Cryoelectronic receiver front end for mobile radio systems
AssigneeSpectral Solutions, Inc.
InventorsRobert M. Yandrofski, Gerhard A. Koepf, David O. Patton
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a novel use of cryoelectronic equipment to implement an extremely sensitive and stable receiver front end for UHF, microwave, and millimeter wave applications. The invention is particularly applicable to base station receivers in mobile radio systems, where the range and capacity of the systems are typically limited by the base station receiver sensitivity.
Claims35
In a mobile radio system in which the base station has an antenna and a receiver front end connected to the antenna by a transmission line, comprising:
- (a) a receiver front end including:
- (i) a plurality of filtering means for spectrally filtering an RF signal to form at least one filtered RF signal;
- and
- (ii) a plurality of amplifying means, in communication with the at least one filtering means, for amplifying the at least one filtered RF signal to form at least one amplified signal, wherein at least one of the filtering means and plurality of amplifying means includes a superconductor material;
- and
- (b) at least one cryocooling means for cryogenically cooling the plurality of filtering means and the plurality of amplifying means, wherein the receiver front end and cryocooling means are mounted on a tower substantially adjacent to the antenna to provide an insertion loss along a transmission line between the antenna and the receiver front end of no more than about 1.5 dB and wherein a cold finger in the cryocooling means simultaneously engages the plurality of filtering means and amplifying means.
A system for receiving RF signals, comprising:
- an antenna for receiving an RF signal;
- a tower for elevating the antenna relative to obstructions in the path of the RF signal;
- and
- a receiver front end mounted on an upper portion of the tower in close proximity to the antenna, wherein the receiver front end comprises:
- a plurality of superconducting planar filters for spectrally filtering the RF signal to form a corresponding plurality of filtered RF signals;
- a plurality of amplifiers for amplifying the plurality of filtered RF signals to form a corresponding plurality of amplified RF signals;
- and
- a cryocooler mounted on the tower for cryogenically cooling the plurality of superconducting planar filters and the plurality of amplifiers, wherein the cryocooler includes a cold finger for simultaneously engaging the plurality of superconducting planar filters and amplifiers.
A method for processing a wireless signal transmitted by a mobile station to a base station, comprising:
- (a) cryogenically cooling a receiver front end in said base station with a cryocooler, wherein the receiver front end, cryocooler and an antenna for receiving the wireless signal are mounted on an elevating structure for elevating the antenna relative to obstacles in the path of the wireless signal and wherein the receiver front end includes a plurality of filters and amplifiers and wherein the cryocooler includes a cold finger that simultaneously engages the plurality of filters and amplifiers;
- (b) receiving and processing said signal with said receiver front end to form a processed signal;
- and
- (c) transmitting said processed signal from the receiver front end to said base station.
A system for receiving signals, comprising:
- a receiver front end, the receiver front end including a plurality of planar filters for filtering a wireless signal to form a plurality of filtered signals and a corresponding plurality of amplifiers for amplifying the plurality of filtered signals to form a corresponding plurality of amplified signals;
- and
- a cryocooler for cryocooling the receiver front end and for mounting on an antenna structure near an antenna, the cryocooler including a cold finger for engaging simultaneously the plurality of planar filters and the plurality of amplifiers.
A method for installing a receiver front end on a structure supporting an antenna, comprising:
- providing a receiver front end, the receiver front end including a plurality of planar filters for filtering a wireless signal to form a plurality of corresponding filtered signals and a plurality of amplifiers for amplifying the plurality of filtered signals to form a corresponding plurality of amplified signals;
- and a cryocooler for cryocooling the receiver front end, the cryocooler including a cold finger that engages simultaneously the plurality of planar filters and the plurality of amplifiers;
- mounting the cryocooler on the antenna structure near an antenna;
- and
- connecting a transmission line with the antenna and the receiver front end.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.