Patent ID: 6018644
Filing Date: 2000-01-25
Classification: H01Q,H04B

Abstract:
A radio system including an antenna interface unit providing fault-tolerant connectivity between a plurality of receivers and a plurality of transmitters to an antenna, the antenna interface unit comprising:a substantially zero failure rate power combiner/splitter including a plurality of inputs and an output, said output being connected to the antenna;a plurality of fault tolerant transmit/receive (T/R) circuit elements connected to said inputs of the power combiner splitter;a plurality of receive channels corresponding to the plurality of receivers connected to the power combiner/splitter via said T/R circuit elements, the receivers thereby being connectable to the antenna via respective receive channels of said plurality of receive channels, through the substantially zero failure rate power combiner/splitter, and the fault tolerant T/R circuit elements; anda plurality of transmit channels corresponding to the plurality of transmitters also connected to the power combiner/splitter via said T/R circuit elements, said transmit channels being different channels from each of the receive channels, the transmitters being connectable to the antenna via respective transmit channels of said plurality of transmit channels, through the substantially zero failure rate RF power combiner/splitter and the fault tolerant switching means.