Electronically tunable dielectric resonator circuits

Abstract

In order to permit electronic tuning of the frequency of a circuit including dielectric resonators, such as a dielectric resonator filter, tuning plates are employed adjacent the individual dielectric resonators. The tuning plates comprises two separate conductive portions and an electronically tunable element electrically coupled therebetween. The electronically tunable element can be any electronic component that will permit changing the capacitance between the two separate conductive portions of the tuning plates by altering the current or voltage supplied to the electronically tunable element. Such components include virtually any two or three terminal semiconductor device. However, preferable devices include varactor diodes and PIN diodes.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.