Abstract: An active cancellation controller receives a signal strength indicator that indicates a power level of a coupled signal from a local wireless transmitter at a local wireless receiver. The active cancellation controller tunes an active cancellation circuit to reduce the signal strength indicator. The active cancellation circuit is to generate a cancellation signal to combine with the coupled signal at the local wireless receiver.

Abstract: An asset, object, person or animal monitoring system and associated method for monitoring assets, objects, people or animals utilizing impulse radio techniques. The asset, object, person or animal monitoring system of the present invention can vary the duty cycles of the impulse radio transmitters, by both manual and automatic means, to adapt to varied requirements.

Abstract: A wireless device is provided with a first and a second wireless transceivers to transmit and receive signals wirelessly in accordance with a first and a second protocol, respectively. The wireless device is further provided with a first and a second controller manager to control, in a coordinated manner, the transmit and receive operations of the first and second wireless transmitters. In various embodiments, the wireless device is further provided with at least one time sharing state machine to facilitate the coordinated control of the wireless transceivers. In some of these embodiments, the wireless device is further provided with a workload monitor to cooperate with the at least one time sharing machine to facilitate the coordinated control be adaptively performed, based at least in part on transmit and receive workloads of the two protocols. In various embodiments, the protocols may be selected pairs of Bluetooth, 802.11 FH, 802.11 D, 802.11 High Data Rate, Home RF and the like.

Abstract: A collection of wirelessly networked devices including first devices wirelessly networked together using a first wireless protocol that is a frequency hopping protocol, and second devices wirelessly networked together using a second wireless protocol, are operated in a coordinated manner, including proactive reduction of interference between the networked devices. In one embodiment, the first devices include at least a first and a second subset operating with a first and a second frequency hopping pattern respectively. The proactive reduction effort includes synchronized operations of the first and second subsets of the first devices, and the second devices operate in a manner complementary to the synchronized operations of the first devices. In one embodiment, the collection of wirelessly networked devices includes at least one wireless device that operates in both wireless networks in accordance with both wireless protocols.

Abstract: A rain gutter system comprising: a gutter having a trough for receiving water formed by a front wall, a bottom wall and back wall, and a shield, said shield having an exterior edge, a top portion and an interior section integrally formed with the rear wall, said shield covering at least a portion of the trough to prevent debris from entering the trough, and said shield terminating at said exterior edge in a downwardly and rearwardly curved fashion, wherein a gap is provided between a lower end of said downwardly and rearwardly curved section of said shield and the front wall; wherein said shield has at least one step down portion positioned at point or points on said top portion of said shield; and at least one connecting means for connecting said gutter, said at least one connecting means passing through said at least one step down portion and through said rear wall into the structure to which it is attached.

Abstract: A voltage-controlled tunable filter includes at least two cavity resonators electrically coupled to each other. A voltage tunable dielectric capacitor is positioned within each of the resonators. Connections are provided for applying a control voltage to the voltage tunable dielectric capacitors. An input is coupled to the one of the resonators, and an output is coupled to the other resonator.

Abstract: A waveguide to microstrip T-junction includes a microstrip transmission line structure having a ground plane separated from a strip conductor by a dielectric layer, the ground plane defining an aperture; a waveguide channel having a conductive periphery being electrically coupled to the ground plane to provide a waveguide short circuit wall located at the end of the waveguide channel; at least one conducting ridge inside the waveguide channel; and an end of the ridge being electrically coupled with the ground plane.

Abstract: A tunable dielectric structure includes a first layer of dielectric material, a second layer of dielectric material positioned adjacent to the first layer of dielectric material, with the second layer of dielectric material having a dielectric constant that is less than the dielectric constant of the first layer of dielectric material, and electrodes for applying a controllable voltage across the first dielectric material, thereby controlling a dielectric constant of the first dielectric material, wherein at least one of the electrodes is positioned between the first and second layers of dielectric material. The dielectric materials can be formed in various shapes and assembled in various orientations with respect to each other. The tunable dielectric structure is used in various devices including coaxial cables, cavity antennas, microstrip lines, coplanar lines, and waveguides.

Abstract: Electronically tunable dielectric materials having favorable properties are disclosed. The electronically tunable materials include an electronically tunable dielectric phase such as barium strontium titanate in combination with at least two additional metal oxide phases. The additional metal oxide phases may include, for example, oxides of Mg, Si, Ca, Zr, Ti and Al. The electronically tunable materials may be provided in bulk, thin film and thick film forms for use in devices such as phased array antennas, tunable filters and the like. The materials are useful in many applications, including the area of radio frequency engineering and design.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a phased array antenna and the calibrated phased array antenna are described herein. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method for calibrating a phased array antenna containing a plurality of electronically tunable phase shifters each of which is coupled to a column of radiating elements includes the steps of: (a) characterizing each of the electronically tunable phase shifters; (b) calculating phase offsets for each column of radiating elements using a nearfield antenna range and the characterized data for each of the electronically tunable phase shifters; and (c) using the calculated phase offsets in a calibration table to adjust the tuning voltage of each of the electronically tunable phase shifters to cause the columns of radiating elements to yield a uniform beam.

Abstract: An impedance matching circuit includes a conductor line having an input port and an output port, a ground conductor, a tunable dielectric material positioned between a first section of the conductor line and the ground conductor, a non-tunable dielectric material positioned between a second section of the conductor line and the ground conductor, and means for applying a DC voltage between the conductor line and the ground conductor. The impedance matching circuit may alternatively include a first planar ground conductor, a second planar ground conductor, a strip conductor having an input port and an output port, and positioned between the first and second planar ground conductors to define first and second gaps, the first gap being positioned between the strip conductor and the first planar ground conductor and the second gap being positioned between the strip conductor and the second planar ground conductor.

Abstract: This invention provides a phased array antenna comprising an input, a feed network electronically coupled to the input, a plurality of radiating elements, a plurality of continuously voltage tunable phase shifters for receiving signals from the feed network and providing phase shifts for the signals prior to transmitting the signals to the radiating elements, and a controller for controlling the phase shift provided by the phase shifters. The phased array antennas can be configured to produce beams that can be scanned in one dimension (one-dimensional) or two dimensions (two-dimensional) by using continuously adjustable phase shifters that are based on low cost, low loss voltage-tunable dielectric materials.

Abstract: This invention provides a phased array antenna comprising an input, a feed network electronically coupled to the input, a plurality of radiating elements, a plurality of continuously voltage tunable phase shifters for receiving signals from the feed network and providing phase shifts for the signals prior to transmitting the signals to the radiating elements, and a controller for controlling the phase shift provided by the phase shifters. The phased array antennas can be configured to produce beams that can be scanned in one dimension (one-dimensional) or two dimensions (two-dimensional) by using continuously adjustable phase shifters that are based on low cost, low loss voltage-tunable dielectric materials.

Abstract: A photonic band gap (PBG) device is provided for frequency up and/or down-converting first and second photonic signals incident on the device to produce a down-converted output photonic signal. When the first and second incident photonic signals have respective first and second frequencies &ohgr;3 and &ohgr;2, the down-converted photonic signal has a third frequency &ohgr;1=&ohgr;3−&ohgr;2. When the first incident field has a frequency &ohgr;1, the first up-converted photonic signal has a second frequency &ohgr;2. The second up-converted photonic signal has a third frequency &ohgr;3=&ohgr;1+&ohgr;2. Thus, the PBG device can be used to generate coherent near- and mid-IR signals by frequency down-converting photonic signals from readily available photonic signal sources, or red, blue, and ultraviolet signals by up-converting the same readily available photonic signal sources.

Abstract: Electronically tunable thick film composites of tunable phases such as barium strontium titanate and additional dielectric oxide phases are disclosed. The composite thick films can contain multiple phases such as barium strontium titanate and MgTiO3, Mg2SiO4, CaSiO3, MgO, MgZrO3, CaTiO3, MgAl2O4, and MgSrZrTiO6. The thick films may contain further additives such as zirconnates, stannates, rare earths, niobates and tantalates, for example, CaZrO3, BaZrO3, SrZrO3, BaSnO3, CaSnO3, MgSnO3, Bi2O3/2SnO2, Nd2O3, Pr7O11, Yb2O3, Ho2O3, La2O3, MgNb2O6, SrNb2O6, BaNb2O6, MgTa2O6, BaTa2O6, and Ta2O3 to improve the electronic and microwave properties of the thick film composites. The particle size of these films may be controlled in order to optimize the electronic and microwave properties. The electronically tunable thick film composites may be made by techniques such as screen-printing or spray deposition.

Abstract: A voltage tunable dielectric varactor includes a tunable ferroelectric layer and first and second non-tunable dielectric layers. First and second electrodes positioned adjacent to the tunable ferroelectric layer form a tunable capacitor. A third electrode is positioned adjacent to the first non-tunable dielectric layer such that the third and first electrodes and the first non-tunable dielectric layer form a first blocking capacitor. A fourth electrode is positioned adjacent to the second non-tunable dielectric layer such that the fourth and second electrodes and the second non-tunable dielectric layer form a second blocking capacitor. The first and second electrodes can be positioned on a surface of the tunable ferroelectric layer opposite the generally planar surface of the substrate, with the first and second electrodes being separated to form a gap. The first and second non-tunable dielectric layers can also be positioned on the generally planar surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Roadside assistance memberships are sold and activated by offering membership as a retail product. A roadside assistance package is offered as a retail item at a store. The customer pays for the membership at the retail vendor and activates at a later time. One method for activating the roadside assistance memberships is by a customer purchase of a member card for a roadside assistance membership associated with the membership at a retail vendor. The retail vendor then provides an indication of the purchase to a service vendor. The service vendor sets the purchased roadside assistance membership to a state from which it can be activated. The service vendor receives a roadside assistance membership number from a customer. When the roadside assistance membership number is indicated to be ready for activation, as indicated by the retail vendor, the service vendor activates the membership.

Abstract: An electronic device comprises a non-metallic waveguide, a tunable component mounted within the waveguide, and a conductive layer on a surface of the waveguide. The tunable component can comprise a tunable filter. The non-metallic waveguide can comprise a plastic material. Connections for applying a tuning voltage to the tunable component can be provided. A temperature sensor can be connected to the waveguide.

Abstract: An electronic filter includes a first microstrip line hairpin resonator including first and second arms, a first varactor connected between a first end of the first arm and a first end of the second arm of the first microstrip line hairpin resonator, a first capacitor connected between a second end of the first arm and a second end of the second arm of the first microstrip line hairpin resonator, the first and second arms being coupled to provide a first transmission zero, an input coupled to the first microstrip line hairpin resonator, a second microstrip line hairpin resonator including third and fourth arms, a second varactor connected between a first end of the third arm and a first end of the fourth arm of the second microstrip line hairpin resonator, a second capacitor connected between a second end of the third arm and a second end of the fourth arm of the second microstrip line hairpin resonator, the third and fourth arms being coupled to provide a second transmission zero, and an output coupled to th

Abstract: A phase shifter includes a first rat-race ring having four ports, an input coupled to a first one of the ports, an output coupled to a second one of the ports, a first resonant circuit coupled to a third one of the ports, and a second resonant circuit coupled to a fourth one of the ports, each of the first and second resonant circuits including a tunable dielectric varactor. The first rat race ring can be connected to another phase shifting stage including a second rat race ring or a digital switched line phase shifter.