Suspended transmission line with embedded amplifier

Claim 2

A suspended transmission line with an embedded amplifier, comprising: a support layer; a conductor supported on the support layer between first and second plates each plate having a ground plane, the conductor comprises a first conductive strip supported on a first side of the support layer, a second conductive strip supported on a second side of the support layer, an amplifier input section and an amplifier output section; a propagation structure between the first and second plates to substantially contain an electric field generated by a signal transmitted on the conductor; and an amplifier coupled to the amplifier input and output sections of the conductor and at least substantially disposed between the first and second plates, the amplifier operable to amplify an input signal received on the amplifier input section to generate an output signal for transmission on the amplifier output section.

Claim 3

The suspended transmission line of claim 1 , wherein the amplifier comprises: a transistor coupled between the amplifier input and output sections of the conductor and disposed within the propagation structure; and a power feed structure operable to supply power to the transistor, the power feed structure coupled to the amplifier input and output sections of the conductor.

Claim 4

The suspended transmission line of claim 2 , further comprising a bias system coupling the power feed structure to the amplifier input and output sections of the conductor.

Claim 5

The suspended transmission line of claim 3 , the bias system comprising: a first power lead connecting the power feed structure to the amplifier input section of the conductor; a first quarter wavelength line extending from the first power lead and operable to form a radio frequency short in the first power lead; a second power lead connecting the power feed structure to the amplifier output section of the conductor; and a second quarter wavelength line extending from the second power lead and operable to form a radio frequency short in the second power lead.

Claim 6

The suspended transmission line of claim 1 , further comprising the propagation structure at least substantially enclosing the amplifier.

Claim 7

The suspended transmission line of claim 1 , further comprising the propagation structure entirely enclosing the amplifier.

Claim 8

The suspended transmission line of claim 1 , wherein the support layer comprises a lossy material.

Claim 9

The suspended transmission line of claim 7 , wherein the lossy support layer comprises an epoxy glass material.

Claim 10

The suspended transmission line of claim 1 , wherein the first and second conductive strips substantially mirror each other.

Claim 11

The suspended transmission line of claim 1 , wherein the conductor further comprises a plurality of connectors extending between the first and second conductive strips at intermediate points along the length of the conductor.

Claim 12

The suspended transmission line of claim 10 , wherein the connectors are substantially evenly spaced along the length of the conductor.

Claim 13

The suspended transmission line of claim 1 , wherein the support layer, conductor, and propagation structure have a configuration and size to transmit a radio frequency signal.

Claim 14

The suspended transmission line of claim 1 , wherein the propagation structure comprises a first air cavity between the conductor and the first plate and a second air cavity between the conductor and the second plate.

Claim 15

The suspended transmission line of claim 13 , further comprising: a first spacer between the support layer and the first plate to form the first air cavity over the conductor; and a second spacer between the support layer and the second plate to form the second air cavity over the conductor.

Claim 16

The suspended transmission line of claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of mode suppression connectors connecting the first and second plates at spaced intervals.

Claim 17

A suspended transmission line with an embedded amplifier, comprising: a support layer; a conductor supported on the support layer between first and second plates each plate having a ground plane, the conductor including an amplifier input section and an amplifier output section; a propagation structure between the first and second plates to substantially contain an electric field generated by a signal transmitted on the conductor, the propagation structure comprising a first air cavity between the conductor and the first plate and a second air cavity between the conductor and the second plate; a first spacer between the support layer and the first plate to form the first air cavity over the conductor; a second spacer between the support layer and the second plate to form the second air cavity over the conductor; a plurality of mode suppression connectors between the first and second plates at spaced intervals; and an amplifier coupled to the amplifier input and output sections of the conductor and at least substantially disposed between the first and second plates, the amplifier operable to amplify an input signal received on the amplifier input section to generate an output signal for transmission on the amplifier output section.

Claim 18

A suspended transmission line with an embedded amplifier, comprising: a support layer; a conductor supported on the support layer between first and second plates each plate having a ground plane, the conductor including an amplifier input section and an amplifier output section; a propagation structure between the first and second plates to substantially contain an electric field generated by a signal transmitted on the conductor, the propagation structure comprising a first air cavity between the conductor and the first plate and a second air cavity between the conductor and the second plate; a first spacer between the support layer and the first plate to form the first air cavity over the conductor; a second spacer between the support layer and the second plate to form the second air cavity over the conductor; a plurality of mode suppression connectors between the first and second plates at spaced intervals; and an amplifier coupled to the amplifier input and output sections of the conductor and at least substantially disposed between the first and second plates, the amplifier operable to amplify an input signal received on the amplifier input section to generate an output signal for transmission on the amplifier output section.

Claim 19

The suspended transmission line of claim 16 , further comprising: the first cavity having disparity in height over the conductor; and the conductor comprising disparity in line width to maintain a substantially constant impedance in the conductor.

Claim 20

A suspended transmission line with an embedded circuit, comprising: a support layer; a conductor supported on the support layer between first and second plates each plate having a ground plane, the conductor comprises a first conductive strip supported on a first side of the support layer, a second conductive strip supported on a second side of the support layer, a circuit input section and a circuit output section; a propagation structure between the first and second plates to substantially contain an electric field generated by a signal transmitted on the conductor; an active circuit coupled to the circuit input and output sections of the conductor and at least substantially disposed between the first and second plates, the circuit operable to manipulate an input signal received on the circuit input section to generate an output signal for transmission on the circuit output section; and a power feed structure operable to supply power to the circuit, the power feed structure coupled to the circuit input and output sections of the conductor.

Claim 21

A suspended transmission line with an embedded circuit, comprising: a support layer; a conductor supported on the support layer between first and second plates each plate having a ground plane, the conductor comprises a first conductive strip supported on a first side of the support layer, a second conductive strip supported on a second side of the support layer, a circuit input section and a circuit output section; a propagation structure between the first and second plates to substantially contain an electric field generated by a signal transmitted on the conductor; an active circuit coupled to the circuit input and output sections of the conductor and at least substantially disposed between the first and second plates, the circuit operable to manipulate an input signal received on the circuit input section to generate an output signal for transmission on the circuit output section; and a power feed structure operable to supply power to the circuit, the power feed structure coupled to the circuit input and output sections of the conductor.

Claim 22

The suspended transmission line of claim 18 , wherein the propagation structure at least substantially encloses the circuit.

Claim 23

The suspended transmission line of claim 18 , wherein the propagation structure entirely encloses the circuit.

Claim 26

The method of claim 21 , further comprising supporting the first and second conductive strips on a lossy support layer.

Claim 27

The method of claim 21 , further comprising: supplying power on the conductor to amplify the signal; and de-coupling the power from the radio frequency performance of the conductor.

Claim 28

A suspended transmission line with an embedded circuit, comprising: a lossy material support layer; a conductor supported on the support layer between first and second plates each plate having a ground plane, the conductor comprises a first conductive strip supported on a first side of the support layer, a second conductive strip supported on a second side of the support layer, a circuit input section and a circuit output section; a propagation structure between the first and second plates to substantially contain an electric field generated by a signal transmitted on the conductor; and a circuit coupled to the circuit input and output sections of the conductor and at least substantially disposed between the first and second plates, the circuit operable to manipulate an input signal received on the circuit input section to generate an output signal for transmission on the circuit output section.

Claim 29

A suspended transmission line with an embedded circuit, comprising: a lossy material support layer; a conductor supported on the support layer between first and second plates each plate having a ground plane, the conductor comprises a first conductive strip supported on a first side of the support layer, a second conductive strip supported on a second side of the support layer, a circuit input section and a circuit output section; a propagation structure between the first and second plates to substantially contain an electric field generated by a signal transmitted on the conductor; and a circuit coupled to the circuit input and output sections of the conductor and at least substantially disposed between the first and second plates, the circuit operable to manipulate an input signal received on the circuit input section to generate an output signal for transmission on the circuit output section.

Claim 30

The suspended transmission line of claim 24 , wherein the conductor further comprises a plurality of connectors extending between the first and second conductive strips at intermediate points along the length of the conductor.

Claim 31

A suspended transmission line with an embedded circuit, comprising: a support layer; a conductor supported on the support layer between first and second plates each plate having a ground plane, the conductor comprising a first conductive strip supported on a first side of the support layer and a second conductive strip supported on a second side of the support layer, the conductor including a circuit input section and a circuit output section; a propagation structure between the first and second plates to substantially contain an electric field generated by a signal transmitted on the conductor; and a circuit coupled to the circuit input and output sections of the conductor and at least substantially disposed between the first and second plates, the circuit operable to manipulate an input signal received on the circuit input section to generate an output signal for transmission on the circuit output section.

Claim 32

A suspended transmission line with an embedded circuit, comprising: a support layer; a conductor supported on the support layer between first and second plates each plate having a ground plane, the conductor comprising a first conductive strip supported on a first side of the support layer and a second conductive strip supported on a second side of the support layer, the conductor including a circuit input section and a circuit output section; a propagation structure between the first and second plates to substantially contain an electric field generated by a signal transmitted on the conductor; and a circuit coupled to the circuit input and output sections of the conductor and at least substantially disposed between the first and second plates, the circuit operable to manipulate an input signal received on the circuit input section to generate an output signal for transmission on the circuit output section.

Claim 33

The suspended transmission line of claim 26 , wherein the conductor further comprises a plurality of connectors extending between the first and second conductive strips at intermediate points along the length of the conductor.

Claim 34

A suspended transmission line with an embedded amplifier, comprising: a support layer; a conductor supported on the support layer between first and second plates each plate having a ground plane, the conductor including an amplifier input section and an amplifier output section; a propagation structure between the first and second plates to substantially contain an electric field generated by a signal transmitted on the conductor; an amplifier coupled to the amplifier input and output section of the conductor and at least substantially disposed between the first and second plates, the amplifier operable to amplify an input signal received on the amplifier input section to generate an output signal for transmission on the amplifier output section; a power feed structure operable to supply power to the amplifier, the power feed structure coupled to the amplifier input and output sections of the conductor; a first power lead connecting the power feed structure to the amplifier input section of the conductor; a first quarter wave-length line extending from the first power lead and operable to form a radio frequency short in the first power lead; a second power lead connecting the power feed structure to the amplifier output section of the conductor; and a second quarter wave-length line extending from the second power lead and operable to form a radio frequency short in the second power lead.

Claim 35

A suspended transmission line with an embedded amplifier, comprising: a support layer; a conductor supported on the support layer between first and second plates each plate having a ground plane, the conductor including an amplifier input section and an amplifier output section; a propagation structure between the first and second plates to substantially contain an electric field generated by a signal transmitted on the conductor; an amplifier coupled to the amplifier input and output section of the conductor and at least substantially disposed between the first and second plates, the amplifier operable to amplify an input signal received on the amplifier input section to generate an output signal for transmission on the amplifier output section; a power feed structure operable to supply power to the amplifier, the power feed structure coupled to the amplifier input and output sections of the conductor; a first power lead connecting the power feed structure to the amplifier input section of the conductor; a first quarter wave-length line extending from the first power lead and operable to form a radio frequency short in the first power lead; a second power lead connecting the power feed structure to the amplifier output section of the conductor; and a second quarter wave-length line extending from the second power lead and operable to form a radio frequency short in the second power lead.