Abstract A phase discriminator comprises a transmission line which is tapped by four detectors connected respectively to four points spaced along the line at regular intervals of lambda /8. The line is tapped by a fifth detector connected to a point on the line separated from one of those four points by lambda /16, lambda being the wavelength of two signals fed to respective ends of the line. This arrangement enables the phase difference to be located within intervals of pi /8 radians. The fifth detector may suitably be situated symmetrically with respect to the first four two further detectors may tap the line at two additional tapping points, one being located lambda /32 from an end tapping-point and the other additional point being 3 lambda /32 from a penultimate tapping-point: this enables the phase difference to be located within intervals of pi /16 radians.
Inventors
👤 T Tozer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-11-07 11:56
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R25/00; G01R25/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
A phase discriminator, for comparing the phases of two signals having a wavelength lambda , comprising, in combination, a transmission line having spaced porTions adapted for receiving said signals, respectively, first four tapping points spaced along the line at regular intervals of lambda /8 and arranged between said spaced portions, a fifth tapping point spaced from at least one of said first four tapping points by an interval of lambda /16, detecting means connected to each tapping point, and means for providing phase-dependent difference signals forming together a code representative of the measured phase comprising a logic circuitry including subtraction circuits connected between the outputs of at least eight different pair arrangements of said detecting means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
116 words
A phase discriminator, for comparing the phases of two signals having a wavelength lambda , comprising, in combination, a transmission line having spaced porTions adapted for receiving said signals, respectively, first four tapping points spaced along the line at regular intervals of lambda /8 and arranged between said spaced portions, a fifth tapping point spaced from at least one of said first four tapping points by an interval of lambda /16, detecting means connected to each tapping point, and means for providing phase-dependent difference signals forming together a code representative of the measured phase comprising a logic circuitry including subtraction circuits connected between the outputs of at least eight different pair arrangements of said detecting means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A phase discriminator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said logic circuitry further comprises binary circuits connected to the outputs of said subtraction circuits to display at least an eight-bit binary code representative of a measured phase interval.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A phase discriminator according to claim 1 wherein the fifth tapping-point is situated symmetrically with respect to the first four tapping-points.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A phase discriminator according to claim 3 and tapped by two further detectors connected one to each point which is lambda /32 from an end tapping-point and 3 lambda /32 from a penultimate tapping-point.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
A phase discriminator according to claim 1 wherein the transmission line is 3 lambda /8 long.