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. 14, 2004
Filed:
May. 21, 2002
William E. McKinzie, III, Fulton, MD (US);
Greg S. Mendolia, Ellicott City, MD (US);
Shelby Starks, Baltimore, MD (US);
Etenna Corporation, Laurel, MD (US);
Abstract
A microstrip trombone delay line is used to provide a low cost true time delay device. An array of printed trombone lines arranged in a network is used to implement a linear beamformer. The beamformer forms an array that scans signals in one or more dimensions. Each microstrip trombone delay line includes printed traces on a fixed substrate and a printed trombone line on a movable superstrate. The microstrip trombone delay line may have different dimensions to vary the characteristic impendence at either end for impedance matching purposes. Beamformers using microstrip trombone delay lines and scanning in multiple principal planes require few movable parts and only linear actuators.