Programmable Power Combiner Reducing RF Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wilkinson power combiners/splitters experience power loss when not all ports are actively used, as inactive ports are not impedance-matched, leading to power dissipation in resistors.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating programmable quarter-wave elements and switches that adjust impedance based on active port status, allowing inactive ports to be disconnected and impedance-matched with active ports, reducing power loss by operating similarly to an ideal k-way Wilkinson combiner/splitter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a Wilkinson power combiner/splitter is used with fixed impedance, then all ports are impedance matched and there is isolation between input/output ports, but power loss occurs when not all ports are actively used due to power dissipation in resistors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the impedance of quarter-wave elements programmable and adjustable based on the number of active ports. Instead of fixed impedance, the system dynamically reconfigures the impedance values to match the active port configuration, thereby eliminating power loss in inactive ports while maintaining proper impedance matching for active ports.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of characteristic impedance from fixed to programmable. By adjusting the impedance parameter of quarter-wave elements according to the number of active ports (k), the system optimizes power distribution and eliminates unnecessary power dissipation in inactive ports, resolving the energy loss issue without significantly increasing complexity.
2Loss of energy
If switches are added to disconnect inactive ports, then power loss is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes quarter-wave elements multi-functional by giving them programmable impedance capability. These elements serve both as impedance matching components and as dynamic switching elements. By programmably adjusting their impedance, they can effectively connect or disconnect ports without requiring separate physical switches, thus reducing power loss while minimizing additional device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the function of impedance matching and port switching into a single component - the programmable quarter-wave element. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate switch components, achieving port disconnection for inactive ports while maintaining impedance matching for active ports, thereby reducing power loss with minimal increase in device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Power combiners and splitters are commonly used as components for handling radio frequency (RF) signals. Disclosed herein are power combiner/splitters and methods to operate the same to reduce power loss when not all the ports are used. When an input/output port of a power combiner/splitter is unused or inactive, switches may be provided to cut off the port from the rest of the power combiner/splitter, which has programmable quarter-wave elements and resistors that are adjustable based on the number of remaining input/output ports that are active, such that in effect, the circuit operates similarly to a multi-way Wilkinson power combiner/splitter, and power loss due to inactive ports may be reduced or eliminated.