Series-Connected RF Combiner With Settable-Gain Amplifiers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current radio frequency transceiver chains with adaptive antennas suffer from power loss and bulkiness due to the need for multiple 2 to 1 combiners or 1 to 2 splitters, which are not all used simultaneously, leading to inefficient power management and increased form factor in high-frequency electronic systems.
Innovation Solution
A multichannel combiner and splitter architecture using series-connected 2 to 1 combiners with settable-gain amplifiers, where each 2 to 1 combiner's gain is adjusted to compensate for losses, allowing for flexible channel activation and deactivation without affecting the overall operation, and a series-connected splitter architecture to optimize power distribution and reduce the number of components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple 2 to 1 combiners or 1 to 2 splitters are cascaded to form multichannel combiners or splitters, then the number of channels to be combined or divided can be greater than 2, but the system becomes particularly bulky and power loss increases since not all channels are necessarily permanently used
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the multichannel combiner/splitter into multiple independent 2-to-1 combiner units, each handling a specific channel. These units are connected in series rather than requiring a full cascaded structure, allowing selective activation of only the necessary channel pairs. This segmentation reduces the overall volume by eliminating unused combiner components while maintaining the capability to handle multiple channels when needed.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple 2 to 1 combiners or 1 to 2 splitters are cascaded to form multichannel combiners or splitters, then the number of channels to be combined or divided can be greater than 2, but power loss increases since part of the power is lost when channels are not permanently used
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic channel selection where each 2-to-1 combiner unit can be independently activated or deactivated based on which channels are currently in use. This dynamic configuration allows the system to adapt to varying operational requirements, activating only the necessary combiner units and thereby minimizing power loss by excluding unused channels from the power distribution network.
3Adaptability or versatility
If several 2 to 1 combiners or 1 to 2 splitters are cascaded to form multichannel combiners or splitters, then the number of channels can be increased, but the device complexity and number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each 2-to-1 combiner unit is designed as a universal module that can handle any channel pairing scenario. The same basic combiner circuitry and control logic are reused across all channel units, rather than designing unique cascaded structures for each channel configuration. This universal approach reduces device complexity by eliminating redundant components and simplifying the overall architecture while maintaining multichannel capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A multichannel combiner formed from 2 to 1 combiners, wherein: a first input channel of each 2 to 1 combiner is connected to the output of a settable-gain amplifier of a signal to be combined; all 2 to 1 combiners are electrically connected in series; and an output of a first 2 to 1 combiner defines an output of the multichannel combiner.