US6300848B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Power splitter and power combiner using N-branch-line-shaped directional couplers
Assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
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Filing: 1999-09-01
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Granted: 2001-10-09
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Expires: 2019-09-01
Abstract
Abstract According to the configuration the present power splitter, it is possible to reduce the characteristic impedance of a transmission line constituting a directional coupler by setting the impedance of a first terminal pair constituted of an input port 7 a and a second output port 7 d of a 6-dB branch-line-shaped directional coupler 7 to a value smaller than a reference impedance Z 0 (50 Ω in general) and setting the impedance of a second terminal pair constituted of an isolation port 7 b and a first output port 7 c of the directional coupler 7 to Z 0 . Therefore, it is possible to increase the number of splits and reduce loss, as compared with conventional cases.
Inventors
- 👤 Masayuki Miyaji
- 👤 Kaoru Ishida
- 👤 Hiroaki Kosugi
- 👤 Shin'ichi Kugou
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 06:43
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01P; H01P5/00; H01P5/12; H01P5/16; H01P5/18; H01P3/00; H01P3/02; H01P3/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
462 words
A power splitter comprising: N branch-line-shaped directional couplers, each respectively having four quarter-wavelength lines and each having an input port, an isolation port, a first output port, and a second output port; an input line; and N+1 output lines; wherein when an impedance of the input line is equal to an impedance of the input port of a first branch-line shaped directional coupler, the input line and the input port of the first branch-line-shaped directional coupler are connected through a transmission line having an impedance equal to the impedance of the input port of the first branch-line-shaped directional coupler or directly connected, and when the impedance of the input line is different from the impedance of the input port of the first branch-line-shaped directional coupler, the input line and the input port of the first branch-line-shaped directional coupler are connected through a first impedance converter; when an impedance of the second output port of a Kth (K=1, 2, . . . , N−1) branch-line shaped directional coupler is equal to an impedance of the input port of a (K+1)th branch-line-shaped directional coupler, the second output port of the Kth branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the input port of the (K+1)th branch-line-shaped directional coupler are connected through a transmission line having an impedance equal to the impedance of the input port of the (K+1)th branch-line-shaped directional coupler or directly connected and when the impedance of the second output port of the Kth branch-line-shaped directional coupler is different from the impedance of the input port of the (K+1)th branch-line-shaped directional coupler, the second output port of the Kth branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the input port of the (K+1) branch-line-shaped directional coupler are connected through a Kth impedance converter; when an impedance of the second output port of an Nth branch-line-shaped directional coupler is equal to an impedance of an (N+1)th output line, the second output port of the Nth branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the (N+1)th output line are connected through a transmission line having an impedance equal to the impedance of the (N+1)th output line or directly connected, and when the impedance of the second output port of the Nth branch-line-shaped directional coupler is different from the impedance of the (N+1)th output line, the second output port of the Nth branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the (N+1)th output line are connected through an (N+1)th impedance converter; and when the input port and the second output port of each branch-line-shaped directional coupler are used as a first terminal pair and the isolation port and the first output port of each branch-line-shaped directional coupler are used as a second terminal pair, an impedance of the first terminal pair is different from an impedance of the second terminal pair in at least one of the N branch-line-shaped directional couplers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
462 words
A power splitter comprising: N branch-line-shaped directional couplers, each respectively having four quarter-wavelength lines and each having an input port, an isolation port, a first output port, and a second output port; an input line; and N+1 output lines; wherein when an impedance of the input line is equal to an impedance of the input port of a first branch-line shaped directional coupler, the input line and the input port of the first branch-line-shaped directional coupler are connected through a transmission line having an impedance equal to the impedance of the input port of the first branch-line-shaped directional coupler or directly connected, and when the impedance of the input line is different from the impedance of the input port of the first branch-line-shaped directional coupler, the input line and the input port of the first branch-line-shaped directional coupler are connected through a first impedance converter; when an impedance of the second output port of a Kth (K=1, 2, . . . , N−1) branch-line shaped directional coupler is equal to an impedance of the input port of a (K+1)th branch-line-shaped directional coupler, the second output port of the Kth branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the input port of the (K+1)th branch-line-shaped directional coupler are connected through a transmission line having an impedance equal to the impedance of the input port of the (K+1)th branch-line-shaped directional coupler or directly connected and when the impedance of the second output port of the Kth branch-line-shaped directional coupler is different from the impedance of the input port of the (K+1)th branch-line-shaped directional coupler, the second output port of the Kth branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the input port of the (K+1) branch-line-shaped directional coupler are connected through a Kth impedance converter; when an impedance of the second output port of an Nth branch-line-shaped directional coupler is equal to an impedance of an (N+1)th output line, the second output port of the Nth branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the (N+1)th output line are connected through a transmission line having an impedance equal to the impedance of the (N+1)th output line or directly connected, and when the impedance of the second output port of the Nth branch-line-shaped directional coupler is different from the impedance of the (N+1)th output line, the second output port of the Nth branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the (N+1)th output line are connected through an (N+1)th impedance converter; and when the input port and the second output port of each branch-line-shaped directional coupler are used as a first terminal pair and the isolation port and the first output port of each branch-line-shaped directional coupler are used as a second terminal pair, an impedance of the first terminal pair is different from an impedance of the second terminal pair in at least one of the N branch-line-shaped directional couplers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The power splitter according to claim 1 , wherein the impedance of the second terminal pair is constituted as a reference impedance.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
138 words
The power splitter according to claim 1 , wherein the impedance of the first terminal pair is constituted as a reference impedance; and when an impedance of the first output port of a Jth (J=1, 2, . . . , N−1) branch-line-shaped directional coupler is equal to an impedance of a Jth output terminal, the first output port of the Jth branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the Jth output terminal are connected through a transmission line having an impedance equal to the impedance of the Jth output terminal or directly connected, and when the impedance of the first output port of the Jth branch-line-shaped directional coupler is different from the impedance of the Jth output terminal, the first output port of the Jth branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the Jth output terminal are connected through a Jth output impedance converter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The power splitter according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling degree of the Kth branch-line-shaped directional coupler is equal to 10×log 10 (N−K+2) (dB), (K=1,2, . . . , N).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
74 words
The power splitter according to claim 1 , wherein the product between the impedance of the second output port of the Kth (K=1, 2, . . . , N−1) branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the impedance of the input port of the Kth branch-line-shaped directional coupler is equal to the second power of the characteristic impedance of the quarter-wavelength line between the input port and the second output port of the Kth branch-line-shaped directional coupler.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
75 words
The power splitter according to claim 1 , wherein the product between the impedance of the second output port of the Kth (K=1, 2, . . . , N−1) branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the impedance of the input port of the (K+1)th branch-line-shaped directional coupler is equal to the second power of the characteristic impedance of the quarter-wavelength line between the input port and the second output port of the (K+1) th branch-line-shaped directional coupler.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
69 words
The power splitter according to claim 3 , wherein the product between the impedance of the first output port of the Jth (J=1, 2, . . . , N−1) branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the impedance of the Jth output terminal is equal to the second power of the characteristic impedance of the quarter-wavelength line between the isolation port and the first output port of the Jth branch-line-shaped directional coupler.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The power splitter according to claim 1 , wherein the N branch-line-shaped directional couplers are constituted of microstrip lines.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The power splitter according to claim 1 , wherein the first impedance converter or the (N+1)th impedance converter is constituted of a transmission line.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
459 words
A power combiner comprising: N branch-line-shaped directional couplers, each respectively having four quarter-wavelength lines and each having an output port, an isolation port, a first input port, and a second input port; an output line; and N+1 input lines; wherein when an impedance of the output line is equal to an impedance of the output port of a first branch-line-shaped directional coupler, the output line and the output port of the first branch-line-shaped directional coupler are connected through a transmission line having an impedance equal to the impedance of the output port of the first branch-line-shaped directional coupler or directly connected, and when the impedance of the output line is different from the impedance of the output port of the first branch-line-shaped directional coupler, the output line and the output port of the first branch-line-shaped directional coupler are connected through a first impedance converter; when an impedance of the second input port of a Kth (K=1, 2, . . . , N−1) branch-line-shaped directional coupler is equal to an impedance of the output port of a (K+1)th branch-line-shaped directional coupler, the second input port of the Kth branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the output port of the (K+1)th branch-line-shaped directional coupler are connected through a transmission line having an impedance equal to the impedance of the output port of the (K+1)th branch-line-shaped directional coupler or directly connected and when the impedance of the second input port of the Kth branch-line-shaped directional coupler is different from the impedance of the output port of the (K+1)th branch-line-shaped directional coupler, the second input port of the Kth branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the output port of the (K+1) branch-line-shaped directional coupler are connected through a Kth impedance converter; when an impedance of the second input port of an Nth branch-line-shaped directional coupler is equal to an impedance of an (N+1)th input line, the second input port of the Nth branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the (N+1)th input line are connected through a transmission line having an impedance equal to the impedance of the (N+1)th input line or directly connected, and when the impedance of the second input port of the Nth branch-line-shaped directional coupler is different from the impedance of the (N+1)th input line, the second input port of the Nth branch-line-shaped directional coupler and (N+1)th input line are connected through an (N+1)th impedance converter; and when the output port and the second input port of each branch-line-shaped directional coupler are used as a first terminal pair and the isolation port and the first input port of each branch-line-shaped directional coupler are used as a second terminal pair, an impedance of the first terminal pair is different from an impedance of the second terminal pair in at least one of the N branch-line-shaped directional couplers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
459 words
A power combiner comprising: N branch-line-shaped directional couplers, each respectively having four quarter-wavelength lines and each having an output port, an isolation port, a first input port, and a second input port; an output line; and N+1 input lines; wherein when an impedance of the output line is equal to an impedance of the output port of a first branch-line-shaped directional coupler, the output line and the output port of the first branch-line-shaped directional coupler are connected through a transmission line having an impedance equal to the impedance of the output port of the first branch-line-shaped directional coupler or directly connected, and when the impedance of the output line is different from the impedance of the output port of the first branch-line-shaped directional coupler, the output line and the output port of the first branch-line-shaped directional coupler are connected through a first impedance converter; when an impedance of the second input port of a Kth (K=1, 2, . . . , N−1) branch-line-shaped directional coupler is equal to an impedance of the output port of a (K+1)th branch-line-shaped directional coupler, the second input port of the Kth branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the output port of the (K+1)th branch-line-shaped directional coupler are connected through a transmission line having an impedance equal to the impedance of the output port of the (K+1)th branch-line-shaped directional coupler or directly connected and when the impedance of the second input port of the Kth branch-line-shaped directional coupler is different from the impedance of the output port of the (K+1)th branch-line-shaped directional coupler, the second input port of the Kth branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the output port of the (K+1) branch-line-shaped directional coupler are connected through a Kth impedance converter; when an impedance of the second input port of an Nth branch-line-shaped directional coupler is equal to an impedance of an (N+1)th input line, the second input port of the Nth branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the (N+1)th input line are connected through a transmission line having an impedance equal to the impedance of the (N+1)th input line or directly connected, and when the impedance of the second input port of the Nth branch-line-shaped directional coupler is different from the impedance of the (N+1)th input line, the second input port of the Nth branch-line-shaped directional coupler and (N+1)th input line are connected through an (N+1)th impedance converter; and when the output port and the second input port of each branch-line-shaped directional coupler are used as a first terminal pair and the isolation port and the first input port of each branch-line-shaped directional coupler are used as a second terminal pair, an impedance of the first terminal pair is different from an impedance of the second terminal pair in at least one of the N branch-line-shaped directional couplers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The power combiner according to claim 10 , wherein the impedance of the second terminal pair is constituted as a reference impedance.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
138 words
The power combiner according to claim 10 , wherein the impedance of the first terminal pair is constituted as a reference impedance; and when an impedance of the first input port of the Jth (J=1, 2, . . . , N−1) branch-line-shaped directional coupler is equal to an impedance of the Jth input terminal, the first input port of the Jth branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the Jth input terminal are connected through a transmission line having an impedance equal to the impedance of the Jth input terminal or directly connected, and when the impedance of the first input port of the Jth branch-line-shaped directional coupler is different from the impedance of the Jth input terminal, the first input port of the Jth branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the Jth input terminal are connected through a Jth input impedance converter.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The power combiner according to claim 10 , wherein the coupling degree of the Kth branch-line-shape directional coupler is equal to 10×log 10 (N−K+2) (dB), (K=1,2, . . . , N).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
74 words
The power combiner according to claim 10 , wherein the product between the impedance of the second input port of the Kth (K=1, 2, . . . , N−1) branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the impedance of the output port of the (K+1)th branch-line-shaped directional coupler is equal to the second power of the characteristic impedance of the quarter-wavelength line between the output port and the second input port of the Kth branch-line-shaped directional coupler.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
74 words
The power combiner according to claim 10 , wherein the product between the impedance of the second input port of the Kth (K=1, 2, . . . , N−1) branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the impedance of the output port of the (K+1)th branch-line-shaped directional coupler is equal to the second power of the characteristic impedance of the quarter-wavelength line between the output port and the second input port of the (K+1)th branch-line-shaped directional coupler.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
69 words
The power combiner according to claim 11 , wherein the product between the impedance of the first input port of the Jth (J=1, 2, . . . , N−1) branch-line-shaped directional coupler and the impedance of the Jth input terminal is equal to the second power of the characteristic impedance of the quarter-wavelength line between the isolation port and the first input port of the Jth branch-line-shaped directional coupler.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The power combiner according to claim 10 , wherein the N branch-line-shaped directional couplers are constituted of microstrip lines.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The power combiner according to claim 10 , wherein the first impedance converter or the (N+1)th impedance converter is constituted of a transmission line.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-10-08 | 2005-04-09 | 2005-10-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-10-08 | 2009-04-09 | 2009-10-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-10-08 | 2013-04-09 | 2013-10-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |