# US 10,320,383 B2 · Lossless switch controlled by the phase of a microwave drive > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,320,383 B2 - Document ID: US10320383B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/787,915 - Filed: 2017-10-19 - Published: 2019-04-25 - Granted: 2019-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-19 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Baleegh Abdo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10320383B2 ## CPC - H03K 17/92: by the use, as active elements, of superconductive devices - H01P 5/22: Hybrid ring junctions - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) - H01P: WAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE (operating at optical frequencies G02B) ## Abstract A technique relates to a lossless multiport device. The lossless multiport device includes a first port. A plurality of ports are operable to communicatively couple one at a time to the first port according to a pump drive. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A lossless multiport device comprising: a first port; a plurality of ports operable to communicatively couple one at a time to the first port according to a pump drive; and three-wave mixers respectively coupled to the plurality of ports. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The lossless multiport device of claim 1, wherein the first port is operable to be an input port and an output port with respect to any one of the plurality of ports. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The lossless multiport device of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of microwave switches, the microwave switches comprising the three-wave mixers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The lossless multiport device of claim 3, wherein the plurality of ports are connected to the plurality of microwave switches on a one-to-one basis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The lossless multiport device of claim 4, wherein the plurality of microwave switches are configured to be in transmission mode or reflection mode according to the pump drive. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The lossless multiport device of claim 4, wherein: one port of the plurality of ports is connected to one microwave switch of the plurality of microwave switches; and the one port is communicatively coupled to the first port for communication by having the one microwave switch receive no pump drive. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The lossless multiport device of claim 6, wherein: other ones of the plurality of ports are connected to remaining microwave switches of the plurality of microwave switches; and the remaining microwave switches of the plurality of microwave switches are in reflection. ### Claim 8 A method of configuring a lossless multiport device, the method comprising: providing a first port; configuring a plurality of ports such that the plurality of ports are operable to communicatively couple one at a time to the first port according to a pump drive; and coupling three-wave mixers respectively to the plurality of ports. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the first port is operable to be an input port and an output port with respect to any one of the plurality of ports. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of ports are connected to a plurality of microwave switches on a one-to-one basis, the microwave switches comprising the three-wave mixers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of microwave switches are configured to be in transmission mode or reflection mode according to the pump drive. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein: one port of the plurality of ports is connected to one microwave switch of the plurality of microwave switches; and the one port is communicatively coupled to the first port for communication by having the one microwave switch receive no pump drive. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein: other ones of the plurality of ports are connected to remaining microwave switches of the plurality of microwave switches; and the remaining microwave switches of the plurality of microwave switches are in reflection. ### Claim 14 A method of operating a lossless multiport device, the method comprising: receiving a signal by a first input/output port of ports; and outputting the signal by a second input/output port of the ports, a pump drive controlling communication of the signal between the first input/output port and the second input/output port, wherein three-wave mixers are respectively coupled to the ports. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein: switches are associated with the ports on a one-to-one basis, such that a first switch is associated with the first input/output port, a second switch is associated with the second input/output port, and one or more other switches are associated with one or more other ports; and the pump drive is received by the one or more other switches and no pump drive is received by the first and second switches, thereby causing the first input/output port and the second input/output port to be communicatively coupled.