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. 20, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 26, 1999
Mark Kintis, Manhattan Beach, CA (US);
Daniel K. Ko, Monterey Park, CA (US);
Stephen A. Maas, Long Beach, CA (US);
TRW Inc., Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Abstract
A programmable phase shifter (,) includes a variable delay line formed from a nonlinear transmission line (NLTL) (,), which enables the device to be used in applications where the frequency of the input signal varies. A variable DC bias applied to the NLTL (,) varies the NLTL's phase velocity and delay. Since the characteristic impedance of a transmission line changes as a function of the DC bias, the input voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) also changes. In order to compensate for the change in the input VSWR, a pair of NLTLs (,) are coupled at the input and output to a pair of hybrid couplers (,). In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the hybrid couplers (,) are replaced with 180° power splitters (,) in order to reduce distortion of the device. In other embodiments of the invention (,), a nonlinear transmission lines are used to form both discretely variable and continuously variable digital phase shifters (,).