Divider Combiner With Coupled Inductive Sections

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing signal dividers and combiners face challenges in maintaining constant coupling over a wide frequency band and achieving high directivity, especially in applications requiring unequal output power distribution and phase differences.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a combination of inductively coupled and uncoupled sections, with each section comprising transmission lines connected in series and featuring interconnecting resistors, allowing for adjustable coupling and improved impedance matching across ports, enabling efficient signal division and combination.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional Wilkinson divider with interconnecting resistors is used, then isolation between ports is improved, but bandwidth and directivity are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveisolation between portsVSAvoidbandwidth

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The divider is segmented into multiple sections, each with its own interconnecting resistors. This segmentation allows each section to contribute to isolation while the cumulative effect across sections extends the operational bandwidth, resolving the contradiction between isolation and bandwidth

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines different transmission line structures (microstrip, stripline) and impedance values in a composite configuration. This composite approach enables simultaneous achievement of wide bandwidth and high isolation by optimizing each layer's contribution to the overall performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Adaptability or versatility

If coupled sections are used to achieve constant coupling over wide bandwidth, then bandwidth is improved, but coupling control becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovebandwidthVSAvoidcoupling control

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Different sections of the divider have different coupling characteristics - some sections are strongly coupled while others are weakly coupled. This local differentiation allows the overall system to achieve wide bandwidth through cumulative effect while individual sections maintain simple, controllable coupling relationships

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If unequal power distribution is required at output ports, then application versatility is improved, but impedance matching becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower distribution flexibilityVSAvoidimpedance matching

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs asymmetric transmission line lengths and impedance values in different branches to achieve unequal power distribution. The asymmetric design is compensated by carefully selected interconnecting resistor values that restore impedance matching at all ports, thus achieving both power distribution flexibility and impedance matching

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

4Reliability

If multiple interconnecting resistors are added to improve isolation and bandwidth, then performance is improved, but insertion loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveisolation and bandwidthVSAvoidinsertion loss

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using full-strength resistors in all sections, the patent uses partial resistance values that are optimized for each section's specific contribution. This partial action approach provides sufficient isolation and bandwidth improvement while minimizing the cumulative insertion loss from all resistors

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration achieves constant coupling over a wide bandwidth, high directivity, and reduced insertion loss, with the ability to distribute power unequally between output ports, while maintaining practicality for high-power applications.

Implementation Method 1

a coupled section includes a plurality of associated transmission lines that are inductively coupled

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInductive coupling: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

each section including associated first and second transmission lines, each transmission line having first and second ends

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical resistance: Electrical Resistance

Data Source

PatentUS7663449B2Divider/combiner with coupled section

Publication Date: 2010.02.16 WERLATONE INC

AI summary

A divider may include a stem or first port, and two or more branch ports connected or coupled directly or indirectly to the first port. As mentioned, a divider may include multiple sections. In some examples, a divider may include at least an inductively uncoupled section and an inductively coupled section. An uncoupled section may be characterized by a plurality of associated transmission lines that are substantially inductively uncoupled. On the other hand, a coupled section may include a plurality of associated transmission lines that are substantially inductively coupled. A divider section may include a resistor connected between ends of associated first and second transmission lines in a coupled or uncoupled section. In some examples, one or more uncoupled sections are connected in series to the first port and one or more coupled sections are connected in series between the uncoupled sections and the second and third ports.