 5.0835 wavelengths at 10.0 GHz, 5.5919 wavelengths at 11.0 GHz, 6.1002 wavelengths at 12.0 GHz, 6.6086 wavelengths at 13.0 GHz, 7.1169 wavelengths at 14.0 GHz, and 7.6253 wavelengths at 15.0 GHz. Since electrical length is measured as the number of wavelength at a given frequency as it propagates along the signal path, the group delay is the measure of the time delay of the amplitude envelopes of the various sinusoidal components of the propagated signal through the signal path. Additionally, the phase delay is the measure of the time delay of the phase as opposed to the time delay of the amplitude envelope. When utilized in this application, the phrase “having approximately the same electrical length” for two or more path lengths refers to the physical property that the group delays are approximately equal as are the phase slopes.
Turning back to
In response to receiving these eight input signals SIn1 1048, SIn2 1050, SIn3 1052, SIn4 1054, SIn5 1056, SIn6 1058, SIn7 1060, and SIn8 1062, the PDRN 1000 produces eight output signals for each input signal. Specifically, SIn1 1048 will produce a first output signal OIn
Utilizing this same approach it can be shown that the PDRN 1000 outputs corresponding to each of the other seven input signals SIn2 1050, SIn3 1052, SIn4 1054, SIn5 1056, SIn6 1058, SIn7 1060, and SIn8 1062 also produces eight output signals for each input signal. As such, the eight input signals produce a total of 64 output signals at the outputs of the fifth 702, sixth 704, seventh 800, and eighth 802 EHT-couplers. These total outputs may be organized into an 8 by 8 table (table 3 below) that shows the output signal at a given in port corresponding to an input signal and an input port.
In this example, utilizing the assumed amplitude and phase value for the input signals SIn1 1048, SIn2 1050, SIn3 1052, SIn4 1054, SIn5 1056, SIn6 1058, SIn7 1060, and SIn8 062, the output signals may be described in relation to the input amplitudes and phase (as was done previously in the sections describing
Assuming that the input phases (i.e., φ1, φ2, φ3, φ4, φ5, φ6, φ7, and φ8) are all normalized to zero and the input amplitudes (i.e., A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, and A8) are normalized to 1, the resulting example scattering matrix for the PDRN 1000 is then
From these amplitude and phase values, it is seen that the PDRN 1000 is capable of dividing the power of any signal input into any of the eight input ports 720, 722, 728, 920, 922, 1002, 1008, and 1010 into eight (at output ports 744, 746, 752, 754, 804, 806, 812, and 814) approximately equal outputs that are approximately equal to ⅛ the power of the input signal.
An advantage of this is that the power of an input signal may be too high to properly process or amplify with sufficient fidelity. As such, the PDRN 1000 allow for that input signal to be divided down into a number of replica lower power signals that may be switched, processed, and/or amplified before recombining the modified signals into a new combined signal that will effectively be a high fidelity switched, processed, and/or amplified signal of the original input high power signal. Examples of amplifiers may include solid-state amplifiers and/or traveling wave tube amplifiers (“TWTAs”).
Based on the above description, the 8×8MWN 900 is means for dividing an input power signal such as, for example, any of the eight input signals SIn1 through SIn8, having an input amplitudes (i.e., A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, and A8) into eight intermediate power signals, wherein each of the intermediate power signals has an intermediate amplitude value equal to approximately one-eighth the corresponding amplitude value (i.e., A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, and A8).
In
In this example, the first 4×4MWN 1206 and second 4×4MWN 1208 are configured to have all of the E-plane ports of the EHT-couplers pointing upward instead of having the E-plane ports of EHT-couplers pointing downward as in the first 4×4MWN 700 (shown in
In this example, the second 8×8MWN 1204 is configured in the same way as the first 8×8MWN 1202 except that it is rotated 180 degrees in the vertical direction such that all the E-plane ports of all the EHT-couplers are pointing in a downward direction. Additionally, the first 1226, third 1230, sixth 1238, and eighth 1242 signal paths are shown to be straight pass through waveguides, while the second 1228, fourth 1232, fifth 1236, and seventh 1240 signal paths are shown to be 180 degree phase shifters. It is appreciated that the signal paths 1226, 1228, 1230, 1232, 1234, 1236, 1238, 1240, and 1242 may also optionally include other devices not shown such as, for example, amplifiers (such as, for example, TWTA or solid-state amplifiers), switches, or other transmission processing devices.
As an example of operation, the PDRN 1200 is configured to receive eight input signals (not shown) and produce a corresponding eight output signals. Similar to the description already described earlier, the PDRN 1200 is configured to receive one input signal (at one input port of the first 8×8MWN 1202) that is divided into eight intermediate signals (not shown) that are emitted from all eight output ports of the first 8×8MWN 1202. The amplitudes of the eight intermediate signals are each equal to approximately ⅛ the power amplitude of the input signal and the phases (which are approximately 0 or 180 degrees) of each of the eight intermediate signals varies based on which input port (of the first 8×8MWN 1202) is injected with the input signal. Once the eight intermediate signal are injected into the eight signal paths 1226, 1228, 1230, 1232, 1234, 1236, 1238, 1240, and 1242, the first 1226, third 1230, sixth 1238, and 1242 eighth signal paths pass their corresponding intermediate signals directly to the input ports of the second 8×8MWN 1204, while the second 1228, fourth 1232, fifth 1234, and seventh 1240 signal paths phase shift their corresponding intermediate signals by 180 degrees and pass then to their corresponding input ports of the second 8×8MWN 1204. It is noted that in this example, the input ports of the second 8×8MWN 1204 are the same physically as the output ports of the first 8×8MWN 1202; likewise, the output ports of the second 8×8MWN 1204 are the same physically as the input ports of the first 8×8MWN 1202. Once the intermediate signals that have been either passed or phase shifted by the eight signal paths 1226, 1228, 1230, 1232, 1234, 1236, 1238, 1240 are injected into the input ports of the second 8×8MWN 1204, these intermediate signals are combined within the second 8×8MWN 1204 such that a signal output signal is emitted from one of the eight output ports of the second 8×8MWN 1204. The output port of which the output signal is emitted and the phase (which are approximately 0 or 180 degrees) of output signal varies based on which input port (of the first 8×8MWN 1202) is injected with the input signal. Based on this description and assuming that the input phases (i.e., φ1, φ2, φ3, φ4, φ5, φ6, φ7, and φ8) of the input signals (injected into the first 8×8MWN 1202) are all normalized to zero and the input amplitudes (i.e., A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, and A8) are normalized to 1, the resulting example scattering matrix for the PDRN 1200 is
Based on this description for the PDRN 1200, the PDRN 1200 includes: a means for dividing an input power signal having a first amplitude value into eight intermediate power signals, wherein each intermediate power signal has an intermediate amplitude value equal to approximately one-eighth the first amplitude value; means for processing the intermediate power signals; and means for combining the intermediate power signal into a single output power signal. In this example, the a means for dividing an input power signal having a first amplitude value into eight intermediate power signals may be the first 8×8MWN 1202. The means for processing the intermediate power signals may include the plurality of devices in signal communication between the first 8×8MWN 1202 and second 8×8MWN 1204 which may be pass through waveguides and/or phase shifters, as shown by the eight signal paths 1226, 1228, 1230, 1232, 1234, 1236, 1238, 1240, or active devices such as a plurality of amplifiers (both solid-state or TWTA). The means for means for combining the intermediate power signal into a single output power signal may be the second 8×8MWN 1204.
It will be understood that various aspects or details of the invention may be changed without departing from the scope of the invention. It is not exhaustive and does not limit the claimed inventions to the precise form disclosed. Furthermore, the foregoing description is for the purpose of illustration only, and not for the purpose of limitation. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above description or may be acquired from practicing the invention. The claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention.
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