Distributed-constant dispersive network

Claim 2

A dispersive network, comprising: a plurality of pairs of first conductive strip members with the members of each pair being parallel to each other and parallel to the members of all other pairs and being separated by a diElectric medium, each pair having a predetermined length and having other dimensions which are substantially the same as those of all other of said pairs so that all said pairs have substantially the same characteristic impedance; a plurality of electrical interconnection means, each for interconnecting a pair of said first strip members at a selected point along their length to form a corresponding plurality of all-pass, coupled transmission lines each of which has a length that is resonant at a selected frequency and said plurality including transmission lines of different lengths to provide said network with a desired dispersive characteristic for selected different frequencies; means, having substantially the same characteristic impedance as said transmission lines, positioned coplanar with said conductive strip members for connecting said transmission lines in cascade; and a first planar conductive member positioned adjacent to one of the sides of the cascade of coupled transmission lines and separated from said transmission lines by a dielectric medium having the same dielectric constant as that separating said first conductive strip members, thereby serving as a ground plane for said coupled transmission lines.

Claim 3

A dispersive network as recited in claim 1, further comprising a second planar conductive member positioned adjacent to the other side of said cascade of coupled transmission lines and separated from said transmission lines by the same dielectric medium as that separating said first conductive strip members, thereby providing a pair of ground planes for said coupled transmission lines.

Claim 4

A dispersive network as recited in claim 2, wherein each of said interconnecting means interconnects a corresponding pair of said first strip members at such a point along their length that the transmission line formed thereby has a length equal to an odd integer multiple of one quarter of the wavelength of a predetermined frequency lying within a selected band of frequencies, thereby imparting to said network a desired dispersive characteristic for frequencies in said selected band.

Claim 5

A dispersive network as recited in claim 3, wherein each of said pairs of first conductive strip members is separated from all other pairs of members by a distance which is greater than the distance separating said pair of planar conductive members to prevent undesired coupling between adjacent transmission lines.

Claim 6

A dispersive network as recited in claim 4, wherein the members of each pair of said first members are coplanar with each other and the members of all other pairs.

Claim 7

A dispersive network comprising: a plurality of pairs of first conductive strip members with the members of each pair being positioned opposite to each other in different parallel planes and parallel to all other first members in the same plane and being separated by a dielectric medium, each pair having a predetermined length and having other dimensions which are substantially the same as those of all other pairs so that all said pairs have substantially the same characteristic impedance; a plurality of electrical interconnection means, each for interconnecting a pair of said first strip members at a selected point along their length to form a corresponding plurality of all-pass, coupled transmission lines each of which has a length that is resonant at a selected frequency and said plurality including transmission lines of different lengths to provide said network with a desired dispersive characteristic for selected different frequencies; means, having substantially the same characteristic impedance as said transmission lines and positioned coplanar with said conductive strip members, for connecting said transmission lines in cascade; and a pair of planar conductive members, each positioned adjacent a corresponding one of the sides of the cascade of coupled transmission lines and separated from said first conductive strip members by a dielectric medium having the same diElectric constant as that which separates said first members, thereby providing a pair of ground planes for said cascaded transmission lines.

Claim 8

A dispersive network comprising: a plurality of pairs of first conductive strip members with the members of each pair being positioned opposite to each other in different parallel planes and parallel to all other first members in the same plane and being separated by a dielectric medium, each pair having a predetermined length and having other dimensions which are substantially the same as those of all other pairs so that all said pairs have substantially the same characteristic impedance; a plurality of electrical interconnection means, each for interconnecting a pair of said first strip members at a selected point along their length to form a corresponding plurality of all-pass, coupled transmission lines each of which has a length that is resonant at a selected frequency and said plurality including transmission lines of different lengths to provide said network with a desired dispersive characteristic for selected different frequencies; means, having substantially the same characteristic impedance as said transmission lines and positioned coplanar with said conductive strip members, for connecting said transmission lines in cascade; and a pair of planar conductive members, each positioned adjacent a corresponding one of the sides of the cascade of coupled transmission lines and separated from said first conductive strip members by a dielectric medium having the same diElectric constant as that which separates said first members, thereby providing a pair of ground planes for said cascaded transmission lines.

Claim 9

A dispersive network as recited in claim 6, wherein each of said interconnecting means interconnects a corresponding pair of said first strip members at such a point along their length that the transmission line formed thereby has a length equal to an odd integer multiple of one quarter of the wavelength of a predetermined frequency lying within a selected band of frequencies, thereby imparting to said network a desired dispersive characteristic for frequencies in said selected band.

Claim 10

A dispersive network as recited in claim 7, wherein each of said pairs of first conductive strip members is separated from all other pairs of members by a distance which is greater than the distance separating said pair of planar conductive members to prevent undesired coupling between adjacent transmission lines.

Claim 11

A dispersive network as recited in claim 8, wherein the dielectric medium separating said first conduc-tive members is a planar dielectric member having said first conductive strip members of each pair affixed to opposite planar sides of said dielectric member in register and parallel to all other first members affixed to the same side of said dielectric member.

Claim 12

A dispersive network constructed in dielectric strip line using a cascade of all-pass quarter-wave coupled transmission lines, comprising: a first thin sheet of dielectric material; a plurality of pairs of first strips of conductive material with the conductive strips of each pair being affixed to opposite sides of said first dielectric sheet in register and parallel to all other first conductive strips affixed to the same side of said first dielectric sheet, each pair having a predetermined length and having other dimensions which are substantially the same as those of all other of said pairs so that all said pairs have substantially the same characteristic impedance; a plurality of second strips of conductive material, each affixed to a pair of said first conductive strips through said first dielectric sheet for interconnecting said pair of first conductive strips at a selected point along their length to form a corresponding plurality of all-pass, quarter-wave transmission lines of differing lengths with each of said transmission lines resonant at a selected frequency to provide said network with a desired dispersive characteristic for selected different frequencies; a plurality of third strips of conductive material, having substantially the same characteristic impedance as said transmission lines, affixed to the sides of said first dielectric sheet and connected between selected ends of said first conductive strips for coupling said separate transmission lines in cascade; and a pair of thin sheets of conductive material, each positioned adjacent a corresponding one of the sides of said first dielectric sheet, separated from each other by a predetermined distance and from said first dielectric sheet by second sheets of dielectric material having the same dielectric constant as said first dielectric sheets, thereby serving as ground planes for said cascaded transmission lines.

Claim 13

A dispersive network constructed in dielectric strip line using a cascade of all-pass quarter-wave coupled transmission lines, comprising: a first thin sheet of dielectric material; a plurality of pairs of first strips of conductive material with the conductive strips of each pair being affixed to opposite sides of said first dielectric sheet in register and parallel to all other first conductive strips affixed to the same side of said first dielectric sheet, each pair having a predetermined length and having other dimensions which are substantially the same as those of all other of said pairs so that all said pairs have substantially the same characteristic impedance; a plurality of second strips of conductive material, each affixed to a pair of said first conductive strips through said first dielectric sheet for interconnecting said pair of first conductive strips at a selected point along their length to form a corresponding plurality of all-pass, quarter-wave transmission lines of differing lengths with each of said transmission lines resonant at a selected frequency to provide said network with a desired dispersive characteristic for selected different frequencies; a plurality of third strips of conductive material, having substantially the same characteristic impedance as said transmission lines, affixed to the sides of said first dielectric sheet and connected between selected ends of said first conductive strips for coupling said separate transmission lines in cascade; and a pair of thin sheets of conductive material, each positioned adjacent a corresponding one of the sides of said first dielectric sheet, separated from each other by a predetermined distance and from said first dielectric sheet by second sheets of dielectric material having the same dielectric constant as said first dielectric sheets, thereby serving as ground planes for said cascaded transmission lines.

Claim 14

A dispersive network as recited in claim 10, wherein each of said second strips interconnects a corresponding pair of said first strip members at such a point along their length that the transmission line formed thereby has a length equal to one quarter of the wavelength of a predetermined frequency lying within a selected band of frequencies, thereby imparting to said network a desired dispersive characteristic for frequencies in said selected band.

Claim 15

A dispersive network as recited in claim 11, wherein said first conductive strips on each side of said first dielectric sheet are separated from all other first conductive strips on the same side of said first dielectric sheet by a distance which is greater than the distance separating said pair of thin sheets Of conductive material to prevent undesired coupling between adjacent transmission lines.

Claim 16

A dispersive network as recited in claim 12, in which said first conductive strips and said third conductive strips are circuit conductor patterns etched from conductive material affixed to said first dielectric sheet.