Patents by Inventor Richard K. Kornfeld

Richard K. Kornfeld 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).

  • Publication number: 20040038656
    Abstract: System and method for reducing distortion in a receiver by adjusting amplifier linearity. A preferred embodiment comprises measuring a received signal's power level and then making an adjustment the linearity of a receiver's amplifier, wherein the amplifier lies within the receiver chain. A second measurement of the received signal power level is made, followed by a calculation of the difference of the signal power levels. If the difference is less than expected, distortion is insignificant and linearity should be reduced to reduce power consumption. If the difference is greater than expected, then distortion is significant and the amplifier's linearity should be increased to reduce distortion. These measurements can be repeated to find an optimal operating point to minimize distortion and power consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventors: John H. McCall, Richard K. Kornfeld, Ana L. Welland
  • Patent number: 5974041
    Abstract: An amplifier circuit for providing an amplified signal in response to an input signal. The amplifier circuit includes an input network for applying the input signal to a selected at least one of a plurality of amplifier stages. An output network is provided for coupling the amplified signal from the selected at least one amplifier stage. The appropriate amplifier stage is selected by a control circuit in response to a desired power value of the amplified signal. By selectively activating only the amplifier stage(s) that are necessary to provide the desired level of output power, increased DC efficiency can be accomplished in applications that require an amplifier which operates linearly over a wide dynamic range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard K. Kornfeld, Charles E. Wheatley, III, Richard J. Camarillo, Katherine W. White
  • Patent number: 5930692
    Abstract: The method and apparatus of the present invention improve the immunity to interference of a radio receiver. The power level of a received signal is detected. If the power level meets or exceeds a predetermined power threshold, the low noise amplifier is by-passed, thus increasing the intercept point of the receiver components.Alternative embodiments include the use of an RF power detector to control the front-end gain as a function of jammer power. In lieu of a switchable RF gain block, several methods of continuous gain control are proposed. Continuous gain control allows the interference suppression and sensitivity of the receiver to be adjusted at lower signal levels than the switchable gain block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Paul E. Peterzell, Richard K. Kornfeld, Charles E. Wheatley, III, Ana Weiland
  • Patent number: 5758266
    Abstract: The dual band code division multiple access radio of the present invention operates on multiple frequencies simultaneously on either transmit or receive. The transmit path operates by splitting the transmit intermediate frequency (IF) path (103) and mixing the IF to two different transmit frequencies using two frequency synthesizers (140 and 145). The receive path (104) has two RF channels (116 and 117) that are mixed with the frequencies generated by the synthesizers (140 and 145) and summed into one IF strip. Thus the radio of the present invention can perform a soft hand-off between frequencies while communicating with both base stations simultaneously. Additional mixing paths and synthesizers can be added if it is desired to communicate with more than two base stations simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard K. Kornfeld, Charles E. Wheatley, III
  • Patent number: 5737687
    Abstract: A transceiver system for interfacing digital modems with radio frequency signals including an antenna, an antenna interface system and a modem interface system separated by a cable. The antenna is placed in a location having optimal reception and in close proximity to the antenna interface system. The cable couples the antenna interface system to the modem interface system. The modem interface system includes a two state variable attenuator and an attenuation register that are configured to either reduce the strength of the receive (Rx) signal when the modems are located near a base station, or to transmit the Rx signal without attenuation when the concentrated subscriber unit is at a more distant location. The outgoing, or transmit (Tx), signal is also attenuated in a similar manner to the incoming signal. A signal loss detection system includes a detector located in the modem interface system that receives an oscillating signal transmitted from the antenna interface system through the coaxial cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher B. Martin, Richard K. Kornfeld, Sherman Gregory
  • Patent number: 5722053
    Abstract: The dual band code division multiple access radio of the present invention operates on multiple frequencies simultaneously on either transmit or receive. The transmit path operates by splitting the transmit intermediate frequency (IF) path (103) and mixing the IF to two different transmit frequencies using two frequency synthesizers (140 and 145). The receive path (104) has two RF channels (116 and 117) that are mixed with the frequencies generated by the synthesizers (140 and 145) and summed into one IF strip. Thus the radio of the present invention can perform a soft hand-off between frequencies while communicating with both base stations simultaneously. Additional mixing paths and synthesizers can be added if it is desired to communicate with more than two base stations simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard K. Kornfeld, Charles E. Wheatley, III
  • Patent number: 5722063
    Abstract: The method and apparatus of the present invention improve the immunity to interference of a radio receiver. The power level of a received signal is detected. If the power level meets or exceeds a predetermined power threshold, the low noise amplifier is by-passed, thus increasing the intercept point of the receiver components.Alternative embodiments include the use of an RF power detector to control the front-end gain as a function of jammer power. In lieu of a switchable RF gain block, several methods of continuous gain control are proposed. Continuous gain control allows the interference suppression and sensitivity of the receiver to be adjusted at lower signal levels than the switchable gain block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Paul E. Peterzell, Richard K. Kornfeld, Charles E. Wheatley, III, Ana Weiland
  • Patent number: 5652599
    Abstract: A dual-band antenna system for use in a portable communications device is disclosed herein. The antenna system includes an antenna element for radiating electromagnetic energy within low-band and high-band wavelength ranges. In a preferred embodiment, a low-band isolator network, coupled to the antenna element, provides signal isolation between high-band and low-band signal paths during high-band operation. Similarly, a high-band isolator network provides signal isolation, during operation over the low-band range of wavelengths, between the high-band and low-band signal paths. During transmit and receive operation, low-band and high-band electromagnetic energy directed through the antenna is passed by the low-band and high-band isolator networks, respectively. Also included are low-band and high-band matching networks which couple the low-band and high-band isolator networks to low-band and high-band transceiver circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1997
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas A. Pitta, Paul E. Peterzell, Richard K. Kornfeld, Ana L. Weiland, Raymond C. Wallace
  • Patent number: 5590408
    Abstract: The process and apparatus of the present invention limits the output power of a radiotelephone, operating in a cellular system in the preferred embodiment. This ensures the transmitted sidebands and synthesizer phase noise remains within a certain specification. This is accomplished by power detection and a correction accumulator that together generate a gain control signal by limiting the gain adjustment to a maximum value, even when the cell site communicating with the radiotelephone is sending power turn-up commands to the radiotelephone. This process includes dynamically correcting the output level of the transmitter due to gain variations in the transmitter stages or gain control elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Ana L. Weiland, Richard K. Kornfeld, John E. Maloney
  • Patent number: 5452473
    Abstract: The process and apparatus of the present invention limits the output power of a radiotelephone, operating in a cellular system in the preferred embodiment. This ensures the transmitted sidebands and synthesizer phase noise remains within a certain specification. This is accomplished by power detection and a correction accumulator that together generate a gain control signal by limiting the gain adjustment to a maximum value, even when the cell site communicating with the radiotelephone is sending power turn-up commands to the radiotelephone. This process includes dynamically correcting the output level of the transmitter due to gain variations in the transmitter stages or gain control elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Ana L. Weiland, Richard K. Kornfeld, Richard J. Kerr, John E. Maloney, Nathaniel B. Wilson
  • Patent number: 5442322
    Abstract: A control circuit for a multi-stage power amplifier (such as in a portable radio transmitter) compensates for fluctuations in ambient temperature, load, signal level and power supply voltage, The control voltage is set by comparing a biasing level which is related to the amplifier input signal level to a voltage proportional to the power supply current of the last stage of the amplifier. The control voltage resulting from the comparison establishes the operating point of the last stage of the power amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1995
    Assignees: Alps Electric Co., Qualcomm Inc.
    Inventors: Richard K. Kornfeld, Ana L. Weiland, Mitsunari Okazaki
  • Patent number: 5426392
    Abstract: In a digital circuit in which electromagnetic interference is generated at the fundamental and harmonic frequencies of the digital circuit clock source, a clock source for reducing the peak spectral content of said interference. The clock source includes a noise source for generating a broad band frequency noise signal and a filter circuit for receiving and bandpass filtering the noise signal and providing the filtered noise signal as the clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1995
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventor: Richard K. Kornfeld
  • Patent number: 5339046
    Abstract: An amplifier for a radio transceiver overcomes the problem of gain being dependent on ambient temperature. Transmission power is matched to strength of a received signal by providing matched dual gate FET amplifier stages in both the transmitter and receiver portions of the transceiver. Changes in gain due to temperature are compensated for by detecting changes in the FET drain current by measuring the source voltage of the amplifier. The FET source voltage is compared to a reference voltage, and the output signal resulting from the comparison is provided as a control signal to one of the FET gates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignees: Alps Electric Co., Ltd., Qualcomm Inc.
    Inventors: Richard K. Kornfeld, Ana L. Weiland, Mitsunari Okazaki
  • Patent number: D356560
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard K. Kornfeld, Gina M. Lombardi, John K. M. Lee, Daniel H. Weber, Ty Aberle, Steven A. Mergenthaler, Daniel Waldburger, Michael L. Aronson, Charles S. Curbbun, Lawrence Gach
  • Patent number: D361065
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1995
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard K. Kornfeld, Gina M. Lombardi, John K. M. Lee, Daniel H. Weber, Ty Aberle, Steven A. Mergenthaler, David Waldburger, Michael L. Aronson, Charles S. Curbbun, Lawrence Gach