Patents by Inventor Sean Simmons

Sean Simmons 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: 7970078
    Abstract: A receiver and associated method estimates a channel impulse response of the communications signal. A communications signal is received as a burst of transmitted symbols, including a known training sequence. The joint estimation of timing offset and initial channel impulse response is determined based on the cross-correlations of the known transmitted symbols and received communications signal. A constant modulus interference removal iteration is applied to improve the initial channel impulse estimation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Huan Wu, Sean Simmons, Zoltan Kemenczy
  • Publication number: 20110122793
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for allocating communication resources in a data radio communication system, such as an MAIO (Mobile Allocation Index Offset) communication system, e.g., a communication system that provides for Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution (EDGE) data services. A multi-carrier radio resource control logic element includes an analyzer that analyzes communication resource requirements to carry out a communication service. A resource allocator allocates communication resources to be used by which to communicate the data. The communication resources are allocated across a plurality of radio carriers such that resources are allocated, during a particular time period, upon a single radio carrier of the plurality of radio carriers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN ,MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Mark Pecen, Mihal Lazaridis, Sean Simmons
  • Patent number: 7940872
    Abstract: A joint demodulation filter for reducing co-channel interference between a desired signal and a co-channel interfering signal may include an input receiving samples of the desired signal and the co-channel interfering signal, a Viterbi decoder, and a first signal path between the input and the Viterbi decoder comprising a first filter. The joint demodulation filter may further include a second signal path between the input and the Viterbi decoder and comprising a linear finite impulse response (FIR) modeler for generating a channel impulse response estimate for the co-channel interfering signal. Additionally, a third signal path may be between the input and the Viterbi decoder and include a whitened matched filter for generating a channel impulse response estimate for the desired signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Zoltan Kemenczy, Huan Wu, Sean Simmons
  • Patent number: 7930138
    Abstract: A handheld computing device comprises a data processor configured to allocate a set of measurements of a wireless signal amongst partitions of a hierarchical multi-level partition space. Each level has a plurality of the partitions. Each partition has a respective numerical range, and the value of each allocated measurement is within one of the ranges. One of the measurements allocated to one of the partitions has a desired rank. This partition encompasses the range of all the partitions in the immediately lower level. Each partition in the immediately lower level has a desired resolution for the allocated measurements. The data processor sums the number of measurements allocated to each respective partition in the immediately lower level until the desired rank is obtained. The numerical range of the partition in this lower level that is associated with the desired rank comprises an estimate of a characteristic of the wireless signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Phat Tran, Xing Qian, Sean Simmons, Jonathan Swoboda
  • Publication number: 20110063987
    Abstract: A system and method for communicating wirelessly from a mobile device to a remote receiver station is disclosed. The system includes a controller configured to monitor a status of the mobile device and, upon an initiation event, initiate a data transfer process to wirelessly communicate data to the remote receiver station. The system also includes a voice-band modem that, upon initiation of the data transfer process is configured to receive data for transfer to the remote receiver station, divide the source data into a collection source packets, and encode the data using a fountain code encoding protocol to form a series of encoded packets. The voice band modem is also configured to transmit the series of encoded packets to the remote receiver station as a burst including all of the source data and repeatedly transmit the encoded packets until receiving an indication that the series of packets including all of the source data has been received at the receiving station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Inventors: Sean Simmons, Stefan E. Janhunen, David S. Furbeck
  • Publication number: 20110065407
    Abstract: A filter for reducing co-channel interference within a communications receiver may include a multi-channel, space-time filter circuit that filters n signal parts that have been split from a communications signal by jointly estimating space-time filter weights and multi-channel impulse responses (CIRs). The filter may further include a multi-channel, matched filter circuit that receives multi-channel signals from the multi-channel, space-time filter circuit and has a filter response that is provided by a channel impulse response estimation from the space-time filter circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Huan Wu, Sean Simmons, Zoltan Kemenczy
  • Patent number: 7907692
    Abstract: A joint demodulation filter for reducing co-channel interference between a desired signal and a co-channel interfering signal may include an input receiving samples of the desired signal and the co-channel interfering signal, a Viterbi decoder, and a first signal path between the input and the Viterbi decoder comprising a first filter. The joint demodulation filter may further include a second signal path between the input and the Viterbi decoder and comprising a linear finite impulse response (FIR) modeler for generating a channel impulse response estimate for the co-channel interfering signal. Additionally, a third signal path may be between the input and the Viterbi decoder and include a whitened matched filter for generating a channel impulse response estimate for the desired signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Zoltan Kemenczy, Huan Wu, Sean Simmons
  • Patent number: 7894559
    Abstract: A wireless communications device may include a housing and a wireless transmitter and a wireless receiver carried by the housing. The wireless receiver may include a joint demodulation filter for reducing co-channel interference between a desired signal and a co-channel interfering signal which may include an input receiving samples of the desired signal and the co-channel interfering signal, a Viterbi decoder, and a first signal path between the input and the Viterbi decoder comprising a first filter. The joint demodulation filter may further include a second signal path between the input and the Viterbi decoder and comprising a linear finite impulse response (FIR) modeler for generating a channel impulse response estimate for the co-channel interfering signal. Additionally, a third signal path may be between the input and the Viterbi decoder and include a whitened matched filter for generating a channel impulse response estimate for the desired signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Zoltan Kemenczy, Huan Wu, Sean Simmons
  • Publication number: 20110038448
    Abstract: Receivers and methods are provided that include multiple modes of processing signals from multiple antennas. These include legacy, SAIC (single antenna interference cancellation) and MSRD. Various methods are provided for selecting an appropriate receiver processing function. These include looking at correlation and gain imbalance between antennas, looking at the processing gain resulting from one or more of the receiver processing functions, and looking at the equalization quality of at least two receiver processing functions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: HUAN WU, SEAN SIMMONS
  • Patent number: 7885215
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for allocating communication resources in a data radio communication system, such as an MAIO (Mobile Allocation Index Offset) communication system, e.g., a communication system that provides for Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution (EDGE) data services. A multi-carrier radio resource control logic element includes an analyzer that analyzes communication resource requirements to carry out a communication service. A resource allocator allocates communication resources to be used by which to communicate the data. The communication resources are allocated across a plurality of radio carriers such that resources are allocated, during a particular time period, upon a single radio carrier of the plurality of radio carriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Research in Motion Limited
    Inventors: Mark Pecen, Mihal Lazaridis, Sean Simmons
  • Patent number: 7865148
    Abstract: A system and method for coding and decoding an information signal sent through a communication system. The system includes: an encoder for encoding the information signal without adding additional information and for sending an encoded information signal; and a soft bit decoder including a-priori information related to the communication system for receiving the encoded information signal and decoding the encoded information signal using the a-priori information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Sean Simmons, Yiwen Liu
  • Patent number: 7860195
    Abstract: A receiver for a mobile communication system includes a channel equalizer for receiving a burst and generating a soft decision output associated with the burst, a soft decision correction circuit follows the channel equalizer and a decoder receives and decodes a block of bursts. The soft decision correction circuit calculates a correction factor based on the soft decision output for the burst and applies the correction factor to the burst prior to the burst entering the decoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Sean Simmons, Huan Wu, Zoltan Kemenczy
  • Patent number: 7860201
    Abstract: An interference cancelling matched filter (ICMF) may include an antenna for receiving a signal burst including a training sequence therein, and an adaptive space-time filter connected to the antenna and having settable filter coefficients. The ICMF may further include a channel impulse response estimator for estimating a channel impulse response based upon the training sequence, and a signal blocker operatively connected between the channel impulse response estimator and the adaptive space-time filter so that the filter coefficients thereof are set based upon the training sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Huan Wu, Sean Simmons, Zoltan Kemenczy
  • Patent number: 7844232
    Abstract: A wireless communications device may include at least one virtual antenna, and a space-time filter circuit for filtering a communications signal received by the at least one virtual antenna by jointly estimating space-time filter weights and at least one channel impulse response (CIR). The wireless communications device may further include a matched filter circuit downstream from the space-time filter circuit and having a filter response that is provided by a channel impulse response estimation from the space-time filter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Huan Wu, Sean Simmons, Zoltan Kemenczy
  • Patent number: 7839959
    Abstract: A filter for reducing co-channel interference within a communications receiver may include a multi-channel, space-time filter circuit that filters n signal parts that have been split from a communications signal by jointly estimating space-time filter weights and multi-channel impulse responses (CIRs). The filter may further include a multi-channel, matched filter circuit that receives multi-channel signals from the multi-channel, space-time filter circuit and has a filter response that is provided by a channel impulse response estimation from the space-time filter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Huan Wu, Sean Simmons, Zoltan Kemenczy
  • Patent number: 7826574
    Abstract: Receivers and methods are provided that include multiple modes of processing signals from multiple antennas. These include legacy, SAIC (single antenna interference cancellation) and MSRD. Various methods are provided for selecting an appropriate receiver processing function. These include looking at correlation and gain imbalance between antennas, looking at the processing gain resulting from one or more of the receiver processing functions, and looking at the equalization quality of at least two receiver processing functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Huan Wu, Sean Simmons
  • Publication number: 20100232556
    Abstract: A filter for reducing co-channel interference within a communications receiver may include a multi-channel, space-time filter circuit that filters n signal parts that have been split from a communications signal by jointly estimating space-time filter weights and multi-channel impulse responses (CIRs). The filter may further include a multi-channel, matched filter circuit that receives multi-channel signals from the multi-channel, space-time filter circuit and has a filter response that is provided by a channel impulse response estimation from the space-time filter circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited (a corp. organized under the laws of the Province of Ontario, (CA)
    Inventors: Huan Wu, Sean Simmons, Zoltan Kemenczy
  • Patent number: 7796987
    Abstract: Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating synchronization of a mobile station with a radio network in a GSM/EDGE-compatible, cellular communication system. The FCCH is monitored to obtain positional and frequency offset information. Once obtained, the information is used to obtain SCH burst information broadcast upon an SCH. Monitoring of the FCCH continues while the SCH burst information is detected and decoded. If additional FCCH control information is detected that has an associated quality metric value that is better than the quality metric value associated with earlier FCCH, control information, the newly-received information is used to detect the SCH burst information, absent successful decoding of the SCH burst information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Phat Tran, Sean Simmons
  • Publication number: 20100223602
    Abstract: There are described tools and methodologies for building Read Only Memory (ROM) mask software images and the corresponding data/code patching software images. One method is for creating ROM mask content having patch references included therein whereby patch reference errors are detected and corrected. A software patch for a ROM mask with existing patch references may then automatically be created.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Inventors: Conrad Kreek, Sean Simmons, Jacob Burkholder, Tran Phat, Jonathan Swoboda
  • Patent number: 7773996
    Abstract: Apparatus, and an associated method, for providing notification of communication resource allocation to perform an EDGE-based, or other, data radio communication service. A matrix representer forms a matrix representation of communication resource allocations made across a plurality of radio carriers. A bit map constructor constructs a bit map of the matrix representation. And, an RLC header is formed that includes a header extension that is populated with the assignment bit map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Mark Pecen, Mihal Lazaridis, Sean Simmons