Patent ID: 7626556

Claim:
A beamformer including antenna element ports for receiving radio frequency (RF) signals from antenna elements and beam ports at which RF signals are generated by beamforming, said beamformer comprising: a first planar rectangular circuit board defining first and second broad sides and first, second, third and fourth straight edges, said first circuit board including antenna ports on said first broad side, and connections extending from said antenna ports to a pattern of integrated-circuit connections adjacent at least one of said first, second, third and fourth straight edges; a second planar rectangular circuit board identical with said first circuit board, said second circuit board defining first and second broad sides and first, second, third and fourth straight edges, said second circuit board including antenna ports on said first broad side, and connections extending from said antenna ports to a pattern of integrated-circuit connections adjacent at least one of said straight edges; mounting means coupled to said first and second circuit boards for juxtaposing said first and second circuit boards in a coplanar manner to thereby define a juncture, with said integrated-circuit connections of said one of said first, second, third, and fourth straight edges of said first circuit board adjacent said integrated-circuit connections of said other one of said first, second, third, and fourth straight edges of said second circuit board, but on opposite sides of said juncture; an integrated circuit including at least power splitter/combiners, said integrated circuit including a first set of connections in a pattern which matches said pattern of integrated-circuit connections adjacent at least said one of said straight edges of said first circuit board and a second set of connections in a pattern which matches said pattern of integrated-circuit connections adjacent said other one of said straight edges of said second circuit board, said integrated circuit being mounted across said juncture, with said first set of connections making electrical contact with said integrated-circuit connections adjacent said one of said edges of said first circuit board and with said second set of connections making electrical contact with said integrated-circuit connections adjacent said other one of said edges of said second circuit board.