Radio Frequency Systems, Inc.

Chi Wang

William D Wilber

Weili Wang

William Deppen Blair

Gregory J Lamont

Bill Engst

William H Holland

Frank T Duong

The present invention incorporates triple-mode, mono-block resonators that are tunable. Four novel and unobvious methods of tuning are disclosed. The first tuning method is to mechanically grind areas on three orthogonal faces of the mono-block in order to change the resonant frequencies of the three modes in each block. Another method of tuning frequency is to cut a slot within a face of the resonator. A third method of tuning the mono-block is to tune the resonant frequency of a particular mode by removing small circular areas of the conductive surface from a particular face of the mono-block. The fourth, tuning method is the use of discrete tuning elements, with 3 elements distributed among three orthogonal faces of the mono-block, to affect the necessary change of the resonant frequencies.

Tunable triple-mode mono-block filter assembly

A delay filter uses the dielectric mono-block triple-mode resonator and unique inter-resonator coupling structure, having smaller volume and higher power handling capacity. The triple-mode mono-block resonator has three resonators in one block. An input/output probe is connected to each metal plated dielectric block to transmit microwave signals. Corner cuts couple a mode oriented in one direction to a mode oriented in a second, mutually orthogonal direction. An aperture between two blocks couples all six resonant modes, and generates two inductive couplings by magnetic fields between two modes, and one capacitive coupling by electric fields. The input/output probes, coupling corner cuts and aperture are aligned such that all six resonators are coupled in the desired value and sign, so constant delay on the transmitted signal within certain bandwidth can be achieved. By connecting the input and output probes to the base printed circuit board, the delay filter is surface mountable.

Dielectric mono-block triple-mode microwave delay filter

The present invention incorporates triple-mode, mono-block resonators that are smaller and less costly. The size reduction has two sources. First, the triple-mode mono-block resonator has three resonators in one block. This provides a 3-fold reduction in size compared to filters currently used which disclose one resonator per block. Secondly, the resonators are not air-filled coaxial resonators as in the standard combline construction, but are dielectric-filled blocks. The coupling between modes is accomplished by the corner cuts. One oriented along the Y axis and one oriented along the Z axis. In addition, a third corner cut along the X axis can be used. Corner cuts are used to couple a mode oriented in one direction to a mode oriented in a second mutually orthogonal direction. Each coupling represents one pole in the filter's response. Therefore, the triple-mode mono-block discussed above represents the equivalent of three poles or three electrical resonators.

Triple-mode mono-block filter assembly

The invention is related to the field of tunable multiplexers. It consists of a tunable microwave multiplexer comprising a plurality of channel filters coupled to a combining/dividing mechanism. The plurality of channel filters can be either dielectric loaded resonators or combline resonators, while the combining/dividing mechanism can be a common resonator. In one embodiment, the common resonator is a multiple half-wavelength coaxial resonator.

Tunable microwave multiplexer

A microwave coupler has a planar form with a transmission line segment oriented at an angle relative to a main transmission line. The planar form of the transmission line, such as in a printed circuit board, helps reduce the size and manufacturing costs for the coupler. When placed a prescribed distance from the main transmission line and oriented at an appropriate angle, the directivity and coupling factor requirements can be met precisely with minimal tuning. Where fine tuning is required, a tuning screw and resistor disposed adjacent to the transmission line segment are provided.

Coplanar directional coupler for hybrid geometry

A multi-channel multiplexer has a substantially square shape and includes an N&times;N matrix with a common resonator. A plurality of input/output ports are connected to a common input/output port via respective resonators of the N&times;N matrix and the common resonator. The multiplexer provides a compact size, with balanced insertion losses and simple configuration to minimize phase difference of inter-resonator transitions.

Multi-channel frequency multiplexer with small dimension

A tunable, temperature compensated, thermal and mechanical stable, dielectric loaded cavity resonator and filter assembly has high unloaded Q, wide frequency tuning range and simple structure suitable for high volume production. The cavity resonator consists of a conductive housing, a substantially cylindrical ring shape dielectric body with a low loss, low thermal expansion coefficient support, a tuning mechanism and a plastic support at the opposite side of the main cylindrical dielectric body, which holds the main cylindrical dielectric body in place. The tuning mechanism further includes a substantially cylindrical dielectric tuning element positioned in or near the hole of the main cylindrical dielectric body and a self-locked or equivalent nut locked rotor with a support using the same material as that of the main cylindrical body support. The rotor is accessible and rotational movable from the outside of the conductive enclosure, resulting in linear motion of the dielectric tuning element with respect to the main dielectric body. Therefore the resonant frequency of the resonator can be substantially adjusted.

Turnable, temperature stable dielectric loaded cavity resonator and filter

A coupling structure for coupling two resonant cavities, which may be dissimilar, based on providing a metallic surface, called here a guide surface, at an angle intermediate between the orientation of the magnetic field in the two cavities. The guide surface may be one surface of a non-rectangular window cut in a wall separating the two cavities or may be the surface of a coupling screw piercing, at the intermediate angle, a rectangular window in a wall between the two cavities. In the non-rectangular window embodiment, an adjusting tuning screw is provided that screws into a notch in the guide surface. In the angled coupling screw embodiment, coupling is adjusted by providing that more or less of the angled coupling screw extends into the rectangular window. The coupling structure couples any two cavities having mutually orthogonal magnetic fields by providing the guide surface at an orientation so the magnetic field in each cavity has a non-zero projection onto the guide surface.

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Middletown, NJ, United States of America

Chi Wang