Apparatus for transmitting electrical power and broadband communications signals through a dielectric

An interface circuit for transmitting electrical signals between a first transmission line that is connected to a receiver on a first side of a dielectric layer and a second transmission line that is connected to antenna electronics on a second side of the dielectric layer, comprising:

• power transmission circuitry that includes:
• a first inductor mounted adjacent the first side of the dielectric layer and connected to the first transmission line to receive DC electrical power therefrom;
• a switch connected to the inductor, the switch being arranged to convert the DC power received by the inductor into time-varying electrical signals that produce a time-varying magnetic field;
• a second inductor mounted adjacent the dielectric layer opposite the first inductor, the second inductor being within the time-varying magnetic field such that electrical power is transmitted through the dielectric layer via magnetic induction;
• and
• a rectifier circuit connected between the second inductor and the second transmission line to convert electrical power output therefrom into DC electrical power and supply the DC electrical power to the second transmission line;
• and
• RF signal transmission circuitry that includes:
• apparatus connected to the second transmission line to receive broadband RF signals therefrom and produce a pair of balanced feed signals;
• a first pair of plates mounted adjacent the second side of the dielectric layer;
• a second pair of plates mounted adjacent the first side of the dielectric layer;
• the first and second pairs of plates being arranged to conduct the RF signals from the second transmission line across the dielectric layer;
• and
• apparatus connected between the second pair of plates to convert the balanced feed into an unbalanced feed that is input to the first transmission line.