Method and system for varying the characteristics of a dispersive delay line

Claim 2

A variable delay line comprising: a first substrate having a first electrically conductive strip embedded in one surface thereof, said first strip being configured to provide a plurality of spaced, electrically interactive, phase dispersive segments along the length thereof; and, a second substrate overlying at least a portion of the one surface of said first substrate and including electrically conductive means electrically contacting said first strip for varying the spacing between said dispersive segments to thereby vary the electrical interaction between the segments of said first strip responsively to relative movement between said first and second substrates.

Claim 3

The variable delay line of claim 1 wherein said spacing varying means comprises a second electrically conductive strip including a plurality of electrically interactive, phase dispersive segments embedded in the surface of said second substrate overlying the one surface of said first substrate, the segments of said second strip being configured to coincide with and electrically contact associated ones of the segments of said first strip in one position of said second substrate relative to said first substrate.

Claim 4

The variable delay line of claim 1 wherein each of said spacing segments of said first strip have a width W and are spaced by a distance S, said electrical interaction varying means being operable to vary the ratio of the spacing S to the distance S+W in response to said relative movement.

Claim 5

A variable delay line comprising: a first substrate having a first electrically conductive strip embedded in one surface thereof, said first strip being configured to provide a plurality of spaced, electrically interactive, phase dispersive segments along the length thereof, each of said electrically interacting segments of said first strip having a width W and being spaced by a distance S; and, a second substrate overlying at least a portion of the one surface of said first substrate and including means electrically contacting said first strip for varying the electrical interaction between the segments of said first strip responsively to relative movement between said first and second substrates, said electrical interaction varying means comprising a second electrically conductive strip including a plurality of electrically interactive, phase dispersive segments embedded in the surface of said second substrate overlying the one surface of said first substrate, the segments of said second strip being configured to coincide with and electrically contact associated ones of the segments of said first strip in one position of said second substrate relative to said first substrate, said electrical interaction varying means being operable to vary the ratio of the spacing S to the distance S+W in response to said relative movement.

Claim 6

A variable delay line comprising: a first substrate having a first electrically conductive strip embedded in one surface thereof, said first strip being configured to provide a plurality of spaced, electrically interactive, phase dispersive segments along the length thereof, each of said electrically interacting segments of said first strip having a width W and being spaced by a distance S; and, a second substrate overlying at least a portion of the one surface of said first substrate and including means electrically contacting said first strip for varying the electrical interaction between the segments of said first strip responsively to relative movement between said first and second substrates, said electrical interaction varying means comprising a second electrically conductive strip including a plurality of electrically interactive, phase dispersive segments embedded in the surface of said second substrate overlying the one surface of said first substrate, the segments of said second strip being configured to coincide with and electrically contact associated ones of the segments of said first strip in one position of said second substrate relative to said first substrate, said electrical interaction varying means being operable to vary the ratio of the spacing S to the distance S+W in response to said relative movement.

Claim 7

Apparatus comprising: a first member; first electrically conductive meanS configured for mutual electrical interaction between spaced segments thereof and carried by said first member; first and second terminals connected to said electrically conductive means; a second member; second electrically conductive means carried by said second member in electrically interacting and slidably contacting relationship to said first electrically conductive means; and, means for moving said first member relative to said second member, said second electrically conductive means being configured to vary the spacing between the segments of the first electrically conductive means in response to the relative movement caused by said moving means to thereby vary the electrical interaction of said first and second members and in turn the effects of said first electrically conductive means on a signal passed between said first and second terminals.

Claim 8

Apparatus comprising: a first member; first electrically conductive meanS configured for mutual electrical interaction between spaced segments thereof and carried by said first member; first and second terminals connected to said electrically conductive means; a second member; second electrically conductive means carried by said second member in electrically interacting and slidably contacting relationship to said first electrically conductive means; and, means for moving said first member relative to said second member, said second electrically conductive means being configured to vary the spacing between the segments of the first electrically conductive means in response to the relative movement caused by said moving means to thereby vary the electrical interaction of said first and second members and in turn the effects of said first electrically conductive means on a signal passed between said first and second terminals.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein first and second electrically conductive means are each substantially planar and are carried respectively by said first and second members in sliding contact with each other.

Claim 12

The method of claim 7 wherein the effective physical configuration of the meander line is varied by slidably contacting each of the electrically interactive strips of the meander line with a substantially coextensive electrical conductor and physically displacing one of the electrical conductor and the strips relative to the other.