Patents by Inventor Gregory Mendolia
Gregory Mendolia has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10218070Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a tuning system for a communication device having an antenna, where the tuning system includes at least one first tunable element connected with at least one radiating element of the antenna for tuning the antenna where the adjusting of the at least one first tunable element is based on at least one of a use case associated with the communication device and location information associated with the communication device, and a matching network having at least one second tunable element coupled at a feed point of the antenna, wherein the matching network receives control signals for adjusting the at least one second tunable element to tune the matching network. Additional embodiments are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2017Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: Matthew Russell Greene, Keith Ronald Manssen, Gregory Mendolia
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Patent number: 9948270Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a circuit including an antenna having a tunable component. The tunable component can be operable to receive a variable signal to cause the tunable component to change a reactance of the antenna. The tunable component can include a first conductor coupled to the antenna, a second conductor, and a tunable material positioned between the first conductor and the second conductor, where at least one of the first conductor or the second conductor, or both are adapted to receive the variable signal to cause the change in the reactance of the antenna. Additional embodiments are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2016Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: Cornelis Frederik Du Toit, Deirdre A. Ryan, Gregory Mendolia, James Martin, Izz Khayo, Heinz Bachmann, William E. McKinzie
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Patent number: 9853684Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a communication device including a matching network for impedance tuning and pairs of antennas that can be utilized as primary and diversity antennas, respectively, and can provide high radiation efficiency. An RF switch can be utilized for re-configuring the primary and diversity antennas. Other embodiments are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2015Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: Daniel Charles Boire, Jeffrey Schroeder, Gregory Mendolia
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Patent number: 9847807Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a communication device including a matching network for impedance tuning and pairs of antennas that can be utilized as primary and diversity antennas, respectively, and can provide high radiation efficiency. An RF switch can be utilized for re-configuring the primary and diversity antennas. Other embodiments are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2015Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignee: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: Yongfei Zhu, Gregory Mendolia, James Dilorenzo, Jeffrey Schroeder
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Publication number: 20170294712Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a tuning system for a communication device having an antenna, where the tuning system includes at least one first tunable element connected with at least one radiating element of the antenna for tuning the antenna where the adjusting of the at least one first tunable element is based on at least one of a use case associated with the communication device and location information associated with the communication device, and a matching network having at least one second tunable element coupled at a feed point of the antenna, wherein the matching network receives control signals for adjusting the at least one second tunable element to tune the matching network. Additional embodiments are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2017Publication date: October 12, 2017Inventors: MATTHEW RUSSELL RUSSELL, KEITH RONALD MANSSEN, GREGORY MENDOLIA
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Patent number: 9768752Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure provides an impedance matching circuit including a matching network. The matching network includes a first port and a second port, and one or more variable reactance components. The one or more variable reactance components are operable to receive one or more variable voltage signals to cause the one or more variable reactance components to change an impedance of the matching network. At least one of the one or more variable reactance components includes a first conductor coupled to one of the first port or the second port of the matching network, a second conductor, and a tunable material positioned between the first conductor and the second conductor. Additionally, at least one of the first conductor and the second conductor are adapted to receive the one or more variable voltage signals to cause the change in the impedance of the matching network. Additional embodiments are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2014Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: Cornelis Frederik du Toit, Deirdre A. Ryan, Gregory Mendolia, James Martin, Izz Khayo, Heinz Bachmann, William E. McKinzie
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Patent number: 9716311Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a tuning system for a communication device having an antenna, where the tuning system includes at least one first tunable element connected with at least one radiating element of the antenna for tuning the antenna where the adjusting of the at least one first tunable element is based on at least one of a use case associated with the communication device and location information associated with the communication device, and a matching network having at least one second tunable element coupled at a feed point of the antenna, wherein the matching network receives control signals for adjusting the at least one second tunable element to tune the matching network. Additional embodiments are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2013Date of Patent: July 25, 2017Assignee: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: Matthew Russell Greene, Keith Ronald Manssen, Gregory Mendolia
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Publication number: 20160336916Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a circuit including an antenna having a tunable component. The tunable component can be operable to receive a variable signal to cause the tunable component to change a reactance of the antenna. The tunable component can include a first conductor coupled to the antenna, a second conductor, and a tunable material positioned between the first conductor and the second conductor, where at least one of the first conductor or the second conductor, or both are adapted to receive the variable signal to cause the change in the reactance of the antenna. Additional embodiments are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2016Publication date: November 17, 2016Inventors: CORNELIS FREDERIK DU TOIT, DEIRDRE A. RYAN, GREGORY MENDOLIA, JAMES MARTIN, IZZ KHAYO, HEINZ BACHMANN, WILLIAM E. MCKINZIE
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Patent number: 9473216Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer instructions to obtain at least one operational parameter associated with a communication device and to adjust a steerable antenna of the communication device when the communication device does not satisfy an impedance threshold, where the satisfying of the impedance threshold is determined based on the at least one operational parameter. Additional embodiments are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2014Date of Patent: October 18, 2016Assignee: BlackBerry LimitedInventor: Gregory Mendolia
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Patent number: 9431990Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a circuit including an antenna having a tunable component. The tunable component can be operable to receive a variable signal to cause the tunable component to change a reactance of the antenna. The tunable component can include a first conductor coupled to the antenna, a second conductor, and a tunable material positioned between the first conductor and the second conductor, where at least one of the first conductor or the second conductor, or both are adapted to receive the variable signal to cause the change in the reactance of the antenna. Additional embodiments are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2014Date of Patent: August 30, 2016Assignee: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: Cornelis Frederik du Toit, Deirdre A Ryan, Gregory Mendolia, James Martin, Izz Khayo, Heinz Bachmann, William E. McKinzie
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Publication number: 20160105210Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a communication device including a matching network for impedance tuning and pairs of antennas that can be utilized as primary and diversity antennas, respectively, and can provide high radiation efficiency. An RF switch can be utilized for re-configuring the primary and diversity antennas. Other embodiments are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2015Publication date: April 14, 2016Inventors: YONGFEI ZHU, GREGORY MENDOLIA, JAMES DILORENZO, JEFFREY SCHROEDER
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Publication number: 20160105212Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a communication device including a matching network for impedance tuning and pairs of antennas that can be utilized as primary and diversity antennas, respectively, and can provide high radiation efficiency. An RF switch can be utilized for re-configuring the primary and diversity antennas. Other embodiments are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2015Publication date: April 14, 2016Inventors: Daniel Charles Boire, JEFFREY SCHROEDER, GREGORY MENDOLIA
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Publication number: 20150105037Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure can include, for example, an apparatus having a matching network adapted to reduce a magnitude of a signal reflection at a port of the matching network. The matching network can have one or more controllable variable reactive elements. A controller can be adapted to determine reflection coefficient information from incident and reflected waves sampled at the port of the matching network, and follow at least one cycle of a coarse tune process for generating one or more control signals to tune one or more reactances of the one or more controllable variable reactive elements. Additional embodiments are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2014Publication date: April 16, 2015Inventors: William E. McKinzie, III, Heinz Bachmann, Gregory Mendolia
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Publication number: 20150042537Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure provides an impedance matching circuit including a matching network. The matching network includes a first port and a second port, and one or more variable reactance components. The one or more variable reactance components are operable to receive one or more variable voltage signals to cause the one or more variable reactance components to change an impedance of the matching network. At least one of the one or more variable reactance components includes a first conductor coupled to one of the first port or the second port of the matching network, a second conductor, and a tunable material positioned between the first conductor and the second conductor. Additionally, at least one of the first conductor and the second conductor are adapted to receive the one or more variable voltage signals to cause the change in the impedance of the matching network. Additional embodiments are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2014Publication date: February 12, 2015Inventors: Cornelis Frederik du Toit, Deirdre A. Ryan, Gregory Mendolia, James Martin, Izz Khayo, Heinz Bachmann, William E. McKinzie
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Patent number: 8896391Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure provides an impedance matching circuit including a matching network. The matching network includes a first port and a second port, and one or more variable reactance components. The one or more variable reactance components are operable to receive one or more variable voltage signals to cause the one or more variable reactance components to change an impedance of the matching network. At least one of the one or more variable reactance components includes a first conductor coupled to one of the first port or the second port of the matching network, a second conductor, and a tunable material positioned between the first conductor and the second conductor. Additionally, at least one of the first conductor and the second conductor are adapted to receive the one or more variable voltage signals to cause the change in the impedance of the matching network. Additional embodiments are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2013Date of Patent: November 25, 2014Assignee: Blackberry LimitedInventors: Cornelis Frederik du Toit, Deirdre A. Ryan, Gregory Mendolia, James Martin, Izz Khayo, Heinz Bachmann, William E. McKinzie
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Patent number: 8744384Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising an input port and a dynamic impedance matching network capable of determining a mismatch at the input port and dynamically changing the RF match by using at least one matching element that includes at least one voltage tunable dielectric capacitor. The matching network may be a “Pi”, a “T”, or “ladder” type network and the apparatus may further comprise at least one directional coupler capable of signal collection by sampling a portion of an incident signal, a reflected signal or both.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2010Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignee: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: Gregory Mendolia, James Andrew Martin, III, Izz Khayo, Cornelis Frederik Du Toit, Heinz Bachmann, William McKinzie
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Publication number: 20140118190Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer instructions to obtain at least one operational parameter associated with a communication device and to adjust a steerable antenna of the communication device when the communication device does not satisfy an impedance threshold, where the satisfying of the impedance threshold is determined based on the at least one operational parameter. Additional embodiments are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2014Publication date: May 1, 2014Applicant: BlackBerry LimitedInventor: Gregory Mendolia
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Publication number: 20140118205Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a circuit including an antenna having a tunable component. The tunable component can be operable to receive a variable signal to cause the tunable component to change a reactance of the antenna. The tunable component can include a first conductor coupled to the antenna, a second conductor, and a tunable material positioned between the first conductor and the second conductor, where at least one of the first conductor or the second conductor, or both are adapted to receive the variable signal to cause the change in the reactance of the antenna. Additional embodiments are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2014Publication date: May 1, 2014Applicant: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: Cornelis Frederik du Toit, Deirdre A. Ryan, Gregory Mendolia, James Martin, Izz Khayo, Heinz Bachmann, William E. McKinzie
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Patent number: 8693963Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a variable impedance circuit including an antenna having a tunable component. The tunable component can be operable to receive a variable signal to cause the tunable component to change an impedance of the antenna. The tunable component can include a first conductor coupled to the antenna, a second conductor, and a tunable material positioned between the first conductor and the second conductor, where at least one of the first conductor or the second conductor, or both are adapted to receive the variable signal to cause the change in the impedance of the antenna. Additional embodiments are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2013Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: Cornelis Frederik du Toit, Deirdre A Ryan, Gregory Mendolia, James Martin, Izz Khayo, Heinz Bachmann, William E. McKinzie
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Publication number: 20140049434Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a tuning system for a communication device having an antenna, where the tuning system includes at least one first tunable element connected with at least one radiating element of the antenna for tuning the antenna where the adjusting of the at least one first tunable element is based on at least one of a use case associated with the communication device and location information associated with the communication device, and a matching network having at least one second tunable element coupled at a feed point of the antenna, wherein the matching network receives control signals for adjusting the at least one second tunable element to tune the matching network. Additional embodiments are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2013Publication date: February 20, 2014Inventors: Matthew R. Greene, Keith Ronald Manssen, Gregory Mendolia