The present disclosure may include, for example, a tunable capacitor having a decoder for generating a plurality of control signals, and an array of tunable switched capacitors comprising a plurality of fixed capacitors coupled to a plurality of switches. The plurality of switches can be controlled by the plurality of control signals to manage a tunable range of reactance of the array of tunable switched capacitors. Additionally, the array of tunable switched capacitors is adapted to have non-uniform quality (Q) factors. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Various examples are provided for enhanced guided surface waveguide probes, systems and methods. In one example, a guided surface waveguide probe includes a charge terminal elevated over a lossy conducting medium, the charge terminal includes a upper terminal portion coupled to a lower terminal portion through a variable capacitance. A feed network is configured to couple an excitation source to the charge terminal and provide a voltage to the charge terminal with a phase delay that matches a wave tilt angle associated with a complex Brewster angle of incidence associated with the lossy conducting medium. In another example a method includes positioning a charge terminal over a lossy conducting medium, where the charge terminal includes an upper terminal portion coupled to a lower terminal portion through a variable capacitance. The method also includes adjusting a phase delay of a feed network to match a wave tilt angle associated with a complex Brewster angle of incidence associated with the lossy conducting medium, where the feed network is configured to couple an excitation source to the charge terminal and provide a voltage to the charge terminal with the phase delay.

A coupling circuit for power line communications includes a coupling transformer having first and second mutually coupled windings, with the first winding connectable to a power line. The second winding includes a pair of intermediate taps with one or more tuning inductor therebetween. The inductor or inductors are set between a first portion and a second portion of the second winding of the coupling transformer. A switch member is provided coupled with the inductor. The switch member is selectively actuatable to short-circuit the inductor.

A wide band radio frequency (RF) circulator, including: a first stage having four ports; and a second stage having four ports, wherein the first stage and the second stage are connected via a pair of conductive delay lines including a reciprocal delay line placed on a dielectric substrate and a non-reciprocal delay line placed on ferrite substrate, wherein each of the first stage and the second stage include a pair of couplers.

A tapped transmission line for distributing an electrical signal, such as an RF signal, to multiple modules, and/or aggregating signals from multiple modules. Embodiments of the invention provide a tapped transmission line based on a transmission-line medium along which tap elements are dispersed, so that the tap elements have a predominantly capacitive loading of the transmission-line medium. Methods for compensating the loss of the transmission-line medium are presented as well. Applications for distribution of transmitted signals, of local oscillator signals, and to aggregation of signals from multiple oscillators are disclosed. The invention is particularly applicable to integrated circuits (IC, ASIC, RFIC), and to multichannel RF systems such as phased array and MIMO systems.

A receiving coupler for large diameter capacitive data links comprises at least two layers of isolating material, having different lengths and being attached to each other. The shorter layer comprises on its outer surface a first pair of conductors, whereas the longer layer comprises a second pair and a third pair of conductors. The conductors are connected to each other by vias. The stack of layers of different lengths can be adapted to various curve radii of transmitting components of a capacitive rotary joint.

The present disclosure may include, for example, a tunable capacitor having a decoder for generating a plurality of control signals, and an array of tunable switched capacitors comprising a plurality of fixed capacitors coupled to a plurality of switches. The plurality of switches can be controlled by the plurality of control signals to manage a tunable range of reactance of the array of tunable switched capacitors. Additionally, the array of tunable switched capacitors is adapted to have non-uniform quality (Q) factors. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

A coupling circuit for power line communications includes a coupling transformer having first and second mutually coupled windings, with the first winding connectable to a power line. The second winding includes a pair of intermediate taps with one or more tuning inductor therebetween. The inductor or inductors are set between a first portion and a second portion of the second winding of the coupling transformer. A switch member is provided coupled with the inductor. The switch member is selectively actuatable to short-circuit the inductor.

A wide band radio frequency (RF) circulator is provided. The circulator includes a first stage having four ports; and a second stage having four ports, wherein the first stage and the second stage are connected via a pair of reciprocal delay lines, and wherein each of the first stage and the second stage includes a pair of couplers.

A wide band radio frequency (RF) circulator is provided. The circulator includes a first stage having four ports; and a second stage having four ports, wherein the first stage and the second stage are connected via a pair of reciprocal delay lines, and wherein each of the first stage and the second stage includes a pair of couplers.