# US 6,828,874 B2 · Signal combiner

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- Number: US 6,828,874 B2
- Document ID: US6828874B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/204,780
- Filed: 2002-08-21
- Published: 2004-09-09
- Granted: 2004-12-07
- Earliest claimed: 2000-02-21
- Assignees: IFR, Inc.
- Inventors: John Norman Wells
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6828874B2

## CPC

- H03D 7/1408: {with diodes}
- H03D: DEMODULATION OR TRANSFERENCE OF MODULATION FROM ONE CARRIER TO ANOTHER (masers, lasers H01S; circuits capable of acting both as modulator and demodulator H03C; details applicable to both modulators and frequency-changers H03C; demodulating pulses H03K9/00; transforming types of pulse modulation H03K11/00; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M; repeater stations H04B7/14; demodulators adapted for AC systems of digital information transmission H04L27/00; synchronous demodulators adapted for colour television H04N9/66)

## Abstract

A modulator 200 is based around a switching circuit 212 and a pausey stub balun 210. The balun 210 has a distributed resistance 232 to ground. The balun may be implemented as a strip line device (FIG. 5b).

## Claims

### Claim 1

Signal combining apparatus comprising a terminal, a switch, and a balun, wherein the balun is connected via the switch to the terminal and ground, and consists of a portion of transmission line connected to a portion of dummy line, the switch being such that when a control signal is supplied to the balun, the switch alternately connects the balun to the terminal and to ground to generate in the terminal an output signal related to an input signal in the terminal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the balun is a Pausey Stub balun.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the balun is a stripline device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the transmission line and dummy portions of the balun have a distributed resistance to ground thereon.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the distributed resistance may decrease along either portion in the direction away from the connection between the portions.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the distributed resistance is provided by a resistive film of varying resistance.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the distributed resistance is provided by discrete resistors spaced along the outside of the portions.

### Claim 8

A method of combining signals using apparatus comprising a balun connected via a switch to a terminal and ground and consisting of a portion of transmission line connected to a portion of dummy line, the method comprising supplying an input signal to the terminal, and supplying a control signal to the balun to alternately connect the balun via the switch to the terminal and ground so that an output signal is generated in the terminal.