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:
Nov. 23, 1999
Filed:
Mar. 19, 1998
Simon Hamparian, Palisades Park, NJ (US);
Michael Gordon Kossor, Kenilworth, NJ (US);
Adam Joseph O'Donnell, Philadelphia, PA (US);
Lucent Technologies Inc., Murray Hill, NJ (US);
Abstract
A phase shifter circuit shifts the phase of a voltage varying RF signal at high RF power levels by using a diode arrangement of back to back diode sets connected in series to reduce the change in capacitive reactance of the diode arrangement. The diode arrangement is connected to a phase adjustment port of a phase shifting device which shifts the phase of the RF signal according to the capacitive reactance level at the phase adjustment port. A control circuit for each back to back diode set can be used to provide independent adjustment of each diode set to balance capacitive reactance responses between the diode sets to further reduce the change in capacitive reactance. In certain embodiments, the phase shifter circuit uses a ninely (90) degree hybrid coupler with two phase adjustment ports, a zero (0) degree port and a -90 degree port. A first diode arrangement of back to back diode sets is connected to the zero degree port, and a second diode arrangement of back to back diode sets is connected to the -90 degree port. Each diode arrangement includes at least a first set of back to back diodes (common cathode) connected in series which a second set of back to back diodes. Using the diode arrangements with multiple back to back diode sets reduces the change in the capacitive reactance of the diode arrangement at high RF signal power levels with wide voltage swings. Additionally, providing each back to back diode set with corresponding control circuitry allows independent adjustment of the capacitive reactance associated with each diode set, providing improved balancing of the capacitive reactance responses between and within the diode arrangements.