With Coupled Antenna Patents (Class 455/129)
  • Patent number: 8600323
    Abstract: A method, a device, and a system for sending reference signals (RSs) are provided, which are capable of least modifying an original system and controlling the system overhead of the RSs. The method includes: grouping expanded transmitting antennas, wherein each group includes two transmitting antenna ports; and in two adjacent RS periods 2T, the RSs sent through the two transmitting antenna ports of each group are [a*s1, b*s1*ejw] respectively in a first period T and [a*s2, ?b*s2*ejw] respectively in a second period T. The method, the device, and the system for sending RSs are applicable in design of transmitting antennas of an LTE Advanced system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuchun Wu
  • Patent number: 8600328
    Abstract: An RF transceiver front-end includes receiver and transmitter front-ends. The receiver front-end includes 1st and 2nd antennas, a ninety degree phase shift module and an LNA module. The 1st and 2nd antennas receive inbound RF signals and provide a first directional circular polarization. The ninety degree phase shift module phase shifts the RF signals received by the 2nd antenna. The LNA module amplifies the RF signals received by the 1st antenna and the shifted RF signals. The transmitter front-end includes a PA module and 3rd and 4th antennas, which provide a second directional circular polarization. The PA module amplifies outbound RF signals to produce amplified outbound RF signals and amplified orthogonal outbound RF signals. The 3rd antenna transmits the amplified outbound RF signals and the 4th antenna transmits the amplified orthogonal outbound RF signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Seunghwan Yoon, Franco De Flaviis, Ahmadreza Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8594584
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Blackberry Limited
    Inventors: Matthew R. Greene, Keith R. Manssen, Gregory Mendolia
  • Patent number: 8583058
    Abstract: A wireless device comprising a plurality of chips may be operable to communicate wireless signals via a mesh network comprising a plurality of integrated directional antennas on the plurality of chips. Wireless signals may be communicated between the plurality of the chips and/or with devices external to the wireless device via the mesh network. Beam-formed wireless signals may be communicated via the plurality of integrated directional antennas. The plurality of chips may be integrated on a single package or on a plurality of packages, which may comprise one or more circuit boards. Wireless signals may be communicated with devices external to the single package via the mesh network. The directional antennas may comprise patch antennas and/or dipole antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmadreza Rofougaran, Maryam Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8583063
    Abstract: A wireless communication device comprises an antenna interface, a user interface, and a processing system. The antenna interface is configured to physically connect to an antenna mounting unit. The user interface is configured to receive wireless communication usage information from a user. The processing system is configured to process the wireless communication usage information to select one of a plurality of antenna configurations. The user interface is configured to display an image of the selected antenna configuration installed on the antenna mounting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Woo Jae Lee, Hannah Jo Sifuentes, Trevor Daniel Shipley
  • Patent number: 8583068
    Abstract: The present invention reduces the degradation in performance of one or more radio signals that are co-transmitted with a first radio signal from the same transmitting antenna in the same frequency channel and received by the same antenna due to multipath or other shared interference, where the one or more radio signals can be separated from the first radio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Inventor: Kenneth F. Rilling
  • Patent number: 8577314
    Abstract: Methods and systems for dynamic range detection and positioning utilizing leaky wave antennas (LWAs) are disclosed and may include configuring one or more LWAs to enable communication of signals in a particular direction. RF signals that are reflected from an object may be received via the LWAs, and a location of the object may be determined based on the received reflected RF signals. The velocity of the object may be determined based on a Doppler shift associated with the received reflected RF signals. A frequency chirped signal may be transmitted by the LWAs to determine a location of the object. A resonant frequency of the LWAs may be configured utilizing micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) deflection. LWAs may be situated along a plurality of axes in the wireless device. The LWAs may include microstrip or coplanar waveguides, where a cavity height is dependent on spacing between conductive lines in the waveguides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmadreza Rofougaran, Maryam Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8577308
    Abstract: Disclosed are a beamformer and a beamforming method. The beamformer includes a plurality of dividers, each of which divides an input signal along a plurality of paths, an input switch which selects one of the dividers such that the input signal is input to the selected divider, a phase shifter which shifts phases of respective output signals from the divider, and an output switch which transmits the output signals from the phase shifter to an antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Tae Choi, Jung-Han Choi, Young-Hwan Kim, Dong-Hyun Lee, Hong-Yi Kim, Ki-Chan Eun, Chul-Soon Park
  • Patent number: 8571472
    Abstract: A proximity sensor module used in an electronic device includes a combination sensing element and antenna, and a detecting circuit electrically connected to the combination sensing element and antenna. The combination sensing element and antenna is used to detect whether an external object is in vicinity of the combination sensing element and antenna according to capacitance changes of the combination sensing element and antenna in presence or absence of an external object in the vicinity, the detecting circuit detects the capacitance changes, and generates a signal associated with the changes to decrease or increase transmission power transmitted to the combination sensing element and antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Chi Mei Communication Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ming-Chih Lin, Chen-Fa Ting, Chien-Yao Chao
  • Patent number: 8554157
    Abstract: A method, an apparatus and a communication unit for generating precoding feedback information in a multiple frequency radio transmission system are disclosed. A rank for precoding matrices, wherein the rank is constant over the multiple frequencies, is selected and a plurality of precoding matrices having the selected rank are selected. A different precoding matrix is selected for each frequency subset of the multiple frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Mobile Communications GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Dietrich
  • Publication number: 20130252566
    Abstract: Methods and systems for an integrated voltage controlled oscillator (VCO)-based transmitter and on-chip power distribution network are disclosed and may include supplying bias voltages and/or ground to a chip utilizing conductive lines. One or more VCOs and low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) may each be coupled to a leaky wave antenna (LWA) integrated in the bias voltage and/or ground lines. One or more clock signals may be generated utilizing the VCOs, which may be transmitted from the LWAs coupled to the VCOs, to the LWAs coupled to the LNAs. RF signals may be transmitted via the LWAs, and may include 60 GHz signals. The LWAs may include microstrip and/or coplanar waveguides, where a cavity length of the LWAs may be dependent on a spacing between conductive lines in the waveguides. The LWAs may be dynamically configured to transmit the clock signals at a desired angle from a surface of the chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmadreza Rofougaran, Maryam Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8543071
    Abstract: As relates to automatic matching of antenna impedance for a radiofrequency transmit or receive circuit, an impedance matching network is inserted between an amplifier and antenna. The current i and output (resp. input) voltage V of the amplifier and their phase shift are measured, the complex impedance defined by V/i is deduced; the impedance of the antenna is calculated as a function of this complex impedance and the known existing values of the adjustable impedances of the matching network. New adjustable values of impedances of the matching network to obtain a desired overall load impedance for the amplifier are calculated on the basis of the calculated antenna impedance value, and the matching network is controlled to adjust the adjustable impedances to these new values. The measurement is made at a measurement frequency different from the working frequency to allow automatic matching without interrupting normal operation of the chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Majid El Kaamouchi, Jean-Baptiste David, Emeric De Foucauld
  • Patent number: 8538355
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a quadrature RF power amplifier (PA) architecture that uses a single-ended interface to couple a non-quadrature PA path to a quadrature PA path, which may be coupled to an antenna via an antenna port. The quadrature nature of the quadrature PA path provides tolerance for changes in antenna loading conditions. An RF splitter in the quadrature PA path presents a relatively stable input impedance, which is predominantly resistive, to the non-quadrature PA path over a wide frequency range, thereby substantially isolating the non-quadrature PA path from changes in the antenna loading conditions. Further, the input impedance substantially establishes a load line slope of a feeder PA stage in the non-quadrature PA path, thereby simplifying the quadrature RF PA architecture. One embodiment of the quadrature RF PA architecture uses two separate PA paths, either of which may incorporate a combined non-quadrature and quadrature PA architecture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Terry J. Stockert
  • Patent number: 8532724
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer. A wireless power transmitter includes a transmit antenna configured as a resonant tank including a loop inductor and an antenna capacitance. The transmitter further includes an amplifier configured to drive the transmit antenna and a matching circuit operably coupled between the transmit antenna and the amplifier. The transmitter also includes a capacitor integrating the antenna capacitance and a matching circuit capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Nigel P. Cook, Lukas Sieber, Hanspeter Widmer
  • Patent number: 8521106
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a sub-harmonic transmitter utilizing a leaky wave antenna are disclosed and may include transmitting wireless signals at a harmonic frequency of a source signal utilizing one or more leaky wave antennas (LWAs) in a wireless device including one or more transceivers on a chip. The LWAs may be configured with a resonant frequency at the harmonic frequency. The source signal may be communicated to the LWAs utilizing a power amplifier, which may be operated in switching mode thereby generating a square wave from the source signal. The LWAs may be integrated on the chip, on a package to which the chip is affixed and/or on a printed circuit board to which the chip is affixed. The harmonic frequency may be three times a frequency of the source signal. The transmitted wireless signal may be amplitude modulated utilizing a bias voltage applied to the LWAs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmadreza Rofougaran, Maryam Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8521107
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques, systems, and methods relating to minimizing mutual coupling between a first antenna and a second antenna. In one implementation, a plurality of antennas and at least one tuning module are provided. A control module may be coupled to the tuning module. The control module may be configured to control the at least one tuning module to alter a phase and an amplitude of a control signal communicated to at least one of the plurality of antennas to reduce mutual coupling between the plurality of antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Mobile Communications GmbH
    Inventors: Mikael Bergholz Knudsen, Bernd Adler, Peter Bundgaard, Jan-Erik Mueller, Gert F. Pedersen, Mauro Pelosi
  • Patent number: 8503953
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a quadrature RF power amplifier (PA) architecture that uses a single-ended interface to couple a non-quadrature PA path to a quadrature PA path, which may be coupled to an antenna via an antenna port. The quadrature nature of the quadrature PA path provides tolerance for changes in antenna loading conditions. An RF splitter in the quadrature PA path presents a relatively stable input impedance, which is predominantly resistive, to the non-quadrature PA path over a wide frequency range, thereby substantially isolating the non-quadrature PA path from changes in the antenna loading conditions. Further, the input impedance substantially establishes a load line slope of a feeder PA stage in the non-quadrature PA path, thereby simplifying the quadrature RF PA architecture. One embodiment of the quadrature RF PA architecture uses two separate PA paths, either of which may incorporate a combined non-quadrature and quadrature PA architecture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Terry J. Stockert
  • Patent number: 8494465
    Abstract: A system for providing independent polarization control in a radio communication system comprises a set of common antennas and a plurality of transmitters for supplying signals to said set of common antennas Said set of common antennas is used for transmitting signals supplied by the transmitters. Said set of common antennas is used to provide elliptical polarization transmission of said signals. The system furthermore comprises a combiner for each combination of a first transmitter of said plurality of transmitters and an antenna of said not of common antennas, and an adjusting element allowing for controlling the polarization of the signal provided by said first transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Nicholas Wymant, Charles Williams
  • Patent number: 8489162
    Abstract: A user device having a slot antenna formed in metallic material of a structural member is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Weiping Dou, James Samuel Bowen
  • Patent number: 8483415
    Abstract: A system for production of an electromagnetic (EM) field having EM emissions mitigated at one or more predetermined locations within a Hearing Aid Compliant (HAC) measurement plane is provided. The EM field mitigation system includes a ground plane, an antenna element, and a parasitic resonator element. The antenna element is coupled to the ground plane and resonates within at least one predetermined frequency band for transmitting and receiving the radio frequency (RF) signals modulated at one or more frequencies within the at least one predetermined first frequency band. The parasitic resonator element includes at least a first leg and a second leg connected to the ground plane and located a predetermined distance from the antenna element for mitigation of the EM emissions of the antenna element at the one or more predetermined locations within the HAC measurement plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Narendra Pulimi, Hugh Smith, Istvan Szini
  • Publication number: 20130171950
    Abstract: An embodiment of an antenna includes a radiation frame and a planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA). The radiation frame has a frame shape that defines a central opening. The PIFA includes an antenna arm, a feed arm, and a shorting arm. A distal end of the shorting arm is conductively coupled with the radiation frame. The antenna may be coupled to a substrate of an RF module. The RF module may be included in a system that also includes a non-RF component that produces a signal for transmission. In such a system, the RF module is configured to receive the signal, convert the signal to an RF signal, and radiate the RF signal over an air interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Qiang Li, Jon T. Adams, Olin L. Hartin
  • Publication number: 20130171951
    Abstract: Embodiments of antennas and radio frequency (RF) modules include a substrate, a first antenna arm coupled to the substrate, and a first conductive structure between a distal end of the first antenna arm and a bottom surface of the substrate. An embodiment of a system includes a first substrate, a first conductive structure on a top surface of the first substrate, and an antenna coupled to the top surface of the first substrate. The antenna includes a second substrate, a first antenna arm coupled to the second substrate, and a second conductive structure having a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end of the second conductive structure is coupled to a distal end of the first antenna arm, and the distal end of the second conductive structure extends to a bottom surface of the second substrate and is coupled to the first conductive structure on the first substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Qiang Li, Jon T. Adams, Olin L. Hartin
  • Patent number: 8478334
    Abstract: A first casing and a second casing movably connected to the first casing are provided. PAs amplify a transmit signal. FET switches are provided between the ground and respective transmission paths connecting the PAs and an antenna. When an intermediate voltage is applied, the FET switch has a capacitance according to the applied intermediate voltage. An open or close detection unit acquires the impedance of the antenna corresponding to the positional relationship of the first casing and the second casing. A control unit turns one of a plurality of switches ON and applies the intermediate voltage to the FET switches to achieve a capacitance whereby the impedance of the PA arranged on the transmission path where the switch is ON and the impedance of the antenna are matched based on the impedance of the antenna acquired by the open or close detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Kenji Iwai, Kazushige Kishigami, Atsushi Kudou, Masahiko Hirao, Nobuhide Hachiya
  • Patent number: 8463200
    Abstract: In a wireless communication apparatus, when a first switch electrically connects a second antenna to an impedance matching circuit and a second switch electrically connects a first antenna to a reception circuit, a frequency signal output from an oscillator of the reception circuit is received by the second antenna and applied to the impedance matching circuit. Then, a controller controls the impedance of the impedance matching circuit so as to bring a RSSI voltage output from a signal strength detection circuit of the reception circuit into agreement with a reference RSSI voltage, thereby bringing the reference frequency of the first antenna into agreement with a reference frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuuji Kakuya, Akira Takaoka, Munenori Matsumoto, Tomotsugu Sekine
  • Patent number: 8463210
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for transmitting a reference signal in a radio communication system are provided. The apparatus comprises: N antennas; and a processor which is connected to the N antennas and which generates K (wherein K<N) reference signal sequence vectors based on K reference signal sequences and K virtual antenna vectors, and which transmits the K reference signal sequence vectors via the N antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Moon Il Lee, Jae Hoon Chung, Hyun Soo Ko, Bin Chul Ihm
  • Patent number: 8447250
    Abstract: Methods and systems for an integrated voltage controlled oscillator (VCO)-based transmitter and on-chip power distribution network are disclosed and may include supplying bias voltages and/or ground to a chip utilizing conductive lines. One or more VCOs and low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) may each be coupled to a leaky wave antenna (LWA) integrated in the bias voltage and/or ground lines. One or more clock signals may be generated utilizing the VCOs, which may be transmitted from the LWAs coupled to the VCOs, to the LWAs coupled to the LNAs. RF signals may be transmitted via the LWAs, and may include 60 GHz signals. The LWAs may include microstrip and/or coplanar waveguides, where a cavity length of the LWAs may be dependent on a spacing between conductive lines in the waveguides. The LWAs may be dynamically configured to transmit the clock signals at a desired angle from a surface of the chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmadreza Rofougaran, Maryam Rofougaran
  • Publication number: 20130115886
    Abstract: A system is configured to enable polarization alignment. The system includes at least one transmitter or receiver capable of polarization alignment. The transmitter includes at least one cross-polarized antenna and the receiver includes at least one cross-polarized antenna configured to receive a signal. A polarization processor in the transmitter or the receiver is configured to cause a polarization orientation of the at least one cross-polarized antenna to align with a polarization orientation of the signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Farooq Khan, George Zohn Hutcheson, Mike Brobston, Zhouyue Pi
  • Patent number: 8433269
    Abstract: An apparatus, such as an antenna assembly, can include a flexible dielectric sheet, a first flexible conductor coupled to the flexible dielectric sheet, a second flexible conductor coupled to the flexible dielectric sheet, a matching section electrically coupled to the first and second conductors, and a hollow dielectric housing having a curved interior surface. The first and second flexible conductors can be sized, shaped, and laterally spaced a specified distance from each other to provide a specified input impedance corresponding to a specified range of operating frequencies for use in wireless information transfer between the antenna assembly and a satellite. The first and second flexible conductors can be located along the curved interior surface of the hollow dielectric housing following an arc-shaped path along the curved interior surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Digi International Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Wayne Ridgeway, Paul A. Dahl
  • Patent number: 8422967
    Abstract: Methods and systems for amplitude modulation using a leaky wave antenna are disclosed and may include amplitude modulating an output of one or more power amplifiers in a wireless device by modulating a bias current in the power amplifiers that are coupled to one or more leaky wave antennas. The leaky wave antennas may include a balun that may be integrated on the chip, on a package to which the chip may be affixed, and/or integrated on a printed circuit board to which the chip may be affixed. An output power of the power amplifiers may be adjusted by configuring a bias voltage on the leaky wave antennas. The bias voltage may be configured utilizing a DC to DC voltage controller. The bias current may be modulated via one or more switched current sources. The switched current sources may be binary weighted and/or may be current mirrors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmadreza Rofougaran, Maryam Rofougaran
  • Publication number: 20130090076
    Abstract: Generally described, the present disclosure relates to antennas with an active component and a passive component, generally referred to as an active-passive antenna. More specifically, aspects of the present application include a combination of an active antenna element configured to process communications in accordance with a first frequency bandwidth and a passive antenna element configured to process communication in accordance with a second frequency bandwidth. Still further, the present disclosure includes the integration of the active and passive antenna components as well as the utilization of components of traditional active array antennas to allow the incorporation of the active-passive antenna in the same form factor previously utilized for solely active array antennas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: POWERWAVE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Anthony Teillet, Khurram Parviz Sheikh
  • Patent number: 8412276
    Abstract: A proximity type antenna includes an antenna pattern for wirelessly communicating with an external communication device by magnetic coupling and a conductive plate arranged near the antenna pattern. The conductive plate has an aperture and a slit extending from the aperture to an end of the conductive plate and at least part of the aperture is arranged at a position of overlapping either the antenna pattern or the region surrounded by the inner periphery of the antenna pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Toshinori Matsuura, Sadaharu Yoneda, Koichi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20130078935
    Abstract: A compact multi-antenna, multi-antenna system, and wireless device comprising same are provided. The multi-antenna comprises first, second and third antennas. The second antenna contains the first antenna, and the third antenna contains at least part of the second antenna. The first antenna may be a slot-in-slot or other antenna, the second antenna may be a dipole, and the third antenna may be a dipole or monopole. The multi-antenna system comprises the multi-antenna plus first, second and third transmission systems operatively coupled thereto. The antennas of the multi-antenna and system may be concurrently operated, substantially independently, and may have mutually orthogonal polarizations. Particular antenna and system configurations are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Inventor: Paul A. Nysen
  • Publication number: 20130072142
    Abstract: An antenna power coupler having a variable coupling factor is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus includes a coupler configured to generate a power detection signal based on transmit signal power associated with a plurality of transmission technologies and a variable attenuator configured to apply a selected attenuation factor to the power detection signal to generate an adjusted power detection signal, the selected attenuation factor associated with a selected transmission technology.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Prashanth Akula, David Maldonado, Kevin His Huai Wang
  • Patent number: 8401598
    Abstract: A wireless device comprising a plurality of chips may be operable to wirelessly communicate information between a plurality of chips via selectable directional antennas. Each of the chips may comprise one or more transmitters and receivers, and one or more integrated directional antennas communicatively coupled to the transmitters and/or receivers. The directional antennas may include patch antennas that may be configured to transmit signals in the direction of another chip intended to receive the transmitted signals. The patch antennas may be configured to transmit signals at a frequency matching a configured frequency of a directional antenna integrated on another of the plurality of chips intended to receive the transmitted signals. The directional antennas may include dipole antennas. The inter-chip communication may include baseband signals, radio frequency signals, and/or intermediate frequency signals. The plurality of chips may be integrated on a single package or on a plurality of packages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmadreza Rofougaran, Maryam Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8396420
    Abstract: An active antenna system and a method for relaying radio signal in the mobile communications network is disclosed. The active antenna system comprises a plurality of antenna elements for relaying radio signals at a first frequency band. The antenna elements are connected to a plurality of signal paths. A plurality of signal inputs for inputting radio signals at a second frequency band is connected to the signal paths. A plurality of first mixers in the signal paths converts the frequency of the radio signals between the first frequency band and the second frequency band. A single first local oscillator is connected to the first mixers through a first oscillator signal path and supplies first oscillator signals to the first mixers and at least one dispersion element is connected to at least one of the signal paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Ubidyne, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Kenington
  • Patent number: 8391811
    Abstract: Embodiments of circuits, apparatuses, and systems for a protection circuit having a control element with an attenuation state to protect against overload conditions. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Triquint Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: John Bellantoni
  • Publication number: 20130045700
    Abstract: A wireless electronic device may contain multiple antennas. Control circuitry in the wireless electronic device may adjust antenna switching circuitry so that the device repeatedly cycles through use of each of the antennas. In a device with first and second antennas, the device may repeatedly toggle between the first and second antennas. During each toggling cycle time period, the first antenna may transmit for a fraction of the time period and the second antenna may transmit for a fraction of the time period. The wireless device may control the average power emitted by each antenna by adjusting the fractions of time assigned to each antenna. By performing antenna toggling, the average transmit power produced by each antenna may be reduced while maintaining the average transmit power produced by the device at a desired level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Inventors: Michael J. Stallman, Nicholas W. Lum
  • Patent number: 8380148
    Abstract: One or more beamsteering matrices are applied to one or more signals to be transmitted via multiple antennas. After the one or more beamsteering matrices are applied to the one or more signals, the plurality of signals is provided to a plurality of power amplifiers coupled to the multiple antennas. Signal energies are determined for the plurality of signals provided to the plurality of power amplifiers, and relative signal energies are determined based on the determined signal energies. Output power levels of the plurality of power amplifiers are adjusted based on the determined relative signal energies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Rohit U. Nabar, Hongyuan Zhang
  • Patent number: 8374561
    Abstract: A non-Foster impedance power amplifier has a current amplifying device coupled in either an emitter-follower or source-follower configuration with a reactive load such as an antenna load. A negative impedance circuit is provided upstream of a gate or base or other control element of said current amplifying device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Michael W. Yung, Donald A. Hitko
  • Patent number: 8373577
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted communication device includes a non-directional antenna provided at a vehicle and having a directional characteristic in all directions uniformly in a horizontal plane, at least one of directional antennas provided at the vehicle and having a directional characteristic in a specific direction, an antenna switching portion switching so as to be connected to one of the non-directional antenna and the directional antenna on the basis of information to be sent in a case where the information is sent from the vehicle and switching so as to be connected to one of the non-directional antenna and the directional antenna on the basis of information to be received in a case where the information transmitted through the air is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyokazu Ieda, Yuichi Murakami, Shingo Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 8374562
    Abstract: A multi-rank beamforming (MRBF) scheme in which the downlink channel is estimated and an optimal precoding matrix to be used by the MRBF transmitter is determined accordingly. The optimal precoding matrix is selected from a codebook of matrices having a recursive structure which allows for efficient computation of the optimal precoding matrix and corresponding Signal to Interference and Noise Ratio (SINR). The codebook also enjoys a small storage footprint. Due to the computational efficiency and modest memory requirements, the optimal precoding determination can be made at user equipment (UE) and communicated to a transmitting base station over a limited uplink channel for implementation over the downlink channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: NEC Laboratories America, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohammad Ali Khojastepour, Narayan Prasad
  • Patent number: 8364105
    Abstract: An embodiment of a light powered transmitter configured for broadcasting an electromagnetic control field to a region is provided. The transmitter includes a housing having a longitudinal axis. The housing includes a photovoltaic cell configured to generate electrical power in response to light and a rechargeable power source configured to store at least a portion of the power generated by the photovoltaic cell. The housing also includes an electromagnetic transmitter and a directional antenna. The directional antenna can be configured to broadcast an electromagnetic (e.g., radio-frequency) control field to a region. The directional antenna can be rotatably mounted in the housing such that the antenna can be rotated around the longitudinal axis. The housing can further include a transparent or translucent optical element configured to receive the light and converge at least a portion of the light onto the photovoltaic cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Gatekeeper Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John C. McKay, Stephen E. Hannah, Jesse M. James
  • Patent number: 8351855
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, apparatuses, and methods for providing a proximity coupling without Ohmic contact. Such a system includes a plurality of wireless-enabled components (WECs) that are wirelessly coupled to each other. Each WEC includes a metal-based element, a substrate, and a semiconductor layer that separates the metal-based element from the substrate. A signal is configured to be transmitted via a proximity coupling (e.g., a magnetic coupling, an electric coupling, and/or an electromagnetic coupling) between the metal-based element and the substrate without an Ohmic contact between the metal-based element and the substrate. In an example, a first subset of the plurality of the WECs is co-located on a first chip, and a second subset of the plurality of the WECs is co-located on a second chip. The first chip and the second chip may be located in a single device or in separate devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Jesus Alfonso Castaneda, Arya Reza Behzad, Michael Boers, Ahmadreza Reza Rofougaran, Sam Ziqun Zhao
  • Patent number: 8346193
    Abstract: A multi-rank beamforming (MRBF) scheme in which the downlink channel is estimated and an optimal precoding matrix to be used by the MRBF transmitter is determined accordingly. The optimal precoding matrix is selected from a codebook of matrices having a recursive structure which allows for efficient computation of the optimal precoding matrix and corresponding Signal to Interference and Noise Ratio (SINR). The codebook also enjoys a small storage footprint. Due to the computational efficiency and modest memory requirements, the optimal precoding determination can be made at user equipment (UE) and communicated to a transmitting base station over a limited uplink channel for implementation over the downlink channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: NEC Laboratories America, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohammad Ali Khojastepour, Narayan Prasad
  • Patent number: 8331873
    Abstract: In a semiconductor device which can perform data communication through wireless communication, to suppress transmission and the like of an AC signal, the semiconductor device includes an input circuit to which a radio signal is input, a first circuit, which generates a constant voltage, such as a constant voltage circuit or a limiter circuit, a second circuit to which the generated constant voltage is input and which can change impedance of the semiconductor device, and a filter provided between the first circuit and the second circuit. Transmission of an AC signal is suppressed by the filter, and malfunctions or operation defects such as complete inoperative due to variation in the constant voltage is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaka Shionoiri
  • Patent number: 8331217
    Abstract: A ground- or roof-top-based repeater in an OFDM system uses multiple transmission antennas to transmit multiple identical OFDM signals. Dithering is performed by introducing a slight variable-frequency phase offset to all but one of the multiple identical transmitted OFDM signals. The effective overall channel is more dynamic and provides spatial diversity to minimize long periods of fading in fading subchannels of the OFDM signals when the receiver is in a slow moving or stationary situation. To overcome the additional cancellation problem that can occur when two or more of the transmitting antennas are (i) in a line-of-site position with the receiver and (ii) approximately the same distance from the receiver, a delay is deliberately introduced to make the delayed signals appear to be reflected signals. This delay will not negatively impact the OFDM receiver performance as long as the delay is within the guard interval used in the OFDM process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Agere Systems LLC
    Inventors: Samel Celebi, Jie Song, Paul M. Yun
  • Patent number: 8320856
    Abstract: Methods and systems for utilizing a leaky wave antenna as a load on a power amplifier are disclosed and may include configuring one or more leaky wave antennas as a load for one or more power amplifiers (PAs) in a wireless device. RF signals may be transmitted via the leaky wave antennas which may be integrated on the chip, a package to which the chip is affixed, or on a printed circuit board to which the chip is affixed. The antennas may include an inductive load and/or a balun for the one or more PAs. The leaky wave antennas may be impedance matched to the PAs. The PAs may amplify a signal to be transmitted, and an output power of the PAs may be configured by controlling a bias voltage for the PAs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmadreza Rofougaran, Maryam Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8315572
    Abstract: Methods and devices related to wireless networking. A wireless device has multiple directional antennas and multiple backhaul radio modules which provide point to point wireless links with other wireless devices. Each radio module can use any one of the available directional antennas to link to one other routing device. Antennas are automatically selected for each wireless device by merely setting one device in a “hunt” mode and setting another device in a “listen” mode. Devices in a hunt mode cycle through the available antennas by sequentially transmitting transmit messages to devices in the listen mode using each of the available antennas in turn. Devices in the listen mode also cycle through their available antennas by sequentially “listening” for transmit messages. A listen mode device, receives transmit messages on each of its available antennas, and, after gathering the relevant data, determines which of its antennas is best suited for communicating with the hunt mode device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: BelAir Networks Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard Herscovich, Stephen G. Rayment, Roland A. Smith
  • Publication number: 20120287011
    Abstract: An electronic device (100) includes an antenna system (150) having two antennas (110, 120). A first antenna (110) has a first antenna element (111) positioned near a first corner (191) of a planar, rectangular ground plane (165) and a second antenna element (115) positioned near a second corner of the ground plane that is diagonally across from the first corner. A second antenna (120) has a third antenna element (121) positioned near a third corner (193) of the ground plane that is adjacent to the first corner and a fourth antenna element (125) positioned near a fourth corner (195) of the ground plane that is diagonally across from the third corner. At low-band frequencies, the antenna elements (111, 115) of the first antenna (110) are driven out-of-phase relative to each other. Similarly, at low-band frequencies, the antenna elements (121, 125) of the second antenna (120) are driven out-of-phase relative to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: MOTOROLA MOBILITY, INC.
    Inventors: Hugh K. Smith, Eric L. Krenz, Karan J. Jumani, Andrew A. Efanov
  • Patent number: 8306497
    Abstract: An RF transceiver front-end includes receiver and transmitter front-ends. The receiver front-end includes 1st and 2nd antennas, a ninety degree phase shift module and an LNA module. The 1st and 2nd antennas receive inbound RF signals and provide a first directional circular polarization. The ninety degree phase shift module phase shifts the RF signals received by the 2nd antenna. The LNA module amplifies the RF signals received by the 1st antenna and the shifted RF signals. The transmitter front-end includes a PA module and 3rd and 4th antennas, which provide a second directional circular polarization. The PA module amplifies outbound RF signals to produce amplified outbound RF signals and amplified orthogonal outbound RF signals. The 3rd antenna transmits the amplified outbound RF signals and the 4th antenna transmits the amplified orthogonal outbound RF signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Seunghwan Yoon, Franco De Flaviis, Ahmadreza (Reza) Rofougaran