Patent ID: 7872526

Claim:
A balanced amplifying device configured to operate in normal and bypass modes and comprising: a signal bypass branch; at least one electrical termination element; an amplifying section; and a switching arrangement operative to selectively couple the bypass branch to the amplifying section; wherein the amplifying section comprises a first and a second amplifier; a first coupling/splitting unit comprising at least four ports, wherein a first port is arranged to receive an input signal; a second port is connected to a switching arrangement for selective connection of said second port to either an electrical termination element or the bypass branch; a third port is connected to the input of the first amplifier; and a fourth port is connected to the input of the second amplifier; the first coupling/splitting unit arranged to split the input signal received on the first port for provision to the first and second amplifiers via the third and fourth ports; and a second coupling/splitting unit comprising at least four ports, wherein a first port is connected to the output of the first amplifier; a second port is connected to the output of the second amplifier; and a third port for is arranged for connection to an electrical termination element, wherein said second coupling/splitting unit is arranged to combine signals amplified by the first and second amplifiers and provide the combined signals as an output signal on a fourth port for supply to a signal output of the device; and wherein said signal bypass branch is at one end arranged to connect to the second port of the first coupling/splitting unit via said switching arrangement and at another end arranged to connect to the amplifying section for supplying bypass signals to an output of the device; and wherein the switching arrangement comprises a third coupling/splitting unit and a fourth coupling/splitting unit, each comprising at least four ports; wherein, in the third coupling/splitting unit, a first port is connected to the second port of the first coupling/splitting unit; a second port is connected to the first electrical termination element; a third port is connected to a first port of the fourth coupling/splitting unit; and a fourth port is connected to a second port of the fourth coupling/splitting unit; and wherein, in the fourth coupling/splitting unit, a fourth port of the fourth coupling/splitting unit is connected to one of the third or fourth port of the second coupling/splitting unit; and wherein there is provided at least one bypass switch associated with each connection between the third and fourth coupling/splitting units.