Pyroelectric demodulating detector
AssigneeSandia Corporation
InventorRobert W. Brocato
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pyroelectric demodulating detector (also termed a pyroelectric demodulator) is disclosed which utilizes an electrical resistor stacked upon a pyroelectric element to demodulate an rf or microwave electrical input signal which is amplitude-modulated (AM). The pyroelectric demodulator, which can be formed as a hybrid or a monolithic device, has applications for use in AM radio receivers. Demodulation is performed by feeding the AM input signal into the resistor and converting the AM input signal into an AM heat signal which is conducted through the pyroelectric element and used to generate an electrical output signal containing AM information from the AM input signal.
Claims21
A pyroelectric demodulator for demodulating an amplitude-modulated electrical signal to remove modulation at a carrier frequency and recover amplitude-modulated information, comprising:
- an electrical resistor to receive the amplitude-modulated electrical signal and to generate therefrom an amplitude-modulated heating signal in the electrical resistor which is substantially free from any signal at the carrier frequency;
- and
- a pyroelectric element in thermal communication with the electrical resistor to receive the amplitude-modulated heating signal and to generate therefrom an electrical output signal containing the amplitude-modulated information.
A pyroelectric demodulator for demodulating an amplitude-modulated radio-frequency (rf) or microwave electrical signal to recover amplitude-modulated information therefrom, comprising:
- a pyroelectric element having a pair of major surfaces;
- a heat sink in thermal communication with one of the pair of major surfaces of the pyroelectric element;
- and
- an electrical resistor in thermal communication with the other of the pair of major surfaces of the pyroelectric element to receive the amplitude-modulated rf or microwave electrical signal and to generate therefrom a heat signal containing the amplitude-modulated information, and with the heat signal being conducted into the pyroelectric element to generate an electrical output signal containing the amplitude-modulated information.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.