Patent ID: 6037840
Filing Date: 2000-03-14
Classification: H01P

Abstract:
An article for amplifying a first multicarrier RF signal, comprising:a first plurality of radially-arranged conductors that are disposed on a first dielectric surface and suspended within a first housing, wherein said first plurality of radially-arranged conductors are operable to divide the first multicarrier RF signal into a plurality of equal-power multicarrier RF signals, wherein one multicarrier RF signal is carried along each radially-arranged conductor;a plurality of amplifier modules, wherein each amplifier module is electrically connected to one of the radially-arranged conductors of the first plurality and is operable to amplify the one multicarrier RF signal carried along the one radially-arranged conductor electrically connected thereto; anda second plurality of radially-arranged conductors that are disposed on a second dielectric surface and suspended within said first housing, wherein each radially-arranged conductor of the second plurality is electrically connected to one of the amplifier modules, and further wherein each radially-arranged conductor of the second plurality is operable to receive the one amplified multicarrier RF signal from the amplifier module electrically connected thereto, and, further, the second plurality of radially-arranged conductors is operable, collectively, to combine the amplified multicarrier RF signals into a second multicarrier RF signal.