Abstract: A multi-mode cavity filter, including two dielectric resonator bodies, the first incorporating a piece of dielectric material having a shape to support a first resonant mode and a second substantially degenerate resonant mode; the second also including a piece of dielectric material, the dielectric properties, shape and dimensions of which may differ from those of the first dielectric resonator body; the second piece of dielectric material having a shape to support at least a first resonant mode; a layer of conductive material in contact with and covering both of the dielectric resonator bodies; one aperture in the layer appearing at the interface of the first and second dielectric resonator bodies, for transferring signals, the aperture being arranged for directly coupling signals to the first and second resonant modes in parallel, and directly coupling signals from the first and second resonant modes in parallel.

Abstract: A combined filter and antenna structure comprising a multi-mode cavity filter and an antenna, wherein: the filter comprises: a dielectric body provided with a conductive covering; and an interface arranged to exchange energy between a standing wave in the body and a current conveyed external to the body; and the antenna is arranged to exchange energy between a travelling wave outside the body and a standing wave inside the body and the antenna comprises: a first window provided in the covering.

Abstract: The present invention provides a multi-mode cavity filter in which signals are coupled to or from a resonator body, using a coupling path with first and second portions arranged such that current flows in opposite directions and the couplings due to the magnetic fields generated partially cancel one another. In this way, the degree of coupling to any particular mode of the filter can be closely controlled by varying the length and/or orientation of the portions with respect to each other.

Abstract: A multi-mode cavity filter, comprising: at least one dielectric resonator body incorporating a piece of dielectric material, the piece of dielectric material having a shape such that it can support at least a first resonant mode and at least a second substantially degenerate resonant mode; and a coupling structure comprising a patterned conductive layer for at least one of coupling signals to the piece of dielectric material and coupling signals from the piece of dielectric material.

Abstract: A multi-mode cavity filter comprises: a dielectric resonator; a coupling structure for at least one of coupling input signals to the dielectric resonator and extracting filtered output signals from the dielectric resonator; a covering of conductive material around the dielectric resonator and comprising an aperture; and a printed circuit board structure having at least one ground plane layer arranged over said aperture and electrically coupled to the covering of conductive material.

Abstract: A dielectric resonator body for a multi-mode cavity filter, the resonator body including: a piece of first dielectric material, with at least one substantially flat face for mounting on a substrate, the piece of first dielectric material having a shape such that it can support at least a first resonant mode and at least one spurious response; and a layer of conductive material at least partially coating the resonator body; wherein the piece of first dielectric material includes at least one region having a different dielectric constant to the first dielectric material, whereby the presence of the region of different dielectric constant alters the frequency separation of the resonant mode and the spurious response.

Abstract: A multi-mode cavity filter comprises a dielectric body having at least first and second orthogonal resonant modes; a first coupling element formed on a first face of the dielectric body for coupling energy to at least a first resonant mode; and a second coupling element formed on the first face of the dielectric body for coupling energy from the at least a first resonant mode. The dielectric body is capable of supporting a first coupling path between the first coupling element and the second coupling element via the at least a first resonant mode and a second coupling path between the first coupling element and the second coupling element, the second coupling path being such that at least partial cancellation of at least some coupled energy takes place so as to form a zero in a response of the filter.

Abstract: A multi-mode cavity filter, comprising: a dielectric resonator body incorporating a piece of dielectric material, the piece of dielectric material having a shape such that it can support at least a first resonant mode and a second substantially degenerate resonant mode; a conductive layer substantially covering the dielectric resonator body but having one or more apertures therein allowing access to the dielectric resonator body; and a coupling structure arranged in an aperture of the one or more apertures, comprising at least one coupling path for at least one of coupling an input signal to the first and second resonant modes and coupling an output signal from the first and second resonant modes, the coupling path having an open-circuit end located adjacent to an edge of the aperture for controlling a strength of electric field generated by the coupling structure.

Abstract: A multi-mode cavity filter has a resonator body with a face and a conductive covering. The face has an uncovered area through which a signal can be coupled into or out of the body. A boundary exists between the uncovered area and the covering. A first vector drawn between two most distal points on the boundary and not crossing the covering is such that a second vector drawn between two other points on the boundary and orthogonal to the first vector has a length that is at least 70% that of the first vector. The length of the first vector is at least 20% of the length of the shortest vector that passes through a centroid of the face and extends completely across the face.

Abstract: A cavity filter, including a dielectric resonator structure comprising a piece of dielectric material having a shape such that it can support a first resonant mode and a second resonant mode which is substantially degenerate with the first resonant mode; and a coupling structure for exciting a resonant mode within the piece of dielectric material or extracting energy from a resonant mode within the piece of dielectric material; wherein the coupling structure consists of a single patch element in contact with a surface of the piece of dielectric material, the patch element being arranged to couple directly to said first and second resonant modes simultaneously.

Abstract: A multi-mode cavity filter, comprising: at least one dielectric resonator body incorporating a piece of dielectric material, the piece of dielectric material having a shape such that it can support at least a first resonant mode and at least a second substantially degenerate resonant mode; a layer of conductive material in contact with and covering the dielectric resonator body; and a coupling structure comprising at least one electrically conductive coupling path for at least one of inputting signals to the dielectric resonator body and outputting signals from the dielectric resonator body, the at least one electrically conductive coupling path being arranged for at least one of directly coupling signals to the first resonant mode and the second substantially degenerate resonant mode in parallel, and directly coupling signals from the first resonant mode and the second substantially degenerate resonant mode in parallel.

Abstract: A multi-mode cavity filter having a dielectric resonator body incorporating a piece of dielectric material, the piece of dielectric material having a shape such that it can support at least two substantially degenerate resonant modes; and a coupling structure comprising a plurality of independent coupling elements for coupling signals to the piece of dielectric material.

Abstract: A cavity filter, including: a dielectric resonator structure comprising a piece of dielectric material having a shape such that it can support a first resonant mode and a second resonant mode which is substantially degenerate with the first resonant mode; and a coupling structure for exciting a resonant mode within the piece of dielectric material or extracting energy from a resonant mode within the piece of dielectric material; wherein the coupling structure consists of a single patch element in contact with a surface of the piece of dielectric material.

Abstract: A dielectric resonator body for a multi-mode cavity filter, the resonator including: a piece of dielectric material, with at least one substantially flat face for mounting on a substrate layer, the piece of dielectric material having a shape such that it can support at least a first resonant mode and at least one substantially degenerate resonant mode; wherein the shape of the piece of dielectric material is such that the first resonant mode and the at least one substantially degenerate resonant mode are capable of being simultaneously independently excited, and wherein the piece of dielectric material is at least partially covered with a layer of conductive material.

Abstract: A multi-mode cavity filter includes a dielectric resonator body incorporating a piece of dielectric material, the piece of dielectric material having a shape such that it can support at least two substantially degenerate resonant modes; and a phased array of coupling elements for coupling signals to the piece of dielectric material.

Abstract: A multi-mode cavity filter, comprising a resonator body of dielectric material capable of supporting at least two degenerate electromagnetic standing wave modes and having a face, and a conductive pattern on at least part of the face for coupling a radio frequency signal between the pattern and the resonator body.

Abstract: A power conversion unit and method for converting DC power. The power conversion unit includes a self-oscillating device configured to convert a DC voltage into a self-oscillating alternating current AC signal, a transformer connected to the self-oscillating device and configured to transform the self-oscillating AC signal into a transformed AC signal, and an AC-to-DC converter configured to convert the transformed AC signal into a DC signal. The method generates a self-oscillating current, transforms the self-oscillating current into a transformed AC signal, and converts the transformed AC signal into a DC signal.

Abstract: A power conversion unit and method for converting DC power. The power conversion unit includes a self-oscillating device configured to convert a DC voltage into a self-oscillating alternating current AC signal, a transformer connected to the self-oscillating device and configured to transform the self-oscillating AC signal into a transformed AC signal, and an AC-to-DC converter configured to convert the transformed AC signal into a DC signal. The method generates a self-oscillating current, transforms the self-oscillating current into a transformed AC signal, and converts the transformed AC signal into a DC signal.

Abstract: A probe and gauge system for determining the need for a simple one piece patch-plug, or a complex two piece repair. The probe is inserted into an injury in a tire such as a puncture hole and the angle of the hole, known as the injury angle, is calculated on the gauge to determine the need for a simple one piece patch-plug, or a complex two piece repair.

Abstract: A line plasma source (20) comprises a plasma chamber (30) configured so that plasma (32) is situated remotely and on-edge with respect to a polycrystalline silicon surface (20S) to be treated, thereby preventing damage to the surface, facilitating treatment of large substrates, and permitting low temperature operation. Active species exit the plasma chamber through a long narrow ("line") outlet aperture (36) in the plasma chamber to a reaction zone (W) whereat the active species react with a reaction gas on the polycrystalline silicon surface (e.g., to form a deposited thin film). The polycrystalline silicon surface is heated to a low temperature below 6000.degree. C. Hydrogen is removed from the reactive surface in the low temperature line plasma source by a chemical displacement reaction facilitated by choice of dominant active species (singlet delta state of molecular oxygen).