Radio frequency signal splitter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016118952-A1
Application number	US-201614989062-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 6, 2016
Priority date	Jun 25, 2012
Publication date	Apr 28, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed is a signal splitter that includes a coupled transmission line element coupled between two output ports of the signal splitter. The coupled transmission line element is used to lower the isolation between the two output ports for a particular frequency band. The coupled transmission line element includes a first and a second elongate electrical conductor. The first and the second elongate electrical conductor first ends are coupled to the signal transmission path that connects the two output ports. The first and the second elongate electrical conductor second ends are un-terminated. The first elongate electrical conductor and the second elongate electrical conductor are not shorted together, and the first elongate electrical conductor and the second elongate electrical conductor are electrostatically coupled, such as by twisting them together into a helix.

First claim

1 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . An electronic signal splitter device comprising:
a signal transmission path, wherein the signal transmission path conducts signals between a first and a second output port; and a coupled transmission line element connected to the signal transmission path.

22 . The splitter device of claim 21 , wherein the coupled transmission line element comprises:
a first electrically conductive wire comprising:
a first electrically conductive wire length,
a first electrically conductive wire first end electrically coupled to the signal transmission path, and
a first electrically conductive wire second end, wherein the first electrically conductive wire second end is un-terminated; and
a second electrically conductive wire comprising:
a second electrically conductive wire length,
a second electrically conductive wire first end electrically coupled to the signal transmission path, and
a second electrically conductive wire second end, wherein the second electrically conductive wire second end is un-terminated,
wherein the first electrically conductive wire and the second electrically conductive wire are twisted into an approximation of a helix such that the first electrically conductive wire and the second electrically conductive wire are electrostatically coupled.

23 . The splitter device of claim 22 , wherein the signal transmission path includes a resistor.

24 . The splitter device of claim 23 , wherein the signal transmission path includes a first inductor positioned between the first output port and the resistor.

25 . The splitter device of claim 24 , wherein the signal transmission path includes a second inductor positioned between the second output port and the resistor.

26 . The splitter of claim 25 , wherein the first electrically conductive wire first end is coupled to the first output port.

27 . The splitter of claim 26 , wherein the second electrically conductive wire first end is coupled to the second output port.

28 . The splitter of claim 27 , wherein the coupled transmission line element further comprises:
a third electrically conductive wire comprising:
a third electrically conductive wire length,
a third electrically conductive wire first end electrically coupled to a current return path, and
a third electrically conductive wire second end, wherein the third electrically conductive wire second end is un-terminated,
wherein the third electrically conductive wire is integrated into the helix formed by the first and the second electrically conductive wire, such that the third electrically conductive wire is electrostatically coupled to both the first and the second electrically conductive wires.

29 . A signal splitter comprising:
an input port; a first output port; a second output port; a signal transmission path, wherein the signal transmission path conducts signals between the first output port and the second output port; and a coupled transmission line element coupled to the signal transmission path, wherein the coupled transmission line element comprises a first electrical conductor and a second electrical conductor, and wherein the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor are electrostatically coupled.

30 . The signal splitter of claim 29 , wherein the signal transmission path includes a resistor.

31 . The signal splitter of claim 30 , wherein the signal transmission path includes a first inductor positioned between the first output port and the resistor and the signal transmission path includes a second inductor positioned between the second output port and the resistor.

32 . The splitter of claim 31 , wherein a first end of the first electrical conductor is coupled to a node between the first inductor and the resistor and a first end of the second electrical conductor is coupled to a node between the second inductor and the resistor.

33 . The splitter of claim 31 , wherein a first end of the first electrical conductor is coupled to a node between the first inductor and the first output port and a first end of the second electrical conductor is coupled to a node between the second inductor and the second output port.

34 . The splitter of claim 29 , wherein the coupled transmission line element further comprises:
a third electrical conductor, wherein the third electrical conductor is electrostatically coupled to both the first and the second elongate electrical conductors.

35 . The splitter of claim 29 , wherein a length of the first electrical conductor is a different value than a length of the second electrical conductor.

36 . A method of modifying the isolation between the output ports of an electronic signal splitter, the method comprising:
coupling a first end of a first electrically conductive wire to an in-home entertainment signal transmission path of the signal splitter, wherein the in-home entertainment signal transmission path conducts in-home entertainment signals between a first output port of the signal splitter and a second output port of the signal splitter; coupling a first end of a second electrically conductive wire to the in-home entertainment signal transmission path of the signal splitter; and electrostatically coupling the first electrically conductive wire and the second electrically conductive wire.

37 . The method of claim 36 , wherein there is not an electrical short circuit connection between the first electrically conductive wire and the second electrically conductive wire.

38 . The method of claim 36 , wherein a length of the first electrically conductive wire is a different value than a length of the second electrically conductive wire.

39 . The method of claim 36 , further comprising:
coupling a first end of a third electrically conductive wire to a current return path; and twisting the first electrically conductive wire, the second electrically conductive wire, and the third electrically conductive wire together to form an approximation of a helix.

40 . The method of claim 19 , wherein a length of the third electrically conductive wire is a different value than a length of the first electrically conductive wire.

Assignees

• Ppc Broadband Inc

Inventors

• Alkan Erdogan
• Marketos Leon

Classifications

• H03H7/06

  including resistors (H03H7/075, H03H7/09, H03H7/12, H03H7/13 take precedence) · CPC title

• H03H7/0138 Primary

  Electrical filters or coupling circuits · CPC title

• H03H7/48 Primary

  Networks for connecting several sources or loads, working on the same frequency or frequency band, to a common load or source (phase shifters providing two or more output signals H03H7/21) · CPC title

• H01P5/19 Primary

  of the junction type · CPC title

• H03H7/46

  Networks for connecting several sources or loads, working on different frequencies or frequency bands, to a common load or source · CPC title