Multi-junction waveguide circulator using dual control wires for multiple ferrite elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9368853-B2
Application number	US-201414460723-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2014
Priority date	Aug 15, 2014
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

In at least one embodiment, a circulator module comprises circulators. Each circulator comprises: an internal cavity; ports extending from the internal cavity wherein at least one port connects the circulator to another circulator; and a ferrite element disposed in the internal cavity, the ferrite element including an aperture. The circulator module further comprises a first control wire, wherein a first portion of the first control wire is disposed in an aperture of the ferrite element of the first circulator and wherein a second portion of the first control wire is disposed in an aperture of the ferrite element of the second circulator; and, a second control wire, wherein a first portion of the second control wire is disposed in an aperture of the ferrite element of the first circulator and wherein the second control wire is not disposed in an aperture of the ferrite element of the second circulator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A circulator module comprising:
a plurality of circulators including a first circulator and a second circulator, wherein each circulator in the plurality of circulators comprises:
an internal cavity;
a plurality of ports extending from the internal cavity wherein at least one port in the plurality of ports connects the circulator to another circulator; and
at least one ferrite element disposed in the internal cavity, the at least one ferrite element including at least one aperture; and the circulator module further comprising:

a first control wire, wherein a first portion of the first control wire is disposed in a respective aperture of the at least one ferrite element of the first circulator and wherein a second portion of the first control wire is disposed in a respective aperture of the at least one ferrite element of the second circulator; and
a second control wire, wherein a first portion of the second control wire is disposed in a respective aperture of the at least one ferrite element of the first circulator and wherein the second control wire is not disposed in a respective aperture of the at least one ferrite element of the second circulator.

2. The circulator module of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of circulators includes a third circulator and wherein a second portion of the second control wire is further disposed in a respective aperture of the at least one ferrite element of the third circulator and the first control wire is not disposed in a respective aperture of the at least one ferrite element of the third circulator.

3. The circulator module of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of circulators includes a fourth circulator and the circulator module further comprises:
a third control wire, wherein a portion of the third control wire is disposed in a respective aperture of the at least one ferrite element of the fourth circulator; and
a fourth control wire, wherein a portion of the fourth control wire is disposed in a respective aperture of the at least one ferrite element of the fourth circulator.

4. The circulator module of claim 1 , wherein one or more circulators of the plurality of circulators is coupled to a matched load that is configured to absorb reflected signals.

5. The circulator module of claim 1 , wherein one or more circulators of the plurality of circulators further comprises a dielectric spacer.

6. The circulator module of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of circulators comprises eight circulators.

7. The circulator module of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of circulators comprises twelve circulators.

8. The circulator module of claim 1 , wherein the first control wire and the second control wire are disposed in the same aperture of the at least one ferrite element of the first circulator.

9. A ferrite circulator redundancy network comprising:
a plurality of inputs;
a plurality of outputs;
a circulator module comprising a plurality of circulators including a first circulator and a second circulator and configured to connect the plurality of inputs to the plurality of outputs, wherein each circulator in the plurality of circulators comprises:
an internal cavity;
a plurality of ports extending from the internal cavity wherein at least one port in the plurality of ports connects the circulator to another circulator; and
at least one ferrite element disposed in the internal cavity, the at least one ferrite element including at least one aperture; and wherein the circulator module further comprises:

a first control wire, wherein a first portion of the first control wire is disposed in a respective aperture of the at least one ferrite element of the first circulator and wherein a second portion of the first control wire is disposed in a respective aperture of the at least one ferrite element of the second circulator; and
a second control wire, wherein a first portion of the second control wire is disposed in a respective aperture of the at least one ferrite element of the first circulator and wherein the second control wire is not disposed in a respective aperture of the at least one ferrite element of the second circulator; the ferrite circulator redundancy network further comprising:
a plurality of interconnects configured to connect the plurality of circulators to one another, wherein an interconnect connects to a port in the plurality of ports; and
a circulator switch controller coupled to the first control wire and the second control wire and configured to control the direction of circulation of the plurality of circulators.

10. The ferrite circulator redundancy network of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of circulators includes a third circulator and wherein a second portion of the second control wire is further disposed in a respective aperture of the at least one ferrite element of the third circulator and the first control wire is not disposed in a respective aperture of the at least one ferrite element of the third circulator.

11. The ferrite circulator redundancy network of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of circulators includes a fourth circulator and the circulator module further comprises:
a third control wire, wherein a first portion of the third control wire is disposed in a respective aperture of the at least one ferrite element of the fourth circulator; and
a fourth control wire, wherein a first portion of the fourth control wire is disposed in a respective aperture of the at least one ferrite element of the fourth circulator.

12. The ferrite circulator redundancy network of claim 9 , wherein at least one circulator in the plurality of circulators is coupled to a matched load that is configured to absorb reflected signals.

13. The ferrite circulator redundancy network of claim 9 , wherein at least one circulator in the plurality of circulators further comprises a dielectric spacer.

14. The ferrite circulator redundancy network of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of circulators comprises eight circulators.

15. The ferrite circulator redundancy network of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of circulators comprises twelve circulators.

16. The ferrite circulator redundancy network of claim 9 , wherein the first control wire and the second control wire are disposed in the same aperture of the at least one ferrite element of the first circulator.

17. A method for wiring a circulator module comprising:
disposing a first portion of a first control wire in an aperture of a ferrite element that is included in a first circulator;
disposing a second portion of the first control wire in an aperture of a ferrite element that is included in a second circulator; and
disposing a first portion of a second control wire in an aperture of the ferrite element included in the first circulator, wherein a portion of the second control wire is not disposed in an aperture of the ferrite element included in the second circulator.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising disposing a second portion of the second control wire in an aperture of a ferrite element that is included in a third circulator.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising
disposing a portion of a third control wire in an aperture of a ferrite element that is included in a fourth circulator; and
disposing a fourth control wire in the aperture of the ferrite element included in the fourth circulator.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising coupling the first control wire and the second control wire to at least one driver, wherein the at least one driver is configured to p

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Kroening Adam M
• Forney Sean

Classifications

• H01P5/19

  of the junction type · CPC title

• H03H7/38

  Impedance-matching networks · CPC title

• H01P5/16

  Conjugate devices, i.e. devices having at least one port decoupled from one other port · CPC title

• H01P1/39 Primary

  Hollow waveguide circulators · CPC title