PCB Hybrid Coupler With Defective Ground Structure for Wideband Power Split
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hybrid couplers in twin-beam antennas do not meet wide band requirements, suffer from high energy consumption, and fail to provide equal power distribution, with the integration of Xinger ICs increasing manufacturing costs and power handling limitations.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid coupler design featuring a printed circuit board with multiple couplers and defective ground structures in a second metallization layer, eliminating the need for Xinger ICs and ensuring uniform power distribution across a wide frequency band.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If Xinger IC is integrated in hybrid coupler, then manufacturing cost increases, but power handling capacity remains limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the Xinger IC component entirely from the hybrid coupler design, replacing it with a pure PCB implementation using transmission traces and defective ground structures. This extraction eliminates the need for expensive copper-based IC materials while avoiding the power handling limitations of small semiconductor chips, achieving both cost reduction and improved power capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical/electronic IC component with an electromagnetic field-based PCB transmission line system. By using controlled impedance traces and ground structure modifications on the PCB itself, the design replaces the need for separate IC hardware, thereby reducing manufacturing cost and eliminating power handling constraints associated with small semiconductor devices.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional hybrid coupler design is used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but wide band operation and equal power distribution are not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces defective ground structures with specific geometric patterns (such as U-shaped, C-shaped, or stepped configurations) at localized positions beneath the transmission traces. These localized ground modifications create frequency-independent impedance characteristics that enable wideband operation and equal power distribution across multiple frequency bands, while the rest of the PCB maintains standard manufacturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the ground structure parameters (shape, size, position, and configuration) to achieve frequency-independent coupling characteristics. By changing the ground reference geometry rather than the transmission line dimensions, the design achieves wideband performance and equal power splitting across different frequency ranges while maintaining compatibility with standard PCB manufacturing parameters.
3Device complexity
If known hybrid coupler is used, then device complexity is reduced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The defective ground structures passively provide the necessary impedance transformation and power distribution functions without requiring active components or external control systems. The ground geometry itself performs the energy management function, enabling equal power distribution and wideband operation through passive electromagnetic field distribution, thereby reducing energy loss while maintaining simple device architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
A hybrid coupler is disclosed. The hybrid coupler includes a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board includes at least two input ports, at least two output ports, and a plurality of couplers, each coupler of the plurality of couplers comprising first and second transmission traces and a coupling junction connecting the first and second transmission traces. The plurality of couplers are electrically coupled in series between the input ports and the output ports. The hybrid coupler further includes a defective ground structure below the coupling junction of at least one of the plurality of couplers.