Patents by Inventor Marc Harper

Marc Harper 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).

  • Patent number: 11996603
    Abstract: An electronic communication device communicates a radiofrequency communication signal between wireless communication circuitry and an antenna structure. The antenna structure may be mounted on a first component support structure and configured to communicate wireless radiofrequency signals. A first connector may be connected to the antenna structure. A second component support structure may be mechanically coupled to the first component support structure and capable of movement with respect to the first component support structure. Wireless communication circuitry may be mounted on the second component support structure configured to communicate with the antenna structure using radiofrequency carrier signals. A second connector may be connected to the wireless communication circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Jaejin Lee, Marc Harper
  • Publication number: 20240113774
    Abstract: A first data connector for communicating data with a second data connector includes a data communication interface including adjacent radiofrequency antenna elements, wherein a plurality of the adjacent radiofrequency antenna elements forms a radiofrequency data antenna array and another radiofrequency antenna element of the adjacent radiofrequency antenna elements forms a radiofrequency control channel antenna element, each radiofrequency antenna element of the radiofrequency data antenna array being configured to communicate a subchannel signal of the data to a corresponding radiofrequency data antenna element of a data communication interface of the second data connector bidirectionally. The radiofrequency control channel antenna element is configured to manage data communications through the radiofrequency data antenna array. An attachment interface is positioned on the first data connector and configured to removably attach the first data connector to the second data connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Marc HARPER, Apoorva SHARMA, Daniel DHONDT
  • Publication number: 20240079770
    Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to controlling an electronic device including a multi-mode antenna system. In a first operating mode, a radio signal is transmitted via a first antenna, a second antenna is actively de-tuned the while receiving a reflected radio signal thereby increasing isolation between the first and second antennas, an object is detected based at least on the reflected radio signal and the multi-mode antenna system is switched to operation in a second operating mode. In the second operating mode, a first remote radio signal transmitted by a remote antenna of a remote electronic device is received, via the first antenna, a second remote radio signal transmitted by the remote antenna is received via the second antenna, and a position of the remote electronic device is determined based at least on a phase difference between the first remote radio signal and the second remote radio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2022
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Marc HARPER
  • Patent number: 11876279
    Abstract: A communication device includes a metal chassis, a printed circuit board positioned within the metal chassis, and a hybrid cavity mode antenna. The hybrid cavity mode antenna includes a conductive wall defining at least a portion of a cavity, wherein the cavity is further defined by one or more surfaces of the metal chassis and the printed circuit board, and an electrically-fed antenna configured to radiate a first radiofrequency signal in a first frequency range. The electrically-fed antenna is electrically driven from the printed circuit board of the communication device. The electrically-fed antenna is positioned within the cavity to drive the cavity to radiate a second radiofrequency signal in a second frequency range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Marc Harper
  • Patent number: 11876306
    Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to an antenna formed in a chassis of a device. One example provides a wireless device comprising a chassis and a chassis antenna formed at least in part by a dielectric gap between a body of the chassis and the chassis antenna, where a first end of the chassis antenna is defined by a cut-out in the chassis and where a second end of the chassis antenna being conductively connected to a body of the chassis. The wireless device further comprises a modem, and a coupled feed connected to the modem and capacitively coupled to the chassis antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Marc Harper
  • Publication number: 20230378631
    Abstract: An electronic communication device communicates a radiofrequency communication signal between wireless communication circuitry and an antenna structure. The antenna structure may be mounted on a first component support structure and configured to communicate wireless radiofrequency signals. A first connector may be connected to the antenna structure. A second component support structure may be mechanically coupled to the first component support structure and capable of movement with respect to the first component support structure. Wireless communication circuitry may be mounted on the second component support structure configured to communicate with the antenna structure using radiofrequency carrier signals. A second connector may be connected to the wireless communication circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2022
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Jaejin LEE, Marc HARPER
  • Patent number: 11777194
    Abstract: A communication device includes a conductive chassis, an electrical feed positioned within the conductive chassis and configured to supply a communication signal, an edge antenna at least partially formed in the conductive chassis at an edge of the communication device, and a conductive coil positioned within the conductive chassis in proximity to the edge antenna. The conductive coil is configured to receive the communication signal from the electrical feed and to generate a magnetic field corresponding to the communication signal that inductively drives the edge antenna to radiate a radio frequency signal corresponding to the communication signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Marc Harper, Apoorva Sharma
  • Publication number: 20220416405
    Abstract: A communication device includes a conductive chassis, an electrical feed positioned within the conductive chassis and configured to supply a communication signal, an edge antenna at least partially formed in the conductive chassis at an edge of the communication device, and a conductive coil positioned within the conductive chassis in proximity to the edge antenna. The conductive coil is configured to receive the communication signal from the electrical feed and to generate a magnetic field corresponding to the communication signal that inductively drives the edge antenna to radiate a radio frequency signal corresponding to the communication signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Marc HARPER, Apoorva SHARMA
  • Publication number: 20220416818
    Abstract: A communication device includes an antenna positioned within the communication device and configured to radiate a radiofrequency communication signal with a first frequency band and a conductive chassis containing the antenna within the communication device. A conductive wall portion of the conductive chassis forms a conductive exterior surface of the communication device. The antenna is positioned in proximity to the conductive wall portion to radiate the radiofrequency communication signal through the conductive wall portion. The conductive wall portion includes a pattern of apertures. At least one dimension of each aperture is less than or equal to a wavelength of a center frequency of the first frequency band.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Marc HARPER, Sakshi SRIVASTAVA
  • Publication number: 20220416404
    Abstract: A physically configurable communication device includes a conductive chassis. The physically configurable communication device includes a first device portion including one or more electrically driven antennas at least partially formed in the conductive chassis of the physically configurable communication device and an electrical feed in the first device portion connected to the one or more electrically driven antennas. The electrical feed is configured to supply a communication signal to the one or more electrically driven antennas. A second device portion is movably attached to the first device portion. The second device portion includes one or more capacitively coupled antennas at least partially formed in the conductive chassis of the physically configurable communication device, wherein each of the electrically driven antennas in the first device portion capacitively drives at least a corresponding one of the capacitively coupled antennas in the second device portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Marc HARPER, Chulmin HAN
  • Publication number: 20220407586
    Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to changing an antenna pattern via one or more configurable parasitic antennas. One example provides a wireless device comprising a radio, a driven antenna connected to the radio, a ground plane, and one or more parasitic antennas. Each parasitic antenna connects to the ground plane via a switch operable to change an antenna pattern of the driven antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Marc HARPER
  • Publication number: 20220407229
    Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to an antenna formed in a chassis of a device. One example provides a wireless device comprising a chassis and a chassis antenna formed at least in part by a dielectric gap between a body of the chassis and the chassis antenna, where a first end of the chassis antenna is defined by a cut-out in the chassis and where a second end of the chassis antenna being conductively connected to a body of the chassis. The wireless device further comprises a modem, and a coupled feed connected to the modem and capacitively coupled to the chassis antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Marc HARPER
  • Patent number: 11223124
    Abstract: A communications device provides variable ground plane tuning compensation. The communications device includes a radiofrequency antenna configured to generate an electromagnetic field, a ground plane assembly electrically coupled to the radiofrequency antenna, and a variable impedance compensation network electrically connected to the ground plane assembly. The ground plane assembly is configurable between a first physical configuration and a second physical configuration. Each physical configuration presents a different ground plane assembly impedance to the electromagnetic field of the radiofrequency antenna. The variable impedance compensation network provides a compensation impedance for each physical configuration of the ground plane assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Marc Harper
  • Publication number: 20210265735
    Abstract: A communication device includes a metal chassis, a printed circuit board positioned within the metal chassis, and a hybrid cavity mode antenna. The hybrid cavity mode antenna includes a conductive wall defining at least a portion of a cavity, wherein the cavity is further defined by one or more surfaces of the metal chassis and the printed circuit board, and an electrically-fed antenna configured to radiate a first radiofrequency signal in a first frequency range. The electrically-fed antenna is electrically driven from the printed circuit board of the communication device. The electrically-fed antenna is positioned within the cavity to drive the cavity to radiate a second radiofrequency signal in a second frequency range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventor: Marc HARPER
  • Patent number: 11031966
    Abstract: The disclosed technology provides a computing device with a slot antenna assembly including a slot formed in a metal exterior surface of a computing device case; an acoustic transceiver positioned to transmit an acoustic wave out through the slot and to receive a reflected portion of the acoustic wave in through the slot when the acoustic wave is reflected by an object; a proximity detector coupled to the acoustic transceiver that determines a physical separation between the object and the slot antenna based on a temporal separation between transmission of the acoustic wave and receipt of the reflected portion of the acoustic wave; and a transmission power controller that adjusts transmission power of the slot antenna based on the determined physical separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Marc Harper, Christopher Michael Forrester, Christian Lorenz
  • Patent number: 10978807
    Abstract: The disclosed technology provides an antenna structure located in the metal casing of a computing device. A first open slot radiating structure radiates at a radiating wavelength and is located on a surface of the metal casing of the computing device. A second open slot radiating structure radiates at the radiating wavelength and is located on the surface of the metal casing of the computing device. At least one closed slot radiator element is located between the first open slot radiating structure and the second open slot radiating structure on the surface of the metal casing of the computing device. The closed slot radiator element is approximately half the length of the radiating wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Sidharath Jain, Toby James Morris, Marc Harper
  • Patent number: 10903879
    Abstract: A wireless communications device with a first housing including an LTE modem and a plurality of LTE antennas and a second housing including a battery system and network communications assembly, the first housing and second housing pivotally joined via a hinge assembly permitting movement of the device between a closed and one or more open positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Toby James Morris, Marc Harper
  • Publication number: 20200373971
    Abstract: A wireless communications device with a first housing including an LTE modem and a plurality of LTE antennas and a second housing including a battery system and network communications assembly, the first housing and second housing pivotally joined via a hinge assembly permitting movement of the device between a closed and one or more open positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Toby James Morris, Marc Harper
  • Publication number: 20200358176
    Abstract: A communications device provides variable ground plane tuning compensation. The communications device includes a radiofrequency antenna configured to generate an electromagnetic field, a ground plane assembly electrically coupled to the radiofrequency antenna, and a variable impedance compensation network electrically connected to the ground plane assembly. The ground plane assembly is configurable between a first physical configuration and a second physical configuration. Each physical configuration presents a different ground plane assembly impedance to the electromagnetic field of the radiofrequency antenna. The variable impedance compensation network provides a compensation impedance for each physical configuration of the ground plane assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventor: Marc HARPER
  • Patent number: 10778289
    Abstract: A wireless communications device with a first housing including an LTE modem and a plurality of LTE antennas and a second housing including a battery system and network communications assembly, the first housing and second housing pivotally joined via a hinge assembly permitting movement of the device between a closed and one or more open positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Toby James Morris, Marc Harper