Patent US4287603A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4287603A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Radiated input mixer
Assignee: Bendix Corp
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Filing: 1979-08-23
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Granted: 1981-09-01
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Expires: 1999-08-23
Abstract
Abstract A radiated input mixer for converting a radio frequency (RF) signal into an intermediate frequency (IF) signal with the aid of a local oscillator (LO) signal includes, in combination, an antenna having balanced feed terminals, a diode quad, and a balun with balanced terminals orthogonally positioned with respect to the antenna terminals to provide a less complex and more efficient device of the type described than has heretofore been known in the art.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth R. Moser
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 07:16
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01Q; H01Q1/00; H01Q1/12; H01Q1/22; H01Q1/24; H01Q1/247; H01Q9/00; H01Q9/04; H01Q9/16; H01Q9/26; H01Q9/27; H03; H03D; H03D9/00; H03D9/06; H03D9/0608
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
234 words
A mixer for converting a radiated radio frequency input signal into an intermediate frequency output signal with the aid of a local oscillator signal, comprising: an antenna including a pair of arms and a pair of balanced feed terminals each of which is connected to a corresponding arm, with the antenna receiving the radiated radio frequency input signal; a balun including a pair of conductors and a pair of balanced feed terminals orthogonally disposed with respect to the antenna terminals, and each of the conductors connected to a corresponding balun terminal, with the balun carrying the local oscillator signal; a balanced diode quad disposed at an end of the balun and connected to the antenna terminals and the balun terminals; the diode quad providing broad band isolation between the radio frequency and local oscillator signals, and providing a phase relationship between said signals so that the intermediate frequency output signal is present on a selected combination of the antenna arms and the balun conductors; the balun and the antenna arms being arranged so that the plane of the antenna arms and the plane of the balun are perpendicular, whereby the local oscillator and radio frequency signals vector polarizations are in space quadrature; and the space quadrature of the signal vector polarizations and the balance of the diodes in the diode quad being determinative of the isolation between the radio frequency and local oscillator signals.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
234 words
A mixer for converting a radiated radio frequency input signal into an intermediate frequency output signal with the aid of a local oscillator signal, comprising: an antenna including a pair of arms and a pair of balanced feed terminals each of which is connected to a corresponding arm, with the antenna receiving the radiated radio frequency input signal; a balun including a pair of conductors and a pair of balanced feed terminals orthogonally disposed with respect to the antenna terminals, and each of the conductors connected to a corresponding balun terminal, with the balun carrying the local oscillator signal; a balanced diode quad disposed at an end of the balun and connected to the antenna terminals and the balun terminals; the diode quad providing broad band isolation between the radio frequency and local oscillator signals, and providing a phase relationship between said signals so that the intermediate frequency output signal is present on a selected combination of the antenna arms and the balun conductors; the balun and the antenna arms being arranged so that the plane of the antenna arms and the plane of the balun are perpendicular, whereby the local oscillator and radio frequency signals vector polarizations are in space quadrature; and the space quadrature of the signal vector polarizations and the balance of the diodes in the diode quad being determinative of the isolation between the radio frequency and local oscillator signals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
A mixer as described by claim 1, wherein: the balun is a microstrip tapered balun, with one side of the balun being connected to an outer grounded conductor of a coaxial input cable; an inner conductor of the coaxial input cable is connected to another side of the balun; and the intermediate frequency signal is provided between the outer grounded conductor and the inner conductor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
78 words
A mixer as described by claim 10, wherein: the balun and the antenna arms are arranged so that the plane of the antenna arms and the plane of the balun are perpendicular, whereby the local oscillator and radio frequency signal vector polarizations are in space quadrature; and the space quadrature of the signal vector polarizations and the balance of the diodes in the diode quad being determinative of the isolation between the radio frequency and local oscillator signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A mixer as described by claim 1, wherein: the antenna is a spiral antenna; the diode quad is in a ring polarity; and the intermediate frequency signal is taken from a coaxial cable coming from the periphery of the spiral.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
159 words
A mixer as described by claim 1, wherein: the antenna including a pair of arms is a spiral having a pair of inner ports and a pair of outer ports; the impedance from arm to arm is non-uniform and the impedance from a single arm to ground is non-uniform; and the spiral arranged so that when it is excited in a balanced mode between the pair of inner ports with a balanced load between the pair of outer ports an input impedance related to the arm to arm impedance in parallel with twice the arm to ground impedance is provided, and arranged so that when it is excited in an unbalanced mode with the pair of inner ports shorted and the pair of outer ports shorted, and a potential applied between the inner ports and ground with a load between the outer ports and ground, an input impedance related to one half the arm to ground impedance is provided.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
A mixer as described by claim 1, wherein: the intermediate frequency signal is present between the pair of antenna balanced feed terminals and the pair of balun balanced feed terminals, with the respective pairs of antenna and balun terminals each electrically connected as one terminal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A mixer as described by claim 1, wherein the antenna is a spiral antenna; and the antenna terminals are DC connected by joining the antenna arms at the rim of the spiral.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
A mixer as described by claim 1, wherein: the diode quad is in a bridge polarity and is connected so that the intermediate frequency signal is provided between the antenna terminals; and coaxial cables connect the outer extremities of the antenna arms to a balanced to unbalanced intermediate frequency transformer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
A mixer as described by claim 1, wherein: the diode quad is in a bridge configuration and connected so that the intermediate frequency signal is provided between the balun terminals; and frequency filter means separate the intermediate frequency signal from the local oscillator signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
205 words
A mixer for converting a radiated radio frequency input signal into an intermediate frequency output signal with the aid of a local oscillator signal, comprising: an antenna including a pair of arms and a pair of balanced feed terminals each of which is connected to a corresponding arm, with the antenna receiving the radiated radio frequency input signal; a balun including a pair of conductors and a pair of balanced feed terminals orthogonally disposed with respect to the antenna terminals, and each of the conductors connected to a corresponding balun terminal, with the balun carrying the local oscillator signal; a balanced diode quad disposed at an end of the balun and connected to the antenna terminals and the balun terminals; the diode quad providing broad band isolation between the radio frequency and local oscillator signals, and providing a phase relationship between said signals so that the intermediate frequency output signal is present on a selected combination of the antenna arms and the balun conductors; the diode quad being in a bridge polarity and connected so that the intermediate frequency signal is provided between the antenna terminals; and coaxial cables connecting the outer extremities of the antenna arms to a balanced to unbalanced intermediate frequency transformer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
205 words
A mixer for converting a radiated radio frequency input signal into an intermediate frequency output signal with the aid of a local oscillator signal, comprising: an antenna including a pair of arms and a pair of balanced feed terminals each of which is connected to a corresponding arm, with the antenna receiving the radiated radio frequency input signal; a balun including a pair of conductors and a pair of balanced feed terminals orthogonally disposed with respect to the antenna terminals, and each of the conductors connected to a corresponding balun terminal, with the balun carrying the local oscillator signal; a balanced diode quad disposed at an end of the balun and connected to the antenna terminals and the balun terminals; the diode quad providing broad band isolation between the radio frequency and local oscillator signals, and providing a phase relationship between said signals so that the intermediate frequency output signal is present on a selected combination of the antenna arms and the balun conductors; the diode quad being in a bridge polarity and connected so that the intermediate frequency signal is provided between the antenna terminals; and coaxial cables connecting the outer extremities of the antenna arms to a balanced to unbalanced intermediate frequency transformer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
65 words
A mixer as described by claim 10, wherein: the balun is a microstrip tapered balun, with one side of the balun being connected to an outer grounded conductor of a coaxial input cable; an inner conductor of the coaxial input cable is connected to another side of the balun; and the intermediate frequency signal is provided between the outer grounded conductor and the inner conductor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
157 words
A mixer as described by claim 10, wherein: the antenna including a pair of arms is a spiral having a pair of inner ports and a pair of outer ports; the impedance from arm to arm is non-uniform and the impedance from a single arm to ground is non-uniform; the spiral arranged so that when it is excited in a balanced mode between the pair of inner ports with a balanced load between the pair of outer ports an input impedance related to the arm to arm impedance in parallel with twice the arm to ground impedance is provided, and arranged so when it is excited in an unbalanced mode with the pair of inner ports shorted and the pair of outer ports shorted, and a potential applied between the inner ports and ground with a load between the outer ports and ground, an input impedance related to one half the arm to ground impedance is provided.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
A mixer as described by claim 10, wherein: the antenna is a spiral antenna; and the antenna terminals are DC connected by joining the antenna arms at the rim of the spiral.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-08-31 | 1985-03-02 | 1985-09-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-08-31 | 1989-03-02 | 1989-09-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-08-31 | 1993-03-02 | 1993-09-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |