1. A millimeter-wave band radio communication method in which a receiver receives both an RF-band modulated signal and an un-modulated carrier transmitted from a transmitter, the un-modulated carrier having a phase noise characteristic coherent with that of the RF-band modulated signal, and generates a product of received signals to thereby restore an IF-band transmission source signal, the method comprising:
disposing a plurality of receiving circuits, each formed as a single constituent element by combining a planar printed small receiving antenna and a micro planar receiving circuit, at intervals smaller than a wavelength corresponding to an IF band;
mixing signals detected at individual ones of the receiving circuits to output an IF-band composite output, which is then demodulated; and
before mixing the signals, making phase adjustment and amplitude weighting of each of the signals respectively detected by one of the receiving circuits.
2. A millimeter-wave band radio communication method in which a receiver receives both an RF-band modulated signal and an un-modulated carrier transmitted from the transmitter, the un-modulated carrier having a phase noise characteristic coherent with that of the RF-band modulated signal, and generates a product of received signals to thereby restore an IF-band transmission source signal, the method comprising:
disposing a plurality of receiving circuits, each formed as a single constituent element by combining a planar printed small receiving antenna and a micro planar receiving circuit, at intervals smaller than a wavelength corresponding to an IF band, three or more of the receiving circuits being disposed at irregular intervals which differ from one another; and
mixing signals detected at individual ones of the receiving circuits to output an IF-band composite output, which is then demodulated.
3. A millimeter-wave band radio communication method in which a receiver receives both an RF-band modulated signal and an un-modulated carrier transmitted from a transmitter, the un-modulated carrier having a phase noise characteristic coherent with that of the RF-band modulated signal, and generates a product of received signals to thereby restore an IF-band transmission source signal, the method comprising:
disposing a plurality of receiving circuits, each formed as a single constituent element by combining a planar printed small receiving antenna and a micro planar receiving circuit, at intervals smaller than a wavelength corresponding to an IF band;
mixing signals detected at individual ones of the receiving circuits to output an IF-band composite output, which is then demodulated; and
providing two or more substrates each carrying at least one receiving circuit, and changing intervals between the substrates manually or automatically in accordance with power of the IF-band composite output.
4. A millimeter-wave band radio communication method in which a receiver receives both an RF-band modulated signal and an un-modulated carrier transmitted from a transmitter, the un-modulated carrier having a phase noise characteristic coherent with that of the RF-band modulated signal, and generates a product of received signals to thereby restore an IF-band transmission source signal, the method comprising:
disposing a plurality of receiving circuits, each formed as a single constituent element by combining a planar printed small receiving antenna and a micro planar receiving circuit, at intervals smaller than a wavelength corresponding to an IF band, the receiving circuits being arranged two-dimensionally along longitudinal and transverse directions or three-dimensionally; and
mixing signals detected at individual ones of the receiving circuits to output an IF-band composite output, which is then demodulated.
5. A millimeter-wave band radio communication method according to claim 4, wherein an antenna used in the transmitter is adapted to transmit circularly polarized waves, and about a half of antennas in the receiving circuits are adapted to receive horizontally polarized waves and the other half of the antennas in the receiving circuits are adapted to receive vertically polarized waves.
6. A millimeter-wave band radio communication system in which a receiver receives both an RF-band modulated signal and an un-modulated carrier transmitted from a transmitter, the un-modulated carrier having a phase noise characteristic coherent with that of the RF-band modulated signal, and generates a product of received signals to thereby restore an IF-band transmission source signal, the system comprising:
a plurality of receiving circuits each formed as a single constituent element by combining a planar printed small receiving antenna and a micro planar receiving circuit, and disposed at intervals smaller than a wavelength corresponding to an IF band;
a detection output composing section that mixes signals detected at individual ones of the receiving circuits to output an IF-band composite output;
an IF signal demodulation section that receives the IF-band composite output from the detection output composing section, and demodulates the IF-band composite output; and
a variable phase shifter and a variable attenuator that perform phase adjustment and amplitude weighting, respectively, for each signal respectively detected by a receiving circuit before the detection output composing section mixes the signals.
7. A millimeter-wave band radio communication system in which a receiver receives both an RF-band modulated signal and an un-modulated carrier transmitted from a transmitter, the un-modulated carrier having a phase noise characteristic coherent with that of the RF-band modulated signal, and generates a product of received signals to thereby restore an IF-band transmission source signal, the system comprising:
a plurality of receiving circuits each formed as a single constituent element by combining a planar printed small receiving antenna and a micro planar receiving circuit, and disposed at intervals smaller than a wavelength corresponding to an IF band;
a detection output composing section that mixes signals detected at individual ones of the receiving circuits to output an IF-band composite output; and
an IF signal demodulation section that receives the IF-band composite output from the detection output composing section, and demodulates the IF-band composite output, wherein
three or more of the receiving circuits are provided and disposed at irregular intervals which differ from one another.
8. A millimeter-wave band radio communication system in which a receiver receives both an RF-band modulated signal transmitted and an un-modulated carrier transmitted from a transmitter, the un-modulated carrier having a phase noise characteristic coherent with that of the RF-band modulated signal, and generates a product of received signals to thereby restore an IF-band transmission source signal, the system comprising:
a plurality of receiving circuits each formed as a single constituent element by combining a planar printed small receiving antenna and a micro planar receiving circuit, and disposed at intervals smaller than a wavelength corresponding to an IF band;
a detection output composing section that mixes signals detected at individual ones of the receiving circuits to output an IF-band composite output; and
an IF signal demodulation section that receives the IF-band composite output from the detection output composing section, and demodulates the IF-band composite output, wherein
two or more substrates each carrying at least one receiving circuit are provided, and intervals between the substrates are changed manually or automatically in accordance with power of the IF-band composite output.
9. A millimeter-wave band radio communication system in which a receiver receives both an RF-band modulated signal and an un-modulated carrier transmitted from a transmitter, the un-modulated carrier having a phase noise characteristic coherent with that of the RF-band modulated signal, and generates a product of received signals to thereby restore an IF-band transmission source signal, the system comprising:
a plurality of receiving circuits each formed as a single constituent element by combining a planar printed small receiving antenna and a micro planar receiving circuit, and disposed at intervals smaller than a wavelength corresponding to an IF band;
a detection output composing section that mixes signals detected by individual ones of the receiving circuits to output an IF-band composite output; and
an IF signal demodulation section that receives the IF-band composite output from the detection output composing section, and demodulates the IF-band composite output, wherein
the receiving circuits are arranged two-dimensionally along longitudinal and transverse directions or three-dimensionally.
10. A millimeter-wave band radio communication system according to claim 9, wherein an antenna used in the transmitter is adapted to transmit circularly polarized waves, and about half or a portion of antennas of the receiving circuits are adapted to receive first polarized waves and the other antennas are adapted to receive second polarized waves having a second polarization direction perpendicular to a first polarization direction of the first polarized waves.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A prosthetic device for replacing a damaged meniscus, the prosthetic device comprising:
a central portion having an upper surface for engagement with a portion of a femur and an opposing lower surface for engagement with a portion of a tibia, the central portion comprising a resilient polymeric material;
an outer portion surrounding the central portion and having an increased thickness relative to the central portion, the outer portion comprising the resilient polymeric material and tensioned with at least one reinforcing fiber embedded the resilient polymeric material;
wherein the outer portion is sized and shaped such that a compression force imparted on the prosthetic device by the femur and the tibia displaces the outer portion radially outward from the central portion.
2. The prosthetic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one reinforcing fiber is tensioned at a force between about 5 N and about 78 N.
3. The prosthetic device of claim 2, wherein the at least one reinforcing fiber is tensioned at a force between about 7 N and about 8 N.
4. The prosthetic device of claim 2, wherein the at least one reinforcing fiber is tensioned at a force between about 8 percent and about 12 percent of the at least one reinforcing fiber’s maximum tension.
5. The prosthetic device of claim 1, wherein the compression force imparted on the prosthetic device is at least partially transformed into a tensile load on the at least one reinforcing fiber.
6. The prosthetic device of claim 5, wherein the at least one reinforcing fiber extends completely around the central portion within the outer portion.
7. The prosthetic device of claim 1, wherein the central portion stretches as the outer portion is displaced radially outward by the compression force.
8. The prosthetic device of claim 7, wherein a contact area between the portion of the femur and the upper surface of the central portion increases with the stretching of the central portion.
9. The prosthetic device of claim 7, wherein a contact area between the portion of the tibia and the lower surface of the central portion increases with the stretching of the central portion.
10. The prosthetic device of claim 1, wherein the resilient polymeric material is a medical grade polyurethane based material.
11. The prosthetic device of claim 10, wherein the resilient polymeric material is a polycarbonate polyurethane.
12. The prosthetic device of claim 11, wherein the at least one embedded fiber comprises an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.
13. The prosthetic device of claim 1, wherein the outer portion comprises a first section comprising a semi-ellipsoidal profile similar to a natural meniscus.
14. The prosthetic device of claim 5, wherein the outer portion comprises a bridge portion connecting first and second ends of the semi-ellipsoidal profile of the outer portion.
15. The prosthetic device of claim 6, wherein the bridge portion is sized to engage a femur notch.
16. A meniscus prosthetic device for use in a knee joint, the meniscus prosthetic device comprising:
a central portion having an upper surface for engagement with a portion of a femur and an opposing lower surface for engagement with a portion of a tibia, the central portion comprising a resilient polycarbonate polyurethane;
an outer portion surrounding the central portion and having an increased thickness relative to the central portion, the outer portion comprising a resilient polycarbonate polyurethane embedded with tensioned ultra high molecular weight polyethylene reinforcing fibers, the outer portion comprising a first section having a semi-ellipsoidal profile similar to a natural meniscus and a second section connecting ends of the first section, the second section sized and shaped to engage a femur notch to secure the meniscus prosthetic device within the knee joint without penetrating bone.
17. The meniscus prosthetic device of claim 16, wherein the central portion has a minimum thickness less than about 3 mm between the upper surface and the lower surface and wherein the increased thickness of the outer portion is between about 4 mm and about 15 mm.
18. The meniscus prosthetic device of claim 16, wherein the ultra high molecular weight polyethylene reinforcing fibers are tensioned at a force between about 8 percent and about 12 percent of the ultra high molecular weight polyethylene reinforcing fibers’ maximum tension.
19. The meniscus prosthetic device of claim 18, wherein the ultra high molecular weight polyethylene reinforcing fibers are tensioned at a force less than 10 N.
20. A meniscus implant, comprising:
a central portion having an upper surface for engagement with a portion of a femur and an opposing lower surface for engagement with a portion of a tibia, the central portion comprising a resilient polycarbonate polyurethane, the central portion resiliently deformable between an unloaded position and a loaded position, the upper and lower surfaces of the central portion having increased contact with the femur and tibia in the loaded position;
an outer portion surrounding the central portion and having an increased thickness relative to the central portion, the outer portion comprising a resilient polycarbonate polyurethane embedded with tensioned ultra high molecular weight polyethylene reinforcing fibers, the outer portion comprising a first section having a generally semi-ellipsoidal profile similar to a natural meniscus and a second section connecting ends of the first section, the second section sized and shaped to engage a femur notch to secure the meniscus prosthetic device within a knee joint without penetrating bone, wherein the outer portion is resiliently deformable between an unloaded position and a loaded position, at least a section of the outer portion being displaced radially outward from the central portion in the loaded position.