Nova Patents
EP0823747A2

RF phase and/or amplitude control device

Abstract

An RF phase and/or amplitude control device (40) has a digitally controlled attenuator (41) at it input to adjust the overall output level of the output. The device includes an in-phase power divider (43) for splitting up the input signals over two paths (I and Q). The power divided signals in the two paths are further power divided and shifted in relative phase at 180° hybrids (49 and 50). The power divided and phases shifted signals in each path I and Q are selectively switched using switches (51 and 53). The selected and switched output is quadrative combined at a 90° hybrid (55). This provides a single inexpensive device which can provide digitally controlled output signals which are either phase controlled or amplitude controlled or both.

EP0823747A2, drawing sheet 1
Sheet 1 of 20

Term

Term ended

Projected expiry passed 7 August 2017, 9.1 years ago.

  1. Priority
  2. Filed
  3. Published
  4. Projected expiry
  5. Today

8 claims: 5 independent, 3 dependent

  1. 1
    An RF control device comprising:a power divider for power dividing an RF input signal to provide separate first and second power divided signals;an amplitude controller coupled to said power divider for digitally controlling the amplitude of the first and second power divided signals;and a combiner coupled to controller for quadrature combining said first and second power divided signals to provide at least one digitally controlled output signal which is phase controlled or amplitude controlled.
  2. 4
    The RF control device of any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein said controller for controlling the amplitude of the first and second power divided signals includes a separate control means for said first and second power divided signals where each of said separate control means includes an output of phase power divider and a switch to apply one of the out of phase signals to said combiner.
  3. 5
    A digitally adjustable RF control device for controlling the phase and/or amplitude and an RF input signal comprising:an in-phase power divider responsive to said RF input signals for power dividing said RF signal to provide first and second power divided signals;digitally controlled amplitude control means coupled to said power divider and responsive to said first and second power divided signals for controlling the amplitude of said first and second power divided signals;a first 180 degree hybrid coupled to said amplitude control means and responsive to said first power divided signals for providing third and fourth power divided signals where said third power divided signals are 180 degrees out of phase with respect to said fourth power divided signals;a second 180 degree hybrid coupled to said amplitude control means and responsive to said second power divided signals for providing fifth and sixth power divided signals where said fifth power divided signals are 180 degrees out of phase with respect to said sixth power divided signals;first switch means coupled to said first 180 degree hybrid for selectively providing said third or said fourth power divided signals;second switch means coupled to said second 180 degree hybrid for selectively providing said fifth or said sixth power divided signals;and a 90 degree hybrid coupled to said first and said second switch means for combining said selected third or fourth power divided signals from said first switch means and said fifth or sixth power divided signal from said second switch means to provide an RF output signals which is the vector sum of said signals from said first switch means shifted 90 degrees relative to said signal from said second switch means.
  4. 6
    An RF control device comprising:first power divider means for power dividing RF input signal to provide first and second power divided signals;amplitude control means coupled to said first power divider means for controlling the amplitude of said first and second power divided signals;second power divider means coupled to said amplitude control means and responsive to said first power divided signals for providing third and fourth power divided signals of opposite phase;third power divider means coupled to said amplitude control means and responsive to said second power divided signals for providing fifth and sixth power divided signals of opposite phase;switch means coupled to said third and fourth power divider means for selectively providing third or fourth power divided signals at one switch output and fifth or sixth power divided signals at a second switch output;and quadrature combiner means coupled to said first and second switch outputs for combining signal from first and second inputs at phase quadrature whereby the phase of the output signal is dependent on the selective position of the switch means and the relative amplitudes of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth power divided signals.
  5. 8
    The device of any preceding Claim, wherein said output signal is both phase and amplitude controlled.
Independent claims5