Abstract An attenuator which permits manual or electrical control of both amplitude and polarity of a microwave frequency output signal and is referred to throughout this specification as a bipolar attenuator. The input microwave signal is divided with one signal passing through a variable attenuator while the other signal passes through a variable attenuator and a phaseshifter. The phaseshifter provides exact opposition in phase such that when the two signals are equal in amplitude, the output is zero when they are recombined. As the amplitude of one signal changes, the output decreases to zero and increases again with reversed polarity. Two bipolar attenuators in combination with another phaseshifter, a power divider and a power combiner provide 360* phase control.
Inventors
👤 Joseph H Halberstein
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-11-03 15:21
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01P; H01P1/00; H01P1/22
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
An electrically controllable microwave attenuator device for providing 360* phase control which comprises: first microwave power dividing means for receiving a microwave signal and dividing it into a first portion and a second portion; phase shifting means connected to the power dividing means for receiving and phase shifting said first signal portion; a first bipolar attenuator connected to said phase shifting means; a second bipolar attenuator connected to said power dividing means for receiving said second signal portion; and, microwave power combining means connected to said first and second bipolar attenuators.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
91 words
An electrically controllable microwave attenuator device for providing 360* phase control which comprises: first microwave power dividing means for receiving a microwave signal and dividing it into a first portion and a second portion; phase shifting means connected to the power dividing means for receiving and phase shifting said first signal portion; a first bipolar attenuator connected to said phase shifting means; a second bipolar attenuator connected to said power dividing means for receiving said second signal portion; and, microwave power combining means connected to said first and second bipolar attenuators.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
71 words
The device of claim 1 wherein each bipolar attenuator includes: a hybrid T power divider for receiving a microwave signal and providing first and second outputs; a manually variable attenuator connected to the first output; a DC controlled PIN diode attenuator connected to the second output; a phase shifter connected to the PIN diode attenuator; and, a hybrid T power combiner connected to the phase shifter and the manually variable attenuator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 2 wherein the manually variable attenuator is preset to a value within the range of the DC controlled PIN diode attenuator.