Patent ID: 8666342
Filing Date: 2014-03-04
Classification: H01P

Abstract:
1. A circuit for a reflection-type variable attenuator, the circuit comprising: a hybrid module including an input port, an output port, a first reflection port, and a second reflection port, the hybrid module configured to split an incident signal received at the input port into a first and a second input signal; a first reflection circuit, including at least one first transistor, coupled to the first reflection port, the first reflection circuit configured to reflect the first input signal to generate a first reflected signal; and a second reflection circuit, including at least one second transistor, coupled to the second reflection port, the second reflection circuit configured to reflect the second input signal to generate a second reflected signal, wherein the hybrid module is further configured to direct the first and the second reflected signals to the output port, wherein the first and the second reflected signals are constructively combined to form an output signal, wherein the output signal is an attenuated replica of the incident signal, and wherein a variable attenuation is achieved by controlling an amount of reflection through the first and the second reflection circuits.