Patent ID: 9473194
Filing Date: 2016-10-18
CPC Classification: H03H,H04B

Claim Text:
1. A step attenuator comprising: an attenuator circuit including stages connected in series between a first node and a second node, the stages including N first attenuation steps each configured to provide switchable attenuation with a first gain, the stages further including M second attenuation steps each configured to provide switchable attenuation with a second gain, the first gain having a value of (M+I) times the second gain; and a controller in communication with the attenuator circuit, the controller configured to control the switchable attenuation of each of the first attenuation steps and the second attenuation steps, wherein the attenuator circuit has an overall attenuation value in a range of approximately zero to a maximum value in steps of the second gain, the maximum value being a sum of N times the first gain and M times the second gain.