Distributed Amplifier Redundancy Rings for Equal-Length RF Paths

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current distributed amplification devices face challenges in maintaining acceptable gain and phase dispersion over wide frequency bands, particularly when extending the useful transmission band, leading to increased gain and phase dispersion during reconfigurations and limiting the flexibility of satellite telecommunications payloads.

Innovation Solution

A distributed amplification device with a set of parallel amplifiers, input and output redundancy rings formed by four-pole rotary switches, and amplitude and phase adjustment means, ensuring equal electrical lengths and balanced amplification paths across all routing configurations, including nominal and backup scenarios, to maintain consistent performance over a wide frequency band.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the useful transmission band is extended to achieve wider bandwidth operation, then the adaptability of the satellite payload is improved, but the gain and phase dispersion increases beyond acceptable limits

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebandwidth coverageVSAvoidgain and phase dispersion

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The amplifier bank is divided into multiple groups, with each group assigned to a specific frequency band. Each amplifier is individually adjusted for its designated band, preventing gain and phase dispersion across the entire wide band. This segmentation allows the system to cover a wide total bandwidth while maintaining precise control within each segment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different amplifiers are optimized for different frequency bands rather than using a uniform configuration across all bands. Each amplifier group has localized adjustment characteristics tailored to its specific frequency range, ensuring optimal performance in each band while collectively covering the extended bandwidth.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If individual amplifier adjustment is performed at the central frequency only, then the ease of operation is improved, but the performance across the entire band deteriorates due to increased dispersion at band edges

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadjustment complexityVSAvoidpower recombination quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The frequency band is segmented into multiple sub-bands, each handled by a dedicated amplifier group. Each group is adjusted at its own central frequency independently, simplifying the adjustment process for each group while ensuring high-quality power recombination across the entire band through the collective performance of all segments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If multiple backup amplifiers are integrated into the redundancy rings, then the reliability of the system is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional routing paths

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem redundancyVSAvoidrouting configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The input and output redundancy rings are merged into a unified configuration where backup amplifiers are integrated into the same structural framework as nominal amplifiers. This merging allows the system to achieve high reliability through redundancy while maintaining relatively simple routing configurations, as the same ring structure handles both nominal and backup amplifier paths.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Productivity

If amplifiers are arranged in parallel for distributed amplification, then the productivity of power delivery is improved, but the gain and phase alignment becomes more difficult to maintain over wide bands

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower delivery capacityVSAvoidgain and phase alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The parallel amplifier configuration is segmented into multiple groups, each responsible for a specific frequency band. This segmentation maintains the high power delivery capacity of parallel distributed amplification while simplifying gain and phase alignment within each group, as each group operates over a narrower bandwidth where alignment is more easily maintained.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3154192B1Architecture of a broadband distributed amplification device

Publication Date: 2020.11.25 THALES SA

Figure 1
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3

AI summary

A distributed amplification device (2) with p inputs, p outputs, p amplification paths comprises a redundant reservoir (4) of n amplifiers (56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74) including n-p spare amplifiers (56, 74), an input redundancy ring (48) and an output redundancy ring (50) formed by rotary switches, the input and output redundancy rings (48 , 50) sharing the same technology. The internal amplification channels (76, 94) associated with the n-p backup amplifiers interleave the internal amplification channels associated with the p nominal amplifiers (58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72) and the amplification paths of the routing configurations each pass through at least five rotary switches. The input and output redundancy rings (48, 50) are topologically and geometrically configured and the family of routing configurations is chosen so that the electrical lengths of all the paths of a same routing configuration (172 ) of the family are equal.