Patents Represented by Attorney Charles A. Brown
  • Patent number: 7738832
    Abstract: A wireless communications network (100) includes various base stations (110) and subscriber-stations (114). The base stations each provide (602) broadcast content services to subscriber-stations over communication channels of one of the following types: 1) shared channels for use by multiple subscriber-stations, 2) individual channels each dedicated for use by an individual subscriber-station. In response to one or more prescribed condition changes (604), there is a switch (606) in the type of communications channel used to provide broadcast content services to one or more given subscriber-stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Ragulan Sinnarajah, Jun Wang, Tao Chen
  • Patent number: 6832090
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed by which a base transceiver station (BTS) may be uniquely identified. When attempting to determine the location of a mobile unit using signal from multiple BTSs, it is critical that the BTSs be uniquely identified and their position accurately determined. In many cases, the signals received from the BTSs provide limited identification information and cannot be used to uniquely to identify the BTS from which a signal has been received. The present invention uses available information to generate a candidate list and to determine therefrom the most likely candidates for the Measurement BTSs. Based on this information, the system analyzes cell coverage overlap and relative phase delay to determine the likelihood of a candidate BTS being the actual BTS from which a signal is received. As candidate BTSs are uniquely identified, it is possible to use this additional identification information in an iterative process to further identify additional candidate BTSs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Wyatt Riley, Grant Marshall
  • Patent number: 6825805
    Abstract: A method of and system for performing a search for signals useful in determining the position of an entity. A first search is performed as part of a position determination attempt, and measurements are derived from the ensuing search results. Additional searching within the position determination attempt is avoided if the measurements satisfy one or more selected exit criteria. However, a second search is conducted if the measurements do not satisfy the one or more selected exit criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventor: Douglas N. Rowitch
  • Patent number: 6819938
    Abstract: A technique for calibrating the open-loop transmit power of a wireless communication device overcomes the inherent nonlinearities in the gain control input of a variable gain amplifier (VGA). In one embodiment, a feedback circuit generates a signal indicative of the transmit power. This signal is compared with a desired transmit power level, which comprises an open-loop gain component and a closed-loop gain component. The desired transmit power level is compared with the actual transmit power level and an error signal is generated. The error signal is used to alter the gain of the VGA in the transmitter to thereby adjust the actual transmit power level to correspond with the desired transmit power level. In alternative embodiment, the receiver portion, which also contains a VGA, is pre-calibrated in a conventional manner. During a transmitter calibration process, the transmitter is coupled to the receiver input through a mixer and filter. The pre-calibrated receiver determines the actual transmit power level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventor: Gurkanwal Singh Sahota
  • Patent number: 6819931
    Abstract: A method for assigning tracking elements includes sorting a list of potential assignments according to a diversity criterion. In one example, a list of received signal instances is sorted first according to a measure of energy and then sorted again according to the diversity criterion. In a further embodiment, a demodulation element may be labeled available for assignment yet continue to output demodulated symbols in a locked state. Applications to a mobile station of a CDMA system for cellular telephony are discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Messay Amerga, Abhay A. Joshi, Mark Levin
  • Patent number: 6816111
    Abstract: To provide accurate and quick position measurements in a practical mobile position location system, the GPS receiver is calibrated, a frequency error in the next time period is predicted using a first frequency locked to an externally transmitted signal, and a second frequency is generated by a GPS oscillator. To predict the error in the next time period, several measurements are made over time, error estimations are made, an error function is approximated responsive to the set of error estimations. This predicted error is then used to correct the GPS receiver in the next time period. In one implementation, a multiple function portable device is disclosed for providing cellular communication using a network of cellular stations that operate at predefined ideal cellular frequencies, and also for providing position location using GPS satellites that transmit GPS signals at a predefined GPS frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventor: Norman Krasner
  • Patent number: 6816710
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing satellite positioning system (SPS) signals which are weak in level. In one embodiment, a SPS receiver receives at least two signal samples representing, at least in part, common information, wherein the two signal samples are associated with one or more satellite messages. By combining the two signal samples, navigational information (e.g., time, position, velocity, etc.) may be determined based on the combination of the two signal samples. According to another embodiment, the two signal samples are differentially demodulated and summed together to form the combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Snaptrack, Inc.
    Inventor: Norman F. Krasner
  • Patent number: 6812896
    Abstract: A selectively coupled two-piece antenna for use in a mobile phone having a casing and radio frequency (RF) communications circuitry includes a composite radiator that is selectively extendable from and retractable into the casing and a communications interface that is connected to the RF communications circuitry. The composite radiator has first and second radiating elements, and a connecting element. When the composite radiator is extended, the connecting element connects the first and second radiating elements. In this position, the communications interface connects the RF communications circuitry to the first and second radiating elements. Thus, the RF communications circuitry transmits and/or receives RF signals through both the first and second radiating elements as a top loaded antenna. However, when the composite radiator is retracted, the connecting element electrically isolates the first and second radiating elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Raymond C. Wallace, Allen M-T. Tran, John K. M. Lee, Ernest T. Ozaki
  • Patent number: 6798826
    Abstract: Techniques for processing symbols received for a (transport) channel in a (W-CDMA) communication system. According to the W-CDMA standard, the coded bits of a transport channel are first rate-matched, then first de-interleaved, and then segmented to form X radio frames, where X is the transmission time interval (TTI) of the transport channel. The radio frames can be processed in various manners. In one aspect, the rate-matching and first interleaving can be applied to the coded bits of the transport channel X times to generate a radio frame with each application. In accordance with a method, the correspondence between the coded bit xm and the rate-matched bits yn, and between the rate-matched bits yn and the interleaved bits zk, can be computed based on direct or iterative computations. In another aspects, the first de-interleaving and inverse rate-matching can be applied onto each rad it is received, without having to wait for the remaining radio frames in the TTI to be received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Da-Shan Shiu, Avneesh Agrawal
  • Patent number: 6788249
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for setting coarse GPS time in a GPS receiver in a mobile station (MS) that is communicating with a base station and a position determining entity (PDE). The MS requests an assistance message from the PDE that includes a sequence of predicted navigation bits, including a predicted time indicator field, which is then located and decoded. Coarse time is set responsive to the time indicator value. A Pattern Match Algorithm may be performed to provide more precise GPS time. In order to better set coarse time, an expected error in the Time of Week may be determined, by for example using the expected network latency. The system describe herein enables the use of IS-801 protocol by an MS in asynchronous networks by improving the coarse time setting process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated
    Inventors: Dominic Farmer, Laszlo Leirer
  • Patent number: 6788663
    Abstract: A method of wireless communications according to one embodiment of the invention includes obtaining a first time base (e.g. obtaining a code phase) from a signal received from a ground transmitter (e.g. a CDMA base station). A predetermined offset based on at least a propagation delay of the received signal is applied to the first time base to obtain a second time base. For example, the second time base may be aligned to a time base of a positioning satellite system (e.g. the NAVSTAR GPS). A timing signal is generated that has a code phase based on the second time base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Inc
    Inventor: Douglas Neal Rowitch
  • Patent number: 6778885
    Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, and systems of transferring correction information are described. In certain implementations, correction factors relate to stored or calculated values, and a correspondence between a correction factor and a value is indicated by a predetermined order of the correction factors. In one application, a method according to an embodiment of the invention is used to transmit correction factors relating to the positions of physical objects. For example, such a method may be used to transmit correction factors relating to the positions of space vehicles within a Global Positioning Satellite (‘GPS’) system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignees: Qualcomm Inc., Lucent Technologies
    Inventors: Parag Agashe, Giovanni Vannucci
  • Patent number: 6775802
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system for predicting subframes of Global Positioning System (GPS) signals. The apparatus include a processor capable of determining whether a subframe is an almanac subframe, setting a timehead and adding it to a time-of-week (TOW), setting a telemetry (TLM) message based on value of the TOW, generating a Cyclic Redundancy Code (CRC) for a predicted subframe, and a memory for storing the predicted subframe. The memory may vary in size based on the number of predicted subframes. The processor is further capable of determining whether the value of the TOW is less than the number of seconds in a week, calculating a position of the predicted subframe in the memory, and setting a valid flag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventor: Peter Gaal
  • Patent number: 6768448
    Abstract: A system for maintaining time in a satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver that relies on almanac data to maintain a reasonably accurate time. The approximate time based on almanac data is sufficiently accurate to bound the unknown parameters when a request for position is received. The receiver may automatically update the internal time and/or position. When a time update is required, the approximate time based on almanac data is sufficiently accurate that the receiver need only acquire the code phase from the satellites and can internally determine the code period into the bit and the bit into the week based on the almanac data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventor: Dominic Farmer
  • Patent number: 6760582
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing assisted position location capable devices that includes providing a position determination entity (PDE) simulator that is in communication with a base station simulator simulating one or more base stations and connecting an assisted position location capable device under test (DUT) to the base station simulator and a global positioning system (GPS) simulator. Then, initiating a test sequence wherein the DUT receives a set of predetermined GPS signals and at a desired time the DUT requests assistance data from the base station simulator and the base station simulator requests assistance data from the PDE simulator, wherein the PDE simulator provides data that is independent of the GPS simulator data to the base station and the base station transfers the PDE data to the DUT. The PDE data is a set of predetermined responses to any one of a plurality of DUT requests indexed by elapsed test time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventor: Peter Gaal
  • Patent number: 6754630
    Abstract: In a method of synthesizing voiced speech from pitch prototype waveforms by time-synchronous waveform interpolation (TSWI), one or more pitch prototypes is extracted from a speech signal or a residue signal. The extraction process is performed in such a way that the prototype has minimum energy at the boundary. Each prototype is circularly shifted so as to be time-synchronous with the original signal. A linear phase shift is applied to each extracted prototype relative to the previously extracted prototype so as to maximize the cross-correlation between successive extracted prototypes. A two-dimensional prototype-evolving surface is constructed by unsampling the prototypes to every sample point. The two-dimensional prototype-evolving surface is re-sampled to generate a one-dimensional, synthesized signal frame with sample points defined by piecewise continuous cubic phase contour functions computed from the pitch lags and the phase shifts added to the extracted prototypes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
    Inventors: Amitava Das, Eddie L. T. Choy
  • Patent number: 6748010
    Abstract: A novel and improved method for performing paging is described. In one embodiment of the invention a searcher is used to detect spread spectrum signals. Samples received RF signals are stored in a sample buffer. During standby mode, the samples are gathered during paging slots assigned to the mobile. A set of searches are performed on the samples, and if pilot signals are detected additional demodulation is performed to detect paging messages. The resulting set of demodulation data may be combined to increase detection. After a page message has been detected, additional demodulation resources may be activated to processes more complete page messages, or other information channels. In one embodiment of the invention, the searcher includes a demodulator to perform quick page detection without the use of finger elements to reduce idle mode power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Brian K. Butler, Haitao Zhang, Edward G. Tiedemann, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6738438
    Abstract: A parameter estimator for estimating one or more parameter(s) from a correlation function derived from a signal using a dynamically variable search window is described. The parameter estimator may be employed in a subscriber station to estimate the time of arrival of one or more base station pilot signals in a wireless communication system. This information may be utilized in an overall advanced forward link trilateration (AFLT) process for estimating the location of the subscriber station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Roland R. Rick, Borislav Ristic, Messay Amerga, Jeremy M. Stein, Ivan Fernandez-Corbaton, Ashok Bhatia
  • Patent number: 6735563
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for constructing voice templates for a speaker-independent voice recognition system includes segmenting a training utterance to generate time-clustered segments, each segment being represented by a mean. The means for all utterances of a given word are quantized to generate template vectors. Each template vector is compared with testing utterances to generate a comparison result. The comparison is typically a dynamic time warping computation. The training utterances are matched with the template vectors if the comparison result exceeds at least one predefined threshold value, to generate an optimal path result, and the training utterances are partitioned in accordance with the optimal path result. The partitioning is typically a K-means segmentation computation. The partitioned utterances may then be re-quantized and re-compared with the testing utterances until the at least one predefined threshold value is not exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
    Inventor: Ning Bi
  • Patent number: 6731146
    Abstract: The lock time is reduced in a phase locked loop frequency synthesizer that has both active modes and standby modes. In the active mode the frequency synthesizer operates to maintain a stable frequency output. The standby or sleep mode is used to reduce power consumption when the frequency synthesizer is not required to provide a frequency output. When the synthesizer is placed in standby mode the most recent value of the Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) tuning voltage is maintained on the VCO tuning control line of the frequency synthesizer. The voltage is maintained on the VCO tuning output pin in Integrated Circuit (IC) frequency synthesizers. The voltage error on the VCO tuning pin is minimized thereby minimizing the lock time of the frequency synthesizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventor: Keith Gallardo