Optical fiber coupled antenna current monitor
OwnerJames A. Dalkeinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for sensing the amplitude and phase of an RF current flowing in an antenna element of a directional antenna system that uses a sampling device such as a current sample loop that is connected to an antenna monitor with fiber optic cable. The system uses an interface at the current sample loop on each of the antenna elements to convert an RF current sample to an optical signal. The fiber optic cable transmits the optical signal to the antenna monitor where it is converted back to an electrical signal for appropriate phase and amplitude comparison with the RF currents sampled from other antenna elements in the directional antenna system.
Claims13
A system for monitoring current in two or more antenna elements, comprising:
- current sensors configured to produce respective electrical signals that are proportional to an amplitude and phase of a current flowing in respective antenna elements of the two or more antenna elements;
- current-to-light converters configured to convert the respective electrical signals produced by the current sensors into respective optical signals;
- and
- fiber optic cables configured to carry the respective optical signals to an antenna monitor,
- wherein the antenna monitor is configured to compare the respective amplitude and phase of the current flowing in the two or more antenna elements.
A system for monitoring current in two or more antenna elements, comprising:
- means for sensing an amplitude and phase of a current flowing in respective antenna elements of the two or more antenna elements
- means for converting the sensed current into respective optical signals;
- and
- fiber optic cables configured to carry the respective optical signals to an antenna monitor,
- wherein the antenna monitor is configured to compare the respective amplitude and phase of the current flowing in the two or more antenna elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.