Compact Serpentine RF Splitter Combines Broadband Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional RF power dividers/combiners face challenges in achieving both broadband performance and a minimal volumetric footprint, with existing solutions either having large form factors or poor broadband performance.
Innovation Solution
A passive network is used on a signal routing substrate with a serpentine impedance network comprising mirrored serpentine traces and paired coupling traces for impedance matching, allowing for both equal power division and isolation while reducing the device's size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional Wilkinson power divider designs are used to achieve broadband performance (500 MHz-6000 MHz), then the device provides good RF splitter/combiner performance, but the volumetric footprint becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional quarter-wave transmission line implementations to a planar serpentine trace layout on a printed circuit board. This dimensional change allows the RF signals to follow a winding path that achieves the required electrical length while occupying minimal physical space on the board, thereby maintaining broadband performance with a compact footprint suitable for modern electronic devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs serpentine (curved/winding) trace patterns instead of straight transmission lines. The curved paths of the serpentine traces allow the signal to traverse a longer electrical distance within a smaller physical area, achieving the necessary phase characteristics and impedance matching for broadband operation without requiring large device dimensions.
2Volume of moving object
If the device size is reduced to achieve a compact form factor, then the volumetric footprint decreases, but broadband performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses planar serpentine trace routing on a PCB substrate to achieve compact dimensions while preserving broadband performance. The winding path allows the traces to maintain the necessary electrical length and impedance characteristics for 500 MHz-6000 MHz operation within a small physical footprint, eliminating the traditional trade-off between size and performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the trace geometry parameters (width, spacing, winding pattern) of the serpentine traces to achieve impedance matching and maintain signal integrity across the broadband range. By carefully controlling these geometric parameters, the design achieves both compact size and broadband performance without compromise.
Data Source
AI summary
A system/method describing a physically compact broadband radio frequency (RF) splitter/combiner is disclosed. The system and method provide an alternative to traditional broadband Wilkinson-style RF power splitter/combiners while reducing the overall size of the power divider/combiner to a significantly smaller form factor. The system and method utilize a serpentine impedance network (SIN) that incorporates a mirrored series of positive serpentine node (PSN) traces and negative serpentine node (NSN) traces. The PSN and NSN are coupled together within each isolated and mirrored SIN section with paired coupling traces (PCTs) located between the PSN and NSN traces that serve as both power transformers for the system and as an aid to impedance matching between the RF input port (RIP) and RF output ports (ROPs). The system is electrically symmetric and provides for power splitting and/or combining functionality between the RIP and ROPs.