Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention an apparatus, comprising an adaptive impedance matching module (AIMM) adapted to minimize the magnitude of an input reflection coefficient seen at an RFin port under boundary conditions of a variable load impedance ZL, a tuner connected to the AIMM and including a plurality of variable reactance networks with independent control signals, wherein node voltages are sampled within the tuner; and a microcontroller or digital signal processor (DSP) calculates complex reflection coefficient information from the sampled voltages, the microcontroller or DSP providing a coarse and fine tune function that feeds bias signals to control impedance matching.

Abstract: A plurality of wireless transceivers (114) for communicating messages to SCRs (Selective Call Radios) (116) include a radio transceiver (402, 404, 406, 408), and a processing system (412) coupled thereto. A periodic communication cycle (FIG. 9) is divided into a plurality of time slots, each time slot having a duration equal to or greater than the predetermined propagation delay of a signal transmitted between wireless transceivers. Each of the wireless transceivers is assigned to a corresponding one of the time slots. To transmit a message from a selected one of the wireless transceivers to a targeted SCR, the processing system of each of the wireless transceivers is adapted to locate the targeted SCR.

Abstract: A mixer (200, 201) including a transformation circuit (210) is used for frequency converting a first digital signal (208), sampled at a first sampling rate and operating at a first frequency, to a second digital signal (214) operating at a desired frequency. The transformation circuit (210) is adapted to modify and filter the first digital signal (208) to eliminate unwanted frequencies in the first digital signal (208) and to alter the first sampling rate of the first digital signal (208) by a predetermined factor to generate a modified and filtered first digital signal (308) operating at a second sampling rate and the first frequency. The transformation circuit (210) is further adapted to mix the modified and filtered first digital signal (308) with a predetermined injection signal (312) to generate the second digital signal (214) operating at the desired frequency and the second sampling rate.

Abstract: A communication system includes a transmitter for transmitting messages to a plurality of receiving devices of the communication system, and a processing system. The processing system is adapted to convert a caller's voice message to a sequence of phonemes whereby the caller's voice message is intended for a receiving device. To accomplish the conversion, steps of Fourier transform, spectral subdivision, envelope filtering autocorrelation function determination of each subdivision, and voiceness determination for each subdivision are performed. The processing system is further adapted to generate a sequence of phoneme indexes and voice features corresponding to the sequence of phonemes, and to cause the transmitter to transmit the sequence of phoneme indexes to the receiving device for generating a voice signal representative of the caller's voice message. The voice features can include spectral features, average energy, duration, and pitch to improve the quality of the voice signal.

Abstract: An SCR (122) that receives personal messages and corresponding advertisement messages, includes a receiver (304), memory (310), presentation circuit (313) and processor (308). The processor is adapted to cause the receiver to receive a personal message (402), to determine whether a corresponding advertisement message has been previously stored in the memory (404), and in the event the corresponding advertisement message is not found, cause (406, 410) the presentation circuit to present the personal message to a user of the SCR. Additionally, the processor causes the presentation circuit to present a warning (412) to the user that the SCR must receive the corresponding advertisement message within a predetermined time.

Abstract: A transceiver (10) used in an RF messaging system transmits unscheduled messages on a channel selected by the transceiver (10). The transceiver(10) examines a number of factors prior to selecting a channel, including the power available from its battery (39), the power required to send the message, and which channel it had previously used to successfully transmit a message. Depending on the results of this examination, the transceiver (10) can reject the channel it has used successfully on previous occasions and select a different channel having a different data rate.

Abstract: A housing assembly includes a housing (100) and a door (102). The housing has a first opening (115) and includes a selective call receiver (200). The door is coupled to the housing for gaining access to the selective call receiver by way of the first opening. The door is slidable between first and second positions with the housing, wherein the first position the door is latched, and wherein the second position the door is unlatched and pivots to gain access to the first opening. The door includes a plurality of springless latches (107), wherein each springless latch comprises at least two arms (106), each arm having an external detent (108), and an internal detent (110). Additionally, the housing includes a corresponding snap post (112) for latching to a corresponding springless latch in the first position.

Abstract: A radio communication system (5) includes a transmitting unit (1) coupled to at least one controller (6). The controller (6) is adapted to subdivide the SCR's (selective call receivers) (2) into SCR groups, assign the SCR groups to supergroups, and assign a selected number of message frames (216) and message intervals (208) to each SCR group in each supergroup. A supergroup is then selected, and included in an acquisition group message. The supergroup is for directing SCR's (2) targeted to receive the acquisition group message to monitor messages during the message reception interval (203) according to the supergroup. The controller (6) then invokes the transmitting unit (1) to transmit the acquisition group message to the SCR's (2). Messages target for specific SCR's (2) are then generated, and transmitted by way of the transmitting unit (1) according to the supergroup selected. The targeted SCR's (2) receive the messages according to the supergroup received.

Abstract: An apparatus (400) enclosing a portion of a substrate (401) is used for affixing at least one component to a corresponding circuit of the substrate when a manufacturing line (800) ceases to operate. The apparatus includes a conveyor (400), heating elements (102), and a controller (816) for controlling operation of the apparatus (400). The conveyor is used for indexing the substrate periodically through the apparatus. The heating elements are used for dividing the portion of the substrate enclosed by the apparatus into controllable temperature zones (902). The controller is adapted to cause each of the plurality of heating elements to dynamically adjust the temperature of each of the controllable temperature zones upon the indexing process of the manufacturing line (800) ceasing to operate, until at least one component of each circuit enclosed by the apparatus has been adequately affixed to its corresponding circuit.

Abstract: A communication system (100) for providing information includes transceivers (110) for receiving the information and acknowledging reception of the information and a terminal (105) for transmitting the information to the transceivers (100). The terminal (105) transmits a first frame of data that has been queued with first information for reception by recipient time diversity transceivers. When at least one acknowledgment is received from at least one recipient time diversity transceiver, a second frame of data with second information intended for reception by the recipient time diversity transceivers is batched. The second information duplicates at least some of the first information and excludes portions of the first information indicated by the at least one acknowledgment. A controller (165) then queues third information into available words of the second frame after the second information has been batched.

Abstract: A messaging system, having a transmitter (202) for transmitting information service messages to selective call units (SCU's) (122), receives displayable information from a service provider, and creates a message having an address field (504) and data field (508). The address field (504) includes an address assigned to at least one SCU (122), and the data field (508) includes the displayable information. A portion of the displayable information is defined as at least one subaddress field (510, 514). The at least one subaddress field (510, 514) is used by the at least one SCU (122), when receiving the message from the messaging system, for determining whether a portion of the displayable information is to be processed.

Abstract: A housing assembly (100) includes a housing having a selective call receiver (200) therein, a raised ridge (108) coupled to the housing, the raised ridge having under cut side walls (115, 117) forming a tapered recess (114) open at one end. Additionally, the housing assembly includes a latch (106) coupled to the housing, the latch centered about the under cut side walls and having a detent (110) at an end opposite to the raised ridge. An elongated mounting clip (120) coupled to a base plate (118) is used for engagement with the housing. To accomplish this, the base plate is dimensioned to insert within the under cut side walls of the raised ridge and to engage with the detent for latching the elongated mounting clip to the housing.

Abstract: A communication system is used for transmitting error-tolerant messages to a selective call receiver (122). The communication system includes a transmitter circuit and a controller (112). The controller (112) applies an error-correction algorithm to an original message and repeats the application step to the by-product therefrom until a message has been generated that is sufficiently error-tolerant (506, 508). The error-tolerant message is transmitted to the selective call receiver (122), which receives the error-tolerant message using a receiver circuit. A processor (310) of the selective call receiver (122) applies an inverse error-correction algorithm to the error-tolerant message, and repeats the application step to the by-product therefrom until the original message has been reconstructed (604, 606).

Abstract: A radio receiver circuit (100) is used for receiving a multi-level signal from a radio communication system. The multi-level signal includes a plurality of symbols, wherein each level is representative of a symbol of data. The receiver circuit (100) includes a demodulator circuit (106) and a digital circuit (112). The demodulator circuit (106) is used for receiving the multi-level signal and for generating baseband samples for each symbol, whereby each sample has a phase and a signal level. The digital circuit (112) is coupled to the demodulator circuit (106), and is adapted to tally, by category, occurrences of the baseband samples, whereby each category is representative of one of a plurality of phases, and one of a plurality of signal level ranges. The digital circuit (112) is further adapted to correlate the categories to at least one predetermined template, and to classify the multi-level signal according to the correlation results.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in a radio communication system that employs frequency reuse is used for optimizing transmission of messages to a selective call transceiver (116). The radio communication system transmits a first message (202) to the selective call transceiver (116) instructing it to listen to a second message destined for another selective call transceiver (116), to measure a signal quality level of the second message, and to transmit a response signal representative of measured signal quality. After transmitting the second message (204) to the other selective call transceiver (116), the radio communication system receives the response signal (206) from the selective call transceiver (116). In response, the radio communication system transmits a third message (212) to the selective call transceiver (116) utilizing a frequency reuse plan in accordance with the signal quality level.

Abstract: A selective call unit (800) comprising a receiver (100) and a processor (810) is used for decoding a 2-level radio signal. The processor (810) is adapted to convert in-phase and quadrature signals generated by the receiver (100) to a sequence of state transitions representative of the plurality of symbols. For each symbol in the plurality of symbols, the processor (810) counts the sequence of state transitions during a symbol period, and compares the recorded count to a predetermined threshold, thereby generating a comparison result. The processor (810) then calculates a bit decision threshold level based on an average of the comparison result for each symbol in the plurality of symbols. For each symbol in a plurality of subsequent symbols, the processor (810) then compares the bit decision threshold level to the sequence of state transitions counted during a symbol period to decode a digital logic level therefrom.

Abstract: A process for fabricating a solder bump having an improved geometry includes the steps of evaporatively depositing a first metallization system to form a post having a predetermined volume onto an integrated circuit having a passivation layer defining a die pad window, wherein the length of the post is greater than the width of the post, and wherein the length of the post extends beyond the die pad window over the passivation layer, and evaporatively depositing a second metallization system onto the post to form a cap also having a volume, wherein the first metallization system forming the post and the second metallization system forming the cap, when reflowed, form a eutectic solder bump.

Abstract: A PLL circuit (401), including a VCO (420) having a trimming port (418) and a tuning port (416), a PLL controller (404), a variable voltage source (408), a voltage measuring circuit (426) and a multiplexer (412, 414, 428), performs automatic trimming of the VCO (420). The PLL circuit (401) accomplishes this by initiating a trimming mode that controls the multiplexer so that it couples the output of the PLL controller (404) to the trimming port (418), and the output of the variable voltage source (408) to the tuning port (416), thereby to phase lock the VCO (420) to the reference frequency signal (421). The PLL circuit (401) then measures, by way of the voltage measuring circuit (426), a voltage at the trimming port (418), switches the PLL circuit (401) to an operational mode, and then adjusts the variable voltage source (408) to be substantially equal to the voltage measured.