Electronic switching device for an antenna switchable in the VHF and UHF frequency ranges
AssigneeDassault Aviation
InventorHerve Jaquet
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A switching device for adjusting the impedance of a self-inductance (3) forming part for example of the radiator of a VHF/UHF antenna for aircraft switchable by short-circuiting a part of the self-inductance. A PIN diode (12) is raised to a blocking or a transmitting voltage in response to control signals which are transmitted thereto by an optical link (8). Preferably the optical signals are transmitted to a hybrid opto-electronic circuit, which renders the PIN diode operative in conjunction with insulated conductors (11, 13) plated on the self-inductance and raised to the desired voltage.
Claims6
An electronic switching device for use in a switchable antenna operating in the VHF and/or UHF ranges of frequencies and comprising in particular a capacitive element spaced from a flat reflector forming a ground plane, and at least one self-inductance and a switching device connected between one end of said self-inductance and a point chosen from between another end of said self-inductance and one end of said capacitive element, the switching device comprising a PIN diode located on the same side of the ground plane as the self-inductance, the diode modifying the state of the self-inductance in dependence on its bias and being connected to a control means located on the other side of the ground plane, the coupling between the PIN diode and the control means through the ground plane being effected by way of a link comprising optical transmission means for transmitting an optical signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.