Abstract: A system and method for determining the positioning of mobile-appliance location determining sensors in a mobile-appliance communications network by estimating the positioning accuracy of the sensors.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the positioning of mobile-appliance location determining sensors in a mobile-appliance communications network by estimating the positioning accuracy of the sensors.

Abstract: An antenna (10) having a plurality of unitary dipole antennas (12) formed by folding a stamped piece of sheet metal. Each of the unitary dipole antennas (12) are fed by two stripline feed systems (20, 22). Each of these feed systems are separated above and extend over a groundplane (14) and are separated by an air dielectric to minimize intermodulation (IM). Phase shifters (40, 42, 44) in combination with a downtilt control lever (52) are slidably adjusted beneath the respective dividing portions of the stripline feed system to adjust signal phase and achieve a uniform beam tilt having uniform and balanced side lobes. These stripline feed systems can also be formed from stamped sheet metal and which have distal ends bent 90° upward to couple to the respective dipole antennas (12).

Abstract: Disclosed is an antenna and a method of transmitting and receiving broadband circularly polarized signals. The antenna includes a substrate that has a first surface and an opposing second surface, and a first conductive element that is positioned at the first surface of the substrate. The first conductive element defines an aperture therein the first surface of the substrate. The antenna also includes a conductive strip positioned at the opposing second surface of the substrate. The conductive strip is electrically isolated from the aperture by the substrate therebetween, and, provides a transmission line that generates electromagnetic coupling with the aperture. Further, the antenna has a symmetric conductive element in the form of a planar polygon that is positioned relative to the aperture for broadband coupling of electromagnetic radiation. Furthermore, the opposing corners that are formed on the symmetric conductive element are configured to induce phase quadrature.

Abstract: An antenna system operable to receive radio frequency signals and operable to couple radio frequency energy through a dielectric panel. The system includes an exterior radio frequency coupling module having a plate and a shield electrically coupled to the plate. The exterior coupling module also has a conductive member electrically isolated from the plate and the shield. The system also includes an interior radio frequency coupling module having a plate and a shield electrically coupled to the plate. The interior coupling module includes a conductive member electrically isolated from the outer conductor and a shield. The exterior coupling module is affixed to one side of the dielectric panel and the interior coupling module is affixed to another side of the dielectric panel in juxtaposition to the exterior module. Both conductive members of the exterior and interior module contact the dielectric panel.

Abstract: A geolocation system for geolocating a mobile transceiver operating in a CDMA communication system is disclosed having improved time of arrival extraction which allows the extracting of time of arrival information of weak CDMA emissions. The improved time of arrival extraction is accomplished by breaking the received CDMA emission into M identical processing stages. Each stage performs despreading/demodulating at over sampled chip offsets from the next processing stage. The P-point fast Fourier transform of the M stages is taken and in effect a two dimensional time versus frequency cross ambiguity function is created. The peak of the function may be interpolated to create an accurate estimate of the time of arrival of the emission from the mobile transceiver, thus improving the accuracy of time of arrival measurements and adjusting for doppler frequency shifts that may otherwise corrupt the measurements when integrating over a long period of time.

Abstract: An antenna (10) having a plurality of unitary dipole antennas (12) formed by folding a stamped piece of sheet metal. Each of the unitary dipole antennas (12) are fed by two stripline feed systems (20, 22). Each of these feed systems are separated above and extend over a groundplane (14) and are separated by an air dielectric to minimize intermodulation (IM). Phase shifters (40, 42, 44) in combination with a downtilt control lever (52) are slidably adjusted beneath the respective dividing portions of the stripline feed system to adjust signal phase and achieve a uniform beam tilt having uniform and balanced side lobes. These stripline feed systems can also be formed from stamped sheet metal and which have distal ends bent 90° upward to couple to the respective dipole antennas (12).

Abstract: A dual-band antenna assembly configured to be mounted on a dielectric substrate such as an automobile window glass. The dual-band antenna assembly is adapted to transmit and receive signals in two distinct frequency bands, particularly the cellular frequency band, 800-900 MHz and the PCS frequency band 1.8 GHz. The antenna assembly is further configured to couple signals in either frequency band through the dielectric so that signals originating on a first side of the dielectric substrate may be coupled to the antenna-radiating element located on the opposite side of the dielectric substrate and signals received by the antenna on the second side of the dielectric substrate may be coupled through the dielectric to a mobile telephone located on the first side of the substrate.

Abstract: Dielectric tube loaded metal cavity resonators and filters having a dielectric tube resonator extending substantially the full height of the metallic cavity are disclosed herein. The resonators and filters achieve low insertion loss in a size substantially smaller than conventional dielectric loaded resonators for equivalent quality factors. The dielectric tube resonators may be used with coaxial resonators to provide mixed resonator filter constructions.

Abstract: A dielectric loaded cavity filter having a housing and a cover and defining at least two adjacent cavities having respective dielectric resonators mounted therein and separated by a transverse partition defining a coupling window in the housing. In one form, the coupling window has two spaced opposing sidewalls confronting each other, and vertically offset shoulders intermediate their length. A conductive coupling strip is secured to the shoulder of one sidewall and extends across the coupling window and over the shoulder of the other sidewall. A tuning screw is secured by threading to the housing and has an outer free end accessible from the exterior of the filter, and an internal end disposed adjacent the coupling strip, whereby when the tuning screw is rotated, the internal end of the screw moves toward and away from the coupling strip in a direction perpendicular to the cover for tuning without requiring access to the coupling strip.

Abstract: A repeater allows terminals of a first communications system, employing a first air protocol or radio interface, to communicate with terminals of a second communications system, employing a second air protocol or radio interface different from the first. Where the first and second air protocols differ only in operating frequency, but are otherwise compatible, the repeater may linearly translate signals from the first operating frequency to the second operating frequency, and vice versa, without demodulating and remodulating the signals. Where the air protocols differ in other ways, the repeater receives and demodulates signals from the first system, converts the signals to a common format, and remodulates and retransmits the signals according to the second air protocol (and vice versa), in the same frequency bands or in different frequency bands.

Abstract: A dual-band glass-mounted antenna system includes a dual-band through-the-glass coupler, a matching section, and a dual-band collinear antenna element. The coupler has a portion which is secured to an interior surface of the glass, and a portion which is secured to the exterior surface of the glass at a position opposite the interior portion. Co-planer transmission line circuitry in the interior and exterior portions of the coupler cooperatively form a four-conductor transmission line operating in the “coupled microstrip line odd mode,” thereby achieving coupling of RF energy through the glass window material in two disparate frequency bands. The transmission line characteristics are selected to achieve efficient coupling and desired impedance characteristics in the cellular and PCS frequency bands. The dual-band antenna element includes upper and lower radiator sections separated by a phasing coil.

Abstract: In one form of the invention, a resonant cavity filter (50) is disclosed, comprising an input port (210) for receiving an input signal, a dielectric resonator (204) in a cavity, the dielectric resonator operable to receive an input signal from the input port and further operable to produce an output signal at a resonant frequency of the cavity, an output port (212) operable to receive the output signal and a tuning plate (308) disposed in the cavity, the tuning plate coupled to a control means operable to cause movement of the tuning plate, thereby changing dimensions of the cavity, the control means operable to determine a frequency of the input signal, retrieve an expected tuning plate position from a memory (514) based on the frequency, and move the tuning plate to the expected position. Other systems, devices and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of selecting allocated communication channels for use by a cellular auxiliary personal communication system (CAPCS) comprising periodically collecting relative signal strength indication (RSSI) measurements for all allocated communication channels, periodically determining the estimated expected probability of non-interference for each allocated communication channel based on the relative signal strength indication measurements and selecting an available allocated communication channel having the highest estimated expected probability of non-interference for use by the CAPCS system. The relative signal strength indication measurements are made on the allocated communication channels by measuring the signal on the allocated communication channel when no call is being carried by the CAPCS on that channel.

Abstract: A low profile bi-directional antenna is provided for mounting directly to a metal structure, or some other conductive or semi-conductive surface. The antenna includes an insulating antenna tray, a conductive ground plane mounted to a surface of the antenna tray, first and second radiating elements extending from the ground plane, and a radome covering the radiating elements and fastened to the insulating antenna tray. First and second reflector elements are mounted to the surface of the antenna tray on the lateral sides of the ground plane. The reflectors are electrically connected to the ground plane. The radiating elements are supported above and to the lateral sides of the ground plane and reflector elements by support members mounted at acute angles to the ground plane. An RF connector is provided for coupling RF signals to and from the first and second radiating elements.

Abstract: A bracket assembly for fixedly mounting an RF antenna to a support structure while permitting azimuth adjustment comprising a first bracket member adapted for fixed securance to the support structure and having a forwardly extending plate defining a first bolt hole and a spaced away arcuate slot defined by a radius of curvature about the center of the first bolt hole. A second bracket member mounted to the first bracket member and adapted for mounting an antenna, the second bracket member providing second and third bolt holes; whereby when the first and second fasteners are loose, the second bolt may move along the length of the arcuate slot to adjust the angular relationship of the bracket members and when the fasteners are tightened, the angular relationship of the bracket members is fixed.

Abstract: A 45 degree polarization diversity antenna having improved beamwidth characteristics. The antenna includes a plurality of dipole sub-arrays each sub-array comprising four dipole elements arranged in a diamond shape. Two dipole elements in each sub-array are arranged at an angle of approximately plus 45 degrees from the earth's surface to form a plus 45 degree polarized dipole element array and the other two dipole elements are arranged at an angle of minus 45 degrees from the earth's surface to form a minus 45 degree polarized dipole element array. The dipole elements are arranged such that the phase centers of one plus 45 degree dipole element and one minus 45 degree element line up along a first substantially vertical line and the phase centers of the remaining plus 45 degree and minus 45 degree dipole element line up along a second substantially vertical line.

Abstract: A knock-down, reusable modular transmission line cable reel assembly having at least two side-by-side compartments for coiling transmission line, and including a pair of spaced apart, generally circular parallel end flanges, at least one intermediate, generally circular partition ring, a cable support core positioned between each end flange and adjacent partition ring and between each pair of adjacent partition rings, a plurality of tie rods extending between the pair of end flanges, extending through the cable support cores, and extending through the partition rings, and releasable fasteners secured to the tie rods for biasing the end flanges, partition rings and support cores towards each other in an assembled array, and so that when the fasteners are released, the end flanges, partition rings, support cores and tie rods are easily separated for transport in a knocked-down form for reassembly and reuse.