RF power amplification and distribution systems, plasma ignition systems, and methods of operation therefor

A plasma ignition system for an internal combustion engine having up to N cylinders, the plasma ignition system comprising:

• a power splitter having an input and N outputs, wherein the power splitter is configured to divide an input radio frequency (RF) signal received on the input into N divided RF signals, and to provide the N divided RF signals on the N outputs;
• N phase shifters, each having an input and an output, wherein each input is coupled to one of the N outputs of the power splitter, and wherein each phase shifter is configured to receive one of the N divided RF signals and to apply one of multiple pre-determined phase shifts to the N divided RF signals in order to produce N phase shifted RF signals;
• N amplifiers coupled to the N phase shifters, wherein the N amplifiers are configured to receive the N phase shifted RF signals, and the N amplifiers are further configured to amplify the N phase shifted RF signals to produce N amplified, phase shifted RF signals;
• a power combiner network having N input ports and N output ports, wherein each of the N input ports is coupled to an output of one of the N amplifiers, and wherein the power combiner network is configured to combine the N amplified, phase shifted RF signals to produce N output RF signals at the N output ports, wherein relative power levels of the N output RF signals are dependent upon phase differences between the N amplified, phase shifted RF signals;
• and
• up to N radiation devices, wherein each of the radiation devices is coupled to one of the N output ports of the power combiner network, wherein each of the radiation devices is configured to receive an output RF signal of the N output RF signals, and wherein each of the radiation devices is configured to produce a plasma discharge when a power level of the output RF signal is sufficiently high.

A method comprising:

• applying pre-determined phase shifts to N input radio frequency (RF) signals in order to produce N phase shifted RF signals, wherein N is greater than one;
• amplifying the phase shifted RF signals to produce N amplified, phase shifted RF signals;
• combining the N amplified, phase shifted RF signals to produce N output RF signals at N output ports, wherein relative power levels of the N output RF signals are dependent upon phase differences between the N amplified, phase shifted RF signals, and wherein, at any given time, only one output RF signal is produced with a relatively high power level at one of the N output ports, and N−1 output RF signals are produced with a relatively low power level at a remaining N−1 output ports;
• providing the output RF signals to up to N radiation devices that are coupled to up to N cylinders of an internal combustion engine;
• and
• producing, by each of the radiation devices, a plasma discharge in the cylinder to which the radiation device is coupled when the radiation device receives an output RF signal with the relatively high power level.