Balanced To Unbalanced Circuit Patents (Class 343/859)
  • Patent number: 7369096
    Abstract: A Radio Frequency (RF) structure services an antenna having a characteristic impedance and includes a differential Power Amplifier (PA), a differential Low Noise Amplifier (LNA), and a balun transformer. The differential PA has a differential PA output with a PA differential output impedance. The differential LNA has a differential LNA input with an LNA differential input impedance. The balun transformer has a singled ended winding coupled to the antenna, a differential winding having a first pair of tap connections coupled to the differential PA output and a second pair of tap connections coupled to the differential LNA input, and a turns ratio of the single ended winding and the differential winding. The turns ratio and the first pair of tap connections impedance match the PA differential output impedance to the characteristic impedance of the antenna. The turns ratio and the second pair of tap connections impedance match the LNA differential input impedance to the characteristic impedance of the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Jesus Alfonso Castaneda, Ahmadreza (Reza) Rofougaran, Keith A. Carter
  • Publication number: 20080055182
    Abstract: An inner antenna of a mobile terminal using a balance-to-unbalance transformer (BALUN) that can expand a frequency bandwidth is provided. The inner antenna includes a radiation plate disposed at the surface of a wiring substrate provided within the main body of a mobile terminal and has a structure in which a BALUN chip is located between a ground pad to which the radiation plate is coupled and a duplexer. Because the BALUN performs the function of a transformer, the BALUN can slowly change impedance, whereby performance deterioration due to abrupt impedance change is reduced. Slow impedance change allows a slow rate of change of the impedance locus in a frequency, thereby expanding the bandwidth of the inner antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jong-In LEE
  • Publication number: 20080012780
    Abstract: A balun section has: a first earth electrode 5 formed on a main surface of a dielectric substrate d; a second earth electrode 6 formed on a main surface of a dielectric substrate g; a first transmission line 1 which is formed on a main surface of a dielectric substrate e, one end of which is electrically connected to an unbalanced input/output terminal 15, and which has first and second portions 1-1 and 1-2; and second and third transmission lines 2 and 3 on a main surface of a dielectric substrate f, the second transmission line 2 being disposed so as to correspond to the first portion 1-1 of the first transmission line and having one end 10-1 thereof electrically connected to a first balanced input/output terminal 11, the third transmission line 3 being disposed so as to correspond to the second portion 1-2 of the first transmission line and having one end 10-2 thereof electrically connected to a second balanced input/output terminal 13.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Harada, Atsushi Okabe, Morito Yasumura
  • Publication number: 20070241985
    Abstract: An antenna device which is connected to a radio module performing radio communications with a system using a first band and a system using a second band, has an antenna element which transmits/receives radio signals in the first and second bands. The antenna device has first and second matching circuits corresponding to the first and second bands, and also disposes a switching circuit between the first and second bands and the radio module. A first filter circuit is connected between the first matching circuit and the antenna element. The first filter circuit passes the radio signal in the first band and also attenuates the radio signal in the second band. Meanwhile, a second filter circuit is connected between the second matching circuit and the antenna element. The second filter circuit passes the radio signal in the second band and also attenuates the radio signal in the first band.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hiromichi Suzuki, Isao Ohba, Takayuki Shibuya, Yusuke Okada, Kenji Matsuzaki
  • Patent number: 7098863
    Abstract: An antenna is provided having a relatively wide bandwidth of operation. The antenna may be a printed circuit board dipole antenna having a ladder balun feed network coupled to a ground plane and dipole radiating elements located about one-quarter wavelength from an edge of the ground plane. The ground plane acts as a reflector to increase antenna gain. A plurality of the antennas may be provided in an array configuration with antennas being located in relatively close proximity and being isolated from other antennas in the array. An array of antennas may be used to provide a wireless link in a wireless network utilizing a IEEE 802.1X frequency band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Centurion Wireless Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Randy Bancroft
  • Patent number: 6980160
    Abstract: An antenna structure (142) having a retractable element (124) and a reactive antenna circuit (118). The antenna structure components conductively disconnect the reactive circuit (118) from the RF drive (138) when the retractable element (124) is extended, and conductively reconnect them when the retractable element (124) is retracted. The retractable element (124) is also conductively connected to the RF drive (138) when the retractable element (124) is extended and conductively disconnected when the retractable element (124) is retracted. The reactive circuit (118) maintains substantially similar impedance to the retractable element (124) for an RF antenna circuit when the retractable antenna (142) is in both the extended and the retracted positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Alejandro Candal
  • Patent number: 6864849
    Abstract: An antenna system for transmitting and receiving, in association with a radio device that develops an H-field and an E-field corresponding to a radio frequency power signal having a voltage and a current, the voltage having a phase relationship to the current. The antenna system includes a Hertz-type radiating element. A phasing and matching circuit is electrically coupled between the Hertz-type radiating element and the radio device. The phasing and matching circuit adjusts the phase relationship between the voltage and the current of the radio frequency power signal so that the H-field and the E-field are in nominal time phase. This enhances the performance of all of the antenna parameters in addition to allowing reduction in size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Inventor: Robert T. Hart
  • Patent number: 6831616
    Abstract: A transmission line balun eliminates unwanted reflection of signal energy coupling to a ground plane. A junction of the conductive segments connected to the unbalanced port on the balun is connected to the ground plane with a resistor. The selected junction is a virtual ground of the balun, so the presence of the resistor does not degrade the balun performance. The resistor dissipates the energy from the parasitic mode propagating with the ground plane so that no signal is reflected back to short out the signal source. The value of the resistor is selected to facilitate maximum termination of the parasitic mode propagation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Wendell Vice, Sushil Kumar
  • Publication number: 20040164903
    Abstract: A effectively balanced dipole antenna is provided comprising an unbalanced microstrip antenna having a transmission line interface and a planar balun connected to the transmission line interface of the antenna. The balun can be coplanar or multi-planar. For example, a coplanar balun includes an unbalanced coplanar transmission line, with a signal line interposed between a pair of coplanar grounds, and a pair of planar stubs plan-wise adjacent the coplanar grounds. The coplanar grounds are connected to the plane stubs with conductive lines proximate to the antenna transmission line interface. A microstrip planar balun includes an unbalanced microstrip signal line, a microstrip ground formed on the dielectric layer underlying the signal line, and a pair of planar stubs, plan-wise adjacent the microstrip ground. The planar stubs can be located on the same dielectric layer as the signal line or the ground. A stripline planar balun is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventor: Allen Tran
  • Patent number: 6624716
    Abstract: A microstrip to circular waveguide transition having an elongated circular waveguide portion and a stripline circuit portion disposed within the waveguide portion. The stripline includes a strip conductor disposed in a strip conductor plane. The strip conductor extends along a longitudinal axis of the circular waveguide portion from a first region of the transition to a longitudinally spaced second region of the transition. The stripline circuit portion includes a pair of overlying ground planes extending along the longitudinal axis from the first region to the second region, such pair of ground planes being disposed in overlying planes parallel to the strip conductor plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Miles E. Goff
  • Publication number: 20030174100
    Abstract: In a helical antenna apparatus, a first variable capacitance element is connected between a first helical antenna element and a second helical antenna element, and a second variable capacitance element is connected between a first terminal of a balanced port of a balanced to unbalanced transformer and the first helical antenna element. A third variable capacitance element is connected between a second terminal of the balanced port of the balanced to unbalanced transformer and the second helical antenna element. A detector measures a detection voltage Vd corresponding to a reflected power of a reflected signal reflected from the first and second helical antenna elements when the first and second helical antenna elements are fed with a transmission signal from a radio transmitter, and an adaptive controller adaptively controls respective capacitance values of the first to third variable capacitance elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Inventors: Koichi Ogawa, Hiroshi Iwai, Yoshio Koyanagi
  • Publication number: 20030085842
    Abstract: For use with an electric meter chassis having a dielectric housing protruding therefrom, a wireless communication device that permits information to be communicated to and from the electric meter and a method of manufacturing the same. In one embodiment, the device is comprised of: (1) a communication circuit within the chassis coupled to electric meter circuitry, and (2) an antenna element within the dielectric housing, the antenna element coupled to the communication circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Applicant: TransData, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence R. Porter, John Paul King, Doug Justice
  • Patent number: 6552693
    Abstract: A dielectric-loaded antenna for circularly polarized radiation has a generally cylindrical solid dielectric body with a relative dielectric constant greater than 5, upon which body is plated a conductive sleeve encircling the body and a conductive end layer which, together with the body, form an open-ended cavity substantially filled with the ceramic material of the body. The electrical length of the cavity rim is a whole number of guide wavelengths corresponding to the antenna operating frequency less than 5 GHz. A rotating standing wave is excited around the cavity rim by a feeder structure including two helical conductor tracks on the cylindrical surface of the body which are coupled between the cavity rim and a coaxial feeder passing axially through the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Sarantel Limited
    Inventor: Oliver Paul Leisten
  • Patent number: 6531943
    Abstract: A balun-transformer, which is composed of a balun transition and an impedance matching circuit. Chemical etching is employed in the manufacturing process that is compatible with the common microwave circuit manufacturing process. Using the odd mode analysis and commercial microwave software to design the balun-transformer. It is more accurate and more efficient than the conventional method to make balun-transformer that it can only be designed by experience and experiments. These balun-transformers can be used in UHF and VHF band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Dow-Chih Niu, Chi-Yang Chang, Lih-Shiang Lin
  • Patent number: 6529090
    Abstract: A balun component or structural subassembly, for use in conjunction with an antenna radome assembly, comprises a two-sided printed circuit board substrate having a longitudinal axis, wherein each side of the two-sided printed circuit board substrate is asymmetric with respect to itself but is in effect anti-symmetric with respect to the opposite side of the two-sided printed circuit board substrate in a 180° out-of-phase manner such that the entire two-sided printed circuit board balun component or structural subassembly exhibits diametrical symmetry with respect to the longitudinal axis of the overall two-sided printed circuit board substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Tommy Lam
  • Patent number: 6486846
    Abstract: In an antenna system for transmitting and receiving, in association with a radio device, electromagnetic radiation has an E-field component and an H-field component. The electromagnetic radiation corresponds to a radio frequency power signal having a current and a voltage at a radio frequency. The antenna system includes a first radiating element and a second radiating element, each comprising a conductive material. The second radiating element is spaced apart from, and in alignment with, the first radiating element. A phasing and matching network is in electrical communication with the first radiating element, the second radiating element and the radio device. The phasing and matching network aligns the relative phase between the current and the voltage of the radio frequency power signal so that the H-field component of the corresponding electromagnetic signal is nominally in time phase with the E-field component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Inventor: Robert T. Hart
  • Publication number: 20020171506
    Abstract: A balun component or structural subassembly, for use in conjunction with an antenna radome assembly, comprises a two-sided printed circuit board substrate having a longitudinal axis, wherein each side of the two-sided printed circuit board substrate is asymmetric with respect to itself but is in effect anti-symmetric with respect to the opposite side of the two-sided printed circuit board substrate in a 180° out-of-phase manner such that the entire two-sided printed circuit board balun component or structural subassembly exhibits diametrical symmetry with respect to the longitudinal axis of the overall two-sided printed circuit board substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Publication date: November 21, 2002
    Applicant: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tommy Lam
  • Patent number: 6466770
    Abstract: A BALUN circuit comprising a lead network coupled to the positive phase output of a differential power amplifier, a negative phase output coupled to the negative phase output of the differential amplifier, and a delay element coupled in series with the lag network. The output of the lead network and the delay element are combined to form a single-ended output. The lag and lead networks may adjust the output impedances of the positive and negative phase outputs so that the output impedance of the single-ended output is set to a desired value. In one implementation, selected components of the lag and lead networks, and the delay element, comprise printed elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott A. Griffith, Trang N. Trinh
  • Patent number: 6459412
    Abstract: In an antenna unit adapted to be incorporated inside a main body of a mobile radio set, there are provided a pair of helical antenna elements (102), (103) connected to a balanced feeding line (104), the helical antenna elements having antenna axes in a direction parallel to a base plate (201) of the radio set, and being arranged in proximity to the base plate of the radio set at a sufficiently small distance as compared with their wavelength. By conducting a balanced power supply to the helical antenna elements, an electric current component flowing on the base plate of the radio set can be reduced, thus decreasing influence of the human body when the radio set is carried by the human hand. Additionally, the antenna can posses radiation characteristics of both the electric current type antenna and the magnetic current type antenna, and therefore, the receiving performance when the radio set is tiltedly used will be enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshio Koyanagi, Hisashi Morishita, Kyohei Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20020044095
    Abstract: In order to transmit a signal received in a GPS antenna (20) to a GPS receiver body (30) through a glass plate (40), a signal transmission circuit (10) is divided into first and second signal transmission parts (11, 12). The first signal transmission part (11) is for transmitting a high frequency signal from an output terminal (20out) of the GPS antenna (20) to a first surface (41) of the glass plate (40). The second signal transmission part (12) is for transmitting the high frequency signal from a second surface (42) of the glass plate (40) to an input terminal (30in) of the GPS receiver body (30). The first signal transmission part (11) comprises a first coaxial cable (111), a first electrode pair (112), a first balanced line (113), and a first balun (114). The second signal transmission part (12) comprises a second coaxial cable (121), a second electrode pair (122), a second balanced line (123), and a second balun (124).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Applicant: Mitsumi Electric Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Noro, Hirokazu Awa, Masaaki Miyata
  • Patent number: 6335664
    Abstract: A circuit assembly having a thin and large-area dielectric substrate and improved grounding. To make the assembly, a circuit board comprising the substrate, and a circuit pattern and a metal layer that are formed on respective sides of the substrate. A bath of conductive bonding material (e.g., a low melting point solder) is made inside a tray-like metal chassis of the assembly. The circuit board is floated on the bath and excessive portion of the conductive material is absorbed. A branch circuit for branching a first path into at least two second paths is provided by mainly using impedance transformers but by using fewest possible stub(s). Also, the elements are arranged in symmetry around the axis through the first path. This yields a wide operating frequency band. A waveguide-microstrip line transition that is easy to work and low in transition loss is provided by shaping the wider walls of the ridge waveguide so as to spread out toward the end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ushio Sangawa, Suguru Fujita
  • Publication number: 20010043128
    Abstract: The present invention provides a compact slotline balun implemented on a 10-mil thick printed circuit card. The balun utilizes a transition region configuration of a six-port network to achieve a good impedance match and low insertion loss across a wide operating band. The balun is typically manufactured using standard printed circuit techniques which yield a thin, flexible, dimensionally stable device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2001
    Publication date: November 22, 2001
    Inventor: Zane Lo
  • Patent number: 6292070
    Abstract: A balun includes first and second symmetrical couplers, preferably first and second backward wave couplers connected to form a balun having an unbalanced port and a balanced port. More specifically, a balun in accordance wit this invention includes first and second backward wave symmetrical couplers each having an input port, a direct port, coupled port, and an isolate port in which the input port of a first coupler is connected to an input port of the second coupler, and the isolated port of the first coupler and the direct port of the second coupler are connected to the balanced ports of the balun respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Anaren Microwave, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey Craig Merrill
  • Patent number: 6285341
    Abstract: A low profile antenna with high gain at low elevations suitable for satellite communications consists of a helical loop with turns tightly spaced to provide a strong coupling therebetween. The pitch is typically 1 to 2 degrees. The helical loop behaves like a travelling-wave loop antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Vistar Telecommunications Inc.
    Inventors: David Roscoe, Michael Cooper
  • Publication number: 20010010507
    Abstract: A communication device in which the problem caused by separately providing an antenna and a filter directly connected thereto, and the problem caused by separately providing a balanced-to-unbalanced transformer, have been solved. A dielectric filter having a both-end opened &lgr;/2 resonator is constructed by providing inner-conductor forming holes in a dielectric block. An antenna is constructed by forming a radiation electrode and terminal electrodes on a dielectric block. By bonding the antenna and dielectric filter, an antenna device is achieved which has a balanced feed antenna and which performs the input-output of unbalanced signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2001
    Publication date: August 2, 2001
    Applicant: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Motoharu Hiroshima, Hideyuki Kato
  • Publication number: 20010006374
    Abstract: In an antenna system having an array of antenna elements (10, 10′) and circuitry (111, 14) for controlling the phase of each element an arrangement (113) is provided for correcting the phase setting of each element as a function of the position of each element within the array expressed in polar co-ordinates. The phase correction is proportional to the sinusoid of the angular position of the element and proportional to an odd polynomial of radius having at least one term of third order or above. The resulting beam pattern includes low side-lobes in the lower hemisphere and gives rise to only limited and acceptable power loss on transmission. Furthermore, the implementation is rendered very simple, as the phase correction may be calculated element by element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Publication date: July 5, 2001
    Inventors: Osten Erikmats, Jonny Eriksson
  • Patent number: 6246379
    Abstract: A helix antenna includes a base portion for containing a feed network including a power input, a 90 degree power splitter in communication with the power inlet, and first and second 180 degree power splitters in communication with the 90 degree power splitter. A support tube is mounted on the base portion, and a plurality of disk separators are mounted on the tube. Four elongated elements are wound around the tube and are spaced therefrom by the disk separators. The elements are connected to end-most lower and upper ones of the disk separators, the elements extending toward a center feed point of the upper disk separator. First and second radially opposite pairs of feed cables are wound around the support tube, extending from the lower disk separator to the upper disk separator, and are in communication, respectively, with the first and second 180 degree power splitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Michael J. Josypenko
  • Patent number: 6215449
    Abstract: Coaxial coupling systems and methods couple a first coaxial cable that includes a first inner conductor and first shield conductor to a second coaxial cable that includes a second inner conductor and a second shield conductor, through an insulator that includes first and second insulator surfaces. A first center plate and a first surrounding plate are adapted for attachment to the first insulator surface such that the first surrounding plate surrounds the first center plate on the first insulator surface. The first center plate is electrically connected to the first inner conductor and the first surrounding plate is electrically connected to the first shield conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Ericsson Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory A. O'Neill, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6184845
    Abstract: A dielectric-loaded loop antenna for operation at frequencies above 200 MHz has an elongate cylindrical core with a relative dielectric constant greater than 5, a pair of co-extensive helical antenna elements, a coaxial feeder structure extending through the core from a proximal end to a distal end where it is coupled to the antenna elements, and a balun formed on the core cylindrical surface and connected to the feeder structure at the proximal end of the core. Each helical antenna element is bifurcated at an intermediate position so that proximally, it is formed of two generally parallel branches each of which is coupled to a respective linking path around the core to meet a corresponding branch of the other elongate element therefore forming a conductive loop between the two conductors of the feeder structure. The two conductive loops have different electrical lengths as a result of, for example, the branches being of different lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Symmetricom, Inc.
    Inventors: Oliver Paul Leisten, Ebinotambong Agboraw
  • Patent number: 6181294
    Abstract: For use with an electric meter chassis having a dielectric housing protruding therefrom, an antenna for allowing electric meter circuitry within the chassis to communicate wirelessly through the dielectric housing and a method of manufacturing the same. In one embodiment, the antenna includes: (1) antenna elements, located within the dielectric housing and adapted to transmit and receive electromagnetic radiation and (2) a balance circuit, coupled to the antenna elements to cause the antenna elements to act as an antenna and couplable to an unbalanced output port of a wireless communication circuit, that balances an impedance of the unbalanced output port thereby to balance the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: TransData, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence R. Porter, John Paul King, Doug Justice
  • Patent number: 6150897
    Abstract: A Marchand balun cirucit having a pair of coupled lines of quarter wavelength for dividing and/or combining signals with the same amplitude and opposite phase with each other is improved by inserting a cancellation element between said pair of coupled lines. Said cancellation element may be a transmission line, a capacitor, or an inductor which improves amplitude difference error and phase difference error of a pair of outputs by controlling phase velocity for an even mode so that phase velocity for an even mode becomes equal to that for an odd mode. Thus, a balun circuit with wide operation band, and less error of amplitude difference and phase difference is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Kenjiro Nishikawa, Ichihiko Toyoda, Tsuneo Tokumitsu
  • Patent number: 6144266
    Abstract: A transition between a microstrip line and waveguide is proposed, wherein the ground surface of the microstrip line has an aperture and the ground surface of the microstrip line forms at least part of a wall of the waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventors: Rolf Heidemann, Bernhard Junginger
  • Patent number: 6097349
    Abstract: A feed circuit connects an antenna to a communications circuit to achieve an increased operating bandwidth. The feed circuit includes a folded balun having a balanced port configured to connect the antenna and an unbalanced port configured to connect to the communications circuit. In addition, a resonating capacitance is connected across the balanced port of the folded balun. The resonating capacitance has a value that provides resonance with an inductance of the balun in such a way that the operating bandwidth of the combined feed circuit and antenna is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Ericsson Inc.
    Inventor: Gary G. Sanford
  • Patent number: 6084485
    Abstract: The invention provides a balun capable of operation over a range including micro and millimeter wavelengths. The balun includes a set of ferrite beads, and a set of polyiron cones. The ferrite beads and polyiron cones together provide signal balancing operable across a bandwidth together provide a signal balancing operable across a range of bandwidths of about 5000 to 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Joel David Bickford, Julius K Botka
  • Patent number: 6078299
    Abstract: A multi-phase coupler including a noise reduction circuit which provides two output signals which are separately shifted in phase with respect to an input radio frequency (RF) signal. The input RF signal is capacitively phase-shifted to lead the phase of an input RF signal to provide one output signal and is inductively phase-shifted to lag the phase of an input RF signal to provide a second output signal. The two phase-shifted outputs are impedance matched to the dual input ports of a balanced radiating structure that acts as a point source when the input ports are driven in phase quadrature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Inventor: James A. Scharfe, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6011524
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a low profile quadrifilar helix antenna system having the non-fed ends of the helix conductor arms shorted to a first ground plane, the ground plane mounted below the helix. The first ground plane is mounted perpendicularly to the central axis of the helix and extends radially outward therefrom to form an effective electromagnetic shield between the helix and adjacent ground planes. The extension of the first ground plane combined with the shorted non-fed ends of the helix arms minimize the influence of placement of the antenna system near adjacent ground conductors on the VSWR performance of the antenna. The conical frustum geometry of the helix conductors is configured to provide a low profile, resonant antenna. An integrated signal conditioning network is mounted within a cavity defined between the first ground plane and a second ground plane below the first ground plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventor: James W. Jervis
  • Patent number: 6011522
    Abstract: A conformal log-periodic antenna assembly having a broadband frequency response as a printed circuit board having a plurality of log-periodic antennas etched thereupon. Each log-periodic antenna has a plurality of antenna elements extending from a common trunk. The trunk of each log-periodic antenna extends generally radially from a common point. A foam spacer is disposed at the backside of the printed wiring board. A dielectric layer is disposed at the backside of the foam spacer. An absorber layer is disposed at the backside of the dielectric layer. A metal backing is disposed at the backside of the absorber layer for reflecting lower frequency electromagnetic radiation back to the antenna so as to enhance an intensity thereof. The dielectric layer enhances response across a broad frequency band and the foam spacer positions the antennas a desired distance from the metal backing such that reflections therefrom enhance operation of the antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: Allen Lee VanHoozen, John Ball
  • Patent number: 5861853
    Abstract: A half-wave balun network balanced for at least current is provided by a conductor section having contiguous conductor portions 130 and 140. A balanced port 110 is provided between ends of the conductor section. An unbalanced port 120 is provided between one end of the conductor section and a ground plane 107. A difference between impedances of the contiguous conductor portions 130 and 140 of the half-wave balun network provides for a selectable impedance ratio between the port impedances of the balanced and unbalanced ports 110 and 120. In one embodiment the number of different impedance conductor portions approaches infinity, thereby providing a tapered conductor section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: David Ryan Haub, Louis Jay Vannatta, Hugh Kennedy Smith
  • Patent number: 5859621
    Abstract: An antenna for use at frequencies of 200 MHz and upwards has a cylindrical ceramic core with a relative dielectric constant of at least 5, and pairs of helical elements extending from a feed point at one end of the core to the rim of a conductive sleeve adjacent the other end of the core, the sleeve acting as a trap for isolating from ground currents circulating in the helical elements. To yield helical elements of different lengths, the sleeve rim follows a locus which deviates from a plane perpendicular to the core axis in that it describes a zig-zag path. The helical elements form simple helices with approximately balanced radiation resistances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: SymmetriCom, Inc.
    Inventor: Oliver Paul Leisten
  • Patent number: 5734355
    Abstract: A coupling device for coaxial cable which can maintain coaxial transmission mode of low loss is provided. In the coaxial cable coupling device of the capacitor coupling type, in the case where center conductor coupling electrodes for connecting between center conductors of the coaxial cables and external conductor coupling electrodes for connecting between external conductors are used, electric length of the external conductor coupling electrode is set to length of substantially one fourth (1/4) wavelength, or length of multiple of odd number of substantially one fourth (1/4) wavelength of a passing signal. Thus, transmission by the coaxial transmission mode is carried out at an extremely low loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Daiichi Denpa Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hironobu Watanabe
  • Patent number: 5678201
    Abstract: Arms (310, 320, 330, 340) of an antenna element are connected to a balanced-unbalanced conversion network (510) at a feed point of excitation to provide an antenna assembly. Characteristics such as size of the antenna assembly are improved by providing a tuning element near connections (610, 620) to a feed point of excitation. The tuning element (410) is electrically connected to one of the arms (330) but is disposed with a gap between a neighboring arm (320). A gap may also be provided between the tuning element (410) and a feed point of excitation. The arms and tuning element are preferably thin metallic arms formed on an elongated dielectric tube (210) in the preferred construction of the invention. The balanced-unbalanced conversion network (510) may also be disposed within the elongated dielectric tube (210) according to the preferred construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1997
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin M. Thill
  • Patent number: 5628057
    Abstract: A transformation network is provided capable of interfacing between an unbalanced port (110) and a plurality of differently phased balanced ports (120, 130). A balun (165) has a choke (140) and connects the unbalanced port (110) to a balanced pair of nodes. An additional node (145) is provided on the balun. First and second unbalanced phase shift transmission lines (150, 155) have a common ground conductor connected to the additional node (145) of the balun (165). A phase-shifted balanced port (130) is thus provided by center conductors of these first and second unbalanced phase shift transmission lines (150, 155) when the other ends of these transmission lines are coupled to the balanced nodes of the balun (165) and the common ground conductor of these transmission lines is connected to the additional node (145) of the balun.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: James P. Phillips, Eric L. Krenz
  • Patent number: 5612652
    Abstract: An interface device permits installation of a video system by directing broadband RF signals from an outdoors transmission line to an indoors receiver and by providing electrical power from the receiver to the transmission line for the antenna electronics without requiring a hole for passage of a coaxial cable. Power transmission circuitry includes a first inductor mounted adjacent the first side of a window and connected to the first transmission line to receive DC electrical power therefrom. A square wave drive signal is applied to switch apparatus that converts the DC power received by the inductor into time-varying electrical signals that produce a time-varying magnetic field. A second inductor mounted adjacent the dielectric layer opposite the first inductor receives the transmitted power via magnetic induction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1997
    Assignee: Multiplex Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: John B. Crosby
  • Patent number: 5572172
    Abstract: A 180.degree. power divider accepts an input signal and splits it into two output signals that are equal in amplitude and differ in phase by 180.degree.. In a first region, an unbalanced input signal travels along a trace on a circuit surface of a substrate. On the opposite surface is a ground plane. In a second region, the ground plane tapers to a width that is substantially equal to the width of the signal trace. As a result, opposite the signal trace is a return signal trace of substantially the same width. In this region, the signal is a balanced signal, and for the current flowing in the signal trace, there is an equal but opposite current flowing in the return signal trace on the opposite side. In a third region, the return signal trace is brought to the circuit surface of the substrate and a second ground plane is provided on the opposite surface. This second ground plane is floating with respect to the first ground plane. The return signal differs in phase from the other signal by 180.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Randolph E. Standke, James H. Thompson
  • Patent number: 5565881
    Abstract: An electrical connection between a balanced circuit, such as a radio receiver and an unbalanced circuit, such as an antenna requires a balun. In a small electronic device such as a radiotelephone, a traditional balun is impractical because of the physical constraints. The balun function is performed by using a transmission line of minimum transverse dimensions and a predetermined length between the receiver and the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: James P. Phillips, Louis J. Vannatta
  • Patent number: 5499033
    Abstract: A dual polarized flat plate antenna wherein a deliberate unbalance of phase and/or amplitude is introduced into a feed arrangement for one of the polarizations such that interactive coupling between colocated elements associated with the respective polarizations causes the beamwidth and/or shape of the radiation pattern for the other polarization to be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Northern Telecom Limited
    Inventor: Martin S. Smith
  • Patent number: 5450093
    Abstract: An antenna system including a phasing circuit for producing balanced, phase isplaced, signals for connection to an antenna. The antenna comprises, for each set of balanced phase signals, a pair of antenna elements disposed serially along a helical path. A transmission line, connected to each of the phasing circuit terminals, drives each antenna element pair at a center location by being connected to the proximate ends of each pair. The antenna has a omnidirectional radiation pattern, a wide band width, a good front-to-back ratio and can be constructed in a compact form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Chang S. Kim
  • Patent number: 5426439
    Abstract: An antenna (10), illustrated in FIG. 3 , comprises a substrate (11), having an upper surface and and a lower surface, and a transformer (14) having a first conducting track (12) formed on the upper surface and a second conducting track (13), mirroring the first conducting track (12), formed on the lower surface, wherein both first and second conducting tracks have an extremity at opposite ends thereof. The antenna (10) further comprises at least one radiating means, comprising a conducting track on the substrate, and an unbalanced line (20) which provides a first potential (21) and a second potential (22). The first potential (21) and the second potential (22) are coupled centrally (30,31) to said first (12) and second (13) conducting tracks respectively. Furthermore, the at least one radiating means is coupled to one of said extremities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1995
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Ovadia Grossman
  • Patent number: 5357223
    Abstract: An electronic device includes an antenna enclosure provided with a circuit on which an antenna is etched and a balun circuit for feeding the antenna, itself connected to a microelectronic enclosure fitted with an airtight connection having a sealed glass bead with at least one conducting wire passing through it. The balun circuit has at least two different tracks on each side of a dielectric substrate. At least one immediate electrical contact is provided between the conducting wire of the enclosure and one of the tracks of the balun circuit, at the same time as a direct mechanical fixing of the antenna enclosure to the microelectronic enclosure, accompanied by another connection of the same type or an earth transfer conductor which is connected to the other balun track and is in contact with the microelectronic enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: Dassault Electronique
    Inventor: Olivier Forgeot
  • Patent number: H1959
    Abstract: A single balanced to dual unbalanced transformer containing within it two quarter wave transformers and seven matching network impedances. The quarter wave transformers are of common ground reference, feed a balanced output, and are coupled to and fed by two unbalanced feeds. The single balanced to dual unbalanced transformer may also contain within it a variable impedance transmission line, a power amplifier, and a low noise amplifier. The single balanced to dual unbalanced transformer provides transmit/receive paths to a passive radiator load by utilizing dynamic impedances presented by the power amplifier, the low noise amplifier, a switch, or a variable impedance transmission line that makes the active radiator concept feasible and is a new concept For solid state phased array radars and communication systems that reduces losses, improves efficiency, and ultimately reduces cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Inventor: Anthony Kikel