Communications Satellite Corporation

Communications Satellite Corporation (comsat)

Ali E Atia

Albert Edward Williams

Christoph E Mahle

Arnold L Berman

David Perlmutter

Paul R Schrantz

A generalized dielectric resonator filter is disclosed for the realization of the most general transfer function characteristics of band-pass filters using cylindrical dielectric resonator discs in a microstrip transmission line configuration. The dielectric resonator filter of the invention has electrical properties comparable to conventional waveguide filters, but has a much smaller volume and mass, and is thus very attractive for use in the construction of input multiplexers of communications satellite transponders.

Generalized dielectric resonator filter

A multichannel correlation receiver at an earth station is provided for determining the depolarization effects of atmospheric conditions on satellite communications. The receiver provides a first co-polarized signal and a second, relatively weak, cross-polarized signal indicative of the depolarization effects, and uses a phase locked loop demodulator to produce a noise free replica of the relatively strong co-polarized signal. This co-polarized signal is highly correlated with the second cross-polarized signal and is mixed therewith to provide a relatively noise free, narrow band signal which has a level indicative of the cross-polarization signal strength for both up-link and down-link propagation paths. The relative signal strengths are recorded on a digital storage means and provide an accurate measure of the depolarization effects of the existing atmospheric conditions. A programmable local oscillator also provides multiple channel capability.

Multichannel correlation receiver for determining depolarization of

A device for a resonant microwave cavity which includes a tuning plunger assembly to make the resonant frequency less temperature sensitive. The frequency response of a cavity filter, determined by its resonant frequency, primarily depends on the dimensions of the filter cavity. Since cavity dimensions will vary with changes in ambient temperature, some form of compensation is necessary to stabilize the frequency response. The tuning plunger assembly is comprised of a sandwich of materials having substantially different coefficients of expansion. One of the materials, a potting compound with a high coefficient of thermal expansion, acts as an operator to vary the configuration of the plunger assembly in order to maintain the resonant frequency of the cavity substantially fixed.

Temperature compensation apparatus for a resonant microwave cavity

A plural cavity waveguide filter comprising a plurality of cascaded waveguide cavities each resonating in first and second independent orthogonal modes is disclosed. The cavities may be either square and/or circular resonating in the TE.sub.101 or TE.sub.111 modes, respectively. The filter makes it possible to realize the general class of coupled cavity bandpass transfer filter functions by providing that the input and output couplings to the filter be physically connected to the first physical cavity. A general set of canonical couplings can then be achieved within the structure.

Canonical dual mode filter

A waveguide structure composed of circular waveguide cavities resonant in the TE.sub.011 mode is capable of realizing the most general bandpass filter characteristics with significant decreases in filter loss and gain slope. In addition to the commonly used Tchebychev and Butterworth functions, the structure can realize general transfer functions including the elliptic function. In its simplest form, the structure is composed of four cylindrical cavities which form a building block for more complex filters. The first and second cavities and the third and fourth cavities each have their side walls in contact and their end walls in common planes. The third and fourth cavities are superposed to the first and second cavities with their adjacent end walls in a common plane, but the second and third cavities are offset so that they overlap at one-half diameters. The first and second cavities are coupled by means of a centrally located side wall slot, as are the third and fourth cavities. Coupling between the second and third cavities is by means of a radial slot in their adjacent end walls, and the first and fourth cavities are similarly coupled. However, to generate the most general class of coupled transfer functions, the sign of the coupling between the first and fourth cavities and between the second and third cavities must be different. This is accomplished by the offset of the second and third cavities.

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Gaithersburg, MD, United States of America

Ali E Atia