The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 01, 1987
Filed:
Oct. 28, 1986
Philip D Crill, Los Altos, CA (US);
Michael D Rubin, Saratoga, CA (US);
Ford Aerospace & Communications Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
An r.f. phase modulator operable at up to extremely high frequencies. A circulator (1) having input, output, and isolated ports (2, 3, 4, respectively), channels an r.f. carrier (15) in a prescribed direction. Fitting into an open end of the output port (3) is a moving reflective surface (6) coupled via a moving plunger (7) fixedly mounted at one end thereof to a housing (5) fixedly mounted with respect to the circulator (1). A modulating signal (9) is applied to the plunger (7), causing the reflective surface (6) to move linearly within the output port (3). This change in path length of the carrier (15) produces linear phase modulation thereon. The plunger (7) can comprise a magnetostrictive material (7A), a piezoelectric material (7B), a thermally expansive material (7C), or a combination thereof. The invention can be used for temperature compensation and phase stabilization as well as phase modulation.