Calibrated high power radio frequency step attenuator
AssigneeHoneywell Inc.
InventorsCharles Louis Dosdall, James R. Troxel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A high power radio frequency(RF) precision step attenuator includes a trim attenuator, a multi-step attenuator and a calibration/control circuit. The control circuit includes a memory for storing attenuator specific calibration data. The calibration data incorporates attenuator characteristics which are used by the control circuit to adjust the attenuator and compensate for manufacturing variances, temperature variations, and the like.
Claims8
A precision calibrated step attenuator apparatus, comprising:
- a) a multi-step attenuator having an input and an output;
- b) a trim attenuator in communication with the input of said multi-step attenuator and an input for receiving a signal to be attenuated;
- and,
- c) a control unit in communication with said multi-step attenuator and said trim attenuator and including control memory operable to store calibration data specifying multi-step attenuator settings and trim attenuator settings for each attenuation step, said control unit being operable to generate control signals controlling said multi-step attenuator and said trim attenuator.
A calibrated attenuator system for attenuating high power RF transmitter signals, said attenuator system, comprising:
- a) RF attenuator means for attenuating an RF signal in a plurality of steps, said RF attenuator means including,
- 1) multi-step attenuator means for attenuating a signal in a plurality of steps, and,
- 2) trim attenuator means, in series with said step attenuator means, for attenuating a signal by less than one of said plurality of steps;
- b) sensor means for generating a sensor signal indicative of a physical quantity;
- and,
- c) control means in communication with said multi-step attenuator means and said trim attenuator means, said control means generating attenuation control signals as a function of calibration data and receiving said sensor signal with a means for receiving and altering said attenuation control signals in response thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.