Bidirectional amplifier
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorJames T. Wright
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bilateral circuit is operable for transmitting signals in two directions without generation of ringing due to feedback caused by the insertion of the circuit. The circuit may include gain for each of the signals to provide a bidirectional amplifier. The signals are passed through two separate paths, with a unidirectional amplifier in each path. A controlled sampling device is provided in each path for sampling the two signals. Any feedback loop between the two signals is disrupted by providing a phase displacement between the control signals for the two sampling devices.
Claims16
A bidirectional amplifier for passing first signals from a first source circuit to a destination circuit and second signals from a second source circuit to said first source circuit comprising:
- first switchable signal path means, connected between said first source circuit and said destination circuit, for passing either only said first signals while closed or no signal while open;
- second switchable signal path means, connected between said second source circuit and said first source circuit, for passing either only said second signals while closed or no signal while open;
- and
- switching signal generating means, connected to said first and second switchable signal path means, for causing alternately, at a frequency at least twice the highest frequency of said first and second signals, only either one of said switchable signal path means to be open and the other of said switchable signal path means to be closed, or the other of said switchable signal path means to be open and the one of said switchable signal path means to be closed.
A bidirectional circuit for conveying a first signal from a first source circuit to a destination circuit and a second signal from a second source circuit to said first source circuit, comprising:
- in a first signal path:
- first amplifying means for receiving said first signal and providing a first gain thereto;
- and
- first controlled gating means, responsive to a first control signal, for controllably blocking passage of said first signal through said first signal path;
- in a second signal path:
- second amplifying means for receiving said second signal and providing a second gain thereto;
- and
- second controlled gating means, responsive to a second control signal, for controllably blocking passage of said second signal through said second signal path;
- and
- control means for providing, alternately at a frequency at least twice the highest frequency of said first and second signals, said first and second control signals at phases substantially 180.degree. apart from each other to said first and second controlled gating means, respectively, for alternately permitting only passage through said first signal path while said second signal path is blocked or passage through said second signal path while said first signal path is blocked.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.