R F Prime Corporation

Scientific Components Corporation

L3 Technologies, Inc.

Loren E Ralph

James Hiram Roberson

Eddie Rodgers

A satellite is configured for use in space so as to receive RF signals, convert them to a different frequency range, and retransmit the converted RF signals. The satellite comprises a payload area supporting a motherboard structure with a plurality of frequency converters supported on it. The frequency converters are each connected with an antenna system of the satellite so that each of them receives a respective RF input signal. A local oscillator source supported on said motherboard structure generates a local oscillator signal, and a motherboard in the motherboard structure receives the local oscillator signal and transmits it through the motherboard to each of the frequency converters. The frequency converters each convert the respective RF input signal to a respective RF output signal using the local oscillator signal and transmit the RF output signal to the antenna system so as to be transmitted wirelessly.

Method and system for satellite using multifunctional motherboard

A coupler that has a small package size and is adjustable after manufacturing. A coupler has a substrate with several dielectric layers and a top and bottom surface. A ground plane is located on the top surface and another ground plane is located on the bottom surface. A pair of coupled circuit lines are located within the substrate. Conductive vias extend between the layers and provide an electrical connection between the ground planes and the circuit lines. The top ground plane has several segments joined by links. The top ground plane can be modified to adjust the coupling between the coupled circuit lines by deleting one or more of the links. The links can be used to adjust the coupling after the coupler has been manufactured.

Miniature high performance coupler

A power splitter that has a small package size and low cross-talk noise. The power splitter includes a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTTC) substrate with several layers. Electrical components such as transmission lines and resistors are integrated onto and within the LTCC substrate. The power splitter provides impedance matching and dividing functions. The LTCC substrate has counter rotating spiral shaped circuit lines and electrically conductive vias extending therethrough. The vias are used to connect the power splitter to an external printed circuit board. The vias are also used to make electrical connections between the layers of the LTCC substrate. The counter rotating circuit lines allow the power splitter to have a small package size and low cross-talk noise.

Power splitter having counter rotating circuit lines

A thick film construct and quadrature coupler for use in fabricating devices such as IQ modulators, IQ demodulators, vector modulators, image reject mixers, and multi-channel mixers. The thick film construct includes a dielectric substrate base with a metallized backside, a first metal trace deposited on the non-metallized side of the substrate base, a dielectric layer deposited over and around the first metal trace, and a second metal trace deposited on the dielectric layer. The first and second metal traces are aligned over their widths and lengths so to form a balanced transmission line structure where the first and second metal traces represent top and bottom lines in the balanced structure. This thick film structure serves as the foundation for microwave capacitors, mixers, and other transmission line based structures, including a quadrature coupler. The quadrature coupler which, in turn forms the basis for more complex devices, includes an input port, an isolated port, in-phase output port (I-port), and quadrature phase output port (Q-port).

Thick film construct for quadrature translation of RF signals

A thick film balanced line multilayered structure having a substrate base of nominal 0.025 or 0.030 inch thick ceramic material, a first metal layer deposited on the substrate base, a nominal 0.003 inch thick dielectric layer deposited over and around the first metal layer, and a second metal layer deposited on top of the dielectric layer in alignment with, and parallel to, the first metal layer. The structure defines a standard circuit cell suitable for use in microwave filters. The impedance of the cell is controlled by the width of the metal layers, and ranges from 5 ohms to 125 ohms, and the frequency of the cell is controlled by the length of the metal layers.

Microwave filter constructed from thick film balanced line structures

A thick film balanced line multilayered structure having a substrate base of nominal 0.025 or 0.030 inch thick ceramic material, a first metal layer deposited on the substrate base, a nominal 0.003 inch thick dielectric layer deposited over and around the first metal layer, and a second metal layer deposited on top of the dielectric layer in alignment with, and parallel to, the first metal layer. The structure defines a standard circuit cell suitable for use as a balun, a capacitor or an autotransformer, for use in microwave mixers, power splitters, filters, resonators and other microwave devices. The impedance of the cell is controlled by the width of the metal layers, and ranges from 5 ohms to 125 ohms, and the frequency of the cell is controlled by the length of the metal layers.

Mixer constructed from thick film balanced line structure

A thick film balanced line multilayered structure having a substrate base of nominal 0.025 or 0.030 inch thick ceramic material, a first metal layer deposited on the substrate base, a nominal 0.003 inch thick dielectric layer deposited over and around the first metal layer, and a second metal layer deposited on top of the dielectric layer in alignment with and parallel to, the first metal layer. The structure defines a standard circuit cell suitable for use in microwave splitters. The impedance of the cell is controlled by the width of the metal layers, and ranges from 5 ohms to 125 ohms, and the frequency of the cell is controlled by the length of the metal layers.

Growing community of inventors

Citrus Heights, CA, United States of America

Loren E Ralph