US 12,253,464 B2
High frequency detection method and apparatus
Christopher Mark Mann, Cornwall (GB); Stefan Matthew Hale, Oxon (GB); Leslie Owen Green, Norfolk (GB); and Stephen Paul Haworth, Berks (GB)
Assigned to Thruvision Limited, Abingdon (GB)
Appl. No. 17/768,985
Filed by Thruvision Limited, Abingdon (GB)
PCT Filed Oct. 16, 2020, PCT No. PCT/IB2020/059775
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 14, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/074888, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 22, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/916,596, filed on Oct. 17, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0144266 A1, May 11, 2023
Int. Cl. G01N 21/3581 (2014.01); G01N 21/17 (2006.01); G01N 21/21 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 21/3581 (2013.01) [G01N 21/21 (2013.01); G01N 2021/1772 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A detection system, comprising:
a first detector block;
a local oscillator (LO) source; and
one or more intermediate frequency (IF) processing circuits,
wherein the first detector block comprises:
one or more heterodyne mixer elements;
one or more LO waveguide channels configured to provide an LO signal from the LO source to the one or more heterodyne mixer elements;
one or more waveguide feedhorns configured to provide detected radio frequency (RF) signals to the one or more heterodyne mixer elements; and
one or more IF channels configured to provide IF signals from the one or more heterodyne mixer elements to the one or more IF processing circuits,
wherein the one or more waveguide feedhorns and the one more LO waveguide channels extend along a first axis of the first detector block and the one or more IF channels extend along a second axis of the first detector block,
wherein the first axis and the second axis are perpendicular,
wherein the one or more waveguide feedhorns are exposed on a first face of the first detector block and an input of the one or more LO waveguide channels is exposed on a second face of the first detector block, and
wherein the first and second faces are on opposite sides of the first detector block.